I'm not sure Kintoki is really the appropriate Servant to be her kryptonite

Not Ibaraki's Kryptonite, but as a legendary Demon-hunter he at least has a significant advantage.

+++++++++++
and finished binge-reading the story.
whoa, what a trip and that's only the early phase!

so 5 Servants are revealed so far:
Saber: Chevalier D'Eon, Dragoon, Spy, loyal Knight
Archer: Atlante, Chaste Huntress, Apple-lover
Lancer: UNKNOWN, Kirei's servant, could be Enkidu or Nezha
Rider: Martha, Dragon-puncher, Dragon-Pitcher, Saint
Assassin: Hassan of Serenity, Kind Assassin with a touch of poison
Caster: UNKNOWN, Waver's servant, might be Da Vinci, Helena or Babbage (even Edison is an option with the info so far)
Berserker: Ibaraki, Banana-Oni, Sweets lover, unleashed old-school Monster in a modern City
 
If it wasn't for Kaynth getting D'Eon I assumed Kirei would have gotten Siegfried for the extra irony of summoning a dragonslayer when Tokiomi got Martha.
 
Chapter 9 - Morbidity
Chapter 9 - Morbidity
It rained, and it rained, and it rained.

Mostly, what it rained was arrows.

There was a convention, in a lot of books Ryuunosuke had read, to describe a lot of arrows being fired as a 'rain', or a 'shower'. As far as descriptions went, it was fine. It got the point across of there being a lot of things falling from the sky. There were a hundred arrows, or maybe even a thousand, and calling it a rain made you picture that.

But, really?

Go out and stand in the rain sometime. Look at how the air is filled with dropping water, how you can barely pick out the individual drops and it's useless to try anyway because what matters more is the area affected. Now just try and imagine every single one of those raindrops as an arrow. It quickly becomes clear that 'it rained arrows' is taking just a bit of artistic licence. It's a wonderful metaphor, but a rain of arrows isn't anything like actual rain.

Archer's Noble Phantasm was like actual rain.

"Oh, bother," said Ryuunosuke softly, watching the sky fall from behind his Servant's eyes.

---​

Ibaraki screamed as her flesh was punished. Arrows tore chunks out of her arms, her legs, her shoulders – only the fact that she had her bone blade held protectively over her heart and head prevented any of them from scoring a lethal blow.

She could barely hear herself think. All around her, arrows drilled into the bridge, each impact carrying the sound of a sledgehammer hitting stone – but with such frequency that all Ibaraki could make out was a neverending roar.

It was all she could do to keep her sword braced. She was dimly aware of Saber somewhere next to her, but could not have said what the other Servant was doing to stay alive.

There had been almost no warning.

A second for Ibaraki and Saber to notice the figure on the roof of a building, four kilometres away. Negligible, the time for both of them to recognise it as Servant Archer.

Maybe a quarter-second to realise that she had already fired, two specks of green making their way high, high into the cloudy sky.

Another quarter second for that sky to fill with arrows, multiplying over and over until even Ibaraki felt a leaden dread in her stomach as she realised that dodging would be impossible.

Half a second after that to turn Ibaraki's world into shit.

Two seconds, in total, from realising there was an intruder to being hit with their Noble Phantasm – because there was no way anything like this could be anything else.

A green streak opened a cut on Ibaraki's cheek. She gritted her teeth and ducked her head, feeling bones rattle. Her fingers, long ago broken where they held onto the bone blade's hilt, continued to clutch on, grimly.

There was no point in dodging this. All around, there was nothing but shattering concrete – there was nowhere to dodge to, and trying would mean releasing her guard. No. Ibaraki would weather this as she'd weathered every other attempt at her life.

At the thought, her hide thickened and toughened even beyond its usual iron-hard state, the red tattoos on her forearms, head and legs expanding to cover her entire body. Arms that had been thin and flimsy developed quickly – not growing huge, but growing dense, layers of muscle defining themselves even as arrows stripped them away.

Like this, Ibaraki looked even more like the oni of legend, and the thought made her smile a savage smile even as impact after impact jarred her body. To her disappointment, Ibaraki had finished growing long before she'd wanted to, and was left looking like a fragile human child – but she could change her form somewhat, and made use of the ability as often as necessary. A true oni would withstand the weight of a mountain falling on them, and so would Ibaraki.

Goddamn it, though, would this blasted Noble Phantasm ever stop?

The one consolation was that Saber was surely having just as miserable a time as she was. With a smirk – more a grimace, really – Ibaraki looked to the side, looking through the blinding storm of green to see how the other Servant was handling goddamn it what the shit.

Saber was unharmed. Not a scratch had been marked into their beautiful face, their clothes weren't ripped and torn like Ibaraki's kimono, and they didn't seem to even be breathing hard. That was… impossible. Impossible! No matter how canny Saber was, there was no way they could have dodged this.

And indeed they weren't. Their sword held at the ready, Saber stood perfectly still and looked into the arrow storm, apparently just as confused as Ibaraki. Although probably less annoyed about it. The arrows just… didn't hit them. All around Saber, the concrete was being pounded to powder under Archer's onslaught – but Saber stood in a zone of perfect calm.

Ibaraki saw Saber glance over at her. Ibaraki saw Saber's considering look. Ibaraki read it on Saber's face when the obvious idea dawned.

Slowly, carefully, Saber took a single step towards Ibaraki. The area of unmarred bridge stretching behind Saber like a shadow shattered like the rest, and Saber stood unharmed in her new position.

Saber smiled a bright, bright smile.

Oh, bother, thought Ibaraki.

She frantically swept her blade round to meet Saber's lightning-quick thrust, ignoring the arrows that tore at her. A blast of fire made Saber back off, but even that somehow failed to put them in the path of any of Archer's arrows – and then Saber attacked in earnest.

Ibaraki twitched aside as Saber's sword flashed – right into their follow-up, which severed important-feeling things in her shoulder like a surgeon's scalpel.

Basically ignoring that, Ibaraki blurred her sword through the area Saber's head should have been. It hit only air, as she'd expected – and her follow-up was stopped dead in its tracks, which was not. Saber's mercury-coated glove held Ibaraki's wrist in a vice-like grip. They drew back their rapier for a strike, but Ibaraki was a little quicker this time and lashed out with a kick, ducking her head against her shoulder to protect it from arrow fire.

Saber slithered aside, and did something complicated to Ibaraki's wrist that dragged her forward – directly into an arrow which embedded itself into her wounded shoulder.

Ibaraki screamed, and reached deep into her rapidly dwindling well of power. In a moment, she was surrounded by flame – and then she exploded. A sphere of force and fire briefly expanded around her, blasting even Archer's arrows off-target and forcing Saber to retreat once more. With a feral snarl of effort, Ibaraki kept it up, shining like a hellish sun.

If she let this up, she would die. Either by Archer's arrows, or by Saber taking advantage of her immunity to score a fatal blow. So it was simple. All she had to do was win, just that. Last a little longer, fight a little harder. Archer surely, surely could not have the prana to keep this up for long.

If all else failed, Ibaraki would have to escape – to flee, to run, to admit defeat. She could do that, quite easily. She could go back to the start, reset the conditions, and leave to take on Saber or Archer when they weren't supporting each other. She could even instruct Ryuunosuke to use a Command Spell.

But fuck that.

Ibaraki wasn't going to run, not from some effete flower knight and not from a coward attacking from miles away either. She was the leader of the Mt Ooe oni, and she was more than equal to this task.

… or, so she hoped, as she felt prana flow out of her like sake from a smashed gourd.

Eventually, mercifully, the rain slowed, and stopped.

Ibaraki still stood. Panting, bleeding from a thousand punctures and cuts, her kimono in tatters and her body so bruised and broken she had to lean on her sword for support, but Ibaraki still stood.

The bridge hadn't fared quite so well. The entire surface of the road was a ruin, more pothole than asphalt, scored down to the concrete in so many places it looked only half-built. The red steel that made up the structure was twisted and torn where arrows had punctured straight through. Around Ibaraki in particular, asphalt had melted, concrete had scorched, and even some of the metal was still glowing cherry-red. Even for a magus, the bridge was damn near beyond repair.

And, of course, there was Saber – who had weathered the entire thing, Archer's trump card and Ibaraki's prana burst too, without a scratch.

"Damn you," growled Ibaraki, forcing the words out through battered lungs. "So you're working together with Archer? Don't tell me you avoided that all on your own. No-one's that lucky."

Saber gave a flourish with their sword. "Alas, I must correct you! I am no ally of Archer's."

Ibaraki snorted, rather than dignifying that with a reply. Saber had the gall to look wounded.

"Oh, you cruel woman!" they said, sheathing their rapier and turning to Ibaraki with a hurt expression, one hand on their breast. "Beat me and break me if you must, but my honour is a fragile thing, and your doubt cuts me deeper than swords. I am no circus charlatan attempting to deceive you and triumph by trickery – I am not, I am not!"

Ibaraki huffed, and frowned haughtily. "Protesting that their word is their bond is often the first refuge of liars."

Saber clasped their hands in front of them, looking faintly desperate. "Then, if you will not believe my word, how about this? I shall reveal the name of our mutual foe, to show you we clearly cannot be in league! Archer's true identity is the huntress of Greece raised by bears, she who fired the first shot into the Caledonian Boar…" Saber turned with a flourish, and gestured at the distant building as though a showman introducing his act. "Atalante, the Argonaut!"

Oh? How illustrious. It seemed there were some celebrities taking part in the War, indeed. While Ibaraki had never met Atalante – being from different times and places as they were – the Grail supplied all Servants with a general knowledge of the other Servants' legends. A highborn lady raised by animals, who never truly left the forest behind and kept her heart wild to the end… yes, Ibaraki liked Archer already.

"Hmm?" she said. "How interesting. I find it laughable that Archer should miss so many times."

"Just so. And yet, she persists!" Without warning, Saber's rapier flashed out faster than thought. A single arrow smashed into the ground by Saber's feet, deflected before Ibaraki had even seen it fired.

"I suspect she is just as confused as I am…" Saber continued. "Certainly, she can hit me with the arrows she fires herself. Do you have any insight, perhaps, Berserker?"

Ibaraki glared. Saber's draw had been extremely quick. "Not a clue."

"Hmm…" Saber idly batted aside a few more potshots from Archer. As always, the knight hardly seemed to be trying, and the missiles – hardly visible in the night, moving fast as lightning and striking with twice the force – never made it past their guard. "What a mystery! Can it truly be that her Noble Phantasm refuses to strike me down? Is it then peculiar to the Noble Phantasm itself? Curious, curious…"

Ibaraki shook herself, stretching out her bruised and bloodied body. If Saber wanted to talk, let them – Ibaraki was recovering by the second. He knuckles whitened on her bone blade. She wasn't going to take on Saber, not like this… but she still had a few tricks left up her sleeve. Literally up her sleeve, in fact. It would take some time to gather the necessary prana, however. Her Prana Burst was not kind on her reserves.

As for Saber's question… armed with a name, the Grail helpfully supplied the information into Ibaraki's mind. With that form, that Noble Phantasm would have been…

Archer's Noble Phantasm, Phoebus Catastrophe. It was two letters of complaint, each tied to an arrow and sent to the gods themselves… who in turn made clear their displeasure at the one who angered their servant so. According to legend, Artemis and Apollo both had a hand in the divine punishment – with the arrows of Artemis striking only men and the arrows of Apollo striking only women.

It looked like even the gods were confused as to what gender Saber was.

And by the look of dawning realisation on Saber's face, they had apparently reached the same conclusion.

"Oh? Oh ho? Ah, now this is interesting indeed!" they said, clapping their hands. "Archer, can it be I am immune to your Noble Phantasm? How lucky for me! It must be formidable indeed, to leave Berserker so tattered."

Saber twirled aside, letting four arrows whistle through the space they had been. "Ah, no, Archer, I'm afraid it will take more than you have to defeat me now. Perhaps you should team up with Berserker, hm? Together, you may triumph! Ah, but the mighty Servant of Madness has already shown she can survive your best… however will you prevail without my distracting her? And should you fail to defeat her, however will you gain the promised Command Spell? Such a princely bounty… it would be a shame indeed if some gorgeous knight of flowers slew the beast and gained the prize while you merely peppered her with little thorns from above."

The promised what? Ibaraki growled, literally smouldering with a dull, sullen fury. There was a bounty on her head already? Damn her Master for egging her on, and damn her for falling for it. When she got out of this, she was going to have words with him. With every Servant against them from the very start, Ibaraki would need to play this just right and not get carried away again.

On the other hand, Ibaraki still didn't plan on losing.

There was a flicker of green in the sky, and Ibaraki just had time to notice another shot from Archer. Her bone blade rose, slower than Saber's lightning-flash swordplay but with a power as unstoppable as thunder.

Forget shielding herself. That wasn't an oni's way, and it wasn't a Berserker's way either. Archer's volley closed in – and Ibaraki attacked it back in turn.

One blast of green bounced off the blade, and nearly knocked it out of her hands. For the next two, Ibaraki corrected her grip for the power of the shots, and the sword was steady as a rock as it swept through them in a single strike.

Left, right, the shots just kept coming. For each blow Ibaraki smashed aside, another two were in the air, and her bone blade, already impossible to lift for most humans, felt heavier and heavier in her hands. Her well of power wouldn't last forever – and if anything Archer was only gaining momentum.

This wasn't Archer's Noble Phantasm, which filled the sky with arrows and left no place to hide. This was just one of the finest hunters in history, firing a lot of shots as fast as she could. From Archer's position, there was a stream of arrows, visible as green pinpricks of light against the grey clouds, curving up and up – to fall with all the power of an artillery strike and all the precision of a sniper.

Ibaraki lifted her sword once more to bat away an arrow aimed for her head – and missed the one behind it, which plunged into her stomach. Flinching back, Ibaraki gave ground, straight into the paths of another three which Archer had fired in anticipation.

They hit, each with a force Ibaraki had been hit by only a handful of times in her life. She went sprawling, and looked up to see the final shot in the volley aimed right between her eyes…

And Saber was there, batting the arrow aside with a merry laugh. "Whoops! Not today, Archer. My Master has decreed that I be the one to slay Berserker, and so I shall, even if means saving her first. Today, I am the knight protecting the fair maiden from the savage beast that threatens her…" they trailed off, looking disturbed by something. Maybe it was the hissing growl Ibaraki was making. "… ah, in any case. Shame on you for attacking such a helpless creature!"

"Helpless, am I?"

Ibaraki lunged, sword-first. Saber caught her wrist again and twirled her, batting away another volley of shots from Archer. When Ibaraki lashed out with her claws and teeth, looking more like a crazed hellcat than the oni princess she was, Saber laughed and flickered backwards, somehow managing to keep between Ibaraki and Archer.

Archer's bombardment was in full force, shots split between Saber and Ibaraki. While Saber's back was turned, the other Servant engaged in dealing with the arrows, Ibaraki saw her chance. She howled and swung her sword, a wave of force exploding forth to swallow up Saber – but at the last moment Saber dodged, allowing an arrow to strike Ibaraki's wrist and send the strike off-course.

Literally spitting fire, Ibaraki surged forwards, only to come up short as that mercury shield expanded into a flat disc at a gesture from Saber, blocking her view. She raised her sword – and was too slow to stop the spikes which sprouted from it to pierce her through. They bent and broke on her skin, and with a savage laugh Ibaraki bulled ahead.

Foolish knight. Foolish magus. That Mystic Code was impressive, for certain, but it acted best as armour for Saber. It had nowhere near the power to break an oni. If Saber thought this shield would protect them, they were sadly mistaken.

Another set of spikes appeared, plunging towards her, and these Ibaraki just ignored. Charging, she hefted her sword yet again, safe in the knowledge that nothing this Mystic Code could do could hurt her…

… and ran straight onto a spike which pierced her throat.

There was an instant, just one, where Ibaraki had time to process that she'd made a terrible, terrible mistake.

Then the pain hit.

Ibaraki's teeth gritted in agony, and her shriek of fury and pain was muffled, vocal cords severed by the colossal blow. Tears came to her eyes, only to be boiled away by the insane heat she was generating.

Her bone blade hung limply from fingers which had lost all strength, and she stumbled back, only staying on her feet by a miracle.

Ahead of her, Saber stepped through the mercury disc, revealing the spike still lodged in Ibaraki's throat to be her rapier, thrust through with perfect timing to blend in with the other spikes. As Ibaraki retreated, Saber advanced, step by slow, careful step, mercury reforming around her clothes once again. Their eyes were bright and triumphant.

A flurry of arrows came in, no doubt a last-ditch attempt by Archer to finish Ibaraki off before Saber could. Behind Saber, the tails of their mercury-coated cape rose up and thrashed, knocking them off-course. Saber kept their eyes on Ibaraki, and kept their sword in Ibaraki's throat.

Ibaraki thought she'd have had more time than this.

I was going to bring back the oni… we were going to live on Mt Ooe again, and everything would be like it used to be… was I wrong? Shuten…

"A valiant fight," said Saber softly. "But it is time for you to go, Berserker. I do not know who you were, but I will remember you nevertheless."

"…ghhg…" said Ibaraki. If ever there was a time to disengage, now was it. But, dammit. To run with her tail between her legs in the very first battle of the War? Never. Never.

"Hm?" said Saber. "Ah. Yes. I suppose I can hear your last words. Hold on, please…" With a flourish, they tore their sword free and shook it clean in one clear motion.

"…nxt…" Ibaraki's fingers tightened on her sword. A last ditch attack… yes, she maybe had the strength for one more blow at full force. Even Saber would feel that, if Ibaraki could just connect.

"I'm sorry? I'm afraid you will have to speak up."

"…gah…" Ibaraki spat blood, and glared at Saber, who looked back with a cool, professional air. No, Ibaraki was not going to hit Saber. Not when she was at her best, and certainly not now. But she couldn't just die without giving it one last shot to survive.

"I said…" Ibaraki raised her sword in one trembling claw.

"Yes?" Saber leaned in, mercury armour shifting and their grip on their rapier. Their eyes missed nothing, prepared for any attack from their defeated foe. Ibaraki smiled a toothy, tusky smile.

"I said… we'll continue this next time, Saber!"

And Ibaraki swung with all her strength.

At the bridge below her feet.

As the concrete crumbled under the titanic blow, as the metal groaned and shrieked as the battered structure finally gave way, as Ibaraki fell down into the water below, she had just enough time to savour the look on Saber's face.

Chew on that, you stupid knight. Next time, I'll crush you with my Noble Phantasm straight off.

Then Ibaraki hit the Mion River, and for a time, her flame was quenched.
 
This Chapter was a prefect example of how a Meleé a Troi ends unsatisfying for all involved.
btw: It was excellently written and the desrciption of the fight superb, I am only pointing out how a fight between 3 fighters ends with 3 losers.

so many things going not to anyone's plan:
Atlanta nuking the Saber VS Berserker Fight
D'Eon being immune to Atlanta's NP
Ibaraki getting a taste of Steel covered in Mercury

as in the Roman Colloseum of old, the Winners are we, the wachters who don't step into the Arena.
 
Honestly, props to Ryuunosuke for not dropping dead from all that. Sure, Ibaraki harvested a bunch if people before but she did multiple Prana bursts and used Morph generously. Beserker team will definitely have to play low for a while now.
 
Beserker team will definitely have to play low for a while now.

Where it only Ryuunosuke, who is a serial killer that has yet to be caught, then that might happen.
But Ibaraki is not Human, doesn't think like a Human and just had her pride wounded.
I predict some angry Oni-Rage soon, maybe going after who put a bounty on her Head (oldest trick in the book against bounties)
 
[Insert Incoherent Screams of Joy Here]
Ah, an update. A pleasant surprise, to be sure.

Hm...well, as much as Ibaraki understandably doesn't consider it so, I'd say she's put in a good showing. She fought an opponent more skilled and in areas just flat out stronger than her, who also had an extremely well-crafted and potent mystic code protecting her, and actually put her on the backfoot for a bit before they were interrupted. At which point she took the brunt of a high-rank Noble Phantasm, and still managed to avoid getting a decisive blow landed on her till she fell for a clever trick on Kayneth and D'eon's part, at which point she still managed to escape in an overly dramatic viscerally satisfying manner.

Perhaps best of all, literally none of her opponents have any reason to suspect what either of her Noble Phantasms are, given one is a martial technique that isn't particularly prominent and the other is, while a produce of a prominent part of her legend, not one that's actually depicted within said legend.

'course, she burned through most of her energy-stores and her master literally can't provide much of anything, so she's going to need to go feasting again. A pity sweets don't have a lot of life force in them.

As a side note, it's interesting to see Ibaraki's clearly put more thought into her wish than her Materials would suggest. Though, it does make sense. She's not an idiot, and it doesn't take much thought to see that "Bringing Shuten back so I can see her unburdened smile forever" and "Bring back the oni of Ooe, including Shuten, so we can live like we used too" are certainly not mutually exclusive, and in fact can tie back into each other. Though, it does tie back into the issue that ended up costing her everything in life, that she could neither fully devoute herself to Shuten nor her oni subordinates. Through this wish, she's still avoiding making that choice, at least on a conscious level. You can make an argument by not evicting Shuten from Ooe, or even checking her behavior, she made her choice for Shuten, but if that'd have been true they'd have probably been wandering the country like Shuten did in Asia in her youth.

Also one of the wishes that, despite Angra Mainyu's monkey paw tendencies, might not actually be rendered moot in its granting. Though, I don't think Shuten would approve of such a valuable source of entertainment as humanity disappearing...

Hm. Also, while I'm extremely doubtful it will effect Risei's bounty, I imagine all the players in the war will be reassessing Ibaraki's capacity for thought and the reasoning behind her activities. Because of the Berserkers we see in a normal war, she is extremely cognizant of herself and intelligent in her behaviors. I think the closest we get to her outside Grand Order is Fran....though, that kind of assessment is probably a bad thing for Ibaraki, since it'd mean her opponents aren't underestimating her as a matter of course.

Like always, great job and I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment in this story of yours!
Where it only Ryuunosuke, who is a serial killer that has yet to be caught, then that might happen.
But Ibaraki is not Human, doesn't think like a Human and just had her pride wounded.
I predict some angry Oni-Rage soon, maybe going after who put a bounty on her Head (oldest trick in the book against bounties)
I agree on the last part, though the second I find somewhat questionable. Mostly because Ibaraki is described in her materials as a skilled commander with a specialization/talent in guerilla warfare. Given she now knows everyone's gunning for her, even with her pride bruised, it's doubtful she'll expose herself again before she's recouped some of her losses.

Though, eating Risei and his command seals probably would top her off rather well....
 
Because of the Berserkers we see in a normal war, she is extremely cognizant of herself and intelligent in her behaviors. I think the closest we get to her outside Grand Order is Fran....

Rightly or wrongly, I've always seen Mad Enhancement as more of a toggle or optional extra buff than something that's just permanently on for all Berserkers. Herc was insane 24/7 because Illya deliberately kept him that way, out of spite for her having to support him without the Grail for months. (Really stupid move, given how many of Herc's labours were dealt with through creative problem-solving.) Lancelot was insane 24/7 because he kept himself that way, out of guilt for his role in Arthur's downfall and being insane was easier than dealing with it. (Note: this is entirely in-character for actual, non-Fate Lancelot as well.)

Here, either of those two may or may not have been summoned, and previous Berserkers may or may not have been as lucid as Ibaraki - although she does have an advantage in holding on to her reason while using Mad Enhancement. This is why d'Eon isn't surprised to find that Ibaraki can hold a conversation as Berserker.
 
Rightly or wrongly, I've always seen Mad Enhancement as more of a toggle or optional extra buff than something that's just permanently on for all Berserkers. Herc was insane 24/7 because Illya deliberately kept him that way, out of spite for her having to support him without the Grail for months. (Really stupid move, given how many of Herc's labours were dealt with through creative problem-solving.) Lancelot was insane 24/7 because he kept himself that way, out of guilt for his role in Arthur's downfall and being insane was easier than dealing with it. (Note: this is entirely in-character for actual, non-Fate Lancelot as well.)
Yah, I can see that. Just easy for me to forget it's not the default state when the two most prominent Berserkers outside GO are always crazy all the time.

This is why d'Eon isn't surprised to find that Ibaraki can hold a conversation as Berserker.
Hm. Initially I thought she was just good at masking her surprise, but looking back...yah, I can see it.
 
The thing is, Illya is explicitly called out as being a good enough Master to lift Mad Enhancement, while Guda is not. That implies that ME is on by default, with a Master needing to be above a certain level to temporarily lift it. It still doesn't affect Ibaraki negatively, as her ME brings her closer to humanity, but it should be on constantly.
 
The thing is, Illya is explicitly called out as being a good enough Master to lift Mad Enhancement, while Guda is not. That implies that ME is on by default, with a Master needing to be above a certain level to temporarily lift it. It still doesn't affect Ibaraki negatively, as her ME brings her closer to humanity, but it should be on constantly.
The Grail system is subtily different here, who's to say that the differences could have messed with Mad Enchant here.
 
What i really like is how Deon is so confusing even Apollo and Artemis are confused and basically are "... I thought you were supposed to shooting him..."

Hilarious
 
What i really like is how Deon is so confusing even Apollo and Artemis are confused and basically are "... I thought you were supposed to shooting him..."

I was in two minds about whether or not to do it this way or just to have Volumen Hydragyrum act as d'Eon's protection. On the one hand, Phoebus Catastrophe had no problem mowing down homunculi and golems in Apocrypha. On the other, d'Eon literally has a skill that makes them immune to effects which target only one gender. Given how Phoebus Catastrophe works, I thought I could just about get away with it. A golem doesn't have a gender, so is a valid target, but d'Eon's gender is, for the purposes of defending against attacks and mental interference and stuff, "The opposite of whatever would affect me", so escapes by virtue of being a target of neither Artemis or Apollo.

Narratively, this also makes Team Saber a nightmare for Team Archer to deal with, and a thorn in their side that basically has to be dealt with or they have no chance of winning the War - just like Team Lancer was for Team Saber in canon Fate/Zero. And just like Diarmuid established himself as a worthy opponent for Saber to finish their duel, d'Eon has just made it to the top of Ibaraki's shitlist. Even when everything is different, Kayneth still manages to be a great big problem in everyone's way. Well done Kayneth.
 
There was an instant, just one, where Ibaraki had time to process that she'd made a terrible, terrible mistake.

Ah, and so the Bulli begins.
Honestly, props to Ryuunosuke for not dropping dead from all that. Sure, Ibaraki harvested a bunch if people before but she did multiple Prana bursts and used Morph generously. Beserker team will definitely have to play low for a while now.

Pretty impressive showing from Wormman too.
Rightly or wrongly, I've always seen Mad Enhancement as more of a toggle or optional extra buff than something that's just permanently on for all Berserkers.

It is, sort of, for a lot of them, but Heracles normally can't talk because of his high rank and a fair few are stuck in it (Darius seemingly is in the same boat as Heracles, Caligula can only be temporarily out of it barring Diana related bullshit, Kintoki basically rolls some dice whenever he enters combat, Salome is reasonable but sometimes her body moves on it's own against her will and murders her Master, and Bloodaxe is weird because Mad Enhancement is seemingly fake in his case).

That's not true of the EX ones. They're chained by their existence. Lu Bu is also special because he's not forced into it but if you don't opt in he'll kill you barring absurdly specific circumstances (and might do it even if you do).
 
Pretty impressive showing from Wormman too.

Well, he's not crippled by a mana-hungry Berserker this time around, so the "keep the Servant around" expenditure is a lot lower, especially if you take into account Archer having A-ranked Independent Action, assuming he hasn't tanked that somehow (since we know that a Servant's exact statline can change depending on the Master).
 
Well, he's not crippled by a mana-hungry Berserker this time around, so the "keep the Servant around" expenditure is a lot lower, especially if you take into account Archer having A-ranked Independent Action, assuming he hasn't tanked that somehow (since we know that a Servant's exact statline can change depending on the Master).

Yeah, but she's been firing NPs left and right, which might be worse.
 
Is it possible to isolate Serenity's poison and then replicate it biologically? Just thinking that Zouken might want to get his hands on a sample if it's possible, and if Serenity (for whatever reason) reveals herself.
 
Is it possible to isolate Serenity's poison and then replicate it biologically? Just thinking that Zouken might want to get his hands on a sample if it's possible, and if Serenity (for whatever reason) reveals herself.

Her state of being where she continued to kill everyone who touched her by poison has been transformed into a Noble Phantasm. It results in death to living beings that touched her skin and bodily fluids.

Her Noble Phantasm is Zabaniya: Delusional Poison Body for a reason. She doesn't really create poison so much as is poison. So, to replicate it would would either need to replicate an actual noble phantasm, or make Serenity acknowledge it as a part of her own body. You could, for instance mix her sweat with synthetic sweat, but in that case the synthetic sweat wouldn't be a part of her body unless Serenity and whatever automated mechanism her Noble Phantasm functions on both believe the synthetic sweat came from Serenity's body.
 
Chapter 10 - Symptom
Chapter 10 - Symptom
The bridge across the Mion river was a twisted, scorched and ruined wreck. Most of it had fallen into the river itself, steel beams and concrete blocks jutting like snapped ribs from the dark water. Upstream, the river surged angrily, already threatening to burst its banks – downstream, it ran sluggishly and sullenly. Already, sirens could be heard in the distance.

Serenity crouched in the rain, on top of a streetlight by the riverbank. There was a boardwalk that ran down the side of the river – by day, it was a favourite spot for joggers, families and picnickers enjoying the soft lapping of the river as it ran down, past the residential area, to the docks and the sea. By night, it was deserted.

If Serenity had been visible, she would have been a barely-glimpsed figure in the gloom, easily mistaken for a trick of the light where the streetlight's halo created a shadow above it. But she wasn't. There was no reason for her to materialise, so she wasn't even a shadow.

All around, onlookers gathered, dark figures against the city lights drawn from whatever business they had in Fuyuki. In ones and twos, they would approach the river, stop, and stare in shock. Drivers who wished to get their goods through, residents who had been alerted by the noise, night workers wondering how they would get home, all came to see what new calamity had disturbed their life.

Some left, but most stayed, trying to take in the new reality they found themselves in. As the first police arrived on the scene, the word had spread. Something had destroyed the bridge, and Fuyuki was split in two.

I could have prevented this, Serenity thought.

Saber and Berserker were both far beyond her ability to handle, of course. In a fight, Serenity would be lucky to last five minutes with either, and only then by running and escaping. If she managed to deliver a massive dose of poison, perhaps something could be done… but even that was not certain. It would need to enter the bloodstream directly to have a chance of affecting something as strong as a Servant.

Usually Serenity preferred more… intimate means of passing her poison through the mucous membrane, but an envenomed dagger thrown to cut the skin would work just as well. Even one dose could slow a Servant enough to make a difference. Three would be death, to all but the hardiest.

Berserker did indeed seem to be one of the hardiest. Worse, that power over flame… heat was not kind to poisons, and Serenity had not missed the way the rain had hissed and bubbled off Berserker's skin like water off a hot pan.

And as for Saber… Serenity did not specialise in close-in fighting, but her position had demanded she master it, just as it demanded she master all arts of killing. Therefore, she was in an informed position to say that the Knight of White Lilies was the best fighter she had ever personally laid eyes on. Serenity was a tricky opponent, and even masters of the blade would be hard-pressed to escape without a single scratch – and that single scratch would invariably be fatal.

Serenity honestly did not know if she would be able to put even a scratch on Saber.

But that didn't matter, because for the duration of the fight Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi had been not six feet below her, completely oblivious to her existence. In the dull yellow pool of light, he had stood, watching the battle unfold with a satisfied smile on his face. Close enough to observe, but far enough removed that the crowds passed him by, focused as they were on the destruction of the bridge. Totally focused, totally confident, the perfect magus. Totally vulnerable, the perfect target.

And she had done nothing.

No knife in the back, no droplet of spit aimed down the back of his neck, no silent lunge to fall upon the man and snap his neck. She had not been commanded to do so by Kiritsugu, so she would stay and observe.

Serenity had not been working with her Master long, but in that time she had come to respect his cunning, his preparation, and his attitude. His plans aligned almost exactly with what she would have done in his place – for that reason, she was more than happy to act as his tool and carry out her part in his plan as he wished. To kill, or to leave alone, Serenity was happy to abide by Kiritsugu's decision either way.

If only he had made one.

There were advantages to leaving El-Melloi alive, to be sure. Saber was a strong combatant in the War, one who perfectly countered Archer's Noble Phantasm and was able to fight even someone so destructive as Berserker to a standstill. It was entirely possible they would clear out some of the competition without Serenity or Kiritsugu having to lift a finger.

And El-Melloi was so, so full of openings. No doubt he was protected against every spell Kiritsugu could think of and more, but he was simply too careless to pose a threat to Servant Assassin. Standing in the open, watching a fight from less than a mile away. Living on the fourteenth floor of the hotel and never considering the consequences should he fall. Ordering room service in a war he knew was attended by one of the greatest assassins in history.

No, Serenity could remove both El-Melloi and Saber from the War any time she chose, and there were good reasons to keeping him around.

And if any of that had been Kiritsugu's reason for not giving the order to kill, Serenity would not have been worried.

Instead he had… dithered. The power to say yes or no to El-Melloi obtaining the promised Command Spell only existed as long as Berserker did. While Saber grew closer and closer to killing Berserker, Kiritsugu had held off on making a decision, until it almost didn't matter anymore. He had not said anything to Serenity… but connected as she was to his thoughts, she could tell – he was genuinely in two minds as to what to do.

That paralysis, so unlike him, worried Serenity more than she could express. And she knew the cause.

Kotomine. It all came down to Kotomine Kirei. The Master of Lancer, who according to Tohsaka Tokiomi would be drawn out in the event of Archer obtaining the additional Command Spell. Was it better to allow that, and use the certainty of when Lancer would appear to prepare a counter, or as it better to strike when they were unawares and not expecting battle?

The answer lay in what kind of Servant Lancer was – which was to say, what kind of Servant Kotomine would have summoned. One who built on preparation to achieve the impossible, and would be unassailable when properly girded for battle? Or one for whom any amount of preparation time would only help Serenity and her Master?

Given the deadline of Archer's slaying of Berserker, who would use that time better – Emiya Kiritsugu or Kotomine Kirei?

Serenity did not know. But more importantly, her Master did not know. And the question rankled at him. Just why he was so worried about this priest, Serenity could not fathom, but he was. Questions about the other Master filled his mind to the point of distraction, and by day he would pore over the dossiers he had collected, searching for any clue as to the character of the man he so clearly saw as his biggest rival and greatest threat. More than once Iri had forced him to go to bed – if left to his own devices Kiritsugu would simply study until he dropped.

By night, Kiritsugu spent his time directing his familiars – his bats, and Serenity – in the search for Kotomine. Maiya was standing vigil over the church, in case the Moderator was sheltering his son there. So far, they had found nothing – so Kiritsugu had ordered Serenity to track Saber instead. With his skill at spiritual magecraft, El-Melloi had an advantage in tracking Servants, and would be the most likely to find Berserker.

Berserker was the key, Kiritsugu had decided. Tohsaka, Matou, El-Melloi – all these were predictable, conservative. The Master of Caster had yet to show themselves openly. But Berserker was an agitator, something to shake up the status quo and force reactions. She acted, and the rest of the Masters reacted. For now, Berserker was the only path towards Lancer and their Master that Kiritsugu could see.

And she had just vanished beneath the rubble of the bridge.

El-Melloi cursed under his breath, and strode to the water's edge, leaning out over the railing as though he could catch a glimpse of his quarry if only he looked hard enough. After a moment, he shook his head, and stood stiffly, knuckles tight on the metal rail.

There was a splash, and Saber leapt from the water to vault the railing, landing on one knee before their Master, sword planted in the ground. With a puff of white motes that hung in the air like flower petals, they dematerialised just long enough to allow the water to fall to the ground, no longer supported by prana masquerading as flesh. Dry once more, Saber bowed their head.

"My apologies, Master," they said. "I was ready for a last-ditch attack by Berserker, but had not thought her canny enough to destroy her environment to escape. Next time, I shall not be caught off guard so, I swear it!"

El-Melloi waved a hand. "No matter. I count tonight a success. You showed yourself capable of matching both Berserker and Archer in combat simultaneously, and the Archibald name is not ashamed in the least." He leaned forward eagerly. "How did Volumen Hydragyrum perform? It was tricky to match it to your movements, but I thought we co-operated well by the end."

Saber nodded, eyes alight. "Ah, Master, it was magnificent! Sword and shield and armour, all in one – why, the uses are endless! Even the mighty Berserker's blows were turned aside… and of course, it is also such a beautiful item."

"For a true magus, form need not be sacrificed for function," nodded El-Melloi. "I too have also found Volumen Hydragyrum to be especially elegant in its execution. You say it even stopped Berserker? I knew it was strong, but not to that extent…"

Saber fidgeted. "Well, not exactly. It was a great help in absorbing Berserker's blasts of force, and in preventing her flame from reaching me, but had it taken a hit full-on, it would have availed me very little." They smiled, tossing their blonde hair over one shoulder and flashing a smile. "Of course, I was the finest fencer in France, and no-one has managed to strike me full-on since I was a green squire. Your mercury magecraft performs quite admirably as armour against glancing blows. And oh, Master, the trick with the covering wall and the spikes! Truly inspired!"

El-Melloi smiled, an honest, enthusiastic smile that looked quite out of place on his aristocratic features. "Right? I'd thought I wanted Berserker to lose sight of you, but then I realised how the shield could become a weapon as well. It didn't work, Berserker's hide was too strong, but then you turned even that into a lure! Remarkable, Saber, truly remarkable! I will need to remember that – perhaps I could study the shape of your sword, so I can more perfectly replicate it? Or maybe your hand as well, so I can better imitate the motions – Saber, let me see…" He pulled Saber to their feet and turned their gloved hand over and over in his own, studying the way the light played off the mercury still covering it.

"Yes, it should be more than possible. I wonder if I can include any of my other Mystic Codes in this setup? Thanks to Volumen Hydragyrum's versatility, it can act as a substrate for many other devices, so long as they are supplied with ample prana. Hmm… I have a bracelet to protect against heat – I'd planned it against Tohsaka, but it should work to counter Berserker too…"

"Um… Master…" Saber began, looking away and fidgeting.

"Hmm?" El-Melloi seemed to realise he was still holding Saber's hand and let go as if burned. He thrust his hands behind his back and turned away. Although it was dark, his cheeks seemed pink. It could have just been the glow from the streetlights. "A-anyway, Saber. Good work for tonight."

"Ah, um, yes! Master, do you wish me to hunt Berserker still? I lost her trail when we both fell in the water, but I could still search among the rubble…"

"No need," said El-Melloi. He gestured, and the Mystic Code flowed off Saber to rest as an orb next to the pair. With an excited smile, El-Melloi thrust his arm to the side. "Ire Sanctio!"

A dozen silvery wires shot out from the orb and into the dark river. They pulsed in a regular pattern, and El-Melloi observed it closely. Saber stood behind him at a respectful distance, demure as a maid.

For long minutes there was silence, as El-Melloi concentrated. Serenity weighed her chances if Kiritsugu were to order her to attack. El-Melloi was no threat, distracted as he was. Saber looked at peace, but Serenity knew better than to assume they were anything less than perfectly vigilant. A direct assault would be unlikely to work, but there were other options.

Saber would annihilate Serenity in a fight, but not immediately – Serenity could draw it out for a time through sheer speed. If Saber were enticed into driving Serenity away from their Master, they would be out of position to defend him from, example, a knife launched skywards before Serenity attacked and aimed to fall upon El-Melloi's head while Saber was distracted.

Yes, that would be how she would do it. If she were asked, and not before. Satisfied, Serenity settled in to her position, and watched, and listened.

Eventually, the silver probes El-Melloi had sent out withdrew into his Mystic Code and he straightened up with a frown. "Hm. I cannot find any trace of Berserker in the rubble, nor any spiritual residue indicating the passing of such a potent spirit as a Servant. Likewise, the river has washed away any trail she might have left. I can only assume Berserker has escaped."

Saber looked distraught. "I am very sorry, Master. I will do better next time."

El-Melloi smiled, and waved off his Servant's distress. "Worry not, Saber. It would be boring if things ended so easily, after all. We shall simply have to resume our search. I have some Mystic Codes prepared for this. I had hoped the other Masters would present themselves honourably, so we could duel one another as magi and Servant, but I suppose I always felt that was too much to ask. We will begin a sweep of Shinto tomorrow night."

"If I may, Master, we should begin in Miyama," said Saber. El-Melloi stopped, and frowned.

"Saber, I will remind you that I am the Master here. If I say we will search Shinto, that is what we will do."

"Indeed, Master. I will follow your command, whatever it may be. However, it would be a mistake." Saber met his disapproving glare with a cool and honest gaze, and did not back down. Just as Serenity was sure El-Melloi was about to fly into a rage, or at least reprimand Saber for contradicting him, he sighed and relaxed.

"… I suppose you have earned the benefit of the doubt. Go ahead, then, Saber – why should we not do as I suggested?"

"Because Berserker is likely based on the west side of the river, Master," answered Saber promptly, standing to attention. "When we encountered her, she was crossing from west to east. Now is the time of night for heading out on adventures, not returning from them! We should have been the first opponents she encountered that night, or else Archer would have seen and intervened elsewhere – thus, Berserker must have set out from the other side of the bridge."

El-Melloi nodded, stroking his chin with one gloved hand. "I suppose I can see your point. You are quite observant, Saber."

"You embarrass me, Master!" said Saber, putting both hands on their cheeks and turning away slightly. "I was a spy as well as a swordsman, after all – a poor Servant I would be if I could not do this much."

"No, I am grateful," said El-Melloi. "I… apologise for assuming you had nothing useful to say. It is often hard for me to remember you are far more than just another tool like Volumen Hydragyrum."

Saber smiled and took his hands in their own, expression radiant even in the dim glow of the city lights. "Oh, Master. For you, I will be the finest tool you could ever require. All I ask is that you act in accordance with the finest values we uphold as nobility in order to be a lord worthy of admiration, and remember to respect those who serve you in turn."

For a heartbeat, Master and Servant stood, looking into each other's eyes. Then, a siren passed along a nearby street, and the moment was lost. El-Melloi looked away first.

"A-anyway, Saber. Let us return. We can discuss our plans for Berserker back at the hotel, and equip you with some other Mystic Codes." El-Melloi turned and started walking stiffly in the direction of the Hyatt.

"Yes! Let us away, to sharpen our swords for the battle to come!" With a swirl of their cape, Saber dematerialised, leaving behind nothing but the scent of flowers.

Once more, the boardwalk was deserted and silent. In the gloom, one girl in a skull mask sat and thought.

The War's founders had been wise indeed. From almost any other Servant, El-Melloi would likely not have taken such criticism so well. But Saber understood their Master, and knew exactly how he would best respond to particular attitudes and arguments – partly because Saber seemed to have a natural talent for diplomacy and decorum, but also because those were exactly the levers that Saber identified with.

For each Master, a Servant. For each Servant, a Master. How well a Servant worked with their Master was a reflection of how well they were able to accept themselves, and the same worked in reverse. If a Master was honest about what kind of person they were, and were self-aware enough to realise their flaws and weaknesses, the Grail system guaranteed they would find the Servant who would work best with them.

Even a magus as traditional and hidebound as Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi could accept help from the Servant matched with him.

With a leap, Serenity launched herself into the sky, and made for the Einzbern castle.

She needed to talk to her Master.
 
An interesting reversal of canon here. Instead of his wife falling his lancer servant he appears to be falling for his saber.
 
Saber smiled and took his hands in their own, expression radiant even in the dim glow of the city lights. "Oh, Master. For you, I will be the finest tool you could ever require. All I ask is that you act in accordance with the finest values we uphold as nobility in order to be a lord worthy of admiration, and remember to respect those who serve you in turn."

For a heartbeat, Master and Servant stood, looking into each other's eyes. Then, a siren passed along a nearby street, and the moment was lost. El-Melloi looked away first.

"A-anyway, Saber. Let us return. We can discuss our plans for Berserker back at the hotel, and equip you with some other Mystic Codes." El-Melloi turned and started walking stiffly in the direction of the Hyatt.

Seduction comes naturally to D'Eon, they might not even realise what is happening with El-Melloi.
...this might even develop into a Ménage à Troi if played right.
 
It's kind of interesting how different things are when El Melloi has a servant he's compatible with.

For all that El Melloi was arrogant as hell he ultimately was a man willing to completely throw away his pride to save the woman he loved. (who he knew didn't love him back and had recently tortured him to get his command seals after he'd been crippled physically and magically) That's surprisingly selfless considering how he was usually presented.

Lancer by comparison was far more selfish despite having a far more humble and pleasant exterior. Despite his stated wish of "serving a lord faithfully" he still fixated on his "honorable duel" with Saber to the exclusion of all else. Including completely ignoring the honorless hitman he knows is nearby, gunning for his lord's life, and has likely kidnapped his fiancee. Then he's surprised and blames everyone else when his completely unguarded crippled master inevitably gets caught in a hostage situation to his personal detriment. *Shakes fist in the general direction of the Knights of "My NTR had consequences, feel bad about it!"*

By comparison it's just nice to see him getting along with his servant. And I hope Sola chokes on the warm and fuzzy feelings of the SS D'Melloi!
 
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El-Melloi smiled, an honest, enthusiastic smile that looked quite out of place on his aristocratic features. "Right? I'd thought I wanted Berserker to lose sight of you, but then I realised how the shield could become a weapon as well. It didn't work, Berserker's hide was too strong, but then you turned even that into a lure! Remarkable, Saber, truly remarkable! I will need to remember that – perhaps I could study the shape of your sword, so I can more perfectly replicate it? Or maybe your hand as well, so I can better imitate the motions – Saber, let me see…" He pulled Saber to their feet and turned their gloved hand over and over in his own, studying the way the light played off the mercury still covering it.
I'm going to say it now finding Kayneth nerd out about his mystic code and seem really happy gives me the warm and fuzzies. Honestly from day 1 the guy was screwed in fighting in the grail war but the fact that he has a servant who can match his wavelength and get along with just works with him. Plus he doesn't have to worry about his Servant fucking his wife or his wife becoming a yandere over a fucking ghost.
Saber smiled and took his hands in their own, expression radiant even in the dim glow of the city lights. "Oh, Master. For you, I will be the finest tool you could ever require. All I ask is that you act in accordance with the finest values we uphold as nobility in order to be a lord worthy of admiration, and remember to respect those who serve you in turn."

For a heartbeat, Master and Servant stood, looking into each other's eyes.
.......Why do I have the distinct feeling both Kayneth and Sola are going to fall in love with Saber? In my soul I feel this and its hilarious
For each Master, a Servant. For each Servant, a Master. How well a Servant worked with their Master was a reflection of how well they were able to accept themselves, and the same worked in reverse. If a Master was honest about what kind of person they were, and were self-aware enough to realise their flaws and weaknesses, the Grail system guaranteed they would find the Servant who would work best with them.
Sooo using that context I think Waver and Kirei are probably going to have the hardest time working with their servants. Waver is still a kid (sure he's in college but still childish) and needed someone like Iskander to help him become a real man. Meanwhile Kirei.......yeaaaaaah
 
Sooo using that context I think Waver and Kirei are probably going to have the hardest time working with their servants. Waver is still a kid (sure he's in college but still childish) and needed someone like Iskander to help him become a real man. Meanwhile Kirei.......yeaaaaaah

Waver seems to have Da Vinci, who will make him a man one way or another. Kirei... well, Enkidu is gonna be a thing, I imagine.
 
So, a clean getaway for the fearsome banana oni? Good, good.

I like how you've been writing Kayneth here. There's something sweet about the relationship between him and D'eon.
 
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