Tamamo-no-Mae floated in her spiritual form, hidden among the trees in a park not far from the battlefield. Her golden eyes shone as she analyzed every movement of the combat between Medusa and Archer.
—Hmm... that speed, that style... Rider is definitely a threat, my beloved Master. —she said telepathically in a honeyed voice.
On the other end of the link, Daniel, walking home with a small bag of bread over his shoulder, blinked as Tamamo's voice came directly into his mind.
—What happened? Are you okay? —he asked with concern, stopping in his tracks.
—Yes, yes!~ Your beloved Tamamo is perfectly fine~. I'm reporting that Archer and Rider just exchanged blows in a fierce duel. Rider is very fast, but Archer knows how to keep his distance. Oh, and Rin confronted that brat Shinji. It was glorious.
Daniel let out a sigh and closed his eyes for a moment.
—Thanks, Tamamo. You saved me from going in blind again.
—Fufu~! I'm just fulfilling my duty as an exemplary wife. Taking care of the home, the intel... and you, of course~
Daniel froze for a few seconds, and an anime-style drop of sweat slid down his forehead.
—...You're not my wife.
—Not yet~ —Tamamo replied mischievously before letting out a little playful laugh.
Daniel shook his head with a nervous smile.
—Come back home. I need to inform the girls about this and start planning how to face those two. If there's a next battle, I have to be prepared.
—Hai~! I'll be back before the rice gets cold~
---
When Tamamo returned (now in physical form and wearing something between a kimono and combat attire), Daniel had already gathered Hikari, Hibiki, and Alya in the living room. Reynare, in silence, cleaned the dining area while throwing fleeting glances.
—Did something happen? —Alya asked as soon as Daniel entered.
—Yes. The first battle between Servants just occurred —Daniel said with a serious tone—. Rider and Archer faced off, and although no one was seriously injured, it's clear both are powerful. Rin is still standing, but Shinji escaped.
Hikari crossed her arms. —You know what that means, right?
—Yes —Daniel nodded—. Medusa has the advantage in speed, and Archer is forced to fight from a distance if he wants to stay alive. But if we fight poorly... we could lose more than just a fight.
—So what will we do? —Alya asked worriedly.
Tamamo spoke up and sat down elegantly next to Daniel.
—First, we must understand their weaknesses. Archer is versatile but depends on keeping you away. If we force him into close, fast combat, he'll lose. On the other hand, Rider... is more dangerous with Shinji as her Master, because he'll force her to the limit without caring for her well-being.
—So we need to plan two strategies —Hibiki concluded—. One against a sniper... and one against a rider.
—Exactly —said Daniel—. Tomorrow at dawn, we start training and simulations. If they want to fight, they have to be ready for everything.
Tamamo smiled, and with shining eyes said:
—My beloved Master being so responsible and decisive... kyaa~, I fall in love more every day!
—Don't say things like that so suddenly! —Daniel replied, with another anime-style drop of sweat running down his neck as Alya and the twins looked at him sideways.
Daniel watched the sunset from the terrace of his house. The battle between Servants had made something very clear to him: he still wasn't at the level he desired. He knew he had power, yes. But power without control was just a ticking time bomb.
And now he had a tool he could leverage like never before: his Boosted Gear, the legendary Sacred Gear containing the celestial red dragon, Ddraig.
With a clenched fist and a fixed gaze, he made a decision.
—Tamamo... can you do me a favor?
The beautiful fox servant, who was sitting next to him drinking tea and stroking one of her tails, turned her face curiously.
—A training favor? Or one of those that brings us closer as a couple~? —she said mischievously.
Daniel sighed with a smile.
—Training. I want to face enemies of increasing difficulty... to use my Sacred Gear to its fullest.
Tamamo stood up elegantly, her gaze shining with a mix of amusement and excitement.
—Magical combat simulations with customizable enemies? Of course, my love! You're in luck, I specialize in that.
Using her mystical abilities, Tamamo drew a complex magical circle on the ground that emitted a faint glow. Within seconds, the space inside the training room warped slightly, as if reality had been reshaped.
—Simulation ready. Ready to fight?
Daniel raised his right arm, and his Boosted Gear manifested with a metallic *GACHAAN!* and Ddraig's roar resonating:
> 「Boosted Gear, Balance Initiated.」
—Ddraig... I'm ready. Let's go all out.
> 「Well said, partner. I'll guide you. Now that your body can handle more power thanks to Haki, you can reach up to 27 Boosts before exhaustion. Use the first 10 to analyze. Then accelerate.」
The simulation gave way to an enemy resembling a humanoid beast with blades for arms. Daniel didn't hesitate, lunging forward with his energy concentrated in precise attacks, his Observation Haki guiding his reflexes, while his Armament Haki protected him from each impact.
—Boost!
—Boost!
—Boost!
—Boost!...
Each shout was accompanied by a wave of energy strengthening his body. His speed, strength, reaction, endurance... everything grew exponentially. Tamamo watched, fascinated.
—He's so manly when he trains seriously~... kyaa~, I want to capture his heart and his fist at the same time...
After ten minutes, Daniel had defeated more than five different enemy simulacra: speedsters, tanks, swordsmen, mages.
Ddraig shouted:
> 「Now, Daniel, you're entering your final Boost phase before fatigue! If you're going to finish it, do it now.」
Daniel gathered energy, his Boosted Gear glowing crimson red.
—BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!
With a roar, he leapt at the last simulacrum, a colossus covered in armor, and delivered a devastating combo empowered with 5 accumulated Boosts, causing the enemy to shatter in a bright magical explosion.
When the simulation dissipated, Daniel fell to his knees, exhausted but with a satisfied smile.
Tamamo gently helped him up and wiped his sweat with a towel while looking at him with shining eyes.
—At this rate... you can rival even the most prepared Servants. And with your Boosted Gear... you could even surpass several if you catch them off guard.
—Thank you, Tamamo. I couldn't have done this without you and Ddraig.
> 「Heh. Just make sure to use me well, partner. Unlike Servants, you have a human heart... don't forget that.」
Daniel nodded. He knew it.
He was human, but with his Gear, his Haki, and his companions... he was determined to change the fate imposed upon him.
The magical training room still vibrated with the last echoes of combat. The air was charged with residual energy, the floor bore superficial cracks from the impacts, and in the center, Daniel breathed heavily but with a serene smile. He had given his all... and it was worth it.
A few meters away, standing behind the magical barrier that protected them as spectators, Hikari, Hibiki, Alya, and Reynare couldn't take their eyes off Daniel. Their expressions were an open book.
Hikari had her lips slightly parted, still processing what she had just seen.
—Was that... twenty-seven Boosts... without losing control?
Hibiki nodded slowly, clutching the hem of her skirt.
—And his movements... were like those of a legendary warrior. The Haki, the Gear... it's monstrous!
Alya said nothing. She just stared with wide eyes, her mouth forming a small "o," flushed, impressed... and perhaps a little more in love. Slowly, she murmured:
—My boyfriend is a complete monster... and it's sexy.
But the most surprised... was Reynare.
She had experienced a fight with Daniel firsthand. Back then, she thought he had just gotten lucky... that maybe he had good instincts. But she never imagined he had been holding back.
Reynare took half a step back, her face pale as snow.
—...That's not possible... that thing... that power...
Her eyes were fixed on the glowing red gauntlet slowly fading from Daniel's hand. Her voice trembled.
—He... is the wielder of the Boosted Gear... the Crimson Emperor of this era!
The memory of the attack she had launched against him the first time came back to her mind. If Ddraig had awakened or if Daniel had used his Gear back then... she probably wouldn't be alive.
—...I could have died that day... without even knowing why...
Tamamo, still with her arms crossed and a proud look, tilted her head.
—Now do you understand why you shouldn't underestimate your master? —she said in a soft tone, but laden with intent.
Reynare swallowed hard. Despite being designated as his servant as punishment, something inside her trembled. Not from fear... but from respect. The respect one has for an overwhelming being.
—...Tch... —she muttered quietly, with a mix of shame and humiliation—. What the hell are you, Daniel...?
At that moment, Daniel approached them, towel in hand and sweat beading on his forehead. He had heard more than he let on.
—I'm a human... a very stubborn one, maybe. But human, nonetheless.
Reynare lowered her gaze. She didn't know what to say. Alya hugged his arm with a proud smile.
—And you're my monster-human, right? —she winked, defusing the tension of the moment.
Hikari and Hibiki approached to dry him with towels while showering him with affectionate words. Tamamo, for her part, simply blushed and fanned herself with one of her sleeves, murmuring:
—Ahh... how lucky I am to have been summoned by such a man~...
And as the scene ended in laughter and hugs, Reynare watched in silence.
For the first time, she understood that Daniel wasn't just a lucky human... but a factor of change in this world.
The night in Kuoh was unusually silent. There was no wind, no crickets, not even the usual city murmurs. It was as if the world was holding its breath.
In an abandoned industrial zone, far from the bustle, two colossal figures clashed with a ferocity that shook the earth: Berserker and Lancer.
—HAAAAAAAAH! —Berserker's inhuman roar made the broken walls vibrate and shook the oxidized dust from the area.
With each blow, each stride, the earth cracked, and metal beams bent like paper. Berserker was a monster in human form: immense, with muscles that seemed like mountains and a fury that burned the air.
Facing him, Lancer danced like a crimson shadow. His spear shone as he moved with surgical precision.
—Tch... He won't stop... —Lancer grunted, sweat on his forehead, his spear crossing with brutal force that barely contained Berserker's strength.
—Kill! Break! SMASH! —Berserker bellowed, losing all control, his weapon made of shattered concrete and steel, used as an improvised club.
Both Masters watched from a distance. Berserker's Master, a woman with dark hair and sharp eyes, remained calm, confident in her Servant's regeneration and endurance. Lancer's Master, a young man with a simple appearance but skilled with reinforcement spells, remained tense but alert, knowing a mistake meant death.
The battle continued for endless minutes, blows that shattered the air and strides that felt like earthquakes. It was like watching a demon and a god fight amidst ruins.
But then... the carelessness occurred.
A failed attack from Berserker shattered an oxidized column, raising an avalanche of metallic debris. Some fragments flew out like projectiles, straight towards Lancer's Master.
—Shit! —Lancer saw it all in slow motion. He turned by instinct.
That second was enough.
That micro-instant of distraction... was all Berserker needed.
With a brutal roar, Berserker appeared like a murderous shadow, piercing through Lancer's chest with an improvised stake, so fast the air cracked.
—G-Guh... —Lancer barely had time to look towards his Master, a gesture of frustration on his face.
With a final gasp, his body faded into motes of light, his spear falling to the ground, inert.
Berserker's Master smiled.
—One less...
Lancer's Master fell to his knees on the ground, powerless. His contract had broken. His bond, severed.
The first blood of the Holy Grail War... had been spilled.