FGO Babylonia EP 4

Going on vacation the next few days. No updates then. Link to the episode below.

https://animeheaven.ru/watch/fate-grand-order-zettai-majuu-sensen-babylonia-sub.42576?ep=158513

"This is the one and only warning I will give you," a man with demon red eyes and white hair said.

"Yikes," Sun said. "Is he a demon?"

"Technically," Zack said. It was in the name after all. "It's more like their using that body as a meat suit."

"So, who is he?" Ozpin asked. He felt vaguely disturbed by this person.

"It'll say in a few moments," Zack said.

A blond-haired man in shades collapsed.

"Know that abandoning everything now is the easiest way to live," 'Solomon' said.

A girl with fox tails and ears fell on her back.

The faunus looked at her in interest. Was she a faunus? Good to know that even they could be Heroic Spirits.

"Is she a faunus?" Sienna asked.

"Faunus don't exist there," Zack said. "At least not as you know them. I know of a huntress that was cursed to become a lion when she was alive. When she was summoned as a Servant, she appeared with a tail and a pair of ears."

"Huh," Adam said. "Interesting."

"I care not whether to keep you alive or to kill you."

A small man dropped his book and fell flat on his face.

"However, if you manage to destroy all seven Singularities,"

A blonde knight in red armour struggled to stay up before ultimately collapsing.

"I will consider this as a case to personally liberate." He finished before disappearing into the flames.

"Wait!" Fujimaru yelled, before he too started to collapsed from his injuries.

"Are you all right, Master!" Mash said in worry.

Fujimaru clenched his fist at how helpless he felt. "Mage King!"

"Get a grip of yourself, Master!" Mash said as Fujimaru lost consciousness.

"So that is the person responsible for incinerating humanity," Cinder said. "I like his style."

"It's the fire, isn't it?" Watts asked.

"However did you know?" Cinder said.

Hazel looked at her fire themed dress, powers and name. Yeah, kind of obvious.

"He seemed like a swell guy," Tyrian said. "I wonder of we can exchange stories?"

Mash was laying bricks on a wall. "A month has passed since we arrived at Uruk."

Fujimaru arrived with lunch for her.

"This was the first taste of everyday life I've obtained outside of Chaldea."

"Today's work was a bit hard on us," Fujimaru said as they walked back to the Embassy.

"Yes," Mash agreed. "But I've finally gotten accustomed to working as of late."

"Yeah," Fujimaru said. ""I'm finally getting the hang of things myself."

"They've been doing mundane chores for a month?" Vernal said in disbelief. "I would have left by now."

"It was a test of sorts," Zack said. "One that you just failed."

Raven frowned. "Was he testing their patience? I fail to see how a month of menial labour would accomplish anything."

"He wanted to see how invested they were in protecting his city," Qrow said.

"How would you know?" Winter asked.

"You form attachments to a place, you'd protect it with everything you have," Qrow said.

"What he said," Zack said.

Fou on Fujimaru's shoulder barked at something.

"Fou?" Fujimaru said as they looked at where Fou was pointing.

They saw a cloaked old man sitting in an alley.

"That man," Fujimaru said.

"Maybe he's hungry," Mash said.

Emerald frowned. That used to be her, picking pockets off the street.

"Ah, poverty," Roman said. "Something that's existed as early as the first civilizations. Good to see that this place is no exception."

"That poor old man," Penny said.

Zack hid a shudder. There was nothing poor about that person.

Fou jumped off and approached the man. Fujimaru went after him.

"Senpai?" Mash said as she followed along.

Fujimaru knelt in front of the old man. "Um... This may be uncalled for but take this."

Fujimaru took out a loaf of bread for the old man.

The old man, who appeared to be Qrow, looked at it then looked at Fujimaru.

"Qrow!" Tai said. "Why are you on the streets?"

"Did I get kicked out?" Qrow wondered. "You two wouldn't do that to your dear uncle, would you?"

"As long as you feed me cookies," Ruby said.

"I'd never do that, Uncle Qrow," Yang said.

"That's where you'll end up if you don't stop drinking," Winter said.

"Yeah, yeah," Qrow said as he opened another beer.

"Compassion without reason is an evil. Feeling shame is another," he said.

Fujimaru was taken back by the response.

"However," the old man said, "I do appreciate such kindness."

He took the offered bread and kept it in his cloak. "I shall give you something in recompense."

The old man stood up and Fujimaru did the same.

"He's not just an old man, is he?" Mercury said.

"Not at all," Zack said. The reveal near the end was going to be great.

"Thought so," Mercury said. "He moved too smoothly for an old man."

"Maybe he's another super assassin?" Junior said.

'You have no idea,' Zack thought.

"Oh, you don't need to," Fujimaru said.

The old man spoke. "Heed me, child."

Fujimaru and Mash listened as their instincts told them this was important. Wind began blowing.

"Three storms will soon sweep over Uruk," the old man said.

"Three..." Fujimaru said.

The silhouette of a woman with purple hair was shown.

"Empathize not with the hateful one."

The silhouette of a woman in bright yellow holding what seemed like a sword was shown.

"Celebrate not with the joyous one."

The silhouette of a woman in pale yellow wielding a spear was shown.

"And extol not the pained one."

"Remember always," the old man said. "Tis a fool's task to speak of man's ways..." The wind got stronger. "...to a god."

The wind blew dust throughout the alley, blinding the two. Once the dust subsided, the old man was gone.

"Senpai, that just now..." Mash said.

"Yeah," Fujimaru agreed. "Storms are coming here to Uruk!"

"I thought giving cryptic words of advice was Ozpin's thing?" Amber said.

"I can be mysterious," Qrow said.

"That's very specific advice," Ghira said. "Does he already know who his enemies are?"

"Wouldn't surprise me," Zack said.

Salem felt a chill go down her spine. That person brought out a feeling in her that she could not quite comprehend.

That feeling was known as fear of death. She hadn't known it in a long time.

That night, Fujimaru sat on top of the Embassy's roof, gazing at the stars.

"You can't sleep?" Mash asked.

"I was remembering what that old man said," Fujimaru said.

"So, perhaps something will happen after all," Mash said as she walked over to him.

"We've lost many people along this journey," Fujimaru said. "Both Servants and humans."

They flashbacked to Singularity F. A city in flames and ruins.

"No! Stop!" a female voice cried out. "No, no, no! No!"

A woman with white hair cried. "I haven't even accomplished anything yet! From the moment I was born, I've never been accepted by anyone!"

The woman was pulled into a glowing red Chaldeas.

"Director Olga Marie!" Fujimaru cried as he watched on, helpless.

"What happened to her?" Weiss asked.

"Got pulled into something that resembled a sun and a blackhole," Zack said. "She'll relive her death over and over, unable to find peace."

Ozpin shuddered. That sounded like a fate he could be subjected to.

"Who was she?" Willow asked.

"Director Olga Marie Animusphere," Zack said. "Second director of the Chaldea Security Organization, after her father died of mysterious means. She died long before she managed to achieve anything."

"So, Ozpin's her replacement?" Glynda asked.

"He was the head of the Medical Department," Zack said.

"Why is he in charge then?" Ironwood asked. "Isn't there a vice director, or head of operations? Why make a doctor acting director? No offence, Ozpin."

"Because everyone else in the chain of command died," Zack said bluntly. "Remember when Fujimaru kept getting called humanity's last Master? He was Master Candidate no. 48. The other 47 perished or were place in cryogenic suspension during Chaldea's sabotage."

"Mankind's last hope, huh," Saphron said. That was a lot of weight on the shoulders of someone who didn't look older than her brother.

"I couldn't do anything at all," Fujimaru said.

"Even then," Mash said, "we were able to repair six Singularities!"

"Uruk here marks the seventh," Fujimaru said.

They looked up at the night sky.

"As long as that belt of light is up there," Fujimaru said, "our future, the history of humanity is still incinerated. And when we lose, that will be confirmed."

"Yes," Mash said solemnly.

"Sometimes, I wonder," Fujimaru said. "Did I make the right choice? At first, I wasn't ready. I was engrossed in running through it all, thinking I had to do it. But there were people I couldn't protect."

Mash sat next to Fujimaru.

"Previously," she said, "I had a conversation with Amadeus."

"He's a famous musician," Zack said.

"Musicians can become heroes now?" Robyn asked.

"Well, he dabbled a bit in magecraft when he was alive," Zack said. "Not to mention he crafted many musical master pieces. Not all heroes come from the battlefield. Some are healers, philosophers, musicians, inventors and so on. Da Vinci was a world-famous inventor and polymath. The Universal Genius they called her."

"Maybe father could become one," Penny said.

Mash flashbacked to Orleans.

"I can choose, you say?" Mash asked.

"Yes," Amadeus said. "Humans can choose what they love. No, they must choose. Listen. The world is not what you make of it. You are what the world makes of you. Just like human history that all of us have built upon."

Mash looked at him as she contemplated his words.

"Words to live by," Nicolas said.

"So, musicians are pretty good philosophers huh?" Ilia said.

"Who knew?" Kali said.

"That's why..." Mash said, "... I'm sure that the answers you chose are correct, Senpai. I believe in your answers."

"The answers I chose, huh?" Fujimaru said. "You're right."

He remembered back during his first day when Chaldea was bombed, finding an injured Mash crushed under a piece of rubble.

"Mash!" Oscar said in concern.

"This was when Chaldea was bombed?" Summer asked.

"Yeah," Zack said. "They lost 90% of their personnel that day."

"How are they still functional?" Jacques asked. That was crippling, even a businessman couldn't make money if he lost 90% of his workers.

"They went the Atlas route," Zack said.

"So robots," Yang said.

"Lots of robots," Zack agreed.

"The answer that I chose back when I became humanity's final Master," Fujimaru said.

"Yes!" Mash said as she stood in front of him. "That's why I will always stay by your side as Senpai's Servant! That is my choice!"

Fujimaru smiled. "Thank you, Mash." He stood up. "I will try to keep the faith in my own answer, as well!"

In Chaldea, it was snowing as was usual of Antartica.

Ozpin and Da Vinci were drinking coffee as they worked.

"Chances of sending backup to Uruk is looking grim as expected," Ozpin said.

"Rayshifting to the Age of Gods in itself is the epitome of recklessness after all," Da Vinci said.

"There are things not even a genius can do, huh?" Ozpin said.

"Was that a challenge?" Glynda asked.

"Lay down your dominatrix desires woman," Miltia said.

"Why I!" Glynda said.

"You use a riding crop as a weapon," Melanie said. "You can't expect people not to point that out."

Zack shuddered and looked around for a Celtic queen. No sign of Medb here, good.

And if she was? He'd throw Neptune at her. He looked close enough to Cu, what with the blue hair and pole arm as a weapon. Put him in a blue spandex and give him a red colour spear, she won't notice the difference.

Neptune felt as if someone was going to sacrifice him to life as a slave.

"Is that sarcasm?" Da Vinci said.

"No way," Ozpin said. "If that's the case, we just think of some other way. We will keep fighting to the very end."

Da Vinci smiled as she drank her coffee.

In the ziggurat at Uruk.

"My king," Siduri reported as Gilgamesh messed around with his Holy Grail, "Lord Fujimaru and his entourage have arrived."

Fujimaru's group walked into the throne room.

"Have you called for us, King Gilgamesh?" Fujimaru asked.

"I wouldn't call for you if I didn't have a reason, Ritsuka Fujimaru," Gilgamesh said.

"Did he just say your name?" Mash asked.

"Yeah!" Fujimaru said.

"What of it?" Gilgamesh said. "If your name is worth uttering, then it's only natural for me to do so."

"High praise," Zack said.

"It is?" Jaune asked. "Other me doesn't praise people a lot, does he?"

"Only note worthy people are ever remembered," Raven said.

"True," Oobleck said. Nobody remembered the soldiers of the Great War, only the generals and heroes. The big shots basically.

"This is marvellous!" Merlin said. "Our activities have been acknowledged!"

"Is that so?" Fujimaru said.

"Your work was not that interesting in my view," Gilgamesh said. "But I'm sure you're getting bored of all the petty tasks."

"That means..." Fujimaru realized.

"That's right," Gilgamesh said, "it's a direct order from me! You should feel honoured, mongrels."

"Yes, sir!" Fujimaru and Mash said.

"And he didn't even mean it as an insult," Zack said in awe.

"Mongrel," Jaune tested. "Do I say that a lot?"

"I'm pretty sure it's your favourite word," Zack said.

"Remind me to call one of our White Fang underlings that," Roman said. Neo nodded.

Adam frowned. That sounded like an insult for a faunus, but it was directed at a human.

"He wouldn't care if you were a faunus," Zack said to Adam's unasked question. "He dislikes everyone equally."

"Head to the city of Ur and investigate what's going on in that land," Gilgamesh ordered.

"Ur..." Fujimaru said.

"At the very least, do try to amuse me with your heroics," Gilgamesh said as he kept his Grail.

"The king is in a great mood today," Merlin said as they went to prepare for their journey. "He even showed us the Holy Grail."

"But that Holy Grail..." Fujimaru said. "For some reason..."

"I'm surprised you noticed," Merlin said. "That Holy Grail is different from the six you guys collected at the Singularities."

Six Holy Grails stored in Chaldea are shown.

"I'm waiting for Dr. Ozpin's analysis for the details," Merlin said, "but I'm sure of it."

"Then," Fujimaru said, "the Holy Grail that's making this Singularity take form exists elsewhere?"

"I don't know if it's in the hands of the Three Goddess Alliance or of someone else," Merlin said. "But at least, it doesn't look like King Gilgamesh has it."

"Oh, they have six of those?" Ozpin said. That was a lot of magical energy. "What are they going to use them for?"

"Not sure," Zack said. "Maybe they'll use them as an emergency power source?"

"The most powerful magical artefacts that aren't the Relics, used as a backup generator?" Salem muttered.

"Lord Fujimaru!" Ushiwakamaru called out as she ran to them.

"Ushiwaka!" Fujimaru said.

"Coco's here!" Coco said. "And still looking as fabulous as always!"

"How is that thing armour?" Ruby wondered.

"Must be for fanservice," Nora said.

"For what?" Ren said.

Zack looked at Nora in concern. Did she just break the fourth wall? He thought that only happened if she drank coffee?

"I heard from Lady Siduri that you're taking to the field!" she said. "How wonderful!"

"Thank you, Ushiwaka," Fujimaru said.

"It's a shame we can't tell Leonidas now that he is out in the field," Mash said.

"I must head out to the battlefront myself as backup for Lord Leonidas," Ushiwakamaru said. "Best of luck to us both! I hope you survive so we can meet again!"

"Right!" Fujimaru said. "You, too, Ushiwaka!"

"Well now," Ushiwakamaru said, "I shall be gathering some forces myself. See you!"

"Let's each do our best!" Fujimaru said.

Outside the safety of Uruk and the fortress wall, Ana landed gracefully as she decapitated a Demonic Beast. The headless beast joined several others, all dead.

"Ew," Ruby said. "Why do they have to bleed? At least Grimm disappear when they die."

"You think that's messy? Try walking through the Grimmlands," Hazel said. Brimstone and ash everywhere.

Salem personally thought that it smelt wonderful.

"Once we get this far from the city," Mash said, "we start encountering Demonic Beasts."

"Yeah," Fujimaru said.

"This thing is called a 'Mushussu'," Merlin said, entering teacher mode. "It's one of the Demonic Beasts called 'The Eleven Offspring of Tiamat'. The Primordial Goddess Tiamat... It's Babylon's Dragon! There also are Lahmu the mysterious beast, Ugallu the giant lion, and now onto the good part..."

Merlin realized they had already moved on and he was talking to air. "Hold on, wait for me!"

"We'll hear the story later!" Fujimaru said.

"Fou."

"That was a learning moment!" Port said. "Why headmaster, you should emulate me more when teaching, otherwise you'd bore them to death. First off, you must...(mute)"

"That handles that," Zack said as he put away his remote.

"Can I borrow that?" Roman asked. "I really want to mute miss bossy over here."

"Try that and the hat gets it!" Cinder warned.

Ozpin snorted. The day he took teaching advice from Port was the day Salem made the Grimm humanities best friend.

They entered a forest that really did not belong in that kind of climate. Bugs and birds were everywhere.

"So muggy," Merlin groaned. "So many flies. So hard to walk."

"Please stay quiet for a while!" Ana said. "You're increasing the heat!"

"So, this is what they call a jungle," Fujimaru said as he wiped off some sweat.

"Was this what Earth was like 65 million years ago?" Mash wondered.

"That's entirely wrong," Clover said. "You can't find jungles like that in that kind of climate."

"Magic bullshit," Zack said.

"Poor Merlin," Oscar said. "He and Ana should take off their cloaks."

"Never!" Ruby said. She would never part from her cloak!

"The saving grace is that we're not encountering any Demonic Beasts," Fujimaru said, unaware that they were being watched.

"But what is this incredible levels of Ether?" Merlin asked. "This is another world, on par with a Reality Marble!"

Ana noticed something in the trees but found nothing when she turned around.

"I sense a confrontation coming," Tyrian said.

"What tipped you off?" Qrow sarcastically asked. "Was it the figure that was watching them?"

"According to the map," Mash said, "we'll arrive at Ur shortly."

"That means we only have to endure this heat for a short while longer," Fujimaru said as Merlin struggled under the heat.

"Next time, let's hire a guide!" Merlin said.

"What a commendable idea!" a voice said, catching their attention.

"You wimps won't last a day without a guide!"

An orange figure jumped around them at great speed.

"Master, be careful!" Mash said as she materialised her shield.

"Wh-Who is there?" Fujimaru asked.

"I am..." the voice said. "Um, what am I? A mysterious purrretty girl, I guess!"

"All right, I got it!" Merlin said. "She's a dummy!"

"I'm not a bunny!" the figure landed in front of them. "Why does everybody think I'm a bunny? I don't get it!"

Blake in a tiger onesie stood in front of them, a paw-stick in her hand acting as a spear.

Yang snapped a photo. "I am never letting you forget this."

Blake was completely mortified. What was she wearing!? This was something Jaune would wear not her!

Kali gushed. "Oh, this reminds me of the times I would dress Blake in cat onesies when she was little!"

"Is that supposed to be a spear?" Ghira asked. It looked like one of the toys he got a baby Blake all those years ago.

"What is this strange creature?" Merlin wondered. "Is it really an UMA? An Unidentified Mysterious Animal?"

"If anything," Blake said, "call meow an avatar of the jungle! An embodiment of great warriors! Jaguarman!"

She did a weird pose. "If you don't fear these fangs, you can come right at me!"

"Jaguarman?" Fujimaru said. "Eh?"

Ana ran on front of him, scythe ready. "She's strange no matter how you look at her! Exterminating!"

"That hurts, Ruby," Blake said.

"But very true," Weiss said. "I would have burned you with fire dust."

"I have mixed feelings about this," Adam said. That was still Blake, just... weird.

Ilia wondered if she could make that onesie a little more skin-tight. And made of latex.

Jaguarman easily jumped over Ana's swing.

"Okay, I think I've got it!" Jaguarman said as she disappeared into the jungle. "I will see you guys again! And I am not a tiger but a jaguar! That will be on your next test, so you'd better remember!"

"What in the world was that?" Fujimaru wondered as Fou deflated on his shoulder. They had seen their fair share of weird things, but that took the cake.

"I've got it!" Sun said. "She's a gag character!"

"She's here for comedic relief," Neptune agreed.

"Damn it," Blake pouted. She was a Servant, but a joke one.

Zack thought about her third ascension art. Yeah, too bad that was never shown here. Yakuza princess is hot.

They finally reached Ur. It was covered in vegetation that had no business growing in the Middle East.

"So, this is Ur," Fujimaru said.

"The trees are encroaching inside the city, as well," Ana said.

"Look at that, Senpai!" Mash said.

They saw people still living there.

"That's a relief," Pyrrha said. "At least the people are safe."

Ozpin frowned. There was something wrong with what he was seeing. He just couldn't place his finger on what it was.

"Something seem off to you too?" Ironwood asked him.

"Yes," Ozpin said. Something was very wrong.

"I'm so glad!" Fujimaru said. "The people of Ur are safe!"

He walked towards one of the residents with a baby in a sling.

"Um..." Fujimaru said. "We came here from Uruk to investigate by request of the king.

"Oh my." The woman stood up. "It must've been a hard journey to pass through that jungle from Uruk."

"But if everyone is all right," Fujimaru said, "we'll go back and have the king send a rescue party!"

"No, you don't have to," the woman said.

"Why is that?" Fujimaru asked.

"We do not need to be rescues," she said. "Ur is a very safe city."

Fujimaru and Mash looked at each other as Merlin looked serious as he considered the state of the place.

"That's suspicious," Raven said.

"Where are all the men?" Tai asked. "I see mostly women and children. With only a few young men."

"Now that is suspicious," Qrow said. "Maybe they're off to war?"

"With that weirdo in the forest?" Summer said. "I'd have stayed at home."

It was sunset as Fujimaru sat on a bridge.

"Senpai!" Mash called out. "Is something the matter?"

"Well," Fujimaru said, "I just thought about how I've never seen a sunset like this before. Nothing less from the Age of Gods."

"You're right," Mash said as she joined him. "When I see scenery like this, I feel like this journey isn't all about terrible things."

The two looked at each other, faces close.

"Sorry to interrupt you," Merlin said, ruining the moment.

"That's twice they've been interrupted," Blake said.

"Shame," Zack said. Damn it, Merlin!

"Fou!" Fou agreed. Merlin had to die for his sins. How dare he interrupt the OTP. They weren't even an official couple yet. Everyone knows that fighting evil throughout time is the ultimate form of courtship.

"Merlin! Ana!" Fujimaru said. "Thanks for looking around the city!"

"Can I say something?" Merlin asked. "I want you to gather the city folk tomorrow. I have something to talk about."

"Uh oh, Merlin is serious," Oscar said.

"That's not good," Salem said. Things were bad when Ozma had his serious face on.

"You think he figured out what's wrong?" Ironwood asked.

"Maybe," Ozpin said. "Probably has to do with why there are so few men there."

The next day, under the sky that was darkened by rain clouds, the people of Ur assembled in the city centre while it rained.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," an elderly woman said, "envoy for King Gilgamesh. I heard that you had something to speak about."

"Yes," Merlin said. "I heard you didn't need to be rescued. However, we must ask you the reason why that is so."

"Ur is safe!" a younger woman said. "As long as the jungle surrounds is, the Demonic Beasts can't come in!"

"That's right!" another woman said. "As long as we obey the rules of the forest goddess!"

"Indeed," Mash realized, "we didn't encounter Demonic Beasts within the jungle."

"The jungle is protecting the people of Ur?" Ana said.

"What did she ask in return?" Salem asked.

"What do you mean, mistress?" Cinder asked.

"Gods don't do anything for free," Salem said.

"True," Ozpin agreed. He started to have an idea on why there were so few men. It did not make him feel better.

"Then," Merlin said, "you didn't attempt to rescue those in other cities facing a crisis because you were safe here?"

"On the contrary!" the elderly woman said. "If something like that was possible, we would've done it. However..."

"A violation of the rules set by the forest goddess you spoke of..." Merlin deduced. "Is that what this is about?"

The elderly woman gasped in surprise.

"I see!" Merlin said. "I understand the situation now. So, Ur's plan to defend itself is to do nothing at all."

"Sounds like a good plan," Jacques said. Nothing like letting other people do the dying for you.

"Of course you would think that was a good idea," Adam said.

"That's a terrible idea," Ironwood said. "When everything is over, you'd gain nothing."

"I lose nothing either," Jacques said.

"Nothing can be gained without sacrifice," Nicolas said.

"So, you understand now," the elderly woman said.

"Yes, I understand!" Merlin said. "If you don't resist, you can survive. That's what people usually do when they have given up."

Merlin tapped his staff on the ground. "So, how many sacrifices?"

Fujimaru and Mash were shocked as the people began whispering after being found out.

"I assume it's about one person a day," Merlin said.

"Wh-What are you talking about?" the elderly woman said. "There are no sacrifices!"

"I can tell just by looking around," Merlin said. "There are far too few men."

Fujimaru and Mash turned to look at the assembled people if Ur.

"Ur is not at war," Merlin said, "so this disparity is all too strange. Which means there must be another reason they're gone."

They were horrified.

"Human sacrifices?" Saphron said.

"That's barbaric!" Robyn scowled.

Qrow just drank some more.

"That's how things were in the ancient world," Zack shrugged. At least Quetzalcoatl wasn't a fan of human sacrifices, unlike the others of her pantheon.

"There's nothing else we can do!" the black-haired woman said. "The sacrifices are necessary for us to survive in Ur!"

"Everyone understood and agreed to each selection!" the brown-haired woman said.

"All we have to do is offer one sacrifice a day to Eridu," the black-haired woman said. "That's all it takes to satisfy that devil!"

"So, that's what you all chose?" Fujimaru said.

"Can you really say you've been protecting yourself by such means?" Mash asked.

"You outsiders wouldn't understand," the black-haired woman said.

"You haven't seen that terrifying goddess," the brown-haired woman said, "or else you wouldn't say something like that!"

"There is nothing powerless humans can do," the elderly woman said as she hugged the two younger women. "So, please leave now! There is nothing left in Mesopotamia where human ethics are understood."

"How pathetic," Raven said. "They cower in their city while these goddesses take their people."

"Not much they can do," Zack said. "Humans just don't stack up against Servants, let alone gods."

Unless your name was Emiya Shirou, who had plot armour on his side.

"At this point," Merlin said, "it'll be difficult to persuade or gather information."

"I'm sorry," Mash said.

"No, I felt the same way," Fujimaru said. "Simply sacrificing someone without doing anything else..."

A mocking laugh could be heard.

"There is no need to worry!" Jaguarman said.

"This voice!" Fujimaru said.

The people screamed as on top of the gates, stood the oddly dressed Jaguarman. "Why, you say? I was scolded that killing sacrifices was out of style!"

"That's a relief," Blake said. She didn't have the blood of sacrificed people on her hands.

"How can anyone be terrified of such an odd person?" Vernal asked.

"Looks can be deceiving," Roman said. "She doesn't look like much does she?"

Neo gave a wave. Pint sized badass in the house.

Zack thought about the child Servants. Yeah, they were pretty scary in a fight. Cute to be sure, especially Nursery Rhyme, but still very dangerous.

"It can't be," Ana said. "That amusing thing is the forest goddess?"

"That's right!" Jaguraman said. "The beautiful forest goddess, Jaguarman!"

"What did you do with the people you abducted?" Fujimaru asked.

"They're forced into labour over at Eridu!" Jaguarman said.

"Then, they're still alive!" Mash said.

"I'm a gourmet, so I only chow on the hearts of heroes!" Jaguarman jumped off the gates and into the city centre.

"Stick to fish, Blake," Weiss said. "I'll pay for any kind you want. Just don't start eating human hearts!"

"I'd say," Blake said, feeling a little green.

"Who does that?" Sun said in disgust.

"Right?" Tyrian said. "Human hearts are disgusting."

"He tried cannibalism once," Watts said. "He didn't like it and stuck to killing people in messy ways."

Ironwood scowled. Yet another reason to put a bullet through the scorpion faunus' head.

The people ran away in fear as she cratered the ground upon landing.

"I love birds! I love fish! I eat people and stuff!" Jaguarman declared. "Witness the astonishing teleportation of Jaguarman!"

Fujimaru and co could only watch on as the comic relief finished her pose.

"She literally just jumped off the roof," Amber said.

"Comic relief indeed," Jaune said.

"I bet she's a pushover," Nora said.

"If you guys are planning on taking the sacrifices outside, I won't let you!" Jaguarman said. "If you were to take them, not only would all my efforts go to waste, but then, Kuku's going to make me cry!"

She bowed her head, the eyes of her onesie somehow were the ones with tears.

"Kuku?" Merlin said.

"Yes! This is our world!" Jaguarman said. "The world of the spiralling snake!"

"Who is this Kuku?" Yang asked. "Is she cuckoo?"

Everyone groaned.

"Yang, that was terrible," Ruby said.

"Damn it, Tai!" Summer said. "Why did you have to pass on your bad puns to Yang?"

"Hey!" Tai said.

"Ignoring that terrible pun," Zack said. "Kuku is technically Jaguarman's boss and the one who forbid her from killing humans."

"So she's good then," Velvet said.

"Very much so," Zack said.

She spun her staff and entered a combat stance. "Begone, you humans, who are devoid of the gods' grace!"

Mash and Ana materialized their weapons, ready for a fight.

"So, you won't leave," Jaguarman said. "As long as there is protection of the jungle, our sun is invincible!"

Her staff glowed with power. "What I'm getting at here is. At least bring us a gift or something, jerks!"

Jaguarman leaped into action, smashing into Mash's shield.

"That's a pretty shield," Jaguarman said.

"My shield is a wish entrusted by a Knight of the Round Table!" Mash said as she pushed Jaguarman back.

"This is not going to be easy, is it?" Cardin asked.

"Nope," Zack said. "Let the beatdown begin!"

Ruby whimpered, already feeling her others pain. This was going to hurt, she just knew it.

Jaguarman landed on her feet as behind her Ana came at her.

Jaguarman flipped away from Ana's scythe swinging at her, jumping up a wall.

"I'll attack from above!" Jaguarman said as she leaped off the wall towards Ana, sending a barrage of kicks that Ana blocked with her scythe.

A powerful kick sent Ana flying back, where Jaguarman appeared and kicked her into the air.

Ana dodged an attack from behind while in the air as Jaguarman threw her staff at her. Ana retaliated by launching her chain at her from her wrist launcher.

Jaguarman's image disappeared and reappeared in front of Ana. "That was an afterimage!"

Ana was sent back to the ground but managed to land in a kneeling position.

"You hate me, don't you?" Ruby accused Blake.

"How could you hurt something so adorable?" Weiss agreed.

"I'm sorry," Blake said. "But she is my enemy and so I must cut her down."

"Catch!" Jaguarman's staff returned to her hands.

"What's wrong, huh?" Jaguarman ran towards Ana's kneeling form.

Mash appeared to block the attack. She blocked Jaguarman's continuous barrage of strikes.

"Just in time," Yang said.

"She's fast," Adam said. "Faster than our Blake."

"And completely unpredictable," Glynda said.

"And here I thought she was a joke character," Neptune said.

Jaguarman jumped over Ana's launched chain. "There we go!"

"Jaguar..." Ana was kicked by a glowing Jaguarman. "...Kick!"

"Jaguar..." Jaguarman suddenly appeared on Mash's side and sent her flying. "...Crash!"

"Take this!" Jaguarman dodged Ana's scythe. She jumped on top of a building, then to a tree when Ana followed.

"Jaguar Javelin!" Jaguarman threw her staff, hitting the tree Ana was aiming for.

"Jaguar Hammer!" She hammered Ana to the ground.

She landed and kicked her staff back to her hands. She glowed with power as she charged.

"What is she?" Yatsuhashi said. "An anime hero?"

"Joke character or not," Zack said. "She's still a god. And she's not even top tier unlike the ones in the Alliance."

"How is Fujimaru going to defeat them?" Whitley wondered.

With the power of friendship of course! Or Harem Protagonist EX!

"Master!" Mash pushed Fujimaru out of the way and blocked Jaguarman's attack.

"Jaguar Dynamite!" She blew them back. "Don't take a god too lightly!"

"This self-proclaimed Jaguarman is actually this powerful?" Fujimaru said.

"Hmm," Merlin said.

"Merlin?" Fujimaru asked.

"She may not look like it," Merlin said, "but she's a Divine Spirit." He stood up. "That means she's a proper god. In other words, we wouldn't stand a chance without a Servant who has Divinity like her. Unfortunately, I think this is as far as we get for now."

"So they need to find a god of their own," Jaune said. "Weiss..."

"You can't afford me," Weiss said.

"Come on," Nora said. "Help them out!"

"That's up to the other me," Weiss said. "Though I doubt it'll be that easy."

'Sure it is,' Zack thought. 'All for the cheap price of a few metric tons of jewels.'

"That's right!" Jaguarman said. "Just quietly give us a sacrifice and make a settlement with the cat! Of course, I mean that in a Tezcatlipoca kind of way! Meow!"

Jaguarman used her staff to catch Ana's chain and threw her off the roof.

Ana retracted her chain. "This thing is really powerful!"

"You're going to come against me some more?" Jaguarman asked. "You have some nerves!"

Jaguarman went to fight Ana.

"They need to retreat," Ironwood said. "They're outmatched by her. They'll be wiped out at this rate."

"And as usual, Merlin is useless," Salem said.

Ozpin didn't even let it faze him at this point.

"Fugimaru," Merlin said, "we can't win for now! Make your decision!"

"Once again," Fujimaru flashbacked to Fuyuki and the people of Ur, "I have to abandon a city! Abandon the people of Ur!" He flashbacked to past failures. "I...I..."

"PTSD," Clover said. "That's not good."

"Expected though," Winter said. "He's been doing this for so long. And by himself. That's going to take a toll on anyone."

"Poor kid," Robyn said.

"Master!" Mash yelled. "Please choose!"

"Mash..." Fujimaru said as he snapped out of it.

"Master..." Mash said, "I have faith in whatever you choose, so..."

"My choice..." Fujimaru said. He made up his mind. "Okay!"

"Merlin, retreat!" Fujimaru ordered.

"All right!" Merlin said. "I'm very good at fleeing..." He tapped his staff to the ground, making a magic circle appear, turning into a sphere encompassing the three of them. "...from beautiful women! Here goes!"

"That's not something you boast about!" the women yelled.

Qrow rubbed the back of his head. What an incredibly useful skill!

Salem smirked. How amusing.

Ozpin was just thankful that no one knew Ozma and he were one and the same.

"Ana!" Fujimaru yelled.

Ana broke off her engagement and jumped into the sphere. The sphere disappeared, the four of them nowhere in sight.

"This is getting interesting!" Jaguarman said.

"They escaped," Ruby said.

"But they left the city and it's people behind," Coco said.

"What choice did they have?" Amber said. "At least the people are not getting killed."

Outside the forest, the four of them looked on at where Ur was.

"We somehow managed to return," Mash said.

"Let's report our findings to the king first," Merlin said.

"Yeah..." Fujimaru said.

"Does what is going on in Ur bother you?" Ana asked. "I thought you'd gotten accustomed to sacrificing someone through your previous battles."

"I don't get accustomed to it," Fujimaru said. "No matter how many times it happens, I don't get accustomed to it. That's why, I have to make sure to rescue them next time!"

"Good words," Tai said. "Let's hope he can keep them."

"He'll save them next time," Pyrrha said.

"There's always hope," Summer said."

"True," Zack said. "Next one coming right up!"