Multiversal Grail War

Subaru Natsuki's POV

I don't know how I keep ending up in situations like this.

I'm hiding in the shadows of an alley, trying to blend in with the brick wall behind me while EMIYA, my Archer-class Servant, stands silently beside me. His sharp eyes scan the streets, his posture calm and composed, like he's ready for battle at a moment's notice. I, on the other hand, feel like my heart is going to explode out of my chest.

"Subaru, calm yourself," EMIYA says without even glancing my way. "Your panic is making it harder to focus on the task at hand."

I swallow hard, trying to steady my breathing. "Easy for you to say! You're a legendary hero, and I'm... well, I'm just a regular guy."

EMIYA turns to look at me, one eyebrow raised. "You've been through worse, haven't you?"

I wince. He's not wrong. Dying multiple times, reliving nightmares, and getting stuck in impossible situations... that's kind of been my life story. But this? A war for the Holy Grail, with actual legends fighting to the death? It feels like I'm in way over my head.

"You're not alone," EMIYA says, his voice softening just a little. "As long as I'm by your side, you'll survive this war."

I take a deep breath, feeling a small wave of reassurance wash over me. He's right. I have EMIYA. He's powerful, and he knows how to fight. If I can just get my head together, maybe we stand a chance.

Still, hiding in this alley isn't exactly my idea of a good plan.

"What are we waiting for, anyway?" I ask, peeking out from the shadows.

EMIYA scans the area once more, his eyes narrowing. "There are other Masters nearby. I can sense them. It's only a matter of time before we encounter one of them. Until then, we remain patient."

I sigh. Of course, patience. That's what I'm bad at. But in a war like this, charging out blindly is a death sentence, and I'm not exactly looking forward to dying again.

Suddenly, EMIYA tenses, his hand moving to the hilt of his blade.

"Someone's coming," he mutters, his voice low and dangerous.

I freeze. "What? Who?"

"I don't know yet," EMIYA replies, "but it's a powerful presence. Stay close."

I press myself against the wall, my heart hammering in my chest. This is it. Our first encounter. I'm not ready for this! But as much as I want to run, I know I can't. This is the Holy Grail War. If I want any chance of winning, I need to face the dangers head-on.

I can hear footsteps approaching, soft but deliberate. Whoever it is, they're not in a rush. They know we're here. My breath catches in my throat as the figure steps into view.

It's a man, tall and elegant, with dark robes and a mysterious air about him. His presence is overwhelming, his gaze sharp and assessing. I can't tell if he's a Master or something else entirely, but there's no doubt in my mind that he's dangerous.

EMIYA steps in front of me, his sword drawn, ready to defend.

"Are you here to fight?" he asks, his voice cold.

The man chuckles softly, shaking his head. "No, no. I'm merely here to observe. For now."

My heart skips a beat. "Observe?"

The man's eyes flick to me, and I feel a chill run down my spine. "You're the Master of Archer, aren't you? How... interesting."

"Who are you?" EMIYA demands, his grip tightening on his sword.

The man smiles faintly, his expression unreadable. "My name is not important right now. But you can call me... Kirei Kotomine."

Tanya's POV

I don't trust easy.

The city is alive with people, but none of them know what's going on under the surface. The Grail War is in full swing, and the other Masters are out there, lurking, waiting for the right moment to strike. I have Assassin—Light Yagami—on my side, but even I can't rely on him completely. He's smart, too smart, and while his cunning will be useful, I know he's constantly calculating his own goals.

"We need to make our move," I say, watching the streets from the rooftop. "Sitting around is useless. We need to find the other Masters and start thinning the herd."

Light, standing beside me with his usual calm demeanor, nods thoughtfully. "You're right, Master. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it becomes. But we should be careful. Rushing into a battle without knowing the enemy could prove fatal."

I narrow my eyes. He's right, of course, but I'm not one to sit back and play it safe forever. The war needs to be fought, and it needs to be fought smartly.

"What's your suggestion, then?" I ask, not bothering to hide my impatience.

"We should locate one of the weaker Masters first," Light replies smoothly. "Someone who's vulnerable. Eliminate them quietly, without drawing too much attention. Once we remove the weaker links, the stronger ones will be easier to predict."

I mull it over. "And how do we find a weak Master?"

Light smirks, his eyes glinting with cold calculation. "I already have a lead."

Tony Stark's POV

This whole Grail War thing is starting to get on my nerves.

"Bumblebee, you got eyes on anything?" I say, tapping the side of my helmet. The HUD flickers as Bumblebee's visual feed pops up, showing a sweeping view of the city. It's quiet for now, but I know that won't last long.

"Nothing so far, boss," Bumblebee replies. "But I've got a bad feeling about this area. Feels like we're being watched."

I smirk. "That's because we probably are. Keep scanning."

I step into the street, blending in with the crowd as much as I can in the suit. People glance at me, probably wondering if I'm a cosplayer or something, but no one really pays too much attention. That's good. Less attention means fewer distractions when the real fight begins.

Suddenly, my sensors beep, and Bumblebee's voice crackles through the comms. "Wait, I'm picking up something. Two signatures, close by. One of them's powerful."

I raise an eyebrow, quickly checking the readouts on my HUD. Two signals, both approaching fast. One of them is off the charts in terms of power, definitely a Servant. The other one… a Master.

"Alright, Bee, let's get ready. Looks like we've got company."

The moment I say it, a figure steps out from an alley across the street. It's a guy, probably around my age, wearing what looks like a military uniform. His eyes are sharp, his posture stiff. Not exactly a friendly vibe. But it's the Berserker Servant that really catches my attention—the Joker.

Great. Just what I needed.

Joker skips along beside the guy, laughing to himself as he twirls a knife in his hand. The guy—probably the Master—doesn't even flinch, like he's used to the madness.

"You've got to be kidding me," I mutter under my breath. "Of all the Servants in this war... I get stuck dealing with the psycho clown."

Bumblebee shifts beside me, transforming back into robot form. He's ready for a fight, and honestly, so am I.

"You there," I call out, stepping forward. "You the Master of that clown?"

The guy—Zuko, I think his name was—turns to me, his expression unreadable. "I am. And you must be another Master."

"Tony Stark," I say, my helmet sliding into place. "And you're not here to fight in the middle of the street, are you? Because if you are, I've got a lot of weapons and not a lot of patience."

Joker cackles, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Oh, I like you, Tin Man! You've got style! Let's play!"

Zuko, however, remains calm. "I'm not here to fight you. Not yet."

"Then what are you here for?" I ask, narrowing my eyes.

He hesitates for a moment, then says, "Information."

I cross my arms, considering him carefully. This could be an opportunity. Zuko clearly has control over his Servant, despite the madness. Maybe there's something to be gained from this encounter—at least for now.

"Alright," I say, stepping back. "Let's talk. But keep the clown on a leash, okay? I'm not in the mood for any surprises.**"

Zuko nods, though Joker's wild grin doesn't fade for a second.

Conclusion: The Watchers and the Watched

The Grail War is heating up, and the Masters are beginning to make their moves. Subaru, still unsure of his place in the war, finds himself face-to-face with Kirei Kotomine, a mysterious figure whose motives remain unclear. Tanya, ever the strategist, begins to execute her plan with the cunning Assassin by her side. Meanwhile, Tony Stark and Zuko have crossed paths, both unwilling to engage in open battle just yet.

But in a war like this, trust is in short supply, and alliances, however temporary, can shatter at the slightest provocation.

The battle lines are being drawn.

And soon, the real fight will begin.