I am a Peerless Hero without equal! (WC/Currently in FGO Part 1)

"You're okay, you're okay, you're okay!" Zvezdnyy cried out.

The girl teleported right next to her Polkovodets who hovered about an inch off the ground, refusing to touch the sandy beach below her feet. Zvezdnyy's arms were wrapped around her Polkovodets' waist, tightening as much as she could and refusing to let go even when her Polkovodets were gently trying to push her off.

"I'm okay, Zvezdnyy. I'm fine."

Like pouring gasoline onto a fire, Zvezdnyy only felt her chest tighten even further.

A strange sound came out of Zvezdnyy's throat. It was a sound she hadn't heard in months, where the last time she heard of it was back in France, where the girl recoiled from being spurned by those villagers. Even to this day, the girl could still vividly recall how hateful those villagers looked. How just a few minutes earlier they were worshipping her as if she was a god.

She was crying. She was crying uncontrollably.

Her Polkovodets looked uncomfortable as Zvezdnyy bawled her eyes out. She looked like she would rather be anywhere else, but nonetheless her Polkovodets remained silent, unmoving like a statue except for the constant, periodic patting of Zvezdnyy's head as if telling her with her actions 'she's here, and always will be here'.

Zvezdnyy soaked in her Polkovodets' presence like a sponge. The girl took in her smell— that doesn't exist. She took in the way her Polkovodets' thighs felt to her fingers as she traced them.

The hairless, supple flesh, smooth skin yet not so smooth that it feels artificial like plastic. Zvezdnyy's fingers curled and squeezed it as if to reconfirm her Polkovodets were real and not a part of her imagination. She didn't want this version of Kukulkan to be something created by her wish.

The two stayed like that for a while. Zvezdnyy was unwilling to destroy this serene moment between her Polkovodets and herself. Her Polkovodets must've felt the same…

Which is why she is reluctant to destroy this instant of supreme peace with a question she wanted to ask. However, there was a desire clawing at her mind, a new desire that didn't exist previously.

The desire for truth.

The wound from Heracles' betrayal was still raw, fueling that curiosity for the ultimate truth.

And so, with sadness in Zvezdnyy's eyes, she asked hesitantly still doubting whether she should've done so, "What… took you so long?"

Zvezdnyy shifted around her Polkovodets' lap like a cat, trying to get more comfortable to compensate for the fleeting moment of serenity.

Her Polkovodets looked to the sides, her eyes darting all over the place as she tried to think of a response.

"I was at the bottom of the ocean. It took me a while to get better after being hit by Heracles' arrows. I came to get you as soon as I was able to."

Zvezdnyy studied her Polkovodets' face. She saw remorse in those eyes.

Always, her Polkovodets were easy to read. Even when Zvezdnyy first met her Polkovodets down at the bottom of the ocean, in Site-17, back when she was still known as 'Kukulkan', she was practically an open book. Deceit a foreign thing that wasn't part of her Polkovodets' vocabulary.

It's why Zvezdnyy didn't pursue that line of questioning anymore. Not only trust but easily assured trust. In Zvezdnyy's opinion, the best kind, especially after the betrayal of Heracles.

Just thinking about the man caused her to feel anger welling up like surging tides. Zvezdnyy's face didn't show it fortunately enough, that would ruin this instant of moderate tranquilness.

"Enough about me. Did Heracles hurt you anywhere? Did he… do… anything to you?" Her Polkovodets hesitantly asked, as though the topic she questioned was taboo in some way.

What did she mean by that? Zvezdnyy wondered. "He did lots of stuff."

Her Polkovodets' brows furrowed.

"Oh. He did, did he?"

There was a change to her Polkovodets' face. She looked thunderous. It was something Zvezdnyy had never seen before on the face of her Polkovodets— she who is always passive.

"He forced to me gut a lizard."

"...ha?"

That thunderous expression vanished like smoke rising from a campfire, replaced by one of immense confusion, "He forced you to do what?"

Was her Polkovodets thinking of something else?

"Gut a lizard. He hunted down one of the lizards that rested atop the rocky seaside, skinned it, and had me remove its organs before he grilled it."

"Heracles… didn't do anything else, did he?"

Zvezdnyy looked thoughtful for a moment as she dove into the memories of the past day or two. There wasn't much, "Hmm, he promised how he'll train me to be a hero because I resembled one of his daughters, Makaria."

"I see…" Her Polkovodets looked sad for a second before they were covered by a mask of faux happiness. "Well, at least you're alright."

Zvezdnyy smirked smugly. Her eyes sparkled with joyful confidence as she placed her hands down at her waist like a much-pampered princess, certain of her position—

Except she can't do that as one of her sides was touching her Polkovodets' stomach. Such was her lying down sideways on the Goddess's crossed legs. So instead of reaching down to her waist, Zvezdnyy's arms merely hit her Polkovodets' sides.

Zvezdnyy pushed on, continuing to display that smugness.

"Of course I am unscathed! I am the Witch Destined to Save All of Mankind, after all!"

Zvezdnyy returned to that Way of Drama. Her Polkovodets smiled, glad at the return to the previous status quo.

If only on the surface.

Her Polkovodets suddenly looked concerned. Her attention was elsewhere, causing Zvezdnyy to pout. Even when the girl was literally right in her lap, her Polkovodets would dare direct her attention elsewhere.

Who, or what could possibly be the cause of this?

"My Polkovodets?"

"There Grail is nearby. The one responsible for this Singularity."

Her Polkovodets touched her ears and grimaced, as though something was amiss, "Da—ng, it seems I've lost the communication device Da Vinci gave me again."

She tapped the girl's shoulders.

"Come on, let me go get that Grail."

"Allow me, my Polkovodets. Allow me to show you my dazzling arcane might, unparalleled as it is." Zvezdnyy announced as she got up from her Polkovodets' lap. Walking a few steps, the girl's feet touched the sand as she reached the beach. "Where, pray tell, is this Holy Grail?"

Her Polkovodets hovered when she was about to touch the sand of the beach. Just as the Goddess was about to reply, Zvezdnyy suddenly cut in; "I have observed that your feet have never once graced the sands of the beach. Tell me, my Polkovodets, why do you avoid it?"

Zvezdnyy was immensely curious about that fact. From what she could recall, not once had her Polkovodets ever touched the sandy beach. Always, she was hovering above the sand like a cloud.

Her Polkovodets looked befuddled, before glancing down at her feet to notice how she was indeed hovering above the beach. Was her Polkovodets surprised? Perhaps it is a subconscious instinct then?

She frowned as if it was something unpleasant, "Well. It's a bit complicated. I just don't like beaches. I don't think I'll ever like beaches…"

She trailed off, leaving Zvezdnyy even more confused. What could possibly cause one as powerful as her Polkovodets to be so fearful of beaches?

"Anyway, I should go and grab the Grail now."

_______

Ritsuka was woken by the interruption of someone shaking him awake. More specifically, shaking his hammock causing it to sway from side to side like a swing. The Last Master of Mankind groaned, and his hands reached up to rub the sleep away from his eyes.

He saw the hands on the shoulder. Trailing down the arms and up said arm's shoulder, Ritsuka saw exactly who had shaken him away.

"Archer? Why'd you wake me up at this early hour?"

"Look outside Ritsuka. Like I said, the Goddess is fine. Kukulkan is fine."

"You don't know that. How can you know that? You were there when she was shot with those arrows, going overboard. She's… never even been harmed that much before."

The Kukulkan in Ritsuka's mind was someone who was invincible. Someone who wouldn't bleed or be harmed. Even against a god-killer as famous as Longinus, Kukulkan still emerged victorious. It was practically butchery in how Kuku destroyed the god-killer.

So to see her shot down trying to protect him and become wounded more than ever before, one could not help but feel responsible for that. He felt guilty for forcing her to tank a shot she couldn't take. Survivor's guilt.

"I thought… I thought she was much stronger than that."

Archer looked sympathetic, his eyes reflecting a knowing look, "I understand. Though she may seem invincible, everyone has a limit."

"And if they don't?"

"They would be a monster above monsters."

Ritsuka quickly got out of the hammock. He walked by several sleeping crewmen lying on the ground. The teen gagged. This place smelt of aged, dried piss and sweat, and the darkness was so absolute Ritsuka would've tripped on one of the sleeping crewmen's outstretched feet had Archer not helpfully guided him.

Kuku was right. A pirate's life really sucked. He was fortunate that Drake had given him a hammock instead of sleeping on the ground with the rest of her crew, like dirty rats.

The food was awful. Hardtacks that were infested with cockroaches that the crewmen actually enjoyed since it gave the flavorless hardtack this 'dash of texture'. Most eat those hardtacks in the dark, away from the sunlight and god so they can't see the cockroaches.

Ritsuka had to dig through large stacks of hardtack until he found an untouched brick. He almost broke his teeth when he realized he was supposed to break them apart and eat the pieces.

"Woah," Ritsuka uttered as he came outside into the night's air. The cool breeze washed away much of the smell of dried piss that persisted in the teen's nose, replacing it with that of salt— a much-welcomed change.

What really caught Ritsuka's attention, and everyone else aboard the Golden Hind, was the light show in the sky. Trails of colorful green, so bright as to be like military flares illuminating the night, turning it into twilight.

Ritsuka marveled at the way the light danced—

"That's Kukulkan!"

His earpiece told him. Da Vinci yelled, causing the teen to wince.

"Wait… that's Kukulkan?"

"That's yer goddess?" Drake asked. Despite how it was past midnight, the Captain was already dressed, making Ritsuka briefly ponder if she slept in those clothes before shaking out of those thoughts.

"Yes… Yes, it is." Ritsuka reaffirmed himself as being much more confident. "That's Kukulkan!"

"Alright men! We set sail, following that trail!"

Drake's announcement quickly woke up the ship. Every single crewman who was off in dreamland just a minute ago was now up and ready, setting the Golden Hind on a trajectory aligning perfectly with the dancing lights in the sky.

Then, light fell below the horizon, and the twilight sky became day. The way the light below the horizon painted the night sky in coats of bright hues was like someone had turned on a flashlight in a room without any windows.

Slowly, that light died down, and the darkness of night seeped back in like the tide.

"Well." Drake began, "That's certainly a light show. Any sane person would definitely turn back. But!" Drake grinned, "Never let it be said that Francis Drake was one to ever turn away from danger!"

Her crew roared in agreement, and the Golden Hind continued. It took several minutes for the sound wave of that explosion to reach Ritsuka. Once it did, it was like a nuclear bomb had just gone off, an ear-shattering roar that slowly died down like the embers of a campfire.

"An island had just been wiped off the map. Extreme levels of magical energy detected." Olga said in his earpiece.

Ritsuka ripped the earpiece off as all he could hear from both his eyes was the sound of ringing akin to a bell. From the corner of his eyes, the teen swore he could see a flash of hesitation cross Drake's face. The Captain's mouth formed into a grin, "To the heart of the storm we shall go!"

Several more minutes later, a crewman yelled out, "Strange light off the starboard bow!"

Though he'd been on a ship for what seemed like a week now, Ritsuka still didn't understand much of the sailors' naval terminology. Thus, it took the teen several seconds to look around before spotting the 'strange light' others were talking about.

It was like looking at a candle. A tiny speck, a flicker of a burning twig in the far horizon.

Then that burning twig ignited to become a raging inferno.

A tall column of fire erupted up into the sky like a beacon, showering its surrounding seas in a blazing luminosity. The teen was reminded of the last Singularity when the Goddess created that pillar of plasma only less intense. Yet still, Ritsuka was forced to bring a hand up lest he become temporarily blind.

He could feel the heat from the scorching pillar even at this distance. The way the light heats up everything it touches— Ritsuka could only imagine how hot it must be to stay at the epicenter of that inferno.

"Fire…? She's never displayed that ability before…" Olga remarked into his earpiece.

"What do you mean, Director Olga?" Ritsuka spoke into his wristband.

"The Goddess. She's… never displayed that fire ability before. Not to our knowledge at least. Every time she engages an enemy it's either with punches, plasma, or wind manipulation. I don't recall Kukulkan having a domain concerning fire, does she? The wind can be excused as 'storm' since Kukulkan is a God of Storms but never fires…"

Ritsuka could detect suspicion in Olga's voice.

"What else is she hiding from us?"

A sense of injustice blossomed in Ritsuka's chest. The slander that Olga was performing on Kuku was unacceptable in his eyes, especially for someone who helped Chaldea out so much.

"Director, I'm sure Kukulkan has her reasons." Defended the teen.

"Why would she hide her ability from us?"

The pillar of flames vanished, the brightness vanished, and the twilight seeped in once more.

"Again, Director, I'm sure she has her reasons."

"Now that is power befitting of a god," Iskander remarked as he walked up right next to Ritsuka. The towering King of Conqueror had an imposing presence, a commanding aura that made the teen want to bow in front of him.

He had to consciously remind himself that this is a Servant, and he's the Master, not the other way around.

"Our mysterious Foreigner friend becomes even more mysterious. So many abilities, it's like she's the amalgamation of an entire pantheon of gods."

About half a minute later, streaks of incredibly thin yet bright light so numerous in number they rival the raindrops in a thunderstorm littered the black sky, splitting it like cracks on shattered glass. Ritsuka felt himself transported into a rock concert with those lasers shooting into the sky.

Then, a light that surpassed all before manifested into existence. It broke up the horizon in two, parted by its radiance. It was an awe-inspiring sight, yet that was nothing to what came after.

A green titan. So tall that it was visible for kilometers around. So tall that clouds reached only around its waist.

The green titan held a sun up to the sky as if to replace the original, before slamming that sun back into the earth.

"Heh, truly, I would've had no issues conquering all the worlds that littered the night sky if she was a part of my army."

Iskander crossed his arms as a mountain rose in the distance. A mountain of loose materials was thrown into the air, encompassing the green titan and veiling its form. It was as though a meteor had struck the horizon. A wave of destructive wind smashed into the Golden Hind like a hammer.

The masts aboard the galleon moaned loudly as large patches of the sail were ripped away when they caught the shockwave, ropes snapping from overstress.

Everything not nailed down was thrown against the wall or overboard, including humans. All carried by the shockwave.

"Oof!" Ritsuka groaned as he was pushed into Iskander's body. Fortunately, the Servant held onto the railing and was relatively unaffected.

"Men overboard!"

Several crewmates were thrown into the sea. One particularly unfortunate individual who was stationed at the Crowsnest at the top of the skyscraping mast crashed into the deck several stories below him.

He died on impact.

"Lucky." Drake said as she examined the body, "His bones are all broken. If he lived he'll never get off the bed again. 'Least his family won't have to care for a cripple."

"That's… that's cold. Captain Drake." Mash spoke with a look of astonishment on her face.

The woman got up.

"Death happens all the time at sea. It's the risk you're taking if you sail with me into the unknown. Don't worry, with his death the Crown will compensate his family once we get back."

Ritsuka grimaced as he looked at the body. He felt sick in his stomach, but compared to the last time when he saw a body it was much better, like a minor cold compared to getting the flu.

A crewman rolled in with a barrel. Another began stuffing his body inside of it.

Are they serious…?

"What are you guys doing?"

"We're getting rid of the body." One of the crewmen replied, "It'll rot if it's stayed aboard the ship for too long."

"By stuffing the corpse into a barrel and throwing it overboard?"

"We don't have the luxury of a proper burial at sea. No coffin either. Barrel's best we can do."

Ritsuka said nothing as the corpse was stuffed into the empty barrel. Several metal weights were thrown in. A lid was placed atop it and hammered in.

It was then rolled to the edge of the ship, to a place unblocked by railings.

"May you never wake from your slumber."

And with that eulogy, the barrel was rolled into the sea. It sank quickly because of the metal weights and disappeared into the ocean's depth.

It was a quick five-minute procedure against the backdrop of a mountain of materials that stopped rising further into the atmosphere. Then it quickly settled into the ocean like sentiments kicked up by the draft of a fish. The men moved quickly as if well-practiced in the art of preparing a corpse for burial at sea.

Ritsuka felt unsettled by the implication. He looked around at the other men present—members of Drake's crew. He felt himself become detached from his physical body— an out-of-body experience— his eyes elsewhere. Five minutes ago, that man was alive.

And now he was dead. Just like that. A simple fall.

Who else would die in the blink of an eye? Him?

He imagined himself dying in the next moment. How would his corpse be treated? Will it be thrown into the sea like that crewman? Surely not, would it?

Being Japanese, Ritsuka has certain expectations for how his corpse is supposed to be treated. He was supposed to be buried before those wearing funeral white.

Ritsuka doesn't want to die. He's not… a superhuman like Kuku who can shrug in the face of death. Someone who can refuse and spit at death's face since they're tough enough to survive anything thrown at them.

Never before has the teen been so aware of his mortality. It was funny almost, how seeing death was the thing that triggered this… fear of death. More than that, his fear of death was compounded by the feeling of uselessness.

The teen covered his face, taking in a deep breath before letting his hands slide down his side. Ritsuka looked around him, at his Servants. Iskander, who was pulling several ropes to get the sails back up. Mash, who was doing the same. Archer, he who was trying to figure out a way to make hardtacks more palatable.

Why does he continue to risk his life out in these adventures? Ritsuka pondered, before immediately replying with 'To save humanity, of course.'

But, he's not needed. The teen desperately tried to think of a moment where he was the defining factor and found wanting. He didn't contribute anything. If he was taken out of the picture, nothing would change.

Kuku could easily solve all problems within a Singularity. So why is he here? Out here, in the middle of this Singularity, potentially dying in the next second simply because of an accident? This was originally supposed to help him with his resume! He came to Chaldea being promised a high-paying job and referrals from some of the most influential people in the world!

Ritsuka felt his stomach sink. His chest tightened, and his breath caught in his throat. This visit to Antarctica was supposed to jump-start his career.

He wasn't cut out for this! He's a normal person. Why was he here? Why does he do these things? Why doesn't he just stay back?

"Why?" He moaned out quietly, a desperate plea unheard by anyone.

Ritsuka found no answer to those corrosive questions that eat away at his mind.

______

AN: Give me some comments. I need comments to motivate me to write more.