Demon Slayer World
"Eh? We just time-jumped?!"
Agatsuma Zenitsu stared at Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash vanishing in the video, surprised; he'd expected flashy special effects for a trip to the past.
Instead, a simple blue corridor appeared, and the two disappeared.
When they next showed up inside a burning city, it felt way too abrupt—wasn't there supposed to be a spectacular time-travel sequence?
"Looks like that's it."
Tanjiro nodded slightly; he didn't mind the lack of spectacle. Watching the screen, he quietly wiped away tears. "Zenitsu, what we just saw was truly touching."
"Huh?"
Zenitsu was lost. He eyed Tanjiro oddly. "Which part? When Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka held hands?"
"Exactly." Tanjiro, ever sentimental, had felt it when Mash was pinned under rubble and Fujimaru Ritsuka rushed to save her.
He could sense Mash's despair and Fujimaru's unshakable resolve to rescue her.
Those emotions moved him deeply, especially the final moment when Mash reached out and Fujimaru clasped her hand with both of theirs.
In that instant, Mash's eyes and Fujimaru's gentle smile...
...made Tanjiro sigh: though they'd just met, Fujimaru was willing to risk life for Mash—truly a good person.
Even after chatting in the comments and knowing Fujimaru's kindness, seeing such loyalty in crisis still overwhelmed him; Mash meeting Fujimaru was wonderful.
Earlier, Doctor Roman had said that if Mash ever met an 'ordinary' senior, she'd understand his meaning.
Now, during Chaldea's crisis, she had encountered that 'ordinary' senior—Fujimaru Ritsuka.
From that moment on, Mash surely grasped what Roman had once told her.
Her initiative to take Fujimaru's hand proved she'd understood those feelings.
"So moving." Thinking of it brought fresh tears; a girl bred as a weapon since birth had finally found her senior.
Much like how Shuvi sought the meaning of 'heart' and sought out Riku.
"Touching, yes, but you're overreacting."
Zenitsu looked at the weeping Tanjiro, unsure how to retort. He admitted the scene was emotional—but not that emotional.
Sighing at Tanjiro's tears, Zenitsu still envied the pair; after this ordeal their bond would only deepen.
How he wished for the same. Thank goodness Fujimaru wasn't male, or Mash would probably end up his bride.
Anyone who refuses to abandon you, man or woman, is marriage material—how else could it end?
Zenitsu breathed in relief while inwardly weeping: when would he find his other half?!
Naruto World, Akatsuki Organization
"I'm starting to miss Orochimaru," Sasori said calmly. "If he were here, he'd be ecstatic over these scenes."
Orochimaru pursued truth, studying everything in the Ninja World—dreaming of dissecting the Uchiha's Sharingan and Pain's Rinnegan.
He even tried: first to steal Pain's Rinnegan—and got flattened;
then targeted the Uchiha's Sharingan, struck at Uchiha Itachi, betrayed Akatsuki, and nearly died by Itachi's hand.
Sasori held no fondness for Orochimaru and had often tried to kill the traitor, yet the snake always escaped.
Still, expertise matters; Sasori mused that Orochimaru would surely deliver brilliant commentary—after all, he was a research fanatic.
He'd be fascinated by time travel and the so-called Servant studies.
"Why miss that guy? We can understand it fine," Deidara waved dismissively, not missing the snake at all.
He added disdainfully, "And that bomber was pathetic—didn't even blow Chaldea to bits in one go."
The art-Master Deidara was disappointed in the attacker's shoddy explosives.
They hadn't fully destroyed a single control room; even with magecraft in that world, couldn't the yield be boosted?
Had the culprit vaporized all Chaldea at once, Deidara might have been impressed—but as it stood, the bomber was lame.
That level of blast could only deal with frail humans.
"Mr. Itachi, what do you think?"
Kisame tossed the question to Itachi, as usual; he understood the footage but still wanted his partner's view.
"..."
Itachi glanced at Kisame in resignation; ever since the highlight reel began, Kisame had been repeating that same line for reasons he couldn't fathom.
"I'd say the bomb-planter was rather clever," Itachi said, picking up Deidara's thread. His voice stayed flat: "One explosive nearly wiped Chaldea off the map."
"The right time, the right place, the right bomb—Chaldea almost ceased to exist. We still don't know if the other Masters survived, but with Fujimaru Ritsuka the only one left, the plan clearly worked."
"Judging by Fujimaru Ritsuka's performance, whoever's behind this never expected a last-minute 'ordinary' recruit to show such unbreakable, steel-like resolve."
No one in the Akatsuki Organization disputed Itachi's words.
They'd all seen the previous highlight reel and remembered how brilliantly Fujimaru had performed.
By their world's standards, the youth was more than qualified—he could easily serve as an outstanding strategist.
"Hm."
Sasori gave a slight nod, as though endorsing Itachi. He, too, would have dismissed Fujimaru as nothing more than a seat-filler.
A Master in name only, dragged in to round out the numbers.
How strong could a make-weight possibly be?
Deidara clicked his tongue. "I never said the blast was lousy—only that it lacked artistry. You love nit-picking, yeah, Itachi?"
Though he conceded the point, as an 'artist' he still found the bomber lacking.
That tiny bang—had the man skipped lunch?
"…" Itachi pretended not to hear and stayed silent.
The video rolled on.
Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka arrived in Singularity F and were attacked the moment they set foot inside.
Mash blocked every strike with her shield and soon ran into Director Olga Marie.
After a brief exchange the Director learned Chaldea's plight and ordered the remaining Masters placed in cryostasis until she could sort out the mess.
The group fought a Servant in the city called Fuyuki and befriended another.
He introduced himself as Cú Chulainn, Caster class, handed over every scrap of intelligence, and invited them to tackle the Singularity's final foe—Artoria Pendragon (Alter).
Once they knew their enemy, the two sides joined forces without hesitation.
Cú Chulainn battled an unnamed Servant while Mash had to face the King of Knights alone.
In the end, the Irish hero defeated his opponent, proving that Magi really should fight hand-to-hand, while Mash—boosted by Fujimaru's command spell—unleashed her Noble Phantasm for the first time and turned Artoria's strike back on her.
Cú Chulainn followed up with his own Noble Phantasm; a colossal tree-spirit appeared, imprisoned the once-invincible king, and dealt her a crippling blow.
Thus the short yet endless battle concluded.
As the smoke cleared, Artoria (Alter) regarded Mash calmly. "Victory through protection, is it? That suits the pure and spotless one."
She smiled wistfully. "So, no matter how fate shifts, solitude still leads me to the same end."
Golden light shimmered across Artoria—an omen that the Servant was about to vanish.
"What do you mean?" Cú Chulainn pressed. "What do you know?"
"You'll understand one day," the fading king replied, looking at him. "Child of the light of Erin—grand order."
"!!!!!"
The words meant little to the rest, but Director Olga Marie flinched.
"The war that revolves around the Holy Grail War has only just begun," Artoria (Alter) added, her body already half gone.
"Hey, wait—what's this?!"
Even as he asked, Cú Chulainn realized he too was dissolving. With reluctant pride he turned to Mash and Fujimaru. "Little ladies, the rest is up to you."
"Caster!"
Fujimaru watched him go with deep reluctance.
Cú Chulainn rested his staff like a spear against his shoulder. "Next time, summon me as a Lancer," he said with a grin.
At last both Artoria (Alter) and Cú Chulainn vanished.
Where the king had stood, a golden crystall remained.
Mash lowered her shield. "Confirmed: Saber and Caster have both disappeared… victory is ours, yes?"
Uncertainty tinged her voice; this had been her first mission.
"Beep-beep-beep~~~"
Her communicator chirped. Fujimaru pressed the button.
Dr. Romani Archaman's voice crackled through.
"Well done, Mash, Fujimaru. Shame the video feed's down—I'd love to see your smiles."
"Director, with this we can finally—"
His voice cut off as the view shifted to Olga Marie, who frowned in thought. "grand order… why did that Servant use those words?"
"Director."
Noticing her mood, Mash and Fujimaru walked over.
Olga Marie turned, offering a praising smile. "Ah, nothing—excellent work, Mash, Fujimaru."
The two exchanged grins; Fou leapt onto Fujimaru's shoulder.
"Mash," the Director said gently, "imperfect or temporary though your contract may be, your wish let you activate your Noble Phantasm."
Mash nodded, smiling back.
"Because you never sought a true name or dreamed of becoming a Heroic Spirit, your Noble Phantasm answered you."
"Ahh~ ahh~" Director Olga Marie sighed in exasperation. "This is straight out of a legend."
"?"
Fujimaru and Mash stared at Olga Marie, puzzled.
She gave another weary sigh. "I'm only venting—don't mind me. But using a Noble Phantasm whose true name you don't know is a pain, isn't it? Let me craft you a nice activation phrase."
"Let me think…"
Eyes bright, Olga Marie looked at Mash and her shield. "How about Pseudo-Deployment / Foundation of Humanity (Lord Chaldeas)?"
"Chaldea is a name that holds special meaning for you, after all~"
"Yes!" Mash nodded gratefully. "Thank you very much, Director."
Cradling the shield, she caressed its surface, wonder sparkling in her eyes. "Pseudo-Deployment / Foundation of Humanity—Lord Chaldeas."
In that instant she seemed a small girl who'd finally been given her own toy, innocence itself.
Clap—clap-clap—clap-clap-clap…
Applause rang through the emptiness. Mash, Fujimaru, and Olga Marie all lifted their heads toward the sound.
Clap-clap… clap. A man in green stepped into view, applauding. "My, my, you've gone far beyond the schedule—and beyond what I can tolerate."
"You are…?!" Fujimaru exclaimed.
Mash smiled warmly. "Professor Lev."
"Professor Lev…?" Back in Chaldea, Dr. Romani Archaman knit his brows.
Olga Marie, overwhelmed, ran to the man who'd been reported dead. "Lev! Lev! Thank goodness you're alive! Without you, I—"
"Hey there, Olga. You've had it rough too," Lev greeted, utterly casual.
That calm unsettled those watching; something felt wrong.
She noticed nothing. "Yes, Lev, everything's been chaos, but now that you're here we'll manage somehow!"
The usually composed director now looked like a child begging protection.
"Of course." Lev clenched his fist, voice still serene. "All these unforeseen events are infuriating."
"Romani, I told you to come to the Control Room at once."
"…Lev," Romani Archaman answered, his tone heavy.
"And you, Olga." Lev gazed down at her as she rushed toward him, voice cold. "I planted the bomb right beneath you—yet here you are. Or rather, here your spirit is. Your body's long dead."
He finally bared his malice. "You never had the aptitude for Spiritron Transfer while alive; only a living body can't transfer. Because you died, you gained what you always wanted."
Olga Marie's pupils shook. "You're lying," she whispered.
"The moment you return to Chaldea, your consciousness will vanish," Lev continued.
"I'll… disappear?!" Horror spread across her face.
"But that would be too cruel." Lev smiled in delight. "For the woman who devoted her life to Chaldea, let me show you what your precious place has become."
He stretched out his hand; the golden crystal left when Artoria Alter vanished flew to his palm.
Snap.
Space twisted, and behind him appeared the rotating Chaldeas.
"What…? No, that's impossible!" Olga Marie cried. "An illusion, Lev!"
"It's real," he said, crushing her last hope. "I connected the timelines just for you. With the Grail, such feats are trivial."
Inside Chaldea, the survivors beside Romani Archaman stared in shock.
Lev turned to her. "Look closely, scion of Animusphere—behold the price of your folly!"
Whoosh—!
With a gesture born of hatred for the Animusphere line, Lev flung Olga Marie into the air, reeling her toward him.
"Wait—what are you doing?!"
Panic finally seized her.
Lev smiled. "Let me grant your dearest wish: touch your treasure."
"Stop!" she screamed. "That's Chaldeas!"
"Indeed." He bared white, chilling teeth. "No different from a black hole—or a sun. Touch it, and a human is reduced to atoms."
"Savor endless death while still alive!"
"Director!!!" Fujimaru lunged to save her.
"No, Senpai!"
Mash blocked the way; the man before them was no longer the professor she knew.
"No—somebody help!" Olga Marie's despairing voice echoed. "Why does it always end like this? Stop—please—no, no, no!"
"I haven't done anything yet, no one's praised me—don't do this!"
Her scream faded as she was hurled into the blazing-red Chaldeas, anguish splitting the air.
Olga Marie's cries ceased; eyes closing, her body dissolved within the spinning globe.
Everyone stood stunned—Fujimaru, Mash, even Fou, and those watching from beyond the screen.
The proud, slightly tsundere Director Olga Marie—killed just like that?
Too fast. She was the director—why had she died?
Could it be that she has some deep grudge against that Lev? But judging from her behavior, wasn't she on good terms with him?
Yet why does that Lev 'hate' her so much?
"Not good!"
Mash reacted instantly, raising her shield to shield Fujimaru Ritsuka, her gaze locked warily on Lev.
"As expected of a Demi-Servant." Lev looked at Mash, lifted both hands and said solemnly, "You can sense that I'm a being completely different from humans."
"..." Fujimaru and Mash said nothing, simply watching him with vigilance.
Lev continued, "Forty-eighth Master candidate, I let you go before because no one thought much of you. Why do humans always try to stray from the fate assigned to them?"
"Allow me to reintroduce myself." Lev placed a hand over his chest, his expression extraordinarily 'kind': "My name is Lev L. Euler—Bael."
"I am the 2016 agent dispatched to eliminate you humans. Are you listening, Dr. Roman?"
Fujimaru quietly raised a hand, and Romani Archaman's voice sounded, "Professor Lev..."
Lev went on, "As fellow scholars of magecraft, I'll give you one final warning: the future hasn't vanished—it's been burned to ash."
"Only Chaldeas's magnetic field allowed Chaldea to survive, but beyond Chaldea the world is meeting the same end as this Fuyuki."
In the Control Room, staring at the snow-static on the monitor, Dr. Roman said gravely, "We can't reach the outside not because of a malfunction, but because whatever we're trying to contact no longer exists."
Hearing this, Fujimaru and Mash were stunned—because if that were true...
Then the only place left in the entire world was Chaldea.
"It isn't because you evolved to your limit and began to decline," Lev said, looking at Fujimaru, Mash, and the ever-present Roman who wasn't physically there. "Nor is it because you perished battling alien races."
"It's because you are meaningless! Because you are incompetent! Because you lost the favor of our King!!!"
"Like worthless scraps of paper—burned to nothing!"
As he spoke, Lev's expression turned exceptionally 'savage'.
"Rumble—!!!"
The ground shook. A seasoned Japanese, Fujimaru realized at once: "An earthquake?"
"No, this is—!" Mash sensed something deeper.
Debris rained down; Lev felt it too and calmly remarked, "This Singularity is nearing its limit. Damnable Saber—after I granted her the Holy Grail..."
"She still insisted on preserving this era, costing me no end of trouble."
"Then farewell, Romani, Mash, and forty-eighth candidate."
After a simple goodbye Lev rose into the air and vanished.
"The cavern is collapsing!!!"
Mash panicked; with Lev gone the Singularity grew even more unstable. Shield raised, she shielded Fujimaru. "Worse—the very space is destabilizing!"
"Doctor! Initiate Spiritron Transfer immediately!"
Dr. Roman hastily replied, "I understand—but I'm afraid the collapse on your side will outpace us."
"As long as you haven't yet lost 'meaning,' there's still a chance to—"
Before he could finish, his voice cut out. Fujimaru cried, "Doctor!!!"
There was no time to worry; as the ground gave way, both lost their footing.
"Mash!!!"
Fujimaru reached out, trying to grab her.
"Senpai!!!" Mash stretched her hand toward Fujimaru's.
"Clap!"
Their hands met—then the screen went black.
Soon the picture returned; Fujimaru's eyes opened, hand out as though still clasping something, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.
On the back of that hand glowed the command spell-like tattoo.
"Where... am I..." Fujimaru sat up slowly, dazed.
"Fou~ Fou~"
A squeak drew her gaze to Fou.
Fou hopped off a chair, chirped twice more, as if beckoning.
After a dash Fujimaru reached the Control Room; the sight confirmed none of it had been a dream.
Finally Fou stopped at Mash's feet.
"Fou, what is it?" Mash wondered—then sensed something and turned to see Fujimaru.
Mash smiled gently. "Good morning."
"..." Fujimaru's own expression softened; she stepped closer. "Morning, Mash."
She embraced Mash.
Fou yawned beside them, as if too embarrassed to watch.
"Senpai?!" Mash flustered, not knowing what to do.
"Thank you," Fujimaru whispered.
Mash smiled back, returning the hug. "It's all thanks to you, Senpai."
They held each other; outside the video, viewers couldn't help but smile like proud aunts.
What could be better after a battle than the two of them thanking each other in an embrace?!
The camera panned to Roman slumped on a chunk of rubble, looking half-dead.
Laughter erupted.
"A-hem." Roman coughed; the pair sprang apart and stood at attention.
Watching them, he calmly said, "First—congratulations on surviving, Fujimaru. Thanks to you, Mash and Chaldea were saved."
"Um... where's the Director...?" Fujimaru asked.
"I'm sorry," Roman turned away, unwilling to speak further. "The Fuyuki Singularity has been erased through your efforts—but we've detected seven new Singularities."
"Far worse temporal distortions than Fuyuki. Spiritron Transfer to those seven and restoring history is humanity's only hope."
As Doctor Roman began to speak, several points of light appeared on Chaldeas.
Doctor Roman's voice was grave.
"Every Master candidate besides you has been placed in cryo-stasis, and the only Servant we retain is Mash."
"I know that, under these circumstances, my request borders on the impossible—but I must ask it anyway."
Turning, he looked straight at Fujimaru Ritsuka. "Forty-eighth Master candidate, Fujimaru Ritsuka: do you and your Servant have the resolve to shoulder the future of humanity?"
Fujimaru glanced at Mash; she kept her head down, silent, while Fou once again leapt quietly onto Fujimaru's shoulder.
Fujimaru smiled. "As long as it's something I can do."
Doctor Roman smiled back. Just then, the BGM swelled. "Thank you. Those words have decided our fate."
"From this moment on, Chaldea will continue the plan of the former director, Olga Marie Animusphere, and devote everything to the preservation of human history."
"Our goal: to protect and reclaim human history. We will investigate every era and recover the grails—the holy relics at the root of this crisis."
At that point the image of Lev appeared, standing before the Throne, a vicious grin on his face as though he were speaking.
One by one, Heroic Spirits stepped forward, each showing their might in the transition.
"Our enemy is history itself; arrayed against you are countless heroes and legends."
"If you wish to survive and reclaim the future, this is the only path—no matter what end awaits us."
Boom!!
In the next instant Mash and Fujimaru found themselves in another world. They looked up at the great ring of light in the sky and frowned.
Doctor Roman's voice continued.
"The operation's name: Chaldea's final and ultimate mission—grand order."
"By the highest decree of the Thaumaturgical World, we shall retake the future!"
Outside the video—
Magical Girl Illya World
"So inspiring!" Illya had been frightened moments ago, but after watching this segment she felt fired up; even after Chaldea's devastating losses they had not forgotten their mission and were setting out for the Singularities to reclaim the future.
"Poor Olga Marie," magical ruby murmured, swaying. "She wanted to go so much farther, but because of Lev she had to stop."
"Yeah, it's awful… but it looked like Lev targeted her on purpose."
Illya nodded, pity flashing in her eyes; Olga Marie's fate was simply too cruel.
Lev hadn't gone after Fujimaru or Mash—only Olga Marie. What was that about?
From the video, Olga Marie seemed to value Lev greatly, believing she could accomplish nothing without him—yet he treated her like an enemy. It was hard to watch.
Remembering Olga Marie's screams, Illya felt it was all so unfair.
Miyu gave a small nod. "Yes, but the cause was planted by her father."
"Huh?"
Illya blinked, utterly bewildered.
"Her father? What did he—oh, never mind, I think I get it." magical ruby was puzzled for a second, then exclaimed, "Being his daughter must be miserable!"
"Indeed," magical sapphire added calmly. "If that's the case, it becomes… understandable."
"??????"
Question marks floated above Illya's head; she was the only one left out.
Miyu glanced at Illya's bewildered face and said softly, "We mentioned earlier that Lev was close to Mash, that he seemed to have special feelings for her."
"When he spoke with Roman, Lev said he wanted to see whether Mash could remain pure after witnessing humanity's ugliness."
"So you understand what happened to Mash, don't you, Illya?"
She didn't need to continue; Illya's sudden look of realization said everything.
Olga Marie had done nothing wrong—the fault lay with her father, Marisbury.
But Marisbury was dead, and from Lev's present attitude it seemed he hadn't committed that act himself; otherwise he wouldn't be venting his anger on Olga Marie.
"So it's a case of the father's debt repaid by the daughter?" Illya's expression was complicated; she felt Olga Marie deserved better.
Though she'd only seen a short clip, Illya had come to like the slightly prideful director who shouldered everything and desperately tried not to falter.
The tiny signs that she secretly wanted someone to care, and her hysterical final words, all revealed a girl starved for affection.
"Did you notice," Miyu went on, "Lev's name and what he said?"
"His name? And what he said?"
Illya blinked adorably, her face plainly saying she had no idea what Miyu meant—most of her attention had been on Olga Marie and Doctor Roman's rousing speech.
"…" Miyu gave her a speechless look, then sighed. "His full name is Lev L. Euler Flauros."
"What's odd is that earlier he was just called Lev; the other two parts don't sound like a surname—they sound like given names. And he mentioned that humanity has lost 'the king's favor.'"
Illya nodded blankly, still lost.
Seeing that, Miyu said calmly, "So I deleted 'Lev' and 'L. Euler,' leaving only 'Flauros.'"
"That name belongs to the sixty-fourth demon of the 72 Demon Pillars of King Solomon."
"The 'king' he spoke of, I believe… is very likely King Solomon."
"In other words, Chaldea's destruction, the incineration of human history, the seven Singularities—all of it was probably orchestrated by King Solomon."
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