A dark night.
Koyanskaya smiled, gently stroking her sleeping Master's hair.
To her, humans had always been subjects for either abuse or breeding.
She could shower them with a twisted sort of affection, but genuine fondness? That was nonexistent. Even the two Masters who had previously sealed her were merely respected. She showed them deference, but never love.
’Yes, I‘m certain that‘s how it was... but now...‘
Now, everything was different.
She vividly recalled the sight of him smiling even while sacrificing himself. She remembered how his legs had trembled uncontrollably beneath that brave face. At the very end, when there was only one step left, he had thrown himself away for the sake of everything else.
He was dazzling.
So radiant that she felt blinded, and in that moment, she had been struck with pure admiration. At first, she thought that was all it was.
However, the moment they met again in this new world, with his new face, a new emotion bloomed in Koyanskaya‘s heart.
True affection. Obsession.
An emotion she never thought she would harbor for a human had sprouted. Her ’Light‘ counterpart surely felt the same.
“Haa—.”
Beneath the moonlight, her breath billowed out in white mist, as if exhaling a lingering heat, trying to cool her burning body.
’Master. You really must take responsibility.‘
He had turned the Beast of Cherishment into a mere household pet. That was a heavy crime. A single human lifetime wouldn‘t be enough to pay the debt. However, if he would love her in return—if he would fulfill his duties as her owner—she was prepared to be more loyal than any other, to pour out more love than any Servant in existence.
The others currently stuck inside, unable to manifest, would likely revolt if they heard her thoughts... but Koyanskaya was serious.
The sin of making even a Beast fall in love. She intended to savor every drop of the sweetness that sin provided.
’Actually...‘
Koyanskaya blinked as she continued to stroke the boy‘s head. A stray thought crossed her mind.
’Now that I think about it, hasn't he always been popular with women who have a bit of a... madness to them? How mysterious.‘
Several faces flashed through her mind. None of them were easy women to deal with, but they were reliable. Their loyalty to the Master, their martial prowess, their beauty—they were flawless in every regard.
Furthermore, this was a world without grand incidents like the Bleaching of the Human Order or its Incineration. It was a world without true Magecraft. Consequently, the danger level was significantly lower, which meant the relative power of a Servant would be drastically higher.
’This should be enough.‘
Koyanskaya finished her musing and pulled the boy into an embrace. She wanted to rest. Normally, Servants did not require sleep; they could stay awake for days without physical fatigue, but the mind was a different matter. To soothe her soul, she closed her eyes. Sleeping while holding her Master—this was the moment her heart felt most healed.
Fate/Grand Order. Or simply FGO. Like any system, it had levels.
Servant levels. Master levels. Equipment levels for both. Even Bond levels.
Among these, the one that governed the ’Cost‘—the limit on who and what could be deployed—was the Master Level. As the level increased, the total Cost allowance expanded. And there was only one way to raise a Master‘s level: by defeating enemies.
In RPG terms, it was hunting. In Fate terms, it was ’Looping.‘
’Ugh, my head...‘
Just thinking about Looping made my chest feel tight. Repeating the same task over and over. Looping was effectively no different from back-breaking manual labor. Fortunately, once automated systems were introduced, I could finally breathe, though I didn't personally use them, the overall fatigue of the system had lessened. Therefore, there was a high probability I could increase my Cost through hunting.
That was my conclusion.
“You want to handle the kill?” Toji asked.
“Technically, Koyanskaya will do the hunting. Toji-san, I just need you to provide the scouting and protection for me. I have something I need to test.”
“I‘m all for it. Lead the way.”
Through Toji, I searched for areas infested with Cursed Spirits. Once we arrived at the location, I unleashed Koyanskaya. She was a whirlwind of destruction.
The black whip cracked through the air. Tornado kicks, her legs wreathed in murky violet winds, shattered reinforced concrete. A legion of Monstrous Beasts, including Cerberus, tore into the target. Koyanskaya hunted the curses in a variety of ways, literally shredding them to pieces.
“Master. I‘ve worked up a bit of a sweat. Would you mind wiping it away?”
Koyanskaya approached and leaned down toward me. Her cleavage, glistening with perspiration, was practically pushed into my face.
“You worked hard,” I said.
Under the pretext of wiping the sweat, I rubbed a cloth over Koyanskaya‘s skin. I tried to keep it light and platonic, but her body was so naturally provocative that it was no easy feat. If it were Ritsuka, he probably would have been unfazed. ’Still, this isn't so bad.‘
As I wiped her sweat with a handkerchief, Koyanskaya beamed.
“Thank you.”
“Don‘t mention it. If anything, I enjoyed it.”
“I‘m glad to hear that. Did you feel anything significant?”
“Mmm, not yet.” I shook my head while locking eyes with her.
There wasn't a distinct feeling yet. I recalled that even in the game, the progress bar moved by a fraction at Level 1. It would take time to increase the Cost to the desired level.
“Then we‘ll have to hunt even more. Are there any places teeming with those Cursed Spirits?” Koyanskaya straightened her back and looked at Toji. As she did, her chest, which had been hanging low, stood prominently once more.
“There are a few danger zones, though for someone of your level, they shouldn't be a problem. However, the chances of making money there are slim. There‘s no profit in it,” Toji remarked.
“That‘s fine. Can you focus on those areas for a while?”
“Sure, why not,” Toji agreed with a shrug.
Just in case, I had Toji contact his broker, Kong Shiu, to check for paying jobs, but there were none available. Instead, he brought back information that made my head spin. There were far more haunted locations than I had anticipated.
Aokigahara Forest, the Old Inunaki Tunnel, Takakonuma Greenland, Bibai City Shoto High School, Iwo Jima, Gunkanjima...
The list was long enough to trigger a bout of indecision.
“Iwo Jima is controlled by the military, but we can get in. It‘ll just be a pain in the ass,” Toji explained.
“I see. It‘s better to avoid unnecessary trouble.”
We spent the early evening chatting at a convenience store—the one near the hospital where Toji‘s wife was recovering.
“Then starting with the smaller spots is better. It‘s easy and convenient.”
“Alright. Let‘s head to the primary school first.”
We settled on our destination: a circular, now-defunct elementary school. There were rumors of a portal to another world there, but they were unconfirmed. Our transport was a mix of the subway, trains, buses, and walking.
“By the way, do the Jujutsu Sorcerers just leave places like that alone? You'd think they‘d crack down on the famous spots.”
“They probably cull them periodically. But those guys are always short on manpower.”
“Ah, so that‘s why?”
On the train, we discussed the nature of sorcerers. In this world, a Jujutsu Sorcerer was essentially a specialized civil servant. Their job was to exorcise curses appearing across Japan, but it was a grueling trade. The death rate was high, and they lacked recruits. Toji‘s comment about the manpower shortage made perfect sense.
“Koyanskaya.”
As we walked down a dark, damp path after our bus ride, I finally spoke. Toji remained in his usual observer mode, while Koyanskaya looked at me with sparking eyes.
“Yes, Master?”
“Can you use your Noble Phantasm?”
“Anytime. However, as you know, my Noble Phantasm is a bit... flashy, isn't it?” A hint of hesitation crossed Koyanskaya‘s face.
A Noble Phantasm was, put simply, a Servant‘s ultimate trump card, and their types were diverse. Koyanskaya‘s, specifically, involved dropping a meteor. Its Rank might be low, but in terms of pure crushing mass, it was top-tier.
“Right. Very flashy.”
“If you want to wipe them all out at once, I‘ll just summon the Magical Beasts and have them swarm the place. That should be more than enough.”
“Good point.” I nodded in agreement. We were in reality now, not a game. She could utilize a variety of attacks and patterns that weren't restricted by a command card system—just as many Servants had done in the past.
“Then let's go with the ’swarm from the outside‘ plan. The school has been abandoned for decades anyway, so it should be fine.”
“Understood. I‘ll clean it up thoroughly.”
While we talked, a massive structure appeared in the distance. Even from a glance, it radiated a sinister aura.
“That‘s it. It sounds like you‘re going to blow it up from the outside; I won‘t be in danger, will I?” Toji, who had been silent, finally spoke up.
If we were here, it was time to start.
“Koyanskaya. Do it.”
“Yes, Master.”
Koyanskaya stepped forward with a smile. We were about a hundred meters away from the ominous building—a perfectly safe distance.
“Shall we begin?”
Flames ignited above Koyanskaya‘s hand, condensing into a whip. Crack! As she lashed the ground, the shadows began to writhe. Her own shadow, the shadows around us—the darkness from all directions squirmed and rose to its feet.
Cerberus, bats, wolves, and more. All sorts of Magical Beasts were birthed like a swarm of hornets, forming an army.
“Unbelievable. Just looking at this makes my head spin,” Toji muttered, swallowing hard. He looked tense, yet he still maintained a sliver of his usual composure.
“I know what you mean.” I was tense too, but I wasn't afraid. After all, they were on my side.
Crack! Koyanskaya lashed her whip once more, and the army of beasts charged like a tidal wave.
The target was the decrepit school and the Cursed Spirits living within.
—Skreeeeeek!
As the beasts advanced, the school seemed to convulse, vomiting out its occupants. It looked like the building was retching. Maggots, round-bodied monstrosities, things with limbs growing out of their heads, and black centipedes—the variety of curses was staggering.
—Woof!
Just before the two armies collided, Cerberus‘s three heads exhaled flames simultaneously. It was like a ceremonial torch signaling the start of the Olympics, or a starter's pistol for a race.
—Gyaaak! Skreeee...!
As the signals flared, the Magical Beasts descended upon the Cursed Spirits. They pecked with beaks, tore with claws, and shredded the curses into dust with razor-sharp teeth. Curses surged from the inside, beasts pressed from the outside. Two waves of different natures crashed into each other, struggling for dominance. It was a breathtaking, suffocating sight.
“Whoa. That‘s insane.” Toji grinned, crossing his arms. He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
“You know slang like that?” I asked.
“I‘ve lived a rough life, kid. You pick things up. But even I've never seen anything like this.”
“Is it that shocking?”
“Beyond shocking. I‘m speechless. If I had to face that as an enemy, I‘d be dead for sure.”
No matter how strong Toji was, he couldn't be compared to Koyanskaya. It was the same as the gap between a Magus and a Servant. Of course, there were weak Servants like Hans Christian Andersen, but someone of Koyanskaya‘s caliber was in another league entirely.
“I‘m really glad you‘re my employer, my ’Master.‘ If we‘d met as enemies, who knows what would have happened?”
“What do you think would have happened?”
“I‘d be ripped apart by that whip and chewed into rags by those beasts. They wouldn‘t even find a corpse.” Toji laughed even as he spoke of his own death. He likely knew it wouldn't come to that.
“Probably.”
“Terrifying. I‘m truly glad I joined your side. Sincerely, thank you.”
“If you‘re thankful, treat your wife well. And your son too. Megumi, right?”
“Yeah. I‘ll keep that in mind,” Toji nodded, his voice dropping into a serious, somber tone without a hint of a smile.
BOOM! While we were talking, the distant school building finally collapsed.
’Is it over?‘ I didn't say the cliché line out loud. It was too much of a jinx.
“Master. There‘s still one big one left.”
But even without me triggering the flag, the situation flowed exactly as I imagined. As if it were fate.
“Oh?” After the ground gave a sharp shudder, a thunderous roar erupted from beneath the rubble. Dust billowed upward, and something lunged out from the wreckage. It was a black serpent, roughly the size of a Hydra. Dozens, hundreds of human arms and hands grew all along its body.
“That is deeply grotesque.”
“That thing‘s at least Grade 1. If it had grown more, it could have been a Special Grade,” Toji remarked nonchalantly. Apparently, something of that level was no big deal to him now. Either that, or his standards had been skewed by Koyanskaya‘s army.
“This should be the end once I deal with that. I‘ll wrap this up.”
Koyanskaya lashed her whip against the ground and leaped. High and fast, she took to the air until she was silhouetted against the sky. Whirrrr. Violet winds began to coil around her legs. Upon her command, the beasts charged forward, biting and tearing at the snake‘s tail and torso from below. Naturally, the serpent resisted, twisting its body and thrashing about to crush the beasts. It was so massive that every movement kicked up clouds of dirt and echoed with a roar. If I had been alone, I would have been finished in an instant.
Swoosh!
Koyanskaya plummeted from the air. Her target was the snake‘s head—specifically, the space between its eyes. Crunch! Her wind-wreathed leg struck true. She stomped through the serpent‘s forehead, pinning it to the ground. It was a perfect ’Rider Kick.‘ Immediately after, the wind exploded, and the snake‘s head was buried in the earth with a deafening crash.
“It‘s finished.”
Koyanskaya walked calmly out of the dust. She must have used Magecraft, as she was pristine, without a single speck of dirt on her.
“Great job. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No. And you, Master?”
“I‘m fine, but...” As I spoke, my heart suddenly gave a heavy thump. My veins felt like they were expanding, and my mind cleared. For a moment, it felt like my body was physically growing larger—as if my very ’capacity‘ was expanding. It was the maximization of my limits. I could intuitively tell my level had risen.
’This is it.‘ I had no hard proof, but I was certain. If I continued like this, I could definitely increase my maximum Cost.