Sukuna's POV
The wind tore at my borrowed form as Nue carried us through the night sky, its wings beating with steady, rhythmic power. Below, the ocean stretched endlessly, a dark expanse broken only by the occasional glimmer of moonlight on the waves. The three humans huddled on Nue's back, seeking warmth and stability, while I stood at the edge, perfectly balanced despite the turbulence.
I didn't need to sit. I didn't need to huddle for warmth. This body, this vessel I now inhabited, was far beyond such petty mortal concerns.
My eyes scanned the horizon, calculating distances and trajectories with the precision of someone who had spent centuries mastering spatial awareness. We were making good time. At this pace, we'd reach Japan within hours rather than days. Nue was proving to be an excellent choice for transportation, far superior to any mundane method these humans might have considered.
But as the journey stretched on, my mind turned inward, analyzing the situation with the cold, methodical approach that had served me well in both my past life and this current existence.
Of all the timelines, of all the possible worlds I could have ended up in, I mused, allowing myself a thin smile that none of the others could see,it had to be this one.
Chaldea's timeline. The Grand Order. Humanity's last hope fighting against the incineration of human history. I'd known that from the moment I was summoned, had recognized the signs immediately. The Rayshift system, the Singularities, the desperate struggle to preserve humanity's future.
That part wasn't surprising. What was irritating was the specific flavor of this timeline.
A goddamn NTR timeline, I thought with dark amusement.Where Gudako gets corrupted, where Chaldea falls from within, where everything goes to shit not because of some grand external threat, but because of internal corruption and betrayal.
It was almost poetic in its cruelty. The organization meant to save humanity, compromised by something that twisted and corrupted from the inside out. The Haze hadn't just attacked Chaldea—it had violated it, turned it into something monstrous.
And here I am, playing hero to a bunch of traumatized humans who barely survived their own home being corrupted.
The knowledge from my previous life remained sharp and clear in my mind, untainted by Sukuna's overwhelming personality. I knew exactly where we were in the broader timeline, what had come before in this twisted version of the Fate universe, and more importantly, what resources might still be available.
One of the resources I consider possible, although unlikely, is the FATE STAY line. There was a possibility that perhaps in this FGO timeline, it is no longer relevant to seek help in those areas. Years have passed since the fifth Holy Grail War began and since Chaldea began, so it could be considered useless.
But I didn't want to rule it out, because there was a possibility that the time loop that occurred in Fuyuki included a time dilation in the events of Ataraxia or that humanity, upon being restored, has not been restored to perfection. It was a possibility to consider, and it was also stronger in Japan because it was their place of residence as Servants, so I wanted to investigate a little.
If it didn't work, I could look for allies in the Clock Tower or even in ATLAS... Putting that aside, let's return to my initial thoughts.
Fate/Stay Night. Three routes. Three possibilities. Three different outcomes for the Fifth Holy Grail War.
The question was: which route had this world followed?
Fate route, I considered first, my analytical mind dissecting the possibilities. If Shirou chose Saber, if he walked the path of the idealistic fool who wanted to become a hero of justice... then what would remain?
In that route, Saber had destroyed the Grail. Kirei Kotomine died. Gilgamesh was consumed by the Grail's corruption and eliminated. The war ended with a bittersweet victory, Saber returning to her own time to accept her fate. Clean. Relatively simple. The kind of ending that left few loose threads.
But it also left few resources. Few allies. Few potential advantages for someone like me.
Unlimited Blade Works, I continued, my expression darkening slightly. The route where Shirou embraced his own twisted nature, where he accepted that his ideals were beautiful lies.
That route had been more chaotic. Gilgamesh had played a larger role, his arrogance leading to his downfall at the hands of a boy who was nothing more than a sword. Kirei still died, but differently. The Grail was rejected, its corruption exposed. Rin and Shirou had walked away together, leaving Fuyuki behind.
Again, few advantages for my current situation. The war had ended, the participants had scattered, and the Holy Grail system itself had been dismantled.
Heaven's Feel, I thought, and this time my smile widened into something genuinely amused. Now that would be interesting.
The darkest route. The one where Shirou abandoned his ideals to save a single person. Where Sakura Matou's suffering came to light, where the Shadow consumed Servants and humans alike, where the corruption of the Grail became impossible to ignore. Kirei died in that route too, killed by Shirou in their final confrontation. The Grail was destroyed, but not before revealing the true depth of its evil.
And in that route, Illyasviel von Einzbern sacrificed herself to close the gate to the Root, to prevent the corruption from consuming everything.
But what about Sakura? I mused, my analytical mind considering all possibilities. If she survived, if she was saved by Shirou... or if she wasn't.
Sakura Matou. The girl who had been tortured for years by Zouken Matou, implanted with Crest Worms, turned into a vessel for the corrupted Grail. She had become the Shadow, consuming Servants to sustain herself, driven by jealousy and despair. In Heaven's Feel, Shirou had chosen to save her, to reject his ideals for the sake of one person.
But that required very specific circumstances. If those circumstances hadn't occurred, if Shirou had chosen differently, or if this timeline diverged in some way...
Then Sakura might still be suffering. Still trapped. Still corrupted.
And if that were the case, she represented another opportunity. A powerful magus with a unique connection to the corrupted Grail, someone who understood darkness intimately. Someone who could be... useful.
If she's still alive and suffering, I could offer her salvation, I thought coldly. Heal her. Free her from the Crest Worms. Remove Zouken's influence. And in doing so, secure her loyalty.
Gratitude was a powerful tool for manipulation. Someone saved from years of torment would be intensely loyal to their savior, especially if that savior was the only one who had ever truly helped them. Sakura had immense potential, both as a magus and as someone who understood the nature of corruption. With the right guidance, the right... With encouragement, she could become a valuable asset.
Of course, that's only if she exists in a salvageable state, I reasoned. If Shirou already saved her, she'd be of little use. If she's dead, even less so. But if she's trapped in that hell, waiting for someone to free her...
The possibilities were intriguing.
And then there's Illyasviel, I thought, adding another variable to my mental calculations. If she's alive, that would confirm that we're in the timeline where Shirou chooses Saber. In the other routes, she was brutally murdered by Gilgamesh or sacrificed herself to save Shirou. I'll have to investigate that later, once we've settled in. A discreet reconnaissance of Einzbern Castle and other key locations should give me the answers I need.
But regardless of which route occurred, I reasoned, the outcome is always the same in one crucial aspect: Kirei Kotomine dies.
The thought of sneaking around Fuyuki to gather intelligence was almost appealing. It would give me a chance to assess the situation properly, to see what resources were available and what threats remained.
That was the constant. The fixed point. In every version of the Fifth Holy Grail War, the false priest met his end. His twisted philosophy, his corrupted existence, his partnership with Gilgamesh... all of it ended with his death.
And according to what I knew, after Kirei's death, someone else took over the Fuyuki Church.
Caren Ortensia.
A smile tugged at my lips as I considered this. Caren Hortensia, daughter of Kirei Kotomine, exorcist of the Church, and someone far more reasonable than her father had ever been. Where Kirei had been twisted by his nature, seeking pleasure in others' suffering, Caren was... different. Strict, certainly. Bound by her duty to the Church. But not evil. Not corrupted by the same darkness that had consumed her father.
More importantly, she was an exorcist. Someone who dealt with spiritual corruption, with entities that didn't belong in the world, with threats that normal humans couldn't comprehend.
Someone who might actually be useful in dealing with the Haze's corruption.
And then there's Fate/Hollow Ataraxia, I continued my analysis, my mind working through the implications. The sequel that occurred after the Fifth War, regardless of which route had been followed.
That strange, looping story where time repeated itself over and over, where the participants of the Holy Grail War found themselves trapped in a four-day cycle. A peaceful illusion created by the Grail's remnants, a dream world where no one had to suffer anymore.
But it wasn't just a dream. It had been real in its own way, sustained by a very specific entity.
Avenger. Angra Mainyu. All the World's Evil.
The weakest Servant ever summoned in a Holy Grail War, yet paradoxically the source of the Grail's corruption. A being born from humanity's desire to externalize evil, to create a scapegoat for all their sins. He had been Bazett Fraga McRemitz's servant in Ataraxia and had helped her fight monsters, but before that, she had been betrayed by Kirei Kotomine at the beginning of the Fifth War, being Lancer's original master. Kirei left her in critical condition with an amputated arm and her Command Seals stolen.
In Hollow Ataraxia, Angra Mainyu had created the time loop using the remnants of the corrupted Grail. He had taken Shirou Emiya's body as his vessel, living through those four days over and over again, experiencing the peaceful life he'd never had as a human. Bazett had been kept alive within the loop, sustained by the Grail's magic, reliving those same four days hundreds of times without realizing it.
And when that loop finally broke—when the truth was revealed and the illusion shattered—Angra Mainyu had been freed. He had disappeared into the void, his purpose fulfilled, his existence finally allowed to end.
Or that's the story, I thought, my expression darkening. But in this timeline, it may be different; I can't take anything for granted. In this corrupt version. There's no guarantee that Angra Mainyu disappeared as he should have. He could still be here, lurking, waiting. Or he could have been consumed by something else entirely.
Leaving that aside, Bazett... she is interesting.
Bazett Fraga McRemitz. A powerful enforcer from the Mage's Association, specializing in hand-to-hand combat and wielding Fragarach, a Noble Phantasm that could reverse causality itself. She had been betrayed by Kirei at the start of the Fifth War, left in a near-death state, sustained only by the dregs of the Grail's power during the time loop.
According to what I knew, when the loop broke, Bazett had fallen into a coma. Her body and mind, having existed for four days repeated hundreds of times while sustained by the Grail's corrupted magic, had been unable to cope with the return to linear time. She had collapsed, her consciousness fragmenting under the strain of suddenly being thrust back into reality.
If she's still in that coma, I thought, my smile growing sharper, then I have an opportunity.
My Reverse Cursed Technique could heal almost anything. Wounds, diseases, even damage to the soul itself, if I applied it correctly. A coma caused by temporal and spiritual strain? Child's play. I could wake Bazett, restore her to full functionality, and in doing so, gain a powerful ally.
More than that, I could gain a Master.
The thought was pragmatic rather than desperate. Right now, I couldn't properly draw on Gudako or Ritsuka as mana sources. After I'd cleaned the Haze corruption from their magical circuits, both of them needed time to recover. Their circuits were fragile, damaged from the trauma of what the Haze had done to them in Chaldea.
Forcing them to supply me with mana in their current state would be like trying to draw water from a cracked well—it would only cause more damage, potentially permanent damage to their already compromised circuits. They needed time to heal, time for their magical pathways to stabilize and repair themselves naturally.
Fortunately, he would heal quite quickly; after all, they were both the best masters in Chaldea.
I could sustain myself on my own cursed energy reserves for now, but despite my enormous mana reserve, it would eventually run out without replenishment, and replenishing it with energy from the environment was inefficient. It was like trying to fill a large swimming pool with a glass of water. Not to mention that a servant operating without adequate mana replenishment would only lead to improper operation.
If I could establish a contract with Bazett, I would have access to a stable, undamaged source of mana. A Master whose circuits were intact and fully functional. A Master who was actually trained in combat. A Master who understood the nature of Servants and Holy Grail Wars. A Master who wielded Fragarach, a Noble Phantasm that could counter even the most powerful attacks by reversing causality itself.
Of course, there is doubt as to whether she can maintain all my power, but whether she can do so or not doesn't matter. As long as the threat of disappearance is resolved, I could resolve the maintenance issue with a binding vow.
Yes, Bazett would be a useful addition to our little group. Not the most powerful, but certainly valuable.
But then there's the question of Angra Mainyu, I mused, my expression becoming more contemplative.
The so-called "All the World's Evil" was a wildcard. After Hollow Ataraxia's conclusion, his fate was uncertain. Had he dissipated completely? Had he remained as a lingering presence in Fuyuki? Had he found a new vessel, a new way to manifest?
I didn't know, and that uncertainty bothered me more than I cared to admit.
Angra Mainyu was weak in terms of raw power. As a Servant, he had been pathetic, barely able to fight at all. But his nature as the embodiment of humanity's externalized evil gave him unique properties. He was the source of the Grail's corruption, the reason why the Third Magic had been twisted into something monstrous. He could corrupt other Servants, turn them into mindless beasts driven only by hunger and rage.
In many ways, he was similar to the Haze's corruption. Both were entities that spread like a plague, consuming and twisting everything they touched. Both were manifestations of something fundamentally wrong with the world.
But there was a crucial difference: Angra Mainyu had once been human. Beneath the corruption, beneath the title of "All the World's Evil," there was still a person. Someone who had suffered, who had been sacrificed, who had been forced to bear the sins of an entire village.
Someone who might understand what it meant to be used as a tool.
If I can find him, I reasoned, if he still exists in some form, then he could be either a powerful ally or a dangerous enemy.
As an ally, Angra Mainyu would be invaluable against the Haze's corruption. His nature as a conceptual entity of evil might allow him to interact with the Haze's corruption in ways that normal Servants couldn't. He might be able to consume it, redirect it, or at least understand it better than anyone else.
As an enemy... well, that would be problematic. Two sources of corruption fighting for dominance would only make the situation worse. And if Angra Mainyu decided to ally with the Haze, or if the Haze somehow absorbed him, the results would be catastrophic.
I'll have to assess the situation when we arrive, I decided. If Angra Mainyu is present, I'll determine whether he can be reasoned with. If not, I'll eliminate him before he becomes a threat.
It was a cold calculation, but necessary. I had no room for sentimentality when the stakes were this high.
My thoughts were interrupted by a shift in the air pressure. We were approaching land. I could sense it even before I saw the coastline appearing on the horizon, a dark line separating sea from sky.
Japan.
Sukuna's homeland, where he had been born over a thousand years ago. But not mine. My previous life had been spent in Central America, a world away from this island nation. The irony wasn't lost on me—inhabiting the body of a Japanese curse while carrying memories from an entirely different culture.
And now, the place where I would find sanctuary for these foolish humans who had somehow become my responsibility.
"We're almost there," I called out, my voice cutting through the wind. Behind me, I felt the three humans stir, rousing themselves from their exhausted half-sleep.
"Already?" Ritsuka's voice was hoarse, strained from fatigue and stress. "How long have we been flying?"
"Several hours," I replied without turning around. "Nue is faster than you might expect, and I've been supplementing its speed with my own cursed energy. We should reach Fuyuki within the next thirty minutes."
"Fuyuki?" Mash's voice held a note of confusion. "Why Fuyuki specifically? Isn't that where the Holy Grail Wars took place?"
"Precisely because of that," I said, finally turning to face them. The moonlight illuminated my features, casting sharp shadows across my face. "The Holy Grail Wars left their mark on Fuyuki. The city has been saturated with magical energy for decades, and more importantly, it has infrastructure designed to deal with supernatural threats."
Ritsuka frowned, his exhaustion evident in the dark circles under his eyes. Even holding Gudako's unconscious form, he managed to maintain focus. "But wouldn't that make it more dangerous? If the Haze's corruption spreads to places with high magical energy—"
"It's a calculated risk," I interrupted, my tone dismissive but not hostile. "Fuyuki has areas that might still be protected. Places where the corruption hasn't reached yet, or where it might be held at bay by existing defenses."
"What kind of places?" Mash asked, shifting her grip on her shield. Even exhausted, she remained vigilant, ready to protect her Master at a moment's notice. Admirable, if somewhat foolish.
I allowed myself a small, enigmatic smile. "I've been investigating since the beginning. Gathering information, analyzing patterns, considering possibilities. There are certain locations in Fuyuki that could serve as sanctuaries, at least temporarily."
"You've been investigating?" Ritsuka's eyes narrowed slightly, suspicion creeping into his voice. "When? How? You were just summoned recently, and we've been dealing with the corruption almost immediately."
Clever boy, I thought with genuine amusement. True, due to the situation, I sometimes forgot that this person had saved humanity several times.
"I have my methods," I replied vaguely, turning back to face the approaching coastline. "Let's just say that I'm far more perceptive than you might expect, and I've had access to... information that others might not."
It wasn't technically a lie. I did have access to information, just not through the means they might assume. My knowledge from my previous life gave me an unfair advantage, but there was no reason to reveal that particular card yet. Let them think I was simply exceptionally skilled at gathering intelligence.
"That's not really an answer," Ritsuka pressed, his voice taking on a harder edge despite his exhaustion.
"No, it isn't," I agreed without apology. "But it's the answer you're getting for now. What matters is that I know where we're going, and I know why it might be safe. You can either trust me, or you can strike out on your own and see how long you last without my protection."
The silence that followed was heavy with tension. I could feel Ritsuka's frustration, Mash's uncertainty. They didn't like being kept in the dark, but they also recognized that they had few alternatives.
"Fine," Ritsuka finally said, his voice tight. "But when we get to wherever we're going, you're going to explain properly. No more cryptic non-answers."
"We'll see," I replied, which earned me an exasperated sigh.
The coastline grew closer, and soon we were flying over land. The landscape below was dark, dotted with occasional lights from small towns and villages. I guided Nue toward the northwest, toward the mountains where the Einzbern castle stood.
"Are we going to the Einzbern territory?" Mash asked, clearly recognizing the direction we were heading.
"Near it," I confirmed. "There's a forest close to the castle. We'll land there, and then proceed on foot to our actual destination."
"Which is?" Ritsuka prompted.
"The Fuyuki Church."
The reaction was immediate. Both Ritsuka and Mash tensed, their expressions shifting to alarm.
"The Church?" Ritsuka repeated, his voice sharp with alarm. "You want us to go to the Church? After everything Kirei Kotomine did during the Holy Grail Wars?"
His reaction confirmed what I suspected—he knew about the Fifth Holy Grail War, at least the broad strokes. Chaldea would have briefed him on Fuyuki's history, given its significance as the location of multiple Singularities.
"Kirei Kotomine is dead," I stated flatly. "He died in the Fifth Holy Grail War. The Church is now under different management."
"Different management?" Mash echoed, confusion evident in her voice. "Who would take over after someone like Kotomine?"
"Caren Ortensia," I explained, noting their blank expressions. As expected, they didn't know about her. "Kirei's daughter, and an exorcist of considerable skill. Unlike her father, she's not a twisted sadist who orchestrated wars for his own amusement. She's strict, bound by duty to the Church, but fundamentally reasonable."
Ritsuka's eyes narrowed. "And you know this how? About Kirei's daughter? That's not exactly common knowledge."
"I have my sources," I replied simply, which was technically true from a certain point of view. "The point is, Caren is an exorcist. She deals with spiritual corruption, with entities that don't belong in this world. If anyone in Fuyuki has the knowledge and resources to help us understand the Haze's corruption, it's her."
I paused, considering how much more to reveal. "Additionally, there's a possibility that the Church is currently sheltering someone who might be of use to us."
"Who?" Mash asked.
"Bazett Fraga McRemitz."
The name clearly meant something to them. Ritsuka's eyes widened slightly, and Mash's grip on her shield tightened.
"The enforcer from the Mage's Association?" Ritsuka said slowly. "I've heard of her. She was supposed to participate in the Fifth Holy Grail War, but she was betrayed by Kirei Kotomine before it even started. After that... she disappeared. No one knows what happened to her."
"Not exactly," I corrected him. "According to the information I've gathered, following the events that unfolded after the Fifth War, some magi reported incidents related to temporal anomalies. Apparently, a loop was created by the corrupted Grail. Apparently, the loop healed all of Bazett's wounds, so when it was removed, she went into critical condition, but was saved by Caren. However, she did fall into a coma."
I paused, letting that sink in. "If she's still in that state, and if she's being cared for at the Church, then I can wake her."
Ritsuka nodded slowly, understanding immediately. He'd already seen my Reverse Cursed Technique in action, had seen me explain how it could repair damage to the body very easily. A coma caused by temporal and spiritual strain would be well within my capabilities to address.
"And why would you want to help her?" Mash asked, her analytical mind clearly working through the implications. "What do you gain from waking up an enforcer from the Mage's Association?"
I smiled, appreciating her directness. "Several things. First, Bazett is a powerful combatant who specializes in hand-to-hand combat and wields Fragarach, a Noble Phantasm capable of reversing causality. She would be a valuable ally against whatever threats we face."
"And second?" Ritsuka prompted.
"Second," I continued, my smile growing sharper, "she could serve as an additional Master for me. Your sister is unconscious, and although you have some ability to support several Servants, your mana reserves are weakened due to damage to your magical circuits and will need rest if you don't want to damage them further. Bazett would help us with that problem, as a trained mage and former Master, would provide a much more stable source of energy."
The honesty seemed to catch them off guard. Ritsuka blinked, processing the admission.
"So you're planning to... what, form a contract with her?"
"If she's willing," I said with a shrug. "Although I suspect that once I wake her, and once I explain the situation, she'll see the mutual benefit of such an arrangement."
"You seem very confident about all of this," Mash observed, her tone neutral but her eyes sharp.
"I'm confident because I've thought it through," I replied. "Unlike you three, I'm not running on emotion and desperation. I'm calculating probabilities, assessing resources, and planning for multiple contingencies. That's how you survive situations like this."
It was harsh, but true. These humans were driven by their desire to save each other, to protect what they cared about. Admirable, perhaps, but also limiting. They needed someone who could think coldly, who could make the hard decisions without being paralyzed by sentiment.
That was the role I would play, whether they liked it or not.
"I still have many questions, and above all, curiosity," Ritsuka said with a sigh, giving Sukuna a tired look. "About Fuyuki. About why you think it might be safe. You seem to know a lot about this city, which makes me wonder if you've been here before, and if not... I'm surprised you've researched so much information in such a short time."
Too perceptive for his own good, I thought with a mixture of annoyance and respect.
"As I said, fighting isn't my only specialty," I said evasively. "Before I acted, I made it a point to investigate the situation thoroughly. I gathered information about Fuyuki, its history, the key players, and the resources that might still be available. Knowledge is a weapon, and I don't move blindly into unknown territory."
It was vague enough to be believable, specific enough to sound convincing. The explanation made sense—a strategic Servant would naturally research before making critical decisions, especially in a city as historically significant as Fuyuki.
"I suppose... if you say so. I have no choice but to believe you," Ritsuka muttered, but he didn't press further. Exhaustion was clearly winning out over curiosity.
The forest came into view below us, a dark expanse of trees covering the mountainside. I guided Nue toward a clearing, a small open space surrounded by thick foliage that would provide cover from any aerial observation.
"We're landing," I announced. "Brace yourselves."
Nue descended smoothly, its massive form somehow managing to land with surprising grace despite its size. The moment we touched down, I dismissed the shikigami, allowing it to dissolve back into cursed energy. The sudden absence of its presence left the clearing feeling empty and quiet.
Ritsuka carefully adjusted his hold on Gudako, making sure she was secure before stepping onto solid ground. His legs were unsteady, and he nearly stumbled before Mash caught his arm.
"Easy," she said softly, her own exhaustion evident in the way she leaned on her shield for support.
I observed them for a moment, these fragile humans who had somehow survived this long against impossible odds. They were weak, yes, but there was a stubborn resilience to them that I couldn't help but find mildly interesting.
"The Einzbern castle is approximately three kilometers to the east," I said, gesturing in the appropriate direction. "The Fuyuki Church is about five kilometers to the south. We'll rest here for a few minutes to let you recover your strength, then we'll proceed to the Church on foot."
"On foot?" Mash asked, surprised. "Why not fly the rest of the way?"
"Because I don't want to announce our presence to everyone in Fuyuki," I replied. "This city is home to numerous mages, families with ties to the Holy Grail Wars, and various magical factions. Nue is conspicuous—a giant shikigami flying through the sky would attract unwanted attention and start rumors. Walking will be slower, but it will keep us under the radar until we reach the Church."
Ritsuka nodded slowly, understanding the logic even if he didn't like it. He carefully lowered Gudako to the ground, leaning her against a tree trunk and making sure she was comfortable. His hands lingered on her shoulders for a moment, his expression pained.
"She's still stable," I said, not unkindly. "The stasis I placed her in is holding. She's not getting worse."
"But she's not getting better either," Ritsuka said quietly.
"No," I admitted. "She won't improve until we can address the root cause of her condition. But she's alive, and she'll remain that way as long as I maintain the technique. That's more than you had before I intervened."
It was blunt, but it seemed to provide some small comfort. Ritsuka took a deep breath and nodded.
"Thank you," he said, the words clearly difficult for him. "For saving her. For helping us. Even if I don't understand why you're doing it, or what you're getting out of this... thank you."
I looked at him for a long moment, considering how to respond. The gratitude was genuine; I could sense that much. And despite Sukuna's personality pushing me toward arrogance and dismissal, I found myself... not entirely unmoved by it.
"Don't thank me yet," I said finally. "We're not safe. We're not even close to safe. All I've done is buy us time, and even that is temporary. The real work starts when we reach the Church."
"Still," Mash interjected softly, "you could have left us. You could have saved yourself and ignored our situation. But you didn't. That means something."
I turned away, uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. Sentiment was a weakness I couldn't afford, not when Sukuna's personality was constantly pushing me toward cold calculation and self-interest.
"Rest," I commanded, ending the discussion. "You have ten minutes. Then we move."
They didn't argue, too exhausted to do anything but comply. Ritsuka settled down next to Gudako, his hand clasped around hers even in her unconscious state. Mash sat nearby, her shield propped against a tree, her eyes already starting to close despite her best efforts to remain vigilant.
I stood apart from them, my senses extended outward, monitoring the surrounding area for any signs of threat. The forest was quiet, almost unnaturally so. No birds sang, no small animals rustled through the underbrush. It was as if the land itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
Corruption does not seem to have affected several parts of Fuyuki, I thought, analyzing the ambient magical energy. Despite that, the Haze's signature, even in Fuyuki, is not weak; it seems to cover a large part of the city. The reason it has not penetrated everywhere is that whoever caused this was not even interested in this place.
Fuyuki was a nexus of magical activity, a place where the boundaries between worlds had been worn thin by decades of Holy Grail Wars. That made it both a sanctuary and a potential disaster. If the Haze's corruption found a way to exploit those weakened boundaries, the results would be catastrophic.
But that same weakness also meant that there were places here where the normal rules didn't quite apply. Places where defenses had been erected, where protective barriers had been maintained, where entities like Caren Ortensia worked to keep the supernatural threats at bay.
The Church was one such place.
And if my knowledge from my previous life was accurate, if the events of Hollow Ataraxia had indeed occurred in this timeline, then there would also be the question of Angra Mainyu.
I don't have to focus too much on that. I thought absentmindedly, just to be sure, sharpen my senses, trying to detect any trace of the entity known as All the World's Evil. If he were nearby, I would have sensed it immediately. It is impossible for me not to recognize a signature like his, even if I did not recognize his energetic signature.
There was nothing. No response, no hint of that particular brand of corruption. Either Angra Mainyu was truly gone, or he was hiding himself so thoroughly that even I couldn't detect him.
I would have to proceed on the assumption that he might still be present. That meant being prepared for either alliance or confrontation, depending on his disposition.
The ten minutes passed quickly. I turned back to the humans, noting that Ritsuka had actually managed to doze off, his head resting against the tree trunk. Mash was still awake, but barely, her eyes unfocused as she stared into the darkness.
"Time to move," I announced, my voice cutting through the silence.
Ritsuka jerked awake, momentarily disoriented before remembering where he was. He stood carefully, once again lifting Gudako into his arms. The strain was evident in his posture, but he didn't complain.
Mash rose as well, gripping her shield with renewed determination despite her exhaustion.
"Stay close," I instructed. "And stay quiet. If we encounter anything, let me handle it. Your priority is to protect Gudako and survive. Nothing else matters."
They nodded, falling into formation behind me as I led the way through the forest. The terrain was rough, covered in roots and undergrowth that made walking difficult, especially for Ritsuka carrying his sister. But I set a steady pace, not so fast that they couldn't keep up, but not so slow that we wasted time.
The forest gradually thinned as we descended the mountainside, giving way to the outskirts of Fuyuki proper. The city was dark, most of its lights extinguished either by design or by disaster. I could sense pockets of magical energy scattered throughout, some benign, others decidedly not.
But the Church stood out like a beacon. Its spiritual presence was unmistakable, a concentrated point of holy energy that pushed back against the darkness. Protective barriers surrounded it, layers of defensive magic that had been maintained and reinforced over decades.
Caren's work, I thought with approval. She's kept the Church fortified. Good.
We moved through the empty streets, keeping to the shadows, avoiding the main roads. Twice I sensed something moving in the distance, corrupted entities that prowled the darkness, but they didn't detect us. My own presence was carefully masked, and the humans were too weak to register as significant threats.
Finally, the Church came into view. It stood atop a hill overlooking the city, a Western-style building with a tall bell tower and stained glass windows. Even in the darkness, it radiated a sense of sanctuary, of safety.
"There," I said quietly, pointing toward the structure. "That's our destination."
Ritsuka looked up at the Church, his expression a mixture of hope and apprehension. "Do you think they'll help us?"
"They'll help," I said with certainty. "Caren may be strict, but she's not heartless. Once she understands the threat we're facing, she'll recognize that we're not her enemies."
"And if she doesn't?" Mash asked.
I turned to look at Ritsuka directly. "Then you'll convince her."
He blinked, surprised. "Me?"
"You," I confirmed. "Despite how pathetic you were during the Chaldea situation, you have something I lack—charisma. The ability to connect with people, to make them want to help you. You'll explain our situation, ask for sanctuary, and request her expertise."
I allowed myself a cold smile. "And if you fail... then I'll convince her. One way or another."
The implication hung in the air, but Ritsuka nodded slowly, understanding his role.
As for Bazett, I thought to myself, that will be my responsibility. Waking her, healing her, and convincing her to form a contract with me—that requires a more... direct approach. One that Ritsuka's naive idealism wouldn't accomplish, or at least I think I could convince her much more quickly, especially if I help her.
We approached the Church carefully, climbing the steps that led to its entrance. The protective barriers thrummed with power as we passed through them, but they didn't activate. Whatever criteria they used to identify threats, we apparently didn't meet them.
I reached out and knocked on the heavy wooden door, three sharp raps that echoed through the night.
For a moment, there was silence. Then I heard footsteps from within, slow and measured, approaching the door.
The door opened, revealing a young woman with silver hair and golden eyes. She wore the black habit of a Church exorcist, and her expression was one of calm neutrality as she regarded us.
Caren Ortensia.
"Good evening," she said, her voice soft but carrying an edge of steel. "It's rather late for visitors. State your business."
I stepped slightly to the side, giving Ritsuka a clear view of the exorcist. He understood immediately—this was his moment.
Ritsuka straightened despite his exhaustion, still holding Gudako carefully in his arms. "My name is Ritsuka Fujimaru," he began, his voice steady despite the circumstances. "This is Mash Kyrielight, my sister Gudako, and our Servant, Ryōmen Sukuna. We've come from Chaldea... or what's left of it."
Caren's eyes narrowed slightly, studying each of us in turn. Her gaze lingered on Gudako's unconscious form, on the exhaustion evident in Ritsuka and Mash, and finally on me.
"Chaldea?" she repeated, her tone carefully neutral. "The organization that deals with Singularities and temporal anomalies?"
"Yes," Ritsuka confirmed. "Chaldea has been compromised by a corruption we call the Haze. It's spreading, consuming everything in its path—Servants, mages, even the facility itself. We barely escaped with our lives."
He took a breath, his expression earnest. "We need sanctuary. A safe place to rest and recover. And we need your expertise as an exorcist. This corruption... it's unlike anything we've encountered before. If anyone can help us understand it, or fight it, it would be someone like you."
Caren was silent for a long moment, her golden eyes studying Ritsuka's face as if searching for deception. Then her gaze shifted to me.
"You're a Servant," she stated, not a question but an observation. "I assume you were summoned by Chaldea. Your presence here, with them, makes that much clearer... May I ask what class you are in?"
"Caster," I replied simply, keeping my tone neutral. "Ryōmen Sukuna."
There was a flicker of recognition in her eyes—of surprise and recognition. "Ryōmen Sukuna," she repeated slowly, her voice carrying a note of careful consideration. "Who would have thought I would see the legendary sorcerer, said to have been both a demon and a hero in the Heian period. Known for his two faces and power that rivaled that of the gods themselves. Legends speak of your cruelty as well as your kindness." She paused, her golden eyes watching me with renewed intensity. "I suppose we're seeing the hero side."
Ritsuka continued, pressing his advantage and the nod. "He's on our side. Sukuna has been protecting us. He saved my sister's life, stabilized her condition when the corruption tried to consume her. Without him, we wouldn't have made it here."
"I see." Her tone remained neutral, despite an underlying caution, the kind that arises when recognizing an unknown entity, but there was genuine curiosity on her part. I was honestly quite impressed that she knew my Legend, or at least the legend of this world.
Caren's gaze returned to Gudako, then back to Ritsuka. For several long seconds, the only sound was the wind rustling through the trees behind us.
Then she stepped aside, opening the door wider.
"Come in," she said quietly. "We have much to discuss."
As we entered the Church, crossing the threshold into its protective embrace, I allowed myself a small smile of satisfaction.
The first step was complete. We had found sanctuary.
Now came the hard part: convincing Caren to help us, finding Bazett, and determining whether Angra Mainyu was still a factor in this twisted game.
But for now, as the door closed behind us and the warmth of the Church enveloped us, we had achieved something crucial.
And for the moment, that was all that mattered. I could only wait to see what this situation would bring.
And I was getting closer and closer to punching the jerk who caused this situation.
.
.
.
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