Fate/Claws Out

Normal POV

Rin sighed while rubbing her temples "I still can't believe that you're really the Wolverine," she muttered, shaking her head.

Shirou on the other hand was staring at Logan in pure awe. Naturally in his pursuit of becoming a hero of justice, he'd done his fair share of research on Japan's historical warriors, and the legend of the Wolverine was one of the few he had deeply admired.

"You were a legend," Shirou said, his voice barely above a whisper "I read about you... how you fought and aided the people who were being subjected to the Silver Samurai's unfair ruling. You never cared about glory or recognition... you just did what had to be done," his eyes burned with admiration.

Logan snorted leaning back "kid, I ain't a hero never was and never will be I've done a lot fucked up shit in my life—shit that'd make you rethink callin' me anything close to a protector," he exhaled through his nose shaking his head "but yeah I've been around, seen a lot. fought a lot, and lost more than I ever cared to count," he continued with a slight glassy look in his eyes. 

Shirou clenched his fists struggling with the weight of Logan's words "but even so sensei... you still saved me. If that's not something a hero would do then I don't know what is," he said stubbornly.

Rin huffed "well as inspiring as this conversation is we still have a war to deal with and what we need to do is get you registered by the overseer of this war Emiya so let's go," she said standing up from the tatami floor to go slip on her shoes. 

"Saber you can enter spiritual mode to save up on using Emiya's mana right?" Rin asked but Artoria shook her head "I am afraid that due to the improper way I was summoned by my master I cannot enter spiritual mode," she replied but Logan's eyes narrowed a bit as his ears picked up on the way her heart rate sped up slightly...his former friend and King was lying. 

He didn't say anything about it though even when Artoria gave him a subtle glare to 'not open his mouth' Rin sighed in exasperation "great just how incompetent of a mage do you have to be that you can't even properly summon your servant, Emiya!" 

"Well, it's like I told you Tohsaka I am a third rate magus that barely knows anything aside from the basic projection, reinforcement, and analysis spells," Shirou grumbled back after slipping on his gym jacket. 

Archer, who was on the rooftop felt really tempted to point out how Rin messed up his own summoning...but then thought otherwise of doing such a thing lest she does something like waste another command spell. 

Logan slipped a hand into his jacket pocket pulling out a cigar along with a lighter "alright let's just go and get him registered to wherever the hell he needs to so that I can get some shut eye tonight's been too much of a pain for me," he said igniting the cancer stick prompting three glares in his direction but like always he didn't care. 

"Right well the overseer is a representative from the Church so it should be a short walk from here to there," Rin said as we all began to walk. 

Both Shirou and Rin conversed, Saber hidden under a yellow raincoat was glaring at Logan, Archer in his spiritual state was glaring over at Shirou's back, and Logan was of course still smoking his cigar not even bothered by the glare Artoria was giving him.

Soon they reached the Kotomine Church, where Logan, Artoria, and Archer stopped at the entrance. Logan took a long drag from his cigar before flicking the ash onto the ground, earning yet another disapproving look from Saber.

"This place stinks," Logan muttered his nose wrinkling there was a faint scent of incense, old parchment, and something else... something off.

"You sure this is where we're supposed to be?" he asked glancing at Rin.

"Yes," Rin confirmed, stepping forward "the overseer of the war resides here he's responsible for keeping things in check."

Shirou frowned "Kotomine Kirei... you know him don't you, Tohsaka?"

Rin stiffened slightly but nodded "yes he was my father's apprentice before the last war," she admitted, crossing her arms "but I wouldn't completely trust him since he's a fake priest."

Logan narrowed his eyes inhaling the church's scent again yeah something definitely wasn't right he thought. The air carried an odd form of stillness he could smell the faint traces of dried blood, masked under layers of cold stone and sanctified wood.

Just as they were about to enter Artoria called out "master as this is a neutral place I shall remain here outside if you need me simply call to me and I shall be by your side." 

"I'll be right outside the door too...something about this place is giving me bad vibes," Logan said with a slight glare as both Shirou and Rin glanced at each other before shrugging "alright I guess Archer you can also stay out here to," Rin said. 

Archer materialized on top of the building arms crossed together while his red cloak danced in the air behind him. Logan for a moment was reminded of Batman when he saw him posing on top of the gargoyle. 

While Rin and Shirou went inside it was now just both Logan and Artoria standing across from each other awkwardly well awkward for him at the least. 

Logan let out a heavy sigh rolling his cigar between his fingers as Artoria's piercing gaze remained fixed on him. The tension between them was thick had been ever since Artoria had been summoned. He had expected hostility but damn she was looking at him like he was no better than the dirt under her boots.

"Still giving me the cold shoulder, huh?" Logan muttered flicking his extinguished cigar onto the cobblestone path.

Artoria's green eyes flashed her arms crossed tightly over her chest "I see no reason to waste words on a traitor."

Logan winced he didn't let it show but he felt it, deep in his gut "Artoria, it wasn't—"

"Do not speak my name so casually, James," the way she spat his old name made his teeth clench "you lost the right the moment you chose her over everything we stood for."

His jaw tightened. 

He expected this but it still stung Artoria had never understood she had never tried to understand.

"You think I didn't care about Camelot? About you? About the others?!" his voice was low, rough with emotion "I fought, bled, and killed for that kingdom same as everyone else" he exhaled sharply through his nose, the memory of Camlann flashing in his mind "but Morgan—"

"Morgana," Artoria corrected coldly.

Logan shook his head "listen Morgana was the woman who did you wrong-," he took a breath feeling himself get lost in his emotions "but she was just the dominate personality Morgan was suffering... all those years she wasn't just a villain. She was trapped inside her own mind torn between two personalities that she couldn't escape from in the end I... I had to end it I had to give her peace" he continued.

Artoria's face remained hard her arms still crossed tightly as if she were guarding herself from the flood of emotions Logan's words threatened to bring forth "and you think that justifies everything?" her voice was icy each syllable a blade "you think chasing after her freed me from the pain of losing everything I believed in? My kingdom? The Other Round Knights? Mordred's betrayal" the mention of Mordred stung him a lot more than it should have.

He opened up his mouth to say something back when the doors to the church opened once more and he quickly closed his mouth as both Shirou and Rin glanced between the two noticing the tension "did something happen while we were gone sensei? Saber?" Shirou questioned. 

"It was nothing master....have you finally come to a decision about the grail war?" Artoria asked changing the subject while Logan looked away with a small click of his tongue. 

Shirou nodded giving a determined smile "I've decided I'll continue being a master...to ensure the same tragedy of the fire doesn't happen again," he said before extending an arm out "would you still help me, Saber?" he asked causing Artoria's eyes to momentarily widen in surprise.

She reached out grasping his hand back "I would master please allow me to restate my oath to you," she replied. 

Logan reached in for the hidden whisky flask in his leather jacket and started drinking away he was just so done tonight and just wanted to pass the fuck out on his bed. 

Meanwhile Archer who had jumped down next to Rin in his spiritual mode couldn't help but frown a bit at his former sensei 'you could have also saved her to Logan' he thought with a hint of bitterness and anger. 

Then again perhaps he was being a tad bit unfair since Archer himself hated the fact that he EMIYA Shirou couldn't save her heart either and that fact alone would haunt him forever both in his life as Shirou Emiya and in death as the Counter Guardian EMIYA.

He glanced over to his alternate younger self perhaps this Emiya Shirou could have also saved Saber but he must first squash that pathetic ideal of becoming a hero of justice if not then the boy will have to die.

Suddenly Archer paused materializing from astral form which made Rin (who was about to leave the duo), Shirou, and Saber look at the gray-haired man in surprise "Archer what's wrong why have you stopped?" Rin questioned. 

Logan who was also more than ready to leave back home suddenly smelled a very...very familiar presence making his eyes widen "oh you...have got to be shitting me not you to!" he exclaimed as the chuckle of a little child dressed in a purple winter coat echoed around them "so you finally noticed me big brother," the girl said while a giant figure wielding a stone axe stood behind her with gleaming red eyes. 

"First Cu, then Artoria, and now you as well my old friend," Logan said with both sadness, frustration, and anger in his eyes "Herakles!" he exclaimed surprising everyone. 

-end of chapter nine-

As decided Fate/Claws Out will be my main focus for this year of 2025 until it's completed. I am sorry for not updating for the past month or so...actually don't remember when I last updated but anyways this is my plan for the year I want to focus on one fic only so all other ones will be removed except for Fate/Survivor which I will probably rewrite.

Expect frequent updates for Fate/Claws Out on Saturday and Monday.

Here's my Discord: https://discord.gg/ZvPEpsCajv