The Overlord of Mysteries

Hello, this is my first time writing a fanfiction. If you notice any errors, please feel free to give me constructive feedback. English is not my first language, so if you notice any mistakes, please mention them in the comment section at the end of the chapter. Let's begin the story!

Word Count: 5000 Words

Note: Just a reminder that I've changed the Guild Auxiliary chapter. I've made some changes to it. I've removed a couple of NPCs and added a few.

Due to my college work, I was unable to upload the chapter sooner so I've made this chapter longer. Increased the word count.

I suddenly had a lot of work, with my placement drives in my college for jobs. Added with not being well last week. The chapter got delayed.

-----------------------------------------------------------

In an Unknown Part of Europe, Earth

A young child, no older than twelve, stood before a village fuel station. Beside him, a woman in her early thirties kept a close watch, her gaze fixed on a man who looked to be in his twenties. The child, Kai, held a sword in his hands, its weight heavy with the burden of expectations. Meanwhile, his mother, Sayuri, addressed the man, her voice laced with suspicion.

"So, what's your name?" she asked, her tone cold and scrutinizing.

The man, visibly nervous, stammered, "I'm X16. Are you... related to the Fool?"

Sayuri's curiosity piqued at the mention of the Fool. There was a connection here, something worth uncovering, and she needed answers.

---

At the same time, Kai wandered into the restroom, seeking a moment of solitude. But even here, he wasn't alone. In his mind, he conversed with Zarios, an ancient presence and his ancestor bound to him through blood and fate.

'So, is this my life now? Am I always going to be thrust into fights like this?' Kai questioned, weariness evident in his thoughts.

{Do you have a choice? You are my descendant. Battles will come to you, whether you want them or not. And it is likely the Fool himself who guided us here,} Zarios replied, his voice resonating in him.

'You're the one who refused to leave Fuyuki City stating the Fool to be near,' Kai countered. 'You were hoping to meet him again.'

{Ahem! How could I, a mere Asura, presume to understand the Fool's will?}

'I doubt that,' Kai thought dryly. 'Still, my mother would've never let me stay behind, not after she found her brother and the rest of her family dead. She wouldn't leave me there. I don't understand it, but she seems to trust the Fool completely, like she's under some kind of spell.'

{Isn't it obvious? You all bear my blood. You're different, blessed by the Fool himself. Though my blood is diluted after generations, the devotion runs strong. Your mother's faith, even if she doesn't fully understand it, is inherited.}

Zarios' voice took on a more reverent tone as he continued. {They craved the Fool's blessing, to gaze upon his divine form. They toiled without understanding, driven mad by the desire to meet the Divine One, even though their knowledge was incomplete, their goals misguided.

It was also for this reason, despite not knowing the reason for their obsession or craziness. They wished to reach beyond the Root. They toiled away their life, hoping to be blessed to gaze at his Divine Form.

They were rushing in blindly without any knowledge. They were driven mad by their craving to meet the Divine One.}

Kai remained silent, absorbing Zarios' words. His own devotion didn't reach the level of madness, but there was no denying the change he'd seen in his mother. She hadn't always been this way. Her faith in the Fool had grown over time, turning from skepticism into unshakable devotion. Even when they fled Fuyuki City to escape their past, she held onto that belief. And though her love for him remained strong, there was always something elusive, something unspoken.

It wasn't just his mother either. Zarios, the sword—everyone around him treated him differently. They revered him because of the Fool's blessing, and while it stung, he couldn't deny that power came with it. Power that set him apart.

Kai's thoughts turned back to the man outside, X16, whom they had met while driving through a hilly region. He had been under attack by what Kai assumed were Maguses. With Zarios' power, Kai had burned a fourth of them to ashes, while the sword took care of the rest.

'So, what do you think, Zarios?' Kai asked, shifting the conversation.

{What do you mean?}

'When do I get to inherit your magic? Your real power?'

{My power is not a toy, boy. It's a gift from the Fool himself. Magic that can destroy worlds, rend dimensions. If wielded recklessly, it could end everything.}

'You've told me that a thousand times,' Kai sighed.

{And you are still not ready,} Zarios said firmly.

'Fine,' Kai muttered, stepping outside, where X16 sat on the ground, recounting his story to Sayuri.

---

Sayuri, after checking the car—still bearing the scars of the recent battle—called for them to get in. They had a destination: the Castle of the Fool. According to X16, the Castle and its surrounding deserted village were guarded by one of the Fool's servants. The mention intrigued her.

As they drove, X16 rambled about his involvement with the Fool, how he had once been given a precious magical item—one capable of teleportation. But instead of using it wisely, he wasted it on frivolous things, like ordering pizza and pasta. Sayuri found herself growing more irritated the longer he spoke.

Initially, she had planned to head straight to the Castle, but X16's story about a mysterious item the Fool sought gnawed at her curiosity. Against her better judgment, she pressed him for more details.

X16 explained how, in his ignorance, he had unwittingly attracted the attention of the Magus from the Clock Tower, who now sought to kill him. The situation had spiraled out of control, all because he had revealed too much to a certain archeologist, trying to impress her.

"I was stuck in this place," X16 confessed, his voice laced with regret. "I had no one to talk to, wasn't exactly popular. So when the Fool gave me that magic item, I thought I'd hit the jackpot."

His roundabout explanation grated on Sayuri's nerves. "So?" she snapped. "Get to the point."

"Ahem, yes. So, when I met the archeologist, she was beautiful. I was smitten, and in my desperation to impress her, I let her in on everything. I even took her to the site. Of course, I didn't know she was a Magus from some prominent family. She wasn't the head of the family, but she had connections."

The pain of betrayal was clear in X16's voice as he finished his tale.

"You're an idiot," Sayuri muttered, her patience worn thin. She tuned him out after that, her focus returning to the road. If the Mage's Association and Clock Tower were involved, it wasn't just a minor incident. By her estimation, it had to involve one of the Lords, if not their entire lot.

The risk of heading to the site was too high. She could revisit it after they met the servant of the Fool. As they drove, her thoughts churned with the possibilities.

Irritatedly she asked what had been on her mind, after hearing about the Fool and the Castle.

"Did you not ask the Fool's Servant for protection?"

Seeing him turn silent, she got back to concentrate on the road ahead.

Suddenly, X16's nervous whisper broke her concentration. "It was supposed to be a date. I couldn't bring that monster with me."

---

In an Unknown Part of Europe, Earth

Kai sat in the front seat, quietly observing the exchange between his mother, who was driving, and the man named X, seated in the back. His eyes flicked from one to the other, processing their words and their tones.

'Why would the Fool even select someone like him?' Kai wondered.

{I'm not entirely sure,} Zarios replied, his voice a steady presence in Kai's mind. {But there must be a reason. From what I can tell, despite his fake bravado and his utter lack of social skills, X seems to be quite talented in his field. A genius, but a fool in everything else.}

'Hmm, fair point. Just what I'd expect from someone as ancient as you. Experience speaks, I guess. While Mother seems to have built a negative image of him and treats him with condescension, you've already started thinking about how to use him.'

{When you live among fools, you must find ways to turn their foolishness to your advantage. Besides, the Fool may have chosen him precisely for his idiotic side. You never know.}

Unbeknownst to them, Bruce, the Fool, had used his World Item, Well of Urd, to scout out those best suited for the tasks at hand. Being the lazy man he was, he preferred letting others do his work whenever possible, as long as their skills were at least adequate. Perfectionism surfaced in him only rarely, when no one else's skills could satisfy him, and even then, he would begrudgingly take matters into his own hands. Bruce was organized, yes, but also paradoxically lazy. His procrastinating nature was balanced by bouts of compulsive orderliness.

His paradoxical personality extended even to his Guild, which, without World, would have been only a shadow of what it became. Meeting the World was, perhaps, the most important moment of his life and a blessing.

---

The Castle loomed in the distance, a perfect hideout for those who sought to vanish from the eyes of the world.

Kai stood on one of the balconies, his gaze sweeping across the abandoned village below. Behind him, X, Sayuri, and the Servant of the Fool stood deep in conversation, plotting their next move.

They had managed to convince the Servant to take action. The Demon, feeling disconnected from its absent Master, seemed to view this task as another step toward reuniting with him.

Kai's thoughts, however, were distant, drifting as he stared out at the desolate village. Their goal was simple: retrieve the item the Fool sought. Yet, something gnawed at Kai's mind. He questioned Zarios.

'Do you know what this item is?' Kai asked.

{What could the Fool be looking for? Something that would intrigue even him?} Zarios mused. {I can't say for certain.}

"Kai, let's go," Sayuri called out, snapping him from his thoughts.

He turned and walked back inside, the weight of the day hanging heavy on his young shoulders.

Sayuri's eyes followed her son's every movement, her gaze shadowed with concern. Ever since the incident, Kai's lost his spark, she thought to herself. 'He isn't as lively as he once was.'

---

One Hour Later,

The Castle, Europe.

They piled into the car, their attention momentarily drawn to the Demon, who now wore a human disguise, masked and almost unrecognizable. The drive was eerily smooth, with no obstacles along the way.

As the car sped through the scenic countryside, Kai leaned back, watching the landscape roll by. He found a strange peace in the monotony of the drive.

'This feels like a good side quest, don't you think?' Kai thought.

{Are you not at least interested in the item the Fool is searching for?} Zarios asked, his tone pointed.

'Of course I'm interested,' Kai replied halfheartedly.

{Your attitude says otherwise.}

Kai couldn't argue with that. He sighed, conceding the point. 'You're right. Even now, I still get nightmares when I close my eyes. You know why. It's the being trapped inside the locket.'

{Hmm, the being trapped in that locket is no trifling matter,} Zarios warned, his voice suddenly grave.

'Do you know its name?'

{Normally, I'd be reluctant to even speak it. But since the Fool has it now, I suppose it's safe to say. That creature… it shouldn't exist. It shouldn't have existed. Even in my prime, I was far weaker than it. From what I know, it is second only to the Root itself. Though I don't fully grasp the intricacies of power at that level, it is said that this being exists beyond the universe.

To think my descendants were able to seal it inside a locket… The power of the Root must have been used in the sealing. Though it exists outside our reality, its very being is somehow tied to the Root.}

'That was all pretty confusing,' Kai thought, shaking his head.

{Just remember this: never, under any circumstances, dare to speak its name or even think of it. You've already gazed at its true form once and lived to tell the tale. That's a fortune beyond belief. It was either the locket or the Fool's intervention that saved you. The being's name is…} The air seemed to tremble as Zarios whispered, {¿§¶¡*ק¶§¿.}

'What?'

{Forget it. You're not ready to know. Just know this, HE was called by the name Sut-Typhon by few. Calling his real name is same as making your presence and existence known to him. He is the One who should not be named and nor are any of the Outer Gods.}

Kai slumped back in his seat, tired of the cryptic answers. His curiosity burned about the Outer God, but the name itself seemed to slip from his mind as soon as Zarios uttered it, like his brain refused to process it.

Unbeknownst to Kai, the Error was responsible for this. The Error had judged that the child was not ready to gaze into the Abyss.

As Kai brooded, the sword—silent, ancient craving for the Root,—felt its hunger for power grow. Created by the Fool, the Supreme Being, it had its own duty to fulfill before it could return to its master's side.

It could feel the pull of its purpose growing stronger with every passing moment. And though its destiny was tied to the child, it was not ready to share that burden fully.

---

Unknown Location: The Place Pointed Out by X16

As they arrived at the location, X and Sayuri surveyed the landscape, searching for the mysterious item they had come for. It was supposed to be buried somewhere nearby, though the exact spot remained elusive. X, always in a hurry, jumped out of the car, followed closely by Kai and the Arch Shadow Demon.

"So, where did your research lead you?" Sayuri asked, her sharp eyes fixed on the rugged, mountainous path ahead.

X, still fiddling with his tablet, pointed toward a region several kilometers away. "I'm not entirely sure, but the location The Fool mentioned is over there."

Without breaking her stride, Sayuri accepted an envelope X handed her. Though curious about its contents, she maintained her stoic demeanor. Opening it, she found photographs—shots of the surrounding area taken from an aerial view. She flipped through them quickly, her eyes narrowing as she wondered where X had sourced such images.

As the two of them worked to narrow down the location, Kai stood apart, gazing out at the thick forest sprawling across the plains. His thoughts drifted.

'Where do you think the item is?' he asked.

{I can't say for sure,} Zarios replied, his voice carrying a note of skepticism. {For something to catch The Fool's interest, it has to be special. I doubt it's simply buried in the dirt—it's probably hidden deep within some ancient ruin, maybe under a mountain or in a labyrinth.}

Alas what the Fool was searching for was the very dirt they were standing on.

'Hmm,' Kai muttered, his thoughts meandering between curiosity and indifference.

---

Unknown Office, Clock Tower

"My lady, he's reached the location—but he isn't alone."

The speaker, a woman dressed in a long skirt and blue blouse, stood beside the imposing figure behind the desk. The mere presence of the woman seated there demanded respect, inspiring both fear and unwavering loyalty. Barthomeloi Lorelei, known to many as The Queen and regarded as the Supreme Mage of the Present Era, lifted her head at the news. Her sharp brown eyes, framed by her neatly tied ponytail, had made even the most powerful magi sit straighter in their chairs.

She rose gracefully from her seat, considering the implications. The speed at which information traveled these days was staggering, even if you accounted for magical assistance. But there was something more to this. Barthomeloi's instincts told her there was more going on than met the eye.

"Hmph. The origin of this item is suspicious," she mused aloud. She turned toward her subordinate, the woman watching her with silent intensity. "So, he claimed the item was given to him by a Supreme Being?"

The woman nodded, maintaining her composure under Lorelei's piercing gaze. "Yes, my lady. I was... surprised by the item myself. The temptation to take it was almost overwhelming. But I held back, unsure of his connections. I didn't want to act rashly without more information."

Lorelei's gaze sharpened, silently urging the woman to continue.

"I had to... lead him on a bit," the woman confessed hesitantly, clearly aware that her confession could cost her. "He was reluctant to give up details. All he admitted, in the end, was that this Supreme Being had tasked him with a seemingly trivial errand—retrieving an antique."

Lorelei's expression didn't waver, but inside, her thoughts raced. An antique? Why would a being of such power care about a simple relic?

"The Supreme Being, as he described, is second to none," the woman continued, growing more confident as she recounted her encounter. "Apparently, this entity only moves when it finds something amusing or entertaining."

Barthomeloi's mind whirled with possibilities, and one name immediately came to her mind—a name spoken of only in whispered fear. She had little solid information, but enough to suspect the involvement of an Outer God. These eldritch beings, capricious and all-powerful, often played with the fates of mortals for their own twisted enjoyment.

Her footsteps halted abruptly. The woman following her stiffened, sensing the storm of thoughts raging inside Lorelei's otherwise calm expression.

What if this so-called Supreme Being was, in fact, an Outer God? What if this "moron," as her subordinate had called him, was being used as a pawn to aid in the descent of one of these eldritch horrors? The very thought unsettled her.

Turning on her heel, Barthomeloi issued a new command. "Relay this information to the Director of the Clock Tower immediately. The situation is potentially far worse than we imagined, especially now that we've lost contact with the Wizard Marshall. The Director will want to know about this."

Her eyes darkened with resolve. "I'm going to meet this so-called Chosen One of the Outer God."

---

Fuyuki City, Japan

In the cavern, Rin and Sakura waited, anticipation and unease hanging thick in the air. They had both seen The Fool, and Rin's mind was still spinning with questions. She turned to her sister, unable to hold back any longer.

"So, Sakura, what kind of monster have you summoned?"

Sakura hesitated, clearly reluctant to answer. The Fool hadn't come to this world through her summoning, and she knew explaining that would only confuse Rin further. No answer she could give would satisfy her sister.

Rin's impatience bubbled over. "Come on, tell me! What did that old man give you to summon him? Don't you understand that the Grail is in his hands now? Do you have any idea what he could do with it?"

Sakura remained silent, enduring the barrage of questions. But when Rin's frustration turned into insults aimed at The Fool, something inside her snapped. Anger flared, though she tried to keep it in check. She wasn't the same person she had been, corrupted and impulsive. She had control now, and she wasn't about to lose it.

After what felt like an eternity, Sakura finally spoke. "The Fool."

"The Fool?" Rin echoed, confusion written all over her face. She had never heard of any servant or entity by that name. An Alien Deity called The Fool? The pieces didn't fit.

Sakura sighed, watching her sister wrestle with the unfamiliar name. As she had expected, Rin would never understand. Silence fell between them again, the air thick with unspoken tension.

Just as Rin opened her mouth to ask another question, something caught both their attention. A dark shadow extended from an orb-like object in the cavern. It pulsed and shifted, drawing their eyes to it.

The Fool, Sakura's enigmatic Servant, materialized from within the orb, towering above them with an otherworldly presence. The dark orb disappeared, leaving only him and the ominous aura that accompanied him.

---

Bruce stepped out of the dissolving Reality Marble, his form emerging from the fading shadows like a ghost returning from a dream. He glanced toward Rin and Sakura, both of whom stood with unblinking eyes, their expressions unreadable. He continued to stroke Tower absently, his fingers gliding over the familiar presence, while his gaze swept the cave around him.

'Hmm... Now what?'

His eyes, sharp and calculating, roved over every corner of the cave, searching for the portal that had once pulled him into this world. Nothing. No shimmering gate of light, no arcane vortex. There was no path home here. He exhaled, the breath escaping him in a soft, frustrated sigh.

'It must've been the locket... or maybe it was my very existence here, my interference in the plot of the story. My presence altered the plot of the Nasuverse—maybe that was it. The reaction that threw me across time and space to that space to fight the Dragon Progenitor.'

But Bruce, despite all his foresight, had missed one crucial factor—the ripple caused by Error, the force that had devoured Zelretch and taken hold of the Second True Magic. This, more than anything else, had fractured the very reality he now stood in. Yet, even this cataclysmic event had not been without purpose. His journey across worlds had led to the birth of a new World Item, an artifact of unimaginable power. It had absorbed the destruction of an entire higher world, along with the lives of its beings, transforming what was once a one-time-use item into something far greater.

The artifact, entwined with Zarios' heart, had survived its purpose, continuing to grow and evolve in ways even Bruce could not have foreseen.

Shaking off these musings, Bruce brought himself back to the present. 'Enough with the distractions,' he thought, refocusing his mind on the two women standing before him—Rin with her sharp, analytical gaze, and Sakura, whose emotions simmered just below the surface.

It was Sakura who spoke first, her voice quiet but firm. "Mr. Fool, does this mean... the war is over?"

Bruce turned his gaze to her, meeting her eyes with a calm, steady look. "Yes," he said after a moment, his voice soft yet unyielding. "Since I'm the last Servant standing, the war is over."

"Hmm..." Sakura's gaze fell, and though she had more questions, she kept them to herself. Rin, however, was not so easily silenced.

"The Grail... What about Illyasviel? And—" Rin's voice wavered as she tried to form the next words. "Shirou's..."

She couldn't say it. The image of Shirou's lifeless body flashed in her mind, and her throat closed up.

Bruce not bothered in the slightest by her rude of questioning, snapped his finger. Calling forth dark grey fog.

The Dark Grey Fog permutated from his shadows, engulfing the ground.

The fog dissipated as soon as it had made its way out, leaving behind Shirou's and Illyasviel's bodies.

The two bodies lay on the cold stone floor—Shirou and Illyasviel, pale and lifeless. Death had claimed them during the war, and now their still forms were a stark reminder of all that had been lost.

Tears welled up in both Rin's and Sakura's eyes as they stared down at Shirou's body. The grief was sharp and immediate, a wound that had been reopened before it could ever heal.

"Mr. Fool," Sakura whispered, her voice breaking, "is there… is there any way to save him?"

Bruce turned his gaze toward her, a faint smile curling at the corners of his mouth. "Everything comes with a price, Sakura. The Grail... it's an interesting artifact, though to me, it's more of a relic. Useless, really, but it has its charm."

'It's more of a Third True Magic Artefact. Lore wise, it won't even be able to grant wishes outside of Nasuverse. It would probably end up as a decorative piece or a trinket back in Overlord Verse. But how do I even get back, huh!!'

Sakura, holding onto the last thread of hope, nodded. "I imagine it already belongs to you, Mr. Fool."

Bruce's smile deepened, a low chuckle escaping him. Then, with another snap of his fingers, the grey fog returned. This time, it swirled around Shirou's and Illyasviel's bodies. Slowly, as if time itself were reversing, their skin regained its warmth, the color returning to their cheeks. Life flowed back into them, their hearts beating once more.

Bruce, ever the enigma, had snapped his fingers. Activating the Resurrection Spell, Bruce revived them both. Rin instinctively took a step back but held her ground, her eyes never leaving Bruce.

"This is the least I can do for the hospitality you've shown me," Bruce said, his tone both generous and detached.

Rin and Sakura gasped as Shirou and Illyasviel opened their eyes, blinking in confusion. Life had returned to them, but the trauma of their deaths still lingered like a shadow.

"Is there anything else you wish for, Sakura?" Bruce asked, turning his attention back to her.

Sakura, overwhelmed with gratitude and disbelief, could only shake her head. The war was over, Shirou was alive. What more could she ask for? And yet, the nagging thought of the Grail's condition tugged at her mind.

Just as she opened her mouth to ask about the item the war had all been about,

"What about the Grail? What is it's condition now?" time itself seemed to freeze mid-sentence.

{Spell, Time Stop}

Bruce moved silently through the stillness, stepping between the frozen figures of Rin and Sakura. He couldn't let them see the seals he had placed on the Grail. It would tarnish the image he had so carefully cultivated. With a flick of his wrist, the seals unraveled, and Bruce retrieved the Grail, holding it in his hand.

As time resumed its flow, Sakura and Rin blinked, their gazes locking onto Bruce, who now stood before them with the Grail in his grasp. The Mana in the Grail spiked reaching unprecedented levels. It pulsed with a light too bright to be contained, the mana within surging, connecting to the Root itself.

Bruce felt it, too—a pull deep within him, one he recognized instantly. It was the same pull he had felt when he touched the red star back in his Guild. His lips curled into a smile, his departure imminent.

Turning to them one last time, he tipped his hat in a final gesture of respect. "I'll be taking my leave now," he said, his voice gentle yet filled with certainty.

With that, Bruce, Tower, and the Grail vanished, leaving only a faint trace of power behind.

Sakura, still reeling from the Fool's sudden departure, stepped forward as if to follow, but her movement was stopped by a flicker of red light. She watched, wide-eyed, as a small red orb appeared before her, hovering in midair.

Curious, she reached out, catching the orb in her hand. It was warm, pulsing with energy. In an instant, the orb transformed into a metallic card, its surface glinting faintly. She turned it over and read the inscription aloud:

"The High Priestess."

---

Far away, in a desolate, molten wasteland, a young boy limped across the charred ground. Lava oozed from cracks in the earth, and the mangled remains of bodies littered the once-lush landscape. The boy's face was drawn, his eyes hollow, and his left arm was gone, severed in the heat of battle.

Arch Shadow Demon, X16, Barthomeloi Lorelei, Director of THE Clock Tower: Brishisan. All of the significant figures had fallen in the battle.

He stumbled forward, his body trembling with pain, until he reached the still form of a woman lying amidst the ruins. He dropped to his knees beside her, his voice trembling.

"Mother…"

A single tear traced a path down his soot-stained face, falling onto her motionless form.

"Why is this happening to me? Why Zarios? Why?"

{Things happen,} Zarios's voice echoed in his mind, {and there is nothing you can do to stop them. Sometimes you lose those you love. I am not giving you my fake sympathy. I understand what it feels to lose things but you still have hope.}

The boy, Kai, clenched his teeth. 'Why did this happen, Zarios? Who were these people?'

{I am unsure about most of them,} Zarios replied, {but one of them was a vampire, an ally of the Old Man—the one the Fool killed.}

Kai's grip tightened. 'Can I save her?'

{Yes. She is barely alive.}

Kai's heart lifted as he cradled his mother in his arms. Power surged through him, flowing from Zarios, healing magic knitting her wounds, restoring her vitality. The color returned to her cheeks, and her breathing became steady.

The power released by Kai, activating the magic of Zarios, the spells and the soul knowledge he had gained by the Fool. It did its magic as Sayuri's body healed.

But before Kai could act further, a red orb appeared before him, hovering in the air. It pulsed with energy, drawing both Kai's and Zarios' attention.

Kai reached out, catching the orb. Like before, it transformed into a metallic card.

{It is not an ordinary card, descendant of mine. It is made up of an unknown material. It's strength is insurmountable.}

He flipped it over and read the inscription aloud:

"The Sun."

-----------------------------------------------------------

**The End**

Drop a comment and leave a review. Be it negative or positive but make sure to give constructive criticism. Also if you think you can add anything of value to the fic, then you are more than welcome to comment. Any thoughts or questions, ask them in the comment section. I'll try to answer them as soon as I can.