C218: Fourth Holy Grail War
Alt Title teaser: Blast from the Past (C47)
Date published: 5/12/2025.
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Axel and subsequently Kaoruko had not been lazy while they were relaxing in this world. Kaoruko had been making a name for herself in the magus circles. The name of Murasaki Shikibu became an iconic name as most people associate her with the ancient poet by the same name which she supposedly inherited.
It only goes to show how deep in the background her family was that nobody had known they had existed until the past few years. The usage of specialistic ritual tools to mimic ancient magic was a discovery that put her into the eyes of the Clock Tower who attempted to offer her an official Magus position but she refused, instead making friends with a noteworthy few that gives her quite a bit of influence without being an overall threat to everyone else.
Though Murasaki Shikibu was considered an important person, many had not considered her a threat and had attempted to manipulate her by kidnapping Washio when he was a baby. The guilty party had learned in two ways how wrong they were.
First was the team sent to kidnap the baby child which fell prey to a powerful illusion that caused them to kill each other as well as reveal who their employer was. The whole situation had been recorded in a video camera and provided to the Tower to showcase the fearsomeness of this illusion magic as the victims all perished by each other's hands and didn't even realize they had admitted the valuable information.
The second event was one where Axel stepped in to make a name for himself. The Clock Tower had sent a representative to attempt to mediate between the two groups but Axel had simply used enhancement magic and nearly landed a punch on the enemy Magus' head but stopped an inch away. He then just began to walk away when the person who was nearly hit had the back of their skull explode outward into a bloody mess all over the wall.
His actions had created a new classification for enhancement magic. A previously looked down upon art used to simply make it's user faster but with previously stated clear limits was shown new limits and powers. Reverse-enhancement. This was the name given to the technique that allows it's user to momentarily place a 'buff' upon a user but with a negative trigger akin to a planted bomb. This was how the back of the magus' head blew up when Axel didn't even touch him.
This technique was a variation of an old technique Axel had combining his magic and various physical abilities back when he was in Danmachi. It revolved around trapping his energy inside a target while he struck multiple times until they blew up. He never really ended up using it then since thanks to his [Gluttony] and [Falna] had ensured he was regularly stronger than his opponent. He thought to bring back this ability to make his legend this time around.
Though the Clock Tower representatives were unaware of the true nature of Axel's technique, Kaoruko had later informed them that her 'husband' was a bit peculiar due to being a seer.
A Seer.
A mythical type of magic where its user can see the future. The clock tower used to have a seer but they died of heart attack a bit less than a hundred years ago due to witnessing the atrocities of world war 2. As such, they realize the significance of Axel being a supposed Seer who came from no magical background but later gained such incredible techniques that nearly shatter the boundaries of human possibilities.
Yet, it can be said that with both these 'witnessed' events, the magus world openly acknowledged the Gram x Shikibu family's prowess and designated them as a proper ancient magic family with all the respect and formality that comes with that title.
This had secured their connections to other magus which allowed them to accumulate some riches these past few years as Murasaki's paintings were sold as mental training modules to various mages but mostly the clock tower itself who desired to figure out how they work but with only failure to greet their efforts.
Axel on the other hand had used the normal connections he had set up with his fake identity to create a contractual business. The premise was built upon the framework of the Chaldea station (from the future). His work and information allowed various innovations that helped both regular folks as well as magical ones who were able to expand their own lucrative businesses thanks to Axels help.
Amongst these new inventions that Axel helped introduce was Talismans. The method to store magic through trace and circuit replication on magical paper was an unheard of process as it allowed many new utilities, gasless stoves where people just use a talisman to create a standardized flame for cooking. Keeping rooms warm or cold in various weathers.
Fake mechanical pens through wrapping a talisman around a pencil that allows the pencil to trace and reform its own lead tip for continuous easy writing. Most consumable items made through trace would always disappear in its entirety but the existence of the talisman had stabilized such constructs so they remain for at least the whole few months since they were all introduced.
While the predecessor of mainstream mechanical pencils was around for over 80 years now, they were still primarily deemed unreliable by most mages who had still been using a quill and inkwell for all their handwritten letters. In an industry where the old were a dominant number, the magi-pencil was a proper invention that was reliable in the long run even when the future standard mechanical pencils came about they would be redundant against the current magi-pencils.
The real reason this was described in such depth is because it's true form is a combination of runic magic which is categorized as ancient lost magic and the modern enhancement magic. It's unique combination serves as a gateway to actual ancient magic, but that is for the Clock Tower to figure out. In the meantime, Axel has been chumming up to the Tohsaka family who he had designated as his partner in the creation of the talismans.
Yet even their current head and father of Rin and Sakura, Tokiomi Tohsaka doesnt know that part of the runes used in the talismans is linked to Axel's own territory. This rune allows magically enhanced paper to copy anything that is written down by the magi-pencils. Within weeks, Axel was able to accumulate tons of rumors, research notes, and blackmail material should he need it.
He was in his latest meeting with Tokiomi discussing the recent business when the man in the red suit himself, Tokiomi, began to speak with a nuanced tone. "It's probably best to stick to the city during the day for the next week. Tensions are rising between my family and the others here. They must be jealous of our recent businesses. The best case situation would be to…"
"Yes yes, I get it, i'm always being careful anyways. No helping it if you feel that some nameless family might be a danger to me. Yet I can't help but ask a small question." Axel interrupts the fanciful man as he reassures him but then his own words gain a strange tone as he looks to the corner of the room.
Afterall, an uninvited guest was leaning casually against the wall, yet no mention of this person was ever made. When Axel interrupted, the strange man looked up at Axel, Their gazes locked as Axel had a sly smile on his face. It takes a moment for Tokiomi to realize the situation that Axel has long noticed his servant, a golden armored man, in the room with them.
"How, How long have you known?" Tokiomi Tohsaka asks as his current greatest secret is revealed.
"Well other than his current spirit form, you haven't really tried to hide him." Axel blatantly replies as the hidden servant chuckles to himself at the logic. He chooses to materialize in this moment as the two continue their staredown.
"Archer!!" Tokiomi asks in a startled voice upon seeing his servant make his own choice regarding his grand reappearance.
"The better question to be asked in this situation is…Who are you?" Gilgamesh, the king of heroes, asks his question upon materializing. He asks this because his unique sight could not actually see through anything about Axel during the entirety of the meeting. Perhaps this was the indicator that revealed his presence but that just makes him more curious as not even gods could escape his sight but now a normal looking man did. Preposterous.
"Answer me Mongrel, who are you" He repeats once more only for the only reply he receives is Axel getting up from his seat and stretching.
"Well this has been a productive chat. As for your question, my name is Axel Tempest Gram. I bear no history except my own and i've known about this moment to the minute. Yet all that I know, revolves around the fact that I do not exist. "
"So with this declaration, let Fuyuki's Fourth Holy Grail War BEGIN" He raises one of his hands along with his declaration. A smile plastered on his face as if this instrumental moment is no more than a game to him.
"Oh ho. Quite intriguing that you can say all even though you're a mongrel, but if you wish to participate, shouldn't you get a servant if you wish to join?" Gilgamesh questions with intrigue layering the words that escape his lips.
"I might, though the current batch isn't too interesting, so we will see how it goes." Axel retorts as a frown graces the kings face. He nearly summons his [gate of Babylon] when he feels a strange presence.
"Oh right. I should let you know that sometimes rats travel in packs but not all in one place" Axel says before disappearing from the room and even the entire house. Tokiomi is confused as what Axel did should not be possible.
As for Gilgamesh, while he has learned the general understanding of modern humans, amongst this knowledge is also the reasoning of how magic fell off. While he cant see through Axel himself, he could tell that the flow of energy changed in a way that was akin to teleportation. A technique impossible for modern times.
"Is he a servant?" Gilgamesh asks and the possibility remains to be seen but Tokiomi, one of the three families that had created the magic formula for the holy grail war. The 'master' can only ponder about about the possible heroic origin that Axel might have.
"Axel Gram…wait, Gram, the holy sword. Could he be the saber class Sigurd? Yet teleportation would make him a caster. What is going on? Was our partnership all fake?" Tokiomi attempts to reason out but he cant think of anything at the moment.
It is at this moment that Gilgamesh moves to slay the worm attempting to infiltrate the house. A showy explosion is heard from a distance away as the king of heroes spear pierces the assassin to death. The golden king halts his actions as he ponders further.
"Group of rats huh? Interesting. No matter how many rats there are, they are incapable of lasting long before the might of Uruk" he says, mostly to himself as one of his duties is to ensure his identity is not known, or at least that is one of the unspoken rules to not allow other masters to plan out another servants defeat.
"Archer, what happened?" the master and servant discuss the situation when Kirei Kotomine arrives and invites the master to the church for further discussions. Though as Tokiomi moves with Kirei, Gilgamesh cant help but mutter, "rats huh?"
While this is going on, Lancer arrives at the docks, specifically a part of the docks handling shipping containers. He announces a challenge to all his fellow servants for a glorious battle. Saber who is traveling with Irisveil, the homunculus wife of Kiritsugu Emiya and vessel for the holy grail in this war. Saber announces to the homunculus of the other servants challenge and moves to combat him.
The two begin their commentary before engaging in a fight. Saber was on the backfoot before Lancers master demanded the usage of his noble phantasm. Unable to refuse due to usage of Command Seals. Lancer strikes out with Gae Dearg before Rider intervenes to settle the situation. A fierce exchange of words occurs between Rider's master, Weaver, and Lancers master Kayneth due to their old history.
Seeing so many servants all in one place, Archer (gilgamesh) comes out of hiding and is about to rain down his treasury to end them all when he is struck back by the ravenous Berserker who he is forced to slam away. The place where berserker landed allowed him to see Saber and turn his aggression towards her. The two begin to exchange blows before Berserker is knocked back. Saber was on the backfoot the entire time due to her permanent injuries from Gae Dearg.
Yet just in the knick of time, an unknown appears between Saber and Berserker. Wearing medieval styled armor yet it's incomplete as it's really just a pair of gauntlets and boots with leather based body armor. The unprotected head of blue hair appears between the two.
Saber has enough self control to pull back her incoming attack but Berserker has no such thing as the newfound obstacle is just another thing to snap in half.
"Dodge it" Saber warns which seems to snap the blue haired boy out of his trance. Sensing the danger, he tried to dodge but fails as the black smokey knight readjusts his strike to target the blue haired child. Gritting his teeth, the child can only user a proper stance to block the strike but it still sends him flying into a shipping container. While he survived, the same could not be said about the gauntlet on the hand that collided with the piece of debris the insane black knight used as his weapon.
The youth coughs as they get up, All the servants take notice of the multiple sets of arms growing out the child's back. The black knight charges at the child once more but is blocked by Saber who stops the signpost based weapon, surprised it had even been able to stop her sword but has no time to ponder this.
While Saber continues facing off against Berserker, Lancer tries to join in and stop Berserker but is met with a second command from his master telling him to finish off Saber by joining Berserker.
Lancer reluctantly can only attack Saber but while he does, a red mist spreads out and at the source of it all is the blue haired boy who now looks like a clay station that is on fire. Red molten runes spread out throughout his body as he rushes at Berserker, grabbing his head by the face plate of his helmet, the black knight is slammed into the shipping container.
The 6 armed youth is slammed back out via a kick. The duo, black knight and statuesque child begin a bloodthirsty fight, an onslaught of punches and kicks from both sides but Berserker also attempts to use his light pole to attack the child who simply tanks all the attacks with cracks appearing on his stone body but he gradually mend as they continue fighting.
Lancer is more willing to fight Saber as they restart their battle from before all the interruptions. Eventually Rider has to step in after the 6 armed stone child is able to land a strike that breaks part of the black knight's helm. This reveals his appearance to Saber, "Lancelot?!!" She can only mutter as Berserker is forced to escape by Rider running him over with his flying chariot while the child collapses on the ground from exhaustion. The burnt stone falls off him and the extra arms disappear.
Lancer is also forced to retreat under his master's command and Riders taunting threats. The situation quickly calms down as Rider, Saber and Rider's master, Waver talk to the child who introduces himself as Axel Gram and then mentions how his friends are still fighting Amphisbaena. A moment later, he disappears after refusing Rider's proposition to join his army.
The three that remained all take their leave. Even the far off Kiritsugu and Maiya depart as they discuss who the mysterious child was as they were sniping a distance too far away to properly hear any of the conversation. But they at least made a notice for his appearance to cross reference later.
Axel who had teleported home earlier comes out from behind a tree on a nearby hill as he comments on what he had just witnessed.
"Interesting" he remarks while rubbing his chin.
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Alt Title: Magical inventions, Canon events and suspicion, Young Axel.
Word count: 2868
Drop a comment if you wanna judge my writing or the story. I'll try to respond, especially if you're confused or anything.