Chapter 4: The War That Had Already Begun
Is this chapter's grammar better than the previous ones? Please comment below and inform me of any mistakes
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Several days had passed, and various incidents kept occurring.
Rias let out a serious sigh as she investigated these troubling events.
The reason was straightforward. The fallen angel Kokabiel had committed the outrageous act of stealing Excalibur on his own initiative. Given that context, far too many concerning incidents were happening for her peace of mind.
In just two days, four battle sites had been discovered. Each showed traces of fights between beings so powerful that even a high-class devil might fall in single combat.
All of them occurred after the day Kokabiel was believed to have infiltrated.
Fallen angel feathers were scattered throughout the evidence, making it clear they weren't hiding their involvement.
The behavior felt deliberately provocative. Yet with no harm coming to Rias and her group, it made no sense under normal circumstances.
Only one hypothesis explained everything.
No wonder Rias felt a splitting headache coming on.
"Since Kokabiel's goal is to restart the war, my brother and the others rushing in carelessly might cause more damage. But this is really beyond what I can handle alone."
Anyone with weaker nerves would have collapsed from stress by now.
Listening to Rienes and contacting them honestly had been the right call. If this information had been suddenly dumped on them, Sirzechs and the others would definitely have developed ulcers.
Just as she sighed at this thought, someone knocked at the door.
"May I come in? It's me, Rienes."
"Yes, time for our regular briefing, right? Come in."
Regular information sharing was tricky when all three major factions meeting face-to-face could spark problems.
They'd settled on each faction coordinating internally, then gathering all three factions once daily for updates.
This session was for devils and fallen angels. It seemed early, but arriving five minutes ahead was hardly unusual.
After getting permission, Rienes entered with a Humagear in tow.
The Humagear carried a tray of food.
Something white topped with jam sat on delicate plates.
"I judged this situation stressful enough to warrant stomach-friendly refreshments, so I prepared Grief Kasha. It's a Russian sweet, and one of your servants has tested it for poison. Since seconds were requested, I'll take my leave now."
The Humagear bowed and left the room.
Koneko had apparently done the poison testing. Since she was the most level-headed of her servants, her approval guaranteed both safety and taste.
After taking one bite, Rias couldn't help but voice her honest reaction.
"It soaks into my tired heart. I might start crying."
"Tell Cooks directly later. He'll be thrilled."
Rienes smiled as she also enjoyed the Grief Kasha and black tea.
Still, the situation was serious enough to warrant stomach-friendly considerations.
While sharing information, they discussed the mounting problems.
"This is going to get much worse."
After hearing Rias's compiled information, Rienes could only sigh.
As the specialist, she understood the situation all too well.
Her team had been dispatched as an advance unit because this possibility had been considered from the start. She'd been selected for her research expertise, not her command abilities.
Rienes decided to cut straight to the point.
"How much do you know about the Holy Grail War?"
"Servants are shadow copies of past heroic spirits, summoned by magic circuit holders who control magical power through incantations, rituals, and ceremonial dress. Several groups fight to the death in a ritual battle. By sacrificing the defeated Servants, the ritual grants wishes."
Rias paused, considering her words.
The ritual Zaia Corporation had allegedly orchestrated couldn't be taken lightly.
Failures could trigger explosions rivaling small nuclear weapons, and many had gained tremendous power through the wish-granting machine's activation.
Some cases had even produced Longinus-class Sacred Gears. During World War II, the three major factions found themselves in brutal four-way battles that included Nazi.
Terrorist organizations inheriting Nazi's legacy retained Holy Grail War knowledge, leading to situations where even ultimate-class aberrations fell.
Then…
"I'm primarily a Holy Grail War and Servant researcher."
"Really?"
That was unexpected.
No one in the active unit should have possessed Servant-derived powers. At least, nothing she'd heard suggested otherwise.
Rienes furrowed her brow, glaring at some distant point.
"Zaia Corporation was researching practical Demi-Servant applications. Beings who could fight while harboring Servant power."
Rias frowned at those words.
Servants were beings far superior to humans. Calling it sublimation wouldn't be an exaggeration.
If humans were water with a pinch of salt, a Servant's soul would be the Dead Sea itself.
Putting a Servant into a human would be like letting the Servant possess the human body entirely.
Pure madness, Rias thought immediately.
"Terrifyingly, they seemed confident it would work perfectly. Something like 'Many heroic spirits should be willing to lend their power to liberate people from evil aberrations.'"
"Human malice is sometimes far more vicious than us devils."
Rias spat the words out, and Rienes nodded grimly.
"Maybe because their power is inferior to aberrations, their malice evolved to compensate. Human malice sometimes accomplishes things that would amaze even aberrations."
Strong anger laced those words.
Rias sensed Rienes's deep affection for Kazuchi and Himari beneath that anger.
If she weren't a fallen angel, they'd probably get along well. If fallen angels truly wanted peace, maybe there'd be chances to invite her for tea sometime.
The thought made Rias feel oddly wistful.
Since they weren't close enough for personal questions, Rienes shifted topics.
"The Holy Grail Wars aberrations have been tracking for a thousand years are decoys."
"What?"
Sensing maximum danger, Rias's posture tensed as she waited for more.
"Yes. Behind the scenes, Zaia Corporation's puppet masters were staging higher-quality Holy Grail Wars. Seven-group death matches, while we've been detecting nothing but complete dead copies."
Definitely dead copies.
Confirmed Holy Grail Wars typically featured five participants at most. Usually, three to four.
If Rienes were bringing this up now.
"Kokabiel might be trying to stage the real thing?"
"Exactly. I originally researched magic circuits and heroic spirit summoning, so I was investigating that angle too."
Bingo.
The situation was truly dire, and Rias could only grit her teeth.
Rias knew the implications.
Catalysts were essential for summoning Servants. Without them, you'd summon someone similar to yourself, but compatibility was unpredictable. Depending on which traits resonated, you might even end up with mutual hatred. Anyone serious about the Holy Grail War prepared relics or connected items that could predict the summoned Servant's abilities.
Naturally, that wasn't easy. Since Servants were historical figures, finding authentic connected items was challenging. Precision required avoiding forgeries entirely.
However—
"There's currently an exhibition at the station museum. French Revolution artifacts are on display."
"I heard rumors that several Sacred Gear holders participated in that period."
Personnel deployment was immediately authorized.
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Kazuchi Pov
"Ugh, I've got nothing but bad feelings about this."
"Don't be so negative. The museum has connections to the club president's regular customers, and fallen angels aren't necessarily involved, right?"
"That's not the point. Whether they're involved doesn't really matter."
Issei tries encouraging me despite my grumbling, but Himari's right. That's not the real issue.
Yeah, whether fallen angels have infiltrated the museum doesn't matter. That's not the problem.
The problem is they're displaying authentic artifacts.
"Connected items make perfect catalysts for summoning Servants. Time the Holy Grail War right and you can narrow down specific summons."
"Seriously!? So the famously busty Marie Antoinette might show up!?"
Why is that his focus?
Though I mean, when someone mentions big breasts, it does grab your attention.
"She should have assets rivaling the club president's. I'd honestly like to see them."
"The possibility is fairly high. Most people associate Marie Antoinette with the French Revolution, and the Holy Grail War system relies on recognition, so she could be summoned."
That's what I say, but realistically it'd be tough.
"Marie wasn't the only one who died by guillotine. There's also the famous Robespierre."
Don't look at me like that, Himari.
And Red Dragon Emperor, stop tilting your head.
"I heard about the French Revolution in class. I think I remember that name."
Well, if you're fixated on Marie Antoinette's chest, the other guy's harder to recall.
Himari glances at me while explaining further.
"He was one of the revolution's leaders. In the end, he lost control and got guillotined himself. Brutal."
"He destroyed the Catholic Church system when Christianity was more powerful than today. The guy who said 'If God doesn't exist, we need to invent him.' He defined the Supreme Being and promoted Reason."
Whatever his merits and faults, he's definitely heroic spirit material.
Apparently he tried establishing standards even during his reign of terror. Though I never met him personally, and there's no guarantee he was being honest about his motives.
Anyway.
I'm checking the exhibition pamphlet we got, and the bad vibes are intense.
"So that's the guillotine that beheaded Marie and Robespierre. You could probably summon the guillotine's inventor or the executioners too."
This is seriously Holy Grail War material. It makes me shudder.
Plus our superiors confirmed a Holy Grail War is definitely happening. Kokabiel's probably the host, and he's likely summoned someone already.
"According to the higher-ups' investigation, several unawakened Longinus holders might have existed back then. If that's true..."
Himari turns expectant eyes toward the Red Dragon Emperor.
"A Longinus battle royale! If our trump card is the White Dragon Emperor, it'll be the ultimate showdown! There might even be an Annihilation Maker user, and... hoping for a kaiju battle would be rude to everyone involved, wouldn't it?"
"Please, no! I'm not that strong! Even when I went pseudo-Balance Breaker before, it only lasted ten seconds and I struggled against a high-class devil! Ultimate-class fallen angels are impossible!"
The Red Dragon Emperor is understandably panicking.
Well, naturally.
The Red Dragon Emperor from historical records should be capable of far more devastating battles.
Plus
"Making the Annihilation Maker's owner fight... that's hard to stomach."
I mutter seriously.
The Red Dragon Emperor tilts his head.
"Hm? I don't know what Annihilation Maker is, but is there a problem?"
"The reason's simple, Red Dragon Emperor."
Himari's expression grows distant, regretting her earlier excitement.
"The supposed Annihilation Maker owner is Louis XVII. A tragic prince who couldn't do anything about France's crisis, yet was constantly subjected to the revolutionaries' malice."
Honestly, it's disgusting.
Really shows how utterly cruel humans can be. Just hearing the basics is enough to make you sick.
"Red Dragon Emperor. Kazuhi said justice is something you use to discipline yourself, something you must maintain through strong will, right?"
"Yeah."
After confirming with the Red Dragon Emperor, I look up at the sky.
"I completely agree. Once humans slap the justice label on something, they abandon all self-control. The moment someone convinces themselves 'I am justice,' they start drifting away from actual justice."
Yeah, the Zaia Corporation guys were probably like that too.
Acting on the premise they were righteous, they could calmly do things that looked completely insane from outside.
Believing in your own justice and pushing through to the end is a privilege for a handful of chosen heroes who can be inherently righteous. It's not something ordinary people should imitate.
"Even knowing that, I'm trying to put myself on the wrong side. What do you think, Red Dragon Emperor?"
"Nah, I've never thought about justice and stuff, so I don't know."
The Red Dragon Emperor says this, but after thinking briefly, he looks straight at me.
"Even so, you can only move forward one step at a time, right? If you mess up, you just fix things as you go."
...
"Being able to say something like that casually is pretty incredible."
"You say cool things so naturally. Is this what it means to be chosen by the Red Dragon Emperor?"
As we're impressed, the Red Dragon Emperor scratches his cheek with a pleading expression.
"Hey, stop calling me Red Dragon Emperor. I have a name, Hyoudou Issei, and my friends call me Issei."
I see.
This guy's incredible. In the supernatural world, claiming the Red Dragon Emperor title is pure pride. Yet he prioritizes his own name.
These kinds of titles, especially inherited ones, are things ordinary people crave even when they can't have them.
"Got it. Nice to meet you, Issei."
"Nice to meet you, Issei! Now for the Holy Grail War investigation, it's a collaboration between the two great Underworld powers!"
At that moment, the museum ceiling exploded.
"...Huh?"
After standing there stunned for about a minute, a girl lands in front of us.
"Didn't expect to run into you here! I need backup!"
Why is it Kazuhi!?
Her distinctive long white hair flowing, Kazuhi landed carrying a woman.
"Um!? I'm more support-oriented though"
"No time for that! You can't handle this, so stay back!!"
"Hey!? I can't read this situation at all!?"
When I instinctively jumped into their argument, something else landed.
A knight appeared in red and white armor reminiscent of the Two Heavenly Dragons.
You've got to be kidding me.
"Enemies are coming here!?"
"Then let's do this!"
I'm taken aback while Himari immediately gets pumped up.
We started our battle right there.
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