The battle against Archer

(If you have been following this fanfic for a long time, read Chapter 7 first because I have changed it.)

I stepped forward, letting the sound of trickling water beneath my feet fill the silence of this underground passage. Although this place should be dark—considering I was beneath the ruins of the city—strangely, the tunnel was dimly illuminated by an unknown source of light.

Reflections of water on the earthen walls danced, creating shifting shadows with every step I took. Occasionally, the sound of cracking bones echoed in the distance, a sign of skeletons patrolling this path. But they weren't a major threat.

As usual, the moment they appeared, I dispatched them effortlessly. One slash of my knife, one throw of my blade, and they crumbled into lifeless piles of bones. This pattern had repeated itself ever since I entered this place.

But this time, something was different.

I began to notice something unusual—traces of battle that weren't caused by me.

All along the path, remnants of defeated skeletons were scattered. But I wasn't the one who took them down.

I crouched, examining the scene more closely. There were no footprints left on the water's surface, possibly erased by the small streams flowing through the passage. However, I could still sense something—a lingering trace of magic in the air.

This was no ordinary trail.

Whoever had done this had used magic to defeat the skeletons.

I narrowed my eyes.

Whoever was ahead of me had just passed through.

And if my guess was correct, there was only one group that could have entered this place before me—Fujimaru Ritsuka, Mash Kyrielight, Olga Marie, and Cú Chulainn (Caster).

The Chaldea group.

I took a slow breath, lifting my head to gaze at the narrowing tunnel ahead.

It seemed they were close to their destination—the place where the Holy Grail was being guarded.

And that meant one thing.

They were about to face Artoria Pendragon (Alter).

I leaned my back against the cold earthen wall, contemplating my situation.

If the story followed the original game Fate/Grand Order, they should be able to defeat Artoria Alter without much issue. Even though the battle would be difficult, Fujimaru and the others would ultimately prevail.

So… do I need to intervene?

I looked at my hand, my fingers still stiff from the previous battles.

After all, in the original story, my presence here wasn't necessary.

Whether I was here or not, history would proceed as fate intended. Fujimaru would fight, defeat Artoria Alter, and continue their journey.

But…

I lowered my head, a faint smile forming on my lips.

Whether or not I was important to this story wasn't something I needed to worry about right now.

I had come this far.

And I wouldn't stop just because I "wasn't supposed" to be here.

I pushed myself off the wall and stepped forward.

Could I catch up to them?

I wasn't sure.

But one thing was certain—I would keep moving forward.

No matter what awaited me there, I would face it in my own way.

I walked calmly through the underground passage.

Each step echoed with the gentle splashes of water displaced by my feet. The silence in this place was heavy, as if the air was filled with something unseen, something oppressive.

But then, suddenly, I felt it.

A presence.

I halted immediately, my eyes narrowing as my battle instincts screamed in warning.

A Servant.

Not from Chaldea's group.

I took a deep breath, allowing my magical awareness to spread throughout my surroundings. This presence was different. Not like the skeletons. Not like the Shadow Servants, who were usually cloaked in thick darkness, stripped of all their original identity.

This… was something else.

I raised an eyebrow, sharpening my gaze toward the tunnel ahead.

Slowly, I lifted my hand and whispered.

"Come forth."

A faint light flickered in both my hands, forming the shape of two daggers I knew well. The grips fit perfectly in my grasp, their balance flawless—these were the weapons that had accompanied me through countless battles.

I readied myself.

Then, the silhouette appeared.

From the end of the tunnel, dimly lit by the faint light, the figure stepped forward, slowly but steadily. As he drew closer, his features became clearer, and I recognized him immediately.

How could I not recognize him?

After all, he's were the Servant I had once used when I first started playing FGO.

A man in red clothing, with short white hair.

(A: Too lazy to describe Emiya's appearance in more detail.)

He was—Emiya.

A Counter Guardian.

I frowned upon seeing him. His presence here was surprising. He was supposed to be just one of the many Shadow Servants summoned and corrupted by Artoria Alter. However...

Something was different about him.

Unlike the other Shadow Servants shrouded in deep darkness, Emiya's body appeared almost normal. There was no creeping shadow aura around him, no strange distortions that were typical of corrupted Servants.

As if... he hadn't been fully corrupted yet.

I tightened my grip on my knife.

Did that mean he still had his consciousness? Or was he simply different from the other Shadow Servants in form but not in essence?

Emiya stopped a few meters ahead of me.

We stared at each other in tense silence.

His gaze was empty, with no clear emotions displayed on his face. Yet, in his eyes, I saw something familiar.

The desire to fight.

I took a deep breath. It seemed there was no other way.

I raised my knife into a defensive position, preparing for the battle ahead.

But before I could move further, Emiya lifted his hand, and in an instant, a pair of twin swords materialized in his grasp—Kanshou and Bakuya.

I clenched my jaw.

"So, do you still has some consciousness?" I murmured.

Emiya didn't answer.

Instead, he assumed his signature battle stance—feet shoulder-width apart, body slightly leaning forward, his twin blades poised to strike at any moment.

I understood. This wasn't a fight I could avoid.

I adjusted my footing for better stability, lowering my body slightly to improve my balance.

We stared at each other in an intense silence.

Then, in the blink of an eye—

We both shot forward.

My knife clashed with his twin blades. Sparks flew between us as metal met metal in a collision so fierce that the air around us trembled.

Emiya wasted no time. The moment my attack was blocked, he spun his body, swinging Bakuya toward my flank with a speed difficult for the naked eye to follow.

I leaped backward, barely avoiding his strike, but the gust from his blade still brushed against my skin.

He's fast.

That was the first thought that crossed my mind. Emiya had always been known as a fighter who relied on technique and strategy rather than raw strength. And now, even after corruption, his speed hadn't diminished in the slightest.

I couldn't let my guard down.

The moment my feet touched the ground, I counterattacked, hurling my knife toward him in a curved trajectory.

But with a swift movement, Emiya raised Kanshou and deflected it, sending the knife spinning into the air.

An opportunity!

I dashed toward him, using that moment to strike from his blind spot. With a quick motion, I created a new knife in my hand and slashed directly at his shoulder.

But—

CLANG!

He twisted his body and raised Bakuya, blocking my attack perfectly as if he had predicted it from the start.

I frowned.

'Did he read my movements?'

There was no time to think. Emiya suddenly pushed his blade forward, forcing me back, and in the next instant, he had already leaped into the air—

He swung his sword downward with enough force to split the dirt floor beneath us. I dodged to the side, but the shockwave from the attack still managed to shake my balance.

I gritted my teeth. If I kept playing into his pace, I wouldn't have a chance to counterattack.

I needed to change my strategy.

I couldn't fight Emiya in his own game of technique. I had to use my own strengths.

I took a deep breath and focused.

Then, I stepped forward—and vanished!

Emiya's eyes widened slightly.

I took advantage of my speed, reappearing beside him in an instant. With all the strength I had, I swung my knife toward his side.

Bugh!

My attack connected!

Emiya staggered back a few steps, a slash tearing through his clothes.

But he didn't stop.

Instead, he simply looked at the wound for a split second before lifting his swords again—his expression remained the same, cold and emotionless.

Not deep enough.

I exhaled. It seemed this fight had only just begun.

I had to end it quickly.

Emiya was not an opponent I could face in a prolonged battle. He had far more combat experience, sharp instincts, and techniques honed to perfection. If I kept fighting in this state, sooner or later, I would find myself at a disadvantage.

I tightened my grip on the knife in my hand.

It was time to end this.

I took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.

"Come forth, the shroud of night,

Veil the world in death's embrace,

Let the mist descend, silent and deep,

As shadows claim the land in grace."

Then, a thick mist began to emerge from my body, swiftly engulfing the surrounding area.

Like creeping waves of darkness, the mist spread rapidly, swallowing everything in an instant. The atmosphere changed drastically—cold, silent, oppressive. Visibility dropped to zero, and in this mist, only I had the absolute advantage.

I stepped silently into the mist.

Emiya remained standing in the center. Although his vision was now limited, he showed no sign of panic. His twin blades, Kanshou and Bakuya, were still raised, ready to counter any attack.

He knew something was coming.

I didn't give him a chance to think.

SHH!

I darted from the darkness, knife poised to strike.

My attack was swift—too fast for ordinary eyes. Under normal circumstances, Emiya would have anticipated my move, but in this mist, I moved like a shadow without form.

CLANG!

I appeared to his left, slashing at his arm. He reacted in time, lifting Kanshou to block it. But as soon as our blades met—

I disappeared again.

Then—

SHH!

I appeared on his right, striking quickly.

Then again.

And again.

I moved within the mist like a ghost, attacking from every angle before vanishing back into the darkness.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Emiya parried my strikes repeatedly, but I could see the cracks beginning to form in his defense. His breathing grew heavier, and his reactions started to slow.

Good.

I only needed one more strike.

I held my breath, then leaped into the air, appearing directly above him.

My knife gleamed under the dim light.

"Haaah!"

I slashed downward with all my strength!

But before my blade could reach him—

SWISH!

I sensed something moving at high speed toward me.

BZZT!

'What?!'

My reflexes kicked in, but it was too late.

THUNK!

A sharp pain pierced my shoulder. Emiya had thrown one of his blades—Bakuya—with incredible precision, and now the weapon was embedded in my body.

I was momentarily stunned, the pain spreading through me, slowing my movements for a fraction of a second.

But my battle instincts took over.

Without thinking, I responded with one final action—

With all the strength I had left, I hurled the knife in my hand at him.

"Tch—!"

SWOOSH!

The knife shot forward like a lightning bolt, barely visible in the fading mist.

And before Emiya could react—

STAB!

My knife pierced through his body, striking his chest.

Emiya flinched. Black blood dripped from the deep wound, his body beginning to lose balance.

I landed on the ground, slightly unsteady, clutching my wounded shoulder. I could feel warm blood trickling down, but I remained standing, watching Emiya with heavy breaths.

The mist fully dissipated, revealing his body slowly turning into particles of light.

But before he completely vanished, he did something unexpected.

He smirked slightly.

A small smile, not of someone who lost, but of someone who acknowledged their opponent.

Then, in a quiet voice, he said:

"Not bad, kid."

And in an instant, he disappeared entirely, vanishing along with my fading mist.

I stood there in silence, catching my breath.

Then, slowly, I clenched my fist.

I won.

***

Author note:

At first, I wanted to make the battles between Heracles and the MC, as well as Emiya, last longer. But I thought it was time to conclude the Singularity F Arc and move on to the next Singularity, so I decided to shorten the fight.

Because of that, I will most likely also shorten the battle between the MC and Artoria Pendragon (Alter).