Chapter 03: Berserker

She had been summoned by her best friend Rin Tohsaka.

That was good, it would allow her to get close to her stupid younger version and finish her off.

She was just a little confused

- 'Why does he have another Servant besides him?!!!' - She shouted in her mind as she kept a cool and calm front on the outside.

At what point had the timelines started to shift!!!!!

For some strange reason seeing how they interacted with each other, she couldn't deny that it made her feel jealous!

Archer thought as he gritted his teeth at the sight of them washing dishes together.

That look full of affection should only be directed at her and no one else!

Her voice should only call out to her!

That serious and calm face should only have his gaze on her!

For the first time since he had followed that path full of bitterness and regret, he felt his chest fill with a possessive and selfish feeling

And that was because she had remembered him.

- Tom' - She pronounced that name with an affectionate and somewhat obsessive tone.

He's the one who should have been summoned as her Servant, he's the man who filled her with both affection and annoyance

That idiot who liked to tease and embarrass her, that idiot who had blocked berserker's attacks without giving a thought to the damage he might receive for protecting her

The one who had claimed everything from her

She would never give it to anyone, let alone his younger version.

EMIYA thought with an eerie gleam in her steel-colored eyes.

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- 'Hsss I just felt a big chill... well never mind' - She felt how things would get troublesome from now on.

He had to get ready as quickly as possible to accompany his Master and Rin to Kotomine's church

..............

(After escaping from Berserker)

- Shiro I think you should train a bit, after all me and Saber could help you with it, I have A-rank independent action so your lack of Prana doesn't affect me enough... but for Saber it might be different - Tom assured her after all, he didn't want her to get hurt or at least if she did, he didn't want her to go through what her Canon version had to live through.

- Master, it's just as Tom said, I'm very limited in terms of skills required, so I might have impediments in protecting her - Saber said seriously, she had a wish and she would make sure to get it - Against other Servants we might be able to protect her, but if she has a confrontation with another Master while we are busy, at least she needs to know the basics about combat -

- Y-Yes I will trust you - She said a little nervously, she had the feeling that both Tom and Saber were trainers with a penchant for Spartan training.

- Although we could also ask Miss Tohsaka's Archer for help, she seems very ade.... - I try to suggest to her master

- NO!" said Shiro curtly and somewhat angrily.

- B-But Shiro - He tried to explain himself only to be silenced by the redhead's next words.

- No is no, understood Tom-san? - she said with a smile that promised a lot of pain if he pissed her off enough.

- Okay..." said Tom with his spirits down to the floor.

- 'Geez, as men they get along badly and now as women it's worse' - He thought with a wry smile as he remembered what Emiya Shirou and CG EMIYA's relationship was like.

................

(After the invocation)

- Shiro-chan, why do you always end up involved in troublesome things? - Rin said with an annoyed look remembering the times that her friend had been involved in strange and bizarre situations - not until recently I saved your life and you were about to die again, you should take better care of yourself -

- I... em I'm sorry Rin-san - she said while her face was burning with embarrassment, it's not like she was looking for trouble.

Yes, trouble was looking for her

- Hoo... So master is a mistress of danger? - Tom said with a slightly smirking smile earning a blush from Shiro and a stunned look from Rin

Before the magician's eyes flashed and she slammed her hand with a fist.

- Shiro-chan, you're mean why didn't you tell me your boyfriend was here? - she said with a mocking smile as she shamelessly pushed her closer to Tom.

Which, almost immediately got the desired result for the tsundere.

- Rin, Tom isn't my boyfriend!!!! - Said the girl as her face turned as red as her hair.

- Wow what a cruel master and after all we did he just threw me away like that? - said Tom with a hurt expression and fake tears in his eyes.

At that moment Archer manifested, she was dumbfounded as she tried to keep up her cool appearance

Failing magnificently as she stared at Tom before turning her gaze to another direction with her face slightly reddened though she was still looking at him out of the corner of her eye

Soon her gaze and Shiro's met and surprised everyone by the reaction they both showed when they were in each other's presence (Except Tom).

The atmosphere became tense and heavy as they began to stare at each other as if they wanted to kill each other.

- 'Hmph, you ignorant idiot brat, you carrot-head'-

- 'Ridiculous old woman'-

They didn't need to use words to express how much they despised each other.

Just by their looks they could tell what the other was insinuating.

That in itself was a connection

- Emm, *ahem, is something wrong master? why are they so quiet all of a sudden?" said Tom trying to calm the atmosphere.

Only to be startled the next moment

-Nothing's wrong, Tom-san you shouldn't worry," said Shiro with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

- Yes, you shouldn't worry about anything," said Archer in the same way.

The mage and the Servant could only look fearfully at the red-haired girl and the silver archer, Saber meanwhile watched a strange butterfly fly away.

Sighing, the two decided to chat with each other while ignoring the growing murderous intent in the air that was beginning to form between the two women.

- Miss Toh - He said before being interrupted by Rin.

- Rin, we are going to be allies so you better start calling me by my name - Rin said crossing her arms, with a look not willing to accept a negative answer.

- I see, Rin I guess you'd be okay with making a truce and fighting this war together? - He said with a smile to which Rin smiled back as she extended her hand, ready to shake his hand and close the deal.

At that very moment the two stopped fighting and were surprised to see a small girl with white hair and red eyes, approaching he were follow closely by a black giant dragging a giant slab in the shape of an axe-sword.

- Hoo so you managed to summon your Servant Onee-chan and not just one but two - Said the girl with a cute but mischievous smile - But I'm afraid.... they won't be enough to protect you from Berserker! - Her voice was full of mockery as well as total confidence in her Servant.

................

- 'Wow, we narrowly Saved it really is a lucky thing that I was able to get at that moment the free shots of the gacha' - He thought with a wry smile, remembering that it was one more thing to luck that they would have been able to escape in that situation

...................

- Tom, you take Master, I'll stay and fight," said Saber with a tone that gave no chance for objections.

- What?! no, I'll stay and fight, I can't let them get hurt! -said the Master stubbornly.

- There's no time, just run away master - said Saber seeing how quickly Berserker appeared in front of her to attack.

*Clank

Only to be blocked by a large sword resembling a giant blade, which was held by Tom who with great effort stopped the attacks charged by Berserker's monstrous strength.

Leaving all the girls stunned, even the white-haired girl, because of the unreal situation.

- Bankai - Tense Zangetsu - Tom shouted, then something like a switch was pressed inside him, the energy flowed all over his body.

While a black fire gathered around him, rising into the sky until it disappeared into thin air.

Berserker had been sent flying backwards while where the black flames were before, stood Tom in all black Rockstar-like clothing (Emiya CCC) and a sword of the same color with a chain coming from the hilt.

- GETSUGA - Berserker was approaching to hit the red-haired man with his axe-sword - TENSHO -

And from that single swing came a dark slash that spread out, cutting Berserker in half.

Even if he knew that this would only work once, this time it was totally necessary.

- Quick, we have to go, that won't hold him for long," Tom shouted, snapping the girls out of their reverie as they stared at him open-mouthed.

Saber particularly wondered if she could do the same if she were in a more optimal state than the one she was in at the moment

- 'I hope I made the right decision' - She questioned herself.

.............

[You have obtained an Armament Enhancement Ticket Rank S]

[You have obtained the Instant Transmission skill (Lv.Max)]

[Do you wish to use the upgrade ticket on the "Zangetsu" armament Rank C? depending on luck the armament can evolve to Rank S at most]

[Yes/No]

- 'Yes' - He was running out of time, he quickly tapped the [Random Mode] option wishing not to end up with a useless item.

[Congratulations on Getting "Zangetsu" B Rank]

[Unlocked Skill Bankai(Lv.01)]

[Skill unlocked Spiritual Energy Compression (Lv.05)]

.........

- 'It really was quite a gamble' - He thought as he wiped the imaginary sweat on his forehead.

Tom approached Rin, Shiro and Archer, with his left arm he held them while making sure to tell Saber to put a hand on his shoulder.

He activated instantaneous transmission to leave before Berserker finished reforming his body.

Then, at the Emiya residence they chatted for a few moments with Rin before she said goodbye and left promising to continue planning their moves for the war tomorrow, not without her and Archer giving Tom a sidelong glance for a while.

...................

- 'Ahhh, then I had to go through an interrogation from Shiro and Saber what a hassle, well though Shiro defended the kitchen as if she didn't want anyone besides her in there and I was lucky enough to convince her to cook together, though she did get very red in the face about it' - The black-haired boy found the Emiya's determination to keep the kitchen safe amusing.

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[Status]

[True Name: Thomas Andrew Grey

Class: Archer/Saber

STR: 3693 (7386) (B+)

AGI: 2356 (C)

FIN: 1978 (C)

MANA: 4791 (9582) (A+)

LUK: E+

NP: B+]

Updated 09/07/22