A heavy walnut cane smashed into the midsection of Nero's serpentine blade, halting its whip-like strike. A demon clad in a black tailcoat materialized from thin air, deftly dodging Nero's attack. It had long, flaxen curls and crimson eyes that lived up to its demonic name. Its face was a striking mix of sharp angles and soft curves, impossible to pin as male or female.
Caught off guard by Nero's sudden assault, the demon raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing its features. It lunged forward, using its cane to tangle and pin Nero's blade, the rounded tip jabbing toward her.
Even with its metal cap, the cane wasn't likely to do real damage when used to poke rather than bludgeon. Still, facing a demon, who knew what tricks it might have? Nero dodged backward, wary.
She retracted Echidna, and Gilgamesh materialized. With a spinning kick, she aimed for the cane that relentlessly pursued her.
In that split second, the cane shifted from a thrust to a flick, flying from the demon's grip. Nero's kick missed, and the cane spun through the air before the demon snatched it back mid-fall. Pressing its top hat down, the demon swung the cane horizontally again.
This time, Nero grabbed it. They locked into a stalemate.
"Attacking the moment we meet? That's hardly polite," the demon said, its androgynous voice dripping with amusement. "Shouldn't you at least hear my introduction first?"
Nero smirked. "A gentleman wouldn't sneak up behind a lady, either. If demons want to talk manners, you've got a long way to go."
The demon tipped its hat, easing off first. Nero released her grip, and they stepped apart.
She had a hunch this thing was a Heroic Spirit, but that demonic aura clung to it like a shadow. In her memory, the Fate universe didn't have Heroic Spirits who were true demons. Those labeled "demons" in stories always came with asterisks—artificial beings, misunderstood legends, or historical figures warped by myth. Never the real deal.
This guy, and that cryptic Sphinx from earlier, were Heroic Spirits Nero had never encountered in her past life. Just like this bizarre Singularity.
"My apologies, kindred," the demon said with a low chuckle. "Your human scent is so strong, I might've misjudged you."
Nero shot it a glare. "I am human. Don't lump me in with you, demon."
"Oh?" The demon shrugged. "If you insist."
It flipped the cane, resting it on its shoulder and bowing slightly. "First meeting, 'human.' As you've guessed, I'm a 'demon'—and a Heroic Spirit of a mage."
"No True Name reveal?" Nero asked.
"That depends on whether we're allies."
The demon turned, calling over its shoulder, "All clear, Master. You can come out."
The word "Master" made Nero pause. She hadn't expected this thing to have already linked up with Fujimaru Ritsuka, the Chaldean summon, let alone formed a contract.
Fujimaru Ritsuka, the protagonist of Fate/Grand Order, dubbed "humanity's last Master." One of the final humans left after the Incineration of Humanity by the Demon Beast.
An orange-haired girl peeked out from the nearby rice field.
"Hey there! I'm Fujimaru Ritsuka, Master of Chaldea," she said, holding out her right hand to show the three Command Seals on its back.
"I know," Nero replied, extending her hand but keeping it hovering. "You're here to fix this Singularity, right? I'm Nero."
Yeah, she knew saying her name might stir up confusion, but she couldn't be bothered to use a fake one. Besides, she'd already told Beatrice her real name—switching now would just complicate things.
As expected, Ritsuka's brow furrowed at the name. Tilting her head, she asked, "Wait… like, the Emperor?"
"Not Claudius. Just Nero," she clarified, shaking her head. "And I'm a living person."
"Oh, got it! A parallel world counterpart!" Ritsuka nodded, shaking Nero's hand with a look of total understanding. "Are you like Musashi, hopping between different eras?"
Wrong process, right conclusion. Nero forced a smile. "Sure… let's go with that."
It was a convenient way to explain why she had demonic powers. After all, in the Fate universe, Emperor Nero had a variant tied to Satan, the "Beast of 666."
But… Musashi? Nero racked her brain. If she recalled correctly, Musashi's appearance came after Goetia, the one behind the Incineration, was defeated.
And Mash, the pink-haired girl, wasn't here either. The only Heroic Spirit with Ritsuka was this demon.
Where was this world's story at?
So, she asked Ritsuka, "Do you know what's going on with this Singularity?"
A blue hologram flickered to life beside Ritsuka. "Senpai, let me handle the explanation."
It was Mash. Since she, as a Demi-Servant, wasn't physically here and was supporting from Chaldea, that meant this was post-1.0, after the main story's conclusion. And since this was a Singularity, not a Lostbelt… maybe one of the 1.5 chapters?
"This Singularity is set in 1348, on the island of England," Mash said, adjusting her glasses and glancing at her data. "It's right before the Black Death swept through. Based on the info we gathered before the Rayshift, we don't yet know why this Singularity formed, but it's definitely tied to the surviving Demon God Pillars.
"Unlike the three similar Singularities before, the enemy picked a time that could massively alter human history. The Black Death, the largest plague in human history, is breaking out in Eastern Europe right now. Theoretically, stopping its spread is near impossible, so we're not sure if the enemy's plan is even related to it…"
"Okay, okay," the demon cut in, waving off Mash's lecture. "Point is, we know jack squat. Who the enemy is, where they are, what they want—we've gotta figure it all out."
"Yes," Mash said, deflating a bit.
"So…" The demon turned to Nero, smirking provocatively. "You saw that Arbiter's Heroic Spirit, didn't you?"
"You mean the Sphinx?"
"Knew you'd figure out her identity."
The demon stepped back, passing the conversation to its Master. Ritsuka took a cautious step forward. "Miss… Nero? What did the Sphinx say?"