What's up, everyone! This is GKC here bringing you the second chapter of 'Goddess's Hero', and I want to apologize for how late I was with this chapter; writer's block for the story. Arturia's and Nero's Noble Phantasm tied so it seems they will both be used as the main swords for our hero.

Now, here's something interesting I got from someone. Why didn't I use Gilgamesh? Well, as much as I admire and respect his impressive arsenal along with his combat capabilities; I have to be honest, I don't like him. He's flashy, arrogant, childish, and overall, I hate his fucking guts. Plus, he's OP as all hell! I mean, the guy has a fucking Anti-World Noble Phantasm! How the shit is that fair!? Though adult Gilgamesh is pretty much out, I could use Ko-Gil.

Anyways, despite all that, I've already got votes in on the Archer class and one is trouncing the others. Guess who. That's right, EMIYA, bitches! Now, you may call me a hypocrite since EMIYA uses Unlimited Blade Works which is a contrast to Gil's Gate of Babylon but the difference is that he makes copies while the Gate of Babylon fires true Noble Phantasms. The term, the copy is stronger than the original is complete bullshit. It's a complete crutch to EMIYA since he has to say a couple phrases in order to manifest copied weapons plus he also needs to know the structure of a weapon before he can construct it with his Noble Phantasm. Gil just has to issue a command and the NPs will just fire out. But you've gotta give EMIYA props because his NP is the only thing that can actually counter the Gate of Babylon.

Now for the disclaimer: I do not own, except my OCs, Okami or Fate/stay night. All rights belong to their respective owners.

Now let's get this party started… BEGIN!

The Goddess's Hero

Chapter 2: Kamiki Village: The Sealed Sword and the Dark Warrior

Previously

As the trio passed the portal, Zero laid against the tree to catch his breath. Despite his injuries being healed from the food he consumed for some strange reason, his body was still pretty exhausted.

Ammy licked the boy's cheek then used her Celestial Brush to cut the peach down. Once it fell to the ground, a burst of vegetation erupted, blanketing the lifeless earth into a land similar to something out of a paradise.

"Wow! The village's been restored!" Issun exclaimed with amazement. "Sakuya came through big time! She really was protecting the village!" A pervy look crossed the little man's face. "But I sure wish I coulda spent some more time in her kimono, if ya know what I mean!"

"Pervert!" Zero glared at the 'bug', who shamelessly chuckled.

"Sticks and stones." He replied in a sing-song tone.

Ammy barked at Zero, who stood back up, slinging his sword onto his back.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming." The young man popped his neck. 'Geez, that wolf acts like I'm her pup or something.' He spoke in his mind then followed after the canine.

However, the trio had no idea that they were being watched from a distance. A figure cloaked in black with glowing yellow eyes traced the three until they settled onto the boy. "So, that's the reincarnated Sorcerer…"

"What shall we do, Master?" A seductive female voice whispered next to the figure.

"For now, we shall follow them. If they can lead us to one of the fourteen pieces then we must take that chance if we are to recover them for Lord Orochi." The figure answered.

"I shall inform the others at once, Master." The female voice echoed before vanishing.

The figure spared a glance at Zero a few more times then disappeared into the shadows.

Nasuverse - Clock Tower

The Kaleidoscope, Zelretch, watched these events turn out with a sly grin. He found this new project to be quite amusing out of every other result that he produced with his True Magic.

"This should be entertaining." The Dead Apostle grinned widely as the events in the world played out with many outlooks. Each one with a new possibility of ending until it all focused on one single battle between Zero wielding a sword encompassed by a bright golden light with Amaterasu facing off against the shadowed Orochi and a shadowy figure wielding a blade filled with malevolent dark energy.

Present

Zero yawned into his opened hand. "Boy, I feel sleepy…" He muttered to himself.

"Kid, tough it out. The village isn't that far so once we get there, we'll find an inn and stay there, alright?" Issun spoke from atop of Ammy's head, a brush in his tiny hand and a piece of paper in the other.

"Fine." The young man popped his neck to keep himself awake as he kept up with the white wolf.

The trio traveled down the path to the village, passing by a few of the red gates native in Japan. On the road, they found some sort of statue. Or what looked like one anyways. The 'statue' was a man dressed in a grey yukata with a strange straw helmet on with four lines cut in the front for sight and sandals. The man also seemed to be holding a flute.

"What in the world?" Issun wondered aloud.

"Um, this is pretty creepy." Zero cringed at the sight of the gray-skinned figure. "Shouldn't we continue on?"

"I don't remember there being a statue here…" Issun trailed on while Ammy looks at the person strangely. The small figure shrugged. "Well, whatever. Let's go talk to the villagers!"

While Ammy carried Issun down the left path, Zero took one last look at the 'statue' then followed after his companions. Despite the way the statue looked, the young man still felt creeped out as if someone were watching him.

Traveling up the stairs, the Ulrich heir neglected to notice the black shadow that emerged from the trees.

Once the trio climbed up the stairs, they passed over a bridge and stood on a large platform with a red swirling symbol on it.

"What the heck is this place? Is this supposed to be the village?" Zero looked over, seeing the wooden houses and the grasslands, all devoid of life as if a blanket of darkness still covered the land.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Issun spoke, not really liking the blackened skies. "Kamiki Village is supposed to be famous for its scenic beauty. I wonder what's going on down there?"

Ammy tilted her head then looked up at the sky. Feeling as if she had figured out what to do while Zero looks down at the village.

The young man looked back at his two companions. "Let's head down there. We might be able to find some villagers around the place."

The white wolf nodded in acknowledgement as the trio left the platform to explore the village, hoping to find more people if they're not already gone from the place.

Once the small group entered the premises, they were met with many frozen stone statues of what could be the villagers.

"Okay, this is getting a little too creepy for my tastes." Zero frowned, cautiously reaching towards the hilt of his sword.

Soon, a loud roar echoed in the sky. "Not again!?" Issun exclaimed, jumping in fright. "That's not one of those smaller monsters that're lurking about. A roar like that's gotta belong to somethin' much bigger. Let's hurry up and find somebody with a pulse around here"

Nodding, Ammy trotted off with Zero keeping up with her. He was already irritated enough by being left behind by the wolf, he'll be damned if that happens again. Along the way, they found another one of those mirrors which the white canine used to save their progress. The Ulrich heir was still confused on what that was supposed to mean.

No matter how many times they searched, there was no one in the village that seemed to be moving. The human and wolf entered houses and shops to find more people but each search turned up nothing.

Zero checked on another stone body that laid on a bed. He tried shaking the villager awake but they were unresponsive.

"No good. This one's not movin'." Issun stated grimly. "Everyone here was perfectly fine just a few hours ago! There's definitely something strange goin' on around here. The village is back, but what's up with this dark sky?"

Zero rubbed his chin. "Maybe it has something to do with Orochi…" He wondered quietly.

"Maybe it's dark outside the village, too!?" Issun exclaimed loudly. "Let's find some high ground so we can take a look!"

A small trip later, the trio stood on the platform that overlooked the village once more.

The wandering artist gazed up at the sky. "This is bad…" He muttered. "The sun's not even shining. It's as black as night as far as the eye can see."

Zero took this time to lean against the railings for a quick rest. He really needed to work on his leg muscles.

"And not a single villager can move a muscle…" Issun continued. "Is it some kind of curse? Did a monster do this? It's not gonna stay like this forever, is it?"

Ammy yawned, not really answering the tiny man's question.

The Ulrich heir thought about it and realized that the only way the darkness could be lifted is if the sun were out.

All of a sudden, a bright crimson sun appeared directly in the sky. The light from the large star fought the darkness away to reveal the bright blue sky.

"Wh-Wh-What the!?" Issun exclaimed.

"Holy crap!" Zero shouted in surprise.

The 'bug' looked up in thought. "Hm… Come to think of it, your name IS Amaterasu!" He bounced on the wolf's head. "That's the name of the sun god!"

"It's probably just a coincidence." The brown-haired boy muttered.

Ammy barked at Zero. The expression on her face could very well be along the lines of amusement.

"Wow! You're no run-of-the-mill god, that's for sure!" Issun complimented the white wolf. "The flowing brush is like music from the heavens. That's a line from one of my grandfather's poems. He felt a skilled artist was like a musician of shape and color."

The human hummed in agreement then stood up from his spot while using his katana as support. "Let's go check if the villagers are alright." He voiced his concern to his companions.

"Good idea, kid." The 'bug' bounced, the glow around him shining a bit brighter.

"Hm? Who are you!?" An elderly voice exclaimed in surprise, drawing the trio's attention onto a short old man in a grayish-blue yukata. He carried a walking stick that looked more like a branch. He was bald with grey hair covering his eyelids and a long beard flowing down to the ground. His body had been bent forward with his left arm on his back as if it were a way to support his spine. The old man also seemed to be bouncing an orange fruit on his head.

Village Elder Mr. Orange

"A white wolf!?" Mr. Orange exclaimed in surprise then took a glance at Zero. "And a foreigner as well!? Not the ones who fought that terrible creature with Nagi!?" His old eyes landed on Amaterasu. "You couldn't possibly be the legendary Shiranui! No, it can't be…"

Zero rolled his eyes. "Why bring up something that I'm obviously not." He muttered.

The old man suddenly realized something. "Oh, forgive me. Where are my manners, my name is Mr. Orange. I am the elder here in Kamiki Village."

"A pleasure to meet you, sir." Zero stood up and bowed politely. "My name is Zero Ulrich. I suppose you could say that I'm a traveler of sorts."

"Ah, I see, I see. Tell me, boy. Is this wolf here your companion?" The elder looked up at the foreigner.

Zero chuckled nervously. "I guess you can say that." He replied.

"Well, I must say, your wolf does certainly look a lot like that statue of Shiranui." Mr. Orange complimented with a small grin on his face despite the fact it was hidden by his abnormally long beard. "On the other hand, it doesn't look quite as smart…"

Ammy's ears shot up in surprise, seemingly taking offense for being called dumb. She lowered herself on all four paws and growled menacingly at the old man, who jumped in shock.

"Wh-Wh-Whoa!" He exclaimed, a cold sweat dropping from his bald head. "No need to growl like that. Can you really understand what I'm saying?" Mr. Orange's tired old eyes gazed expectantly at the white wolf. "Well, I'm not one to mince words. I just state the facts."

Zero got down on one knee by his furry companion, running his hand through her snow white fur. "It's okay, girl. I'm sure Mr. Orange didn't mean to question your intelligence."

However, further away from the heroes, a trio of green imps looked upon their prey with a hidden gleam behind their masked eyes. The demons descended from the cliff with a hankering for human flesh.

"Hm?" Mr. Orange placed a hand on the orange atop his head. "What's this sudden chill down my spine?"

Zero blinked a few times in bewilderment until he noticed Ammy was still growling, only she wasn't doing it at the old man but at something else; something evil. The young man quickly grasped the handle of his sword, pulling a few inches out as the stainless steel glinted in the sunlight.

"Here they come, you two..." Issun informed the wolf and foreigner. "Those are the monsters that've been plaguing these lands." The tiny man seemed to bounce in righteous anger. "They sneak into villages and cause all sorts of trouble!" The 'bug' hopped onto the bridge of Ammy's muzzle and unsheathed his tiny katana blade. "Step aside, furball! This is a job for my trusty sword, Denkomaru!"

"How exactly are you gonna fight with that tiny thing?" Zero deadpanned.

A burning red aura surrounded Issun as he bounced angrily at the human. "Don't insult my blade!"

The three green imps leaped into the air, Ammy mimicking the act only she grabbed the collar of Mr. Orange's kimono with her jaws and swung him to strike all three demons away. Tossing the old man away, the white wolf leaped into battle. Zero seemed a bit apprehensive at the prospect of using an elder as a blunt weapon but ignored it as he charged ahead to face the imps.

Once the barrier erected, Ammy used her Divine Instrument to bludgeon the first of the imps. It screeched in pain but otherwise held on. Zero fully unsheathed his o-katana and ran towards the other two demons, releasing a battle cry as he swung the curved blade to remove the second imp's head but it quickly stopped the human by bringing up its bamboo flute to parry the biting steel away.

"Little bastard!" The Ulrich heir growled in irritation, lashing out with a kick to his opponent's side. The imp easily avoids the human's limb then hits Zero directly in the chest with its flute, a grunt of pain escaping the young man's lips. His growing frustration of being bested by such a small but agile creature was getting the better of him. The imp leaped at the boy with its claws ready to bleed him dry but Zero took this chance to grab the demon by the neck, eliciting a shocked choke from it. "Now die!" He plunged his blade deep into the imp's chest, black ichor spilling onto the ground as it released one last pitiful groan before turning solid grey and exploding into smoke.

Ammy used her Divine Instrument, swinging the weapon against her own foe. Three strikes was all it took as the imp was knocked straight into the air. With a wave of her Celestial Brush, the green imp was bisected right in half from the waist. Releasing one last screech of pain, it disintegrated into a bed of flowers.

The duo set their sights on the last of the green imps, who nervously backed away in fear.

A wicked grin appeared on Zero's face as he popped his knuckles rather loudly. "You're the last one. Are you gonna fight us by yourself like a true demon or cower like a rat? Either way, these are the last few seconds in which you get to live."

Deciding to live to fight another day, the barrier dropped as the green imp quickly fled, leaving the wolf and human by themselves.

"Ha! Serves those hoodlums right! Don't mess with Denkomaru!" Issun bragged openly, bouncing on Amaterasu's head.

"You didn't really do anything." Zero deadpanned, placing his sword back in its scabbard.

Glowing red with anger, the wandering artist bounced on top of Ammy's muzzle. "Wanna say that to my face, kid!?"

"I would if I could even see you, bug." The young man snickered as he helped Mr. Orange up onto his feet. "You alright?"

"Yes, thank you, lad." The old man nodded graciously.

After the demons had been defeated, a small lake seemed to glow with life. Issun bounced atop of Ammy's head. "Wow! You really get aggressive when you're mad, don't ya?" The little man commented before small orbs entered the wolf's body. "Hey, you got yourself some Praise. And look!" He gestured to the spring. "See how that dried-up spring began flowing again?"

Amaterasu released a small croon.

"That's because ridding an area of monsters restores the gods' power to the land. People call it Divine Intervention." Issun explained. "The more you restore the land to it's natural beauty, the more Praise you'll get. It's the source of your power. Few people believe in gods these days, and that may weaken you, but if you try real hard, your true power just might shine through! Plus, you've got Zero to help as well."

Meanwhile, Zero decided to converse with Mr. Orange. "I know this is a rather stressful situation for you right now, but could you tell me about the sword sealed by the Konohana Tree?" He asked.

"And why would you want to know about that, lad?" The old man questioned, suspicion radiating around his withered body.

"Well, would you believe me if I said that I'm the reincarnation of the Foreigner?" The young man awkwardly chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.

The old man raised his wrinkled brow. "Hmm, while it wouldn't be further from the truth, proof is all that is needed in my eyes."

Zero thought about on how he could convince Mr. Orange until he noticed the pendant that the King of the Shinto Gods had blessed upon him. "What about this? This was granted to me by Izanagi himself."

With a withered stare, the old man gave the item in question an inquisitive gaze before glancing up at the young man. "Hmm, my eyesight may be a bit terrible but there is no denying the presence I feel from this pendant. Your words hold some merit of truth, child. I shall consider your request. For now, please, have a look around the village."

Smiling, the brunette bowed in respect to Mr. Orange. "Thank you, sir. You have my eternal gratitude."

"Think nothing of it, my boy." Mr. Orange nodded.

"Oi, kid!" Issun's tiny voice shouted, drawing Zero's attention. "Let's go! I'm showing you and furball around the village. Trust me, you'll like the place."

Nodding, the human followed after his companions down to the awakened village. Not having noticed the bequizzled look on Mr. Orange's wrinkled face.

Meanwhile…

The green imp that had fled from Amaterasu and Zero was now kneeling in submission before its master. Sweat trickled down every pore in its body, not daring to look at the disappointed almost bloodthirsty expression on its master's face.

"So not only do you fail to locate the sword but you cowered before the might of a weakened god and a child?" The smooth velvet voice of a young man echoed as the black-cloaked figure stepped toward the pitiful creature. An aura of dominance and rage coursing around the figure's form.

"My Lord, I beg your forgiveness!" The imp pleaded, bowing its head lower to the ground. It could practically feel the murder in the figure's stare. "I had no idea that the wolf and the human would be stronger than we believed!"

Silence was all that greeted the demon.

Metallic footsteps drew closer towards the imp, who shook in utter terror at the prospect of being killed by its master. Once the clinking noises stopped, practically right in front of the imp, the voice of the figure whispered into its ear. "Very well. I shall spare your life."

A moment of reprieve managed to calm the imp's former terror…

...For now.

"However, that doesn't mean that my companions are quite merciful. Oh Berserker." The figure called out, reigniting the fear in the imp's hidden eyes.

"No! Master! Anything but him! Have mercy on me!" The imp begged, pleaded, and cried as thunderous steps approached the sniveling demon.

A large callous hand clasped around the imp's head, its muffled whimpers barely heard amongst the wind.

"Kill the coward, Berserker." The figure ordered, their tone edging towards boredom.

Without any hesitation, the hand grips the head of the demon tight, crushing it into a bloody pulp as black ichor dripped onto the ground. Berserker wordlessly tosses the corpse aside as shadows consumed the remains.

The figure patted the large being's form. "Excellent work, Berserker. I knew having you around would be fortuitous." Yellow eyes glanced at another figure. "Assassin, I believe it's time for me to have a little fun with this new 'hero', don't you think?"

"I see no problem in that, Master." A seductive female voice replied.

"Good, I won't be long. Who knows, this boy might actually prove to be interesting. If not, well, one less problem to deal with." The cloaked figure melted into the shadows.

Time to begin the hunt…

Kamiki Village

Zero, wordlessly, followed Issun riding atop of Amaterasu's head. The villagers all glanced at him warily due to his foreign nature but when they discovered that he can speak in their language, they all immediately treated him and his companions kindly.

Currently, the young man sat inside of the village inn, a plate of rice balls and a cup of hot tea in front of him. In traditional Japanese culture, it was always respectful to remove one's footwear in another's house. After removing his boots, Zero quietly ate his meal in peace. Ammy and Issun took off to who knows where but the owner of the inn was quite a generous man.

As he munched away on his lunch, a sudden chill ran up his spine. It felt as if something terrible was going to happen. But what?

Shrugging, he finished off the rice ball in his hand then grabbed the cup of tea to wash down the taste. Once finished, he offered a small prayer to Kami then dropped a few yen as payment and left the inn to explore more of the village. The innkeeper offered him a dark grey kimono and a black haori to wear after his jacket and shirt were destroyed. He accepted it graciously.

With the o-katana placed on his back, the European noticed out of the corner of his eye a rather lovely woman pulling what he guessed is some form of wheat. She wore a cream and light red kimono that fully covered her slim form. Her face had a sort of girlish look but her dark hair was rather strange, it looked like a comb. She also wore a sort of headgear that Zero recognized as something for those that make sake.

The woman seemed to have noticed him and smiled beautifully at the foreigner. "Hello, you must be the owner of that fine looking white wolf that came by! What's your name?" She asked softly.

Zero couldn't help the red bleeding through his cheeks. "Um, Z-Zero Ulrich." He stuttered, bowing politely.

The woman giggled. "Mine's Kushi. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Sake Brewer Kushi

"The pleasure is all mine." The half-blood grinned after stemming his blush. "So, are you working the fields?" He asked.

"Oh, why yes, I am. Funny, Issun spoke the same thing when he and the wolf came by." Kushi tilted her head curiously only to smile. "Anyways, this is where I grow the rice for making my sake, you know."

"That's cool." Zero nodded in understanding.

The sake brewer suddenly deflates. "But I have to manage the harvest all on my own. It's hard work. Maybe I should have Susano give me a hand again this year."

"I could help you." The young man offered.

"Really! You'd do that for me?" Seeing the boy nod, Kushi hugged him tightly. "Oh, thank you so much!"

"You're welcome…" Zero choked. The woman had a really strong grip. "You're crushing my ribs though."

"Oops, sorry." Kushi quickly released the heir of the Ulrich fortune and bowed apologetically.

"It's alright. Let's get to work, shall we?" He stood back up, massaging his bruised chest but wrote it off with a grin.

For the next hour or so, Zero and Kushi harvested rice. Although, the Ulrich heir had never done something like this so he had to be assisted by the sake brewer but eventually, he picked up on the flow and managed to gather quite an amount.

Once done, the young man released a tired breath as he sat on the dry earth. "I didn't expect that to be so exhausting."

"Well, it is what I'm expected to do in my job." Kushi giggled.

"My respect for you in doing something like this has risen greatly." Zero stated.

The young woman smiled widely at him. "You do me a great honor with your words, Mr. Ulrich."

"Please, we're friends now, call me Zero." The half-blood chuckled before he remembered something. "Oh yeah, who's this Susano person you were talking about?"

"Susano's a neighbor of mine. He's a little unusual, but…" Kushi trailed, a reminiscent smile on her face.

By Zero's guess, there was definitely some history going on there.

Realizing she had paused in their conversation, the sake brewer continued. "He goes around with a huge sword slung over his shoulder. He's always practicing with it. They say he's a direct descendant of our legendary hero, Nagi. And he loves his sake, too. He often pops around here to buy it."

Now this form of information was quite interesting indeed. If it was true then he could be meeting a hero in the making.

His blue eyes glanced up at the sky, noticing that the sun was starting to set. "Darn, I better be hitting the road and meeting up with my companions." Zero turned his attention back on Kushi. "It was nice meeting you, Ms. Kushi. I hope I can be of assistance for you when next we meet." He bowed politely.

Said woman giggled at the boy. "Make sure to say hello when you see Susano. He could use a friend, I should think. He's always on his own." She sends a look at the sword on the European's back. "And maybe someone to help him practice with his swordsmanship."

Zero has made a connection with Kushi!

Nodding in thanks, the young man waved a final goodbye to Kushi then took off towards the inn where his eyes settled upon a napping Ammy and a bored Issun.

"About time you got back, kid! Where the heck were you?!" The 'bug' exclaimed in annoyance.

"Just helping around the village. Where were you?" Zero questioned, folding his arms as he sat on the steps by Amaterasu.

Issun puffed out his chest. "We were also helping out by taking care of demons."

Ammy yawned then laid her head upon the young man's lap, who massaged and stroked her canine ears much to her delight.

"Any luck finding the tree?" The brunette absently asked.

"From what the villagers are saying, the Sealed Sword as it is called can only be wielded by one whose soul is pure and loyal." Issun replied, hopping atop of the white wolf's muzzle. "Guess that foreign hero's weaponry has a mind of their own."

"Hmm, well, we can worry about this tomorrow. I'm exhausted." Zero stood up (much to Ammy's dismay) then entered the inn with Ammy and Issun following close behind.

Nighttime

After a small dinner, Issun and Ammy had retired into the room that they along with Zero shared with to sleep. As for the young man, he sat upon the steps once more, gazing upon the full moon. His thoughts trailing back to home.

Did his family know that he was missing? Where they searching for him?

…

Did they even care?

He shook his head, foregoing any sort of negative emotions that could potentially ruin his good mood. "Nah, besides, this is what I wanted anyways. A way to be a hero."

Still, why did Zelretch chose him in the first place? Why was he so special?

"A beautiful night, don't you think?" A voice spoke, forcing the boy to jump.

Zero looked up, finding a strange boy standing atop of the roof. He had short snow white hair, pale yellow eyes, and ghostly pale skin. His outfit consisted of a white kimono, gray hakama pants, white tabi, and wooden sandals. Despite the Eastern clothing, the boy looked very much like a Westerner.

"Who the hell are you?" Zero asked, suspicious.

"Me? I'm nobody important." The boy waved off his suspicions. "But I'm merely here to tell you that if you don't hurry, that Heroic Spirit you are so intent on acquiring will soon be taken from you."

Zero stood up, hand placed on the grip of his sword. "How do you know that?!" He demanded, his tone vicious.

"How?" The boy cracked a wicked smile down at the European. "Sorry, that's my little secret."

Growling, the brunette quickly stormed after, rushing to grab his boots, and followed the path up to the Konohana Tree. Forgetting to wake his two companions, he foolishly rushed up to the find the sword in the stone.

Meanwhile, the mysterious boy on the roof smirked deviously, a red mark on the back of his hand glowed viciously. "You know what to do." He spoke quietly.

A dark presence appeared behind him, a wordless nod, then it disappeared once more.

Konohana Tree

A heavy pant escaped Zero's lips. He had sprinted for a good five minutes all the way up to the tree. If it was true, the sword in the stone should be somewhere around the tree.

"I seriously need to get in shape." He muttered to himself then began his search.

Every nook and cranny of the tree was scoured but so far, Zero couldn't find even the shape of a sword.

"Where the hell is this damn thing!?" The young man exclaimed in irritation. Seriously, just how bloody hard is it to find a stupid sword?!

"Look at what we have here." A gruff man's voice spoke, drawing Zero's attention. The one who had spoken to the boy was a man possibly in his late twenties or early thirties with long spiky silver hair, blood red eyes, a short yet full beard, and sickly pale skin. He was clad in vicious, malevolent-looking dark grey steel armor with spikes and claw-like additions fixated on separate pieces and a bloody tattered red cloak wrapped around his pauldrons. In his hand was an intricate spear with a wicked rigid edge with burning orange markings.

The boy could feel a dangerous bloodlust from the man. "Something I can help you with?" He asked.

"Well, actually, you can. Tell me, boy. Have you ever committed a sin?" The man smirked, shouldering his spear.

Zero tensed, his hand hovering over the hilt of his blade. "That depends on the sin."

The man chuckled. "I suppose you have a point, boy." He bears his spear down on the young man. "In any case, you'll have to forgive me but I must kill you now." In a burst of speed, the dark knight appeared in front of Zero with a predatory grin.

"Shit!" Instinctively, he raised the scabbard of his katana just as the rigged speartip slashed at him. However, the power behind the blow nearly shattered Zero's arms. It was impossible for a normal human to have such strength…

...A normal human?

Zero's eyes widen in shock. "You're a Heroic Spirit!" He exclaimed, stepping back to retreat from the Servant.

"Correct, my friend, I am the Servant Lancer as you can guess by my spear." The white-haired Servant smirked, twirling his weapon between his clawed fingers. "You've got quite the impressive reflexes. A shame you must die by my hand."

Gritting his teeth, Zero unsheathed his sword. He wasn't going to fool himself into thinking he could beat a Servant especially one of the three knight classes. But it's better than nothing. "We'll see who dies first, Lancer!"

Lancer's smirk widened a fraction. "I like your spirit, boy. Very well, I'll grant you a warrior's death."

Both warriors entered a battle stance. They glared at one another for a fraction of a second before they lunged at each other, clashing their weapons in a show of strength as thunder cracked above them in the heavens.

Kamiki Village

Amaterasu's ears twitched. She lifts her head up, finding the mat in which Zero slept was empty. Strange, where could he be? Yawning, the white wolf stood up on her haunches then trotted out of the inn, leaving Issun to peacefully rest in his own bed.

The goddess in wolf form had no idea why the boy was special but something inside of her told the canine that the foreigner could be trusted. She actually liked the way he would dote on her as well especially when he scratched behind her ears. That felt invigorating.

SKREE

A sound reached her sensitive canine ears. Amaterasu stood up on her haunches and looked around but it didn't seem to be close. No, it was further away…

It sounded like… clashing metal?

The white wolf stormed out of the inn with a burst of speed; her nose caught Zero's scent on the wind along with another scent that smelled like a mixture of blood and darkness.

That meant Zero was in danger! Ammy took off like a speeding arrow towards the direction of his scent.

The smell of blood had reached her nostrils. It was close…

A twinge of fear actually wrenched its way into her heart. Her speed picked up, trailing grass and flowers that magically sprouted from the earth.

It didn't take her long to reach the tree. The wolf's eyes landed on a devastating sight.

A man with long wild white hair in dark sinister armor wielding a wicked rigid edge spear. Zero had so many cuts on his body that it was difficult to tell which were serious and which were shallow. Not only that, the evil-looking man was toying with the boy.

"Ah, I see the mutt graces us with her presence." The spearman smirked maliciously as his blood red gaze landed on the white wolf. "Will you entertain me as well?"

Ammy growled threateningly at this new foe.

"Lancer! Your fight is with me!" Zero yelled; his legs wobbled as he tried to keep his stance secured but his injuries made it rather difficult to focus.

"Calm yourself, boy. You will die soon enough." Lancer chuckled darkly then quickly raised the shaft of his weapon to parry away Amaterasu's mirror. "Interesting."

The white wolf continued her attack, unleashing a barrage with her mirror against the Servant, who was effortlessly parrying and deflecting Ammy's attacks practically easily.

"Come now, my furry friend. Is that all you can do?" Lancer taunted earning him a snarl from the canine as she pounced at him to tear out his throat but didn't count on a black-red blade to cut across her chest. She released a pained whimper as she landed beside Zero in a heap.

"Ammy!" The boy called out in horror, grabbing a hold of Amaterasu with one arm. He glared dangerously at the newcomer. "Who the hell are you!?"

The newcomer was decked out in black armor all of which was detailed with pulsating blood red lines that reached all the way to their face. Said figure looked to be male or female with a half-mask covering their eyes. Pale blonde hair tied in a bun along with pale skin. In their right hand was a sword entirely made of black and red metal strangely enough. The shape and size looked exactly the same as the Sword of Promised Victory wielded by the King of Knights. However, instead of it being the beautiful and unmatched gold and blue sword that King Arthur held, it was a bastardized version tainted by darkness and blood.

"Call me Morgan the Dark Knight." They spoke in a unisex voice.

Dark Knight Morgan

Zero blinked once then twice. "The fuck you think you are, Batman?"

"Shut up! It's hard coming up with an evil name!" The black knight comically yelled with a large tick mark on their forehead. Morgan quickly calmed themselves then stoically shouldered their blade on their shoulder. "In any case, I'm here to see how strong the legendary Hero from the West and the sun goddess are. Have to say, I'm sorely disappointed."

The Ulrich heir growled at Morgan and Lancer. "Damn you!"

"It'll be more merciful to kill you both now. Saves me the trouble in having to deal with you in the future anyways." The dark knight shrugged, bringing the dark blade to bear once more with Lancer following their movements.

Zero was caught between a cat and a brick wall. Fighting Lancer was bad enough but he has to deal with two warriors who were definitely more experienced when it came to fighting. Ammy was wounded and she couldn't do anything to help right now. What is he supposed to do? If he doesn't do something, he'll die…

A small whimper from the injured wolf drew his attention. The brunette looked down at his friend with worried eyes. The wound on her chest was shallow and seemed to hurt a lot. Onyx black orbs stared back into ocean blue. From there, Zero could see the unspoken message that Ammy was sending him. She wanted him to flee while she fought; she even tried to move but was having difficulty doing that task.

Seeing this act of courage ignited something in Zero's heart. He gently laid the wolf down on the grass then took hold of the o-katana given to him by Sakuya and held it in a two-handed sword stance. "You won't stop me! I was brought into this world to save it from Orochi and I won't leave it to its fate because of a couple of fake knights!"

Morgan smirked. "You've got heart, I like that. It'll look even better once I tear it out of your chest."

"Bring it!" The boy lunged at the two with his sword raised overhead to cut down the black knight only to gag when an armored fist struck him in the stomach. He collapsed onto the ground; his insides were burning as if they were on fire.

"Well, I brought it and I'm sorely disappointed." Morgan flexed their hand, popping the knuckles of their hand. "And they say you are the Chosen Hero to wield the power of the legendary Heroes. How pathetic."

Once he managed to get his breath back, Zero released a fit of coughing that had him almost hyperventilate.

Was this the end…?

Was this how he was going to die?

"Now it's time for you to- ARGHHH!" Morgan exclaimed in pain as Ammy lashed out, biting her pearly white canines down on the black knight's unprotected right arm. "Get off me, you mutt!" But the white wolf did not relent, only crushing her jaws down tighter on the knight's flesh, tasting blood on her tongue.

Lancer went to assist his comrade, forgetting about the lone boy that crawled toward the Konohana Tree.

The young man reached out to the tree, silently pleading for anyone to help him. He didn't want to die. He didn't want his friend to die. He needed power to save them.

All of a sudden, a bright golden light emerged from the tree as if hearing the boy's pleas. This drew the attention of the two dark knights and even the white wolf.

"The sword…" Morgan muttered in surprise. "It's free!"

The bright golden light shot towards Zero, entering his very core as a rush of power filled his entire being.

"No!" The dark knight exclaimed in frustration. Before Morgan could stop the boy, Amaterasu tackled the knight to the ground then quickly leaped back to avoid Lancer's spear from piercing her hide.

The white wolf growled threateningly at the two foes as she defended the golden light with her own life on the line.

Zero

The young man's eyes shot open as he found himself in two separate settings.

One with a magnificent castle and another with the Roman coliseum in prime condition.

"Where am I?" He wondered aloud.

"What is it that you desire?"

A woman's voice spoke to Zero as he looked around in utter surprise. "Who said that!?" He demanded.

"What would you do if you were granted power?"

Another woman spoke, slightly frustrating the Westerner in being ignored.

"Answer me! Stop playing these games!" He yelled in annoyance.

Apparently, neither of these bodiless women would give him an answer unless he responded to their question.

"I seek… to protect my friends!" Zero declared passionately.

From out of these different landscapes, two figures emerged, appearing before the startled boy with confidence and regality. Both of them were blonde women with varying shades of green for eyes. If one looked close enough, they could be mistaken for twins. Even their outfits were of opposite colors. The girl with the steely gaze wore azure blue covered by silver armor themed to look like a knight. The other girl wore red and white which showcased a good amount of her skin with pieces of golden armor placed on her own outfit.

Zero knew who these two girls really were… "Arturia Pendragon and Nero Claudius…" He spoke with awe.

Nero, as her usual boisterous self, puffed her chest with pride. "Umu, it's great that you finally recognize us, Praetor!"

Arturia rolled her eyes at her opposites attitude. "Have some dignity for goodness sake."

"Bleew!" Nero stuck her tongue out at her fellow Saber's face, much to her annoyance.

"Um… Excuse me, but what the hell is going on!?" Zero exclaimed. "I thought there was only supposed to be one sword!"

"Normally, that would be the case. Our original Master was powerful, yes, but this has never happened before." The King of Knights explained. "It would seem that despite being their descendant, you possess strength that even they never had when they were alive."

"Eh?"

"What she means, Praetor, is that the sword in the stone was originally supposed to be just one. However, you've been blessed with prana reserves so great that reality has to split the sword in twine for it to function in the physical plane for you."

"So basically, I can wield two swords at once?" He asked after thinking it over.

"Yep/Yes." Both Sabers answered bluntly.

"Oh…" The boy blinks his eyes. "That's pretty fucking cool."

Arturia coughs into her gauntlet. "Yes, in a manner of speaking." She looked at her new Master with narrowed slits. "But make no mistake, Zero Ulrich. If you misuse the power that we grant you, the consequences will be dire."

Well, when she says it like that, it kinda kills the fun in wielding a legendary sword…

"So, how does this work exactly? Do I have to say some kind of chant or…?" Zero wondered aloud, lightly rubbing his cheek.

"Something like that, umu." Nero looked… apologetically at him before she summoned a jagged red sword with Arturia doing the same thing as she summoned a blade of glowing yellow light.

"Uh, why are you looking at me like- GAH!" Before he could react in time, the two Sabers plunged their swords deep into his chest…

...and then came the power.

Konohana Tree

Amaterasu yelps as she lands on her side once again. Her once pristine white coat dyed scarlet with her blood. Her dark orbs glared dangerously at the two foes that were far from human.

"I have to say, there are rarely any days in which I get pissed off…" Morgan comments as they, along with Lancer, stalk towards the injured goddess. "...but you've kept me from recovering the sealed blade and for that…" A dark glow emanates from the black knight's visor. "I'm going to tear you to shreds, you little bitch!"

Ammy directed her gaze towards the golden light in which the sword once rested. Her worries for the boy that she had come to care for had greatly increased. The goddess wished that he had taken her message to heart and ran for his life. But now…

She quickly flips back to avoid Lancer's jagged spear. The white wolf snarls at the smirking man.

"I'd pay better attention, sun goddess. If you don't, you'll die." The bloodstained warrior comments nonchalantly.

Ammy steeled herself for another fight. Her Divine Instrument at the ready to attack. She growled at the two knights with a challenge, daring them to attack her.

"Very well, it is time to end this little game!" Morgan smirks as they and Lancer lunged at the white wolf, their weapons glinting with a ferocity that could matched that of a demon.

Time seemed to slow down as the two knights closed in on Amaterasu. The sun goddess raising her hackles at her foes.

This seemed to be the end for our furry friend… until a pair of blades slashed at the knights, sending them careening back from the force.

"The hell!?" The dark knight exclaimed as they steadied themselves with their sword.

"What devilry is this?!" Lancer demanded, glaring at the opposition that dared to get in his way.

[Begin F/SN OST: Unmei no Yoru]

Amaterasu looked upon the new figure with wide eyes. Despite being a goddess, she felt… insignificant to the warrior standing protectively in front of her.

A mop of spiky, black hair, light skin that gleamed in the moonlight, and a familiar pair of blue eyes that glimmered like sharpened steel. "It's alright, Ammy. You've done enough. Leave it all to me." Said the young man known as Zero Ulrich, who now wore an outfit clearly different than the one he had on before. A dark blue tunic that was covered by a silver chestplate that possessed ornate markings, a two-tailed red overcoat that covered the chest armor, silver spaulders, golden vambraces, black fingerless gloves, tan trousers, silver plate boots, and a golden circlet with a ruby red gemstone nestled on his forehead.

In his hands, he wielded two western blades. One was jagged and red with black accents while the other had a straight dual-edge with a unique golden-blue handguard that radiated the word 'glory'.

"Two!? How could there be two! There should only be one Noble Phantasm!" Morgan exclaimed, frustrated that the boy in front of him possessed such weapons.

Zero crossed both blades: Aestus Estus - The Original Flame and Excalibur - The Sword of Promised Victory. "Arturia, Nero, grant me your power!" With his declaration, two elemental auras formed over the swords. Fire for the Original Flame and wind for the Sword of Promised Victory.

"Lancer, kill him!" Morgan ordered, directing their dark blade at the transformed hero.

"Understood." With a brisk nod, the knight lunges at Zero, spear ready to skewer him once and for all.

With a swing of his swords, the young man sends a tornado of flames that forces Lancer to pull back. Even with his Magic Resistance skill, those flames were starting to burn even through his armor.

"You can't beat me." Zero stated, unaware that his blue eyes bled away to reveal crimson red that glowed with a fierce fire.

"We'll see about that, punk!" Morgan snarls, using a small Mana Burst to propel themselves towards the red-garbed warrior.

With unknown skill, Zero effortlessly blocks Morgan's attack, clashing Excalibur with the dark knight's own bastard copy.

Ammy watched in awe as the youth and the dark warrior engaged in a contest of blades. The sheer speed in which they were fighting was undeniably inhuman. Their swords flew with enough force that shockwaves ripped the very air. In essence, it was no longer a battle between humans but a fight between unnatural beings that radiated power.

The two knights lock blades once again. Crimson red eyes glaring into a faceless mask. The three swords grinding against each other started to burn with heat.

"Stupid brat!" Morgan growled.

"Great comeback. Got any better insults?" Zero remarked.

"How about I remove your head? Will you still be talking then?" The dark knight snarls, putting more strength into their sword.

"You could do that…" The foreign boy smirked. "But I'm wielding the power of two strong Heroic Spirits!" With a burst of prana, Zero broke the blade lock then kicked his opponent square in the chest, sending Morgan flying back.

"Dammit!" Morgan cursed, regaining their balance. However, they were met with the cold crimson eyes of Zero, who crossed his swords in front of him, channeling wind and fire prana into the blades.

"Blazing Hurricane!" The red-garbed knight declared, unleashing a rapid spin attack that looked like a fiery tornado crashing into the dark warrior, who cried out in agony from the sharp winds and burning flames. Ending his special move, Zero stopped on his heel, spinning fluently while holding both of his swords behind his back in a reverse hand style.

Morgan looked like utter hell. Their armor was rent and scratched with burns and gashes appearing all over their skin. The mask they wore started to chip until the left side broke off, revealing a sinister pale yellow eye that glimmered with rage.

"And to think I was actually afraid of losing to you." Zero remarked with a smug grin.

"Bastard! This isn't over. I'll be back!" Morgan vowed, glaring at the young man with killing intent. Once they finished their threat, the dark knight disappeared in a shower of black light particles with Lancer following soon after.

[End of song]

Once the threat had passed, Zero released a breath, dispersing Excalibur and Aestus Estus. "God, that was exhausting…" He pants, feeling his body heavily drained.

Amaterasu came up to his side with a limp. She released a whimper, nudging her nose against his hand. Much to her delight, the boy pets and scratches behind her ears.

"Hey, Ammy," The youth sat down, feeling his legs give out. "Glad you're okay too." He smiled at the white wolf, taking special care not to touch her wounds. He reached into his pouch and took out the holy bone. "Here." He offers the treat to the sun goddess.

Seeing the offered snack made the wolf drool as she snatched up the bone into her hackles and devoured it in three bites. After swallowing the treat, she licked her lips, feeling her energy return to her. Ammy barks at the boy in thanks.

"You're welcome." He chuckles then openly laughs when the sun goddess starts licking his face. "Hey, cut it out! That tickles! Hahaha!"

In the back of Amaterasu's mind, she had almost been tempted to reveal her true form to save the boy, but realizing that he know possessed the power of the legendary warrior from another land made her worries dim. Admittedly, he did looked quite dashing in that outfit…

Moon Cave

Morgan returned to the cave in which Orochi dwelled. Their appearance doing nothing to damper their frustration with the reincarnation of the Foreign Hero.

"I swear, I will have my revenge on that brat." The dark knight snarls until they came upon the elemental chambers in which represented the heads of Orochi.

Morgan took a few steps then stopped, feeling the presence of the one that slumbered within the cave. In seconds, several shadowy heads emerged from the darkness, each of them possessing blood red eyes that glared down at the knight.

"Morgan," The first head spoke deeply. "Why have you returned to me, battered and scarred?"

The dark knight bowed their head in response. "Forgive my interruption, Orochi-sama. I tried to reclaim the legendary weapons of the Foreigner. However, it would seem their reincarnation has returned. Already he wields not one, but two legendary blades."

The shadowy visage of Orochi rumbles with anger. "Curse that filthy human. Had I the chance, I would tear their body to shreds and devour their accursed soul." The serpent released a small sigh. "But it matters not. It is still too soon to worry about the mortal, even if he were to recover all of the Heroic Spirits, he can do nothing against my power."

"Then I shall make sure that he does not succeed." Morgan promised.

"No!" Orochi declared. "Not yet. You will have your chance, my apprentice. Until then, rest and train. I will have need of you for the coming ritual ahead."

Despite their irritation, the dark knight reluctantly bowed to their master. "As you wish, Orochi-sama." Morgan turned on their heel and left the chamber all together.

Orochi watched his apprentice leave then furrowed his eyes. 'So… history has once again repeated itself. Will that so-called Sun Goddess come to stop me? Or will she and her dear hero fall before my power? The outcome will be positively… delightful…'

A/N: Finally! I'm done with the chapter! I can't believe I put this story off for over a year. I'm deeply sorry about that. I had some major writer's block with this chapter. Please don't kill me.

So, yeah, Zero's new form is called Saber Mode. As you would expect, it gives him the parameters of a Saber-class Servant. Not only that, but since the votes were tied between Arturia and Nero, he has both of their skills and abilities with a bit of his own flair as well.

For every form he acquires, he gets his own skill set and special moves. Think of him as Dante from Devil May Cry wielding a Devil Arm. His style of fighting resembles Sora's Valor Form from Kingdom Hearts II.

Saber Mode's moves are as followed:

Blazing Hurricane: Channels wind and fire mana into his swords then performs a rapid spin attack, mimicking a tornado shrouded in flames.

Emperor's Passion: Delivers an upward slash with Excalibur, launching a foe into the air then leaps up and slams a charged Aestus Estus down on them with an overhead slash.

Knightly Blitz: Slashes the enemy with rapid cuts from Excalibur then thrusts both swords forward and release a prana burst to send them back.

King's Decree: Slams both blades down into the earth then releases a powerful burst of wind, sending many foes flying.

Flame of Promised Victory: Combines both Excalibur and Aestus Estus together, maximizing their damage output and overflowing the blades with focused wind and fire mana. Strikes one time, delivering a powerful earth-shattering blow that destroys all foes. Consumes all prana.

Those are the techniques that Zero's Saber Mode knows. If you have any additions, you're welcome to tell me in the review box or in a PM.

As I'm sure you know, EMIYA is already winning in the polls. Once the chapter comes along for the Archer Heroic Spirit to be retrieved, I will be putting up the poll for the Lancer.

Please review and comment on this chapter. If there are any problems then please inform me at once. However, refrain from using flames or rude criticisms because I have a low tolerance for those.

Peace out, everyone!