Night had fallen over Chaldea, though saying "night" was a figure of speech. There was no natural day-night cycle there. The artificial lights in the hallways maintained a constant, cold glow, as if time were suspended.
Leonel walked along one of the observation corridors, looking through a large window at the vast snowscape outside. Beside him, the silence was only broken by the distant hum of generators and the suspended monitors.
He crossed his arms and exhaled calmly.
"So... this is my new reality."
He had memories of another world, another life. Of when he was just an ordinary man in Latin America, with his dreams, his frustrations, and a deep passion for stories like Fate. Now he was here, inside that very story, with a role he couldn't take lightly.
What he had seen in the first singularity was just a preview of the chaos to come. And although he knew the general order of the events that would follow, that didn't guarantee everything would go as it did in the game. Things were already changing. He was the first major anomaly.
And his true power... still slept.
His Persona.
A bond as powerful as it was dangerous. It wouldn't manifest without just cause, without a deep emotion to call it forth. And Leonel knew he wasn't ready yet.
"Until that happens... I must be strategic."
His gaze hardened. He couldn't risk drawing attention with impulsive actions. He was in an organization that was just beginning to trust him, surrounded by historical figures and mysteries that could kill him if he took a wrong step. Even Mash, his closest companion, didn't know the whole truth.
His role was clear: he had to be a silent leader, a growing pillar. Someone who could observe, learn, influence. Someone who could negotiate, adapt, and plan... and when the time came, unleash all his power with precision.
"Each singularity will be more dangerous than the last... and I can't let anyone die because of a foolish decision."
He paused and closed his eyes, feeling the faint echo of his connection to the Velvet Room. Even though Selene hadn't manifested again, he knew she was watching him, that his destiny was at stake.
And that time was running out.
Soon, new wars, new alliances, new bonds. And Nero? That woman would be a problem all on her own. And not the only one. The path was littered with opportunities and dangers, both inside and outside Chaldea.
Leonel turned, leaving the view of the outside behind.
"I'll have to play my cards well... like a chess match against fate."
And with that conviction, he returned to his room, a calm smile forming on his face. Because even though he hadn't awakened Tezcatlipoca yet, he knew the moment was approaching.
And when it happened... the world would know.
Chaldea's operations room was still partially under reconstruction after the explosion, but the technical staff had restored the essentials. Screens floated with intermittent data, and the hologram of the globe rotated slowly as a red light began to blink on a specific point.
"There it is!" exclaimed Romani from his terminal, with a mix of tension and relief. "We've detected a new Singularity. Temporal coordinates locked in... France. Year 1431."
Mash, standing beside Leonel, blinked in surprise.
"Medieval France? That's... in the midst of the Hundred Years' War?"
"Exactly," replied Da Vinci, who had entered elegantly with a tablet in hand and a smile that hid concern. "More precisely, near the end of the conflict. A key historical moment... but what we've detected there isn't common history. There are magical readings completely off the scale. Flying beasts, entire areas razed by fire... and a central figure that repeats: Jeanne d'Arc."
Mash furrowed her brow.
"The Maid of Orleans? Is she alive in that Singularity?"
Leonel listened in silence. His expression was calm, but his thoughts were already analyzing every detail. Black dragons. A dark figure that shouldn't exist. Heresy made flesh. Jeanne Alter.
He knew this Singularity would be his first major challenge... and the first where he would need to act with true precision. But revealing that he knew the events would be dangerous. Not even Da Vinci would accept it without question.
So he simply nodded attentively.
"What do we know about the ground situation?" he asked, measuring each word. "Are there allies, local resistance...?"
Romani shook his head with a sigh.
"Communications are fragmented. It seems the city of Orleans was occupied by unknown forces. And by 'unknown,' we mean Servants out of control, burning entire villages and spreading chaos. There are reports of... dragons. Many."
Nero, sitting nearby with her legs crossed on a bench, listened with a carefree air. Upon hearing the word "dragons," she tilted her head.
"Dragons? Ah, noble and powerful creatures. Should I cut them in two or try to tame them?"
Mash looked at her with some nervousness but simply continued taking notes.
Da Vinci slid her finger across the screen, showing a map of the red zone on the global projection.
"Our mission is to stabilize that Singularity. But before sending you, we must adjust the Rayshift system. The synchronization is still being calibrated, especially with the recent instability."
Leonel crossed his arms.
"How much time do we have to prepare?"
"A few hours, maybe less," replied Romani. "But you'd better use it well. Mash will need her updated suit, and you, Leonel... we still haven't been able to determine why the system recognizes your synchronization as so high without you having a formal magical origin."
Leonel simply shrugged with a calm smile.
"I guess I'm just... adaptable."
Da Vinci looked at him with those eyes that analyzed everything but didn't press. Then she turned to the girls.
"Mash, Nero, get ready too. This mission will be the first real one. It's not a simulation or a test. There will be enemies. Many. And very lethal."
Mash nodded firmly.
"I'm ready."
"Who should I impress first?" Nero asked with a radiant smile. "The French, the dragons, or the Jeanne?"
Leonel let out a soft laugh. Even in the most absurd situations, that woman found a way to lighten the mood. But he knew the truth: what awaited them in Orleans wasn't glory, but fire and despair. And it would be his duty to keep everyone alive.
As the group dispersed to prepare for the Rayshift, Leonel stayed alone for a moment, looking at the floating map. His hand tightened slightly in his coat pocket.
"Jeanne Alter..." he thought. "You're not a monster, just a victim of a desire for vengeance."
But for now... he just had to wait. And act.
The fire of Orleans was only just beginning to burn.
**[Command Room - Chaldea]**
The hums of magical energy and the lights from the panels surrounded Romani and Da Vinci, both focused on the final adjustments to the Rayshift system. Although the atmosphere was tense, their conversation drifted to lighter topics to relieve the pressure.
"Are you sure you calibrated the temporal axis correctly?" asked Da Vinci, not taking her eyes off the monitor.
"Yes, yes... at least 97.3% sure." Romani played with a half-empty coffee cup. "Which is pretty high considering this whole thing was damaged not long ago."
"High enough to not end up in the Stone Age. Again," she joked, though her gestures showed the extreme attention she was paying to each formula.
"Remember the time we almost sent Mash to Sengoku-period Japan with half a suit and no magical backup?"
"Oh, please, it was just once... and she only lost one boot."
They both laughed softly. The sound, though brief, was like a breath amid the growing tension. Then Da Vinci lowered her voice a little.
"Romani... do you also notice something strange about Leonel?"
The doctor set the cup down on the console.
"Yes. The compatibility he has with the Rayshift system, his synchronization level with the Servants... it doesn't make sense. It's as if he were destined for this, even more than Mash."
"And yet, he shows no magical abilities... for now," murmured Da Vinci. "I wonder how long he can keep hiding what he knows."
"Or how long we can keep pretending we don't notice," added Romani, more to himself.
A beep indicated the adjustments were ready.
"Coordinates locked. System stable. Everything is prepared," said Da Vinci, returning to her usual tone. "All that's left is for them to enter the capsule."
**[Agent Locker Room - Preparation Zone]**
The sound of synthetic fabric adjusting to the body echoed in the room. Mash checked her shield, her reinforced combat suit, and the instructions Da Vinci had given her. Her eyes showed a mix of nerves and resolve. This would be her first official mission, and she knew it.
In the adjoining section of the locker room, Leonel adjusted his Chaldea suit in front of a mirror. The gleaming white contrasted with his dark, focused gaze. His breathing was measured, controlled, like a warrior before battle.
"Orleans... Jeanne. Dragons. Corrupted Servants. The heresy that shouldn't exist."
He knew what was coming. He knew he would see things even he would find hard to bear. But he had to stay firm. To protect Mash. To guide Nero. To face what was to come... without yet revealing all he knew.
In front of the mirror, he lowered his head slightly. His eyes reflected more than just strategy. They reflected weight.
A future he already knew. A destiny he wanted to change.
At that moment, the door slid open with a soft hum.
Mash, already ready, observed him with admiration. Leonel looked back at her and offered a calm smile.
"Ready, Mash?"
"Yes. I'll do what I can... no, I'll do whatever is necessary."
"Then, let's go make history."
Both walked in silence toward the Rayshift platform. The countdown had already begun.
**[Hallway near the Rayshift Platform - Chaldea]**
Nero Claudius's golden heels echoed elegantly on the metallic floor as she walked alone, her hands firmly crossed beneath her chest. Her expression was solemn, unusual for her. Her lips, normally curved in a flirtatious smile, were now tense, almost pursed. The echo of what had happened earlier still vibrated in her mind.
"I'm not interested in that sort of thing right now, Nero."
Leonel's words repeated like a sharp dagger buried in her imperial pride. How dare he, a mere human, reject her in such a... cold manner? She, the glorious empress of the world, the rose that dazzled Rome and charmed multitudes, had been rejected as if she were a nuisance.
"How dare he...?" she muttered through gritted teeth, stopping in front of a window showing the lab bathed in artificial light. "Does he not understand who he is speaking to? Who he is dealing with?"
For a moment, her reflection in the glass seemed to return the same wounded look she was trying to hide.
But Nero was not a woman who gave up.
"No... no... no..." she repeated softly, between breaths. "This is not how this story ends. I am not a footnote in his life!"
She clenched her fists, lowering her head, as her crimson mantle fluttered slightly with the hallway ventilation.
"If he thinks he can ignore me like that, if he thinks he can treat me like any ordinary subordinate, then he is sorely mistaken. Oh yes! I will make you look at me, Leonel... I will make you love me. No matter how long it takes. No matter how many battles come. No matter how many rivals get in the way. Your heart will be mine!"
She raised her face with renewed passion. The glint in her eyes was that of a determined empress, but also that of a stubborn, enamored woman. Her smile returned, this time more serene, almost dangerous.
"You'll see, praetor... in the end, even the gods bow to the beauty of Rome."
And with that burning determination, she turned on her heels, walking towards the Rayshift platform where the others awaited. Her stride carried an imperial bearing, but within her, a personal promise was boiling.
She wouldn't just be another Servant. She would be the woman who conquered him. No matter the cost.