History Recap / FateGrandOrderS2E3TheTournamentOfTheSevenBladeMaster

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shimousafgo.png]]
->''Farewell, Musashi. Farewell, Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara no Harunobu.

->The greatest rival in my life, whom I should not have been able to meet even once.

->Farewell.''
-->-- '''Sasaki Kojirou'''

The protagonist ends up in a pseudo parallel world in their sleep, where things are a bit... off. While wandering, they run into vagabond swordswoman Miyamoto Musashi and decide to travel with her. Then they run into Inshun Hozoin, a little girl and her baby brother, and a horde of ravenous monsters. Things really, ''really'', escalate from there.
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!!Tropes:
* AdaptationExpansion:
** The manga adaptation shows what was going on back in Chaldea HQ while the protagonist/Ritsuka was in her coma during the Pseudo-Singularity's events.
** Assassin of Paraíso's scenes are expanded more in the manga adaptation, not only showing her background with Moritoki when she was still alive through Kiyohime's eyes, [[AdaptationalBadass but also additional scenes that show exactly why she's still a threat]] as one of the Swordsmasters in the story.
* AlternateUniverse: Up till now, the game has had the protagonist travel to distant parts of the timeline to fix human history. This one takes place in a parallel world, one that was supposed to have been pruned by somehow survived. It's in fact, a lost history, or "Missing Belt", as Limbo words it. The in-game chapter button also reads Pseudo-Parallel World rather then a Pseudo-Singularity.
* AntiVillain: Sasaki Kojirou is only a villain because he's on Amakusa's side. He never does anything villainous nor does he enjoys the violence Amakusa's side inflicts, he's simply there to repay Amakusa saving his life.
* AndThenWhat: After beating Raikou and Shuten, Musashi muses to herself she's actually close to completing her swordsmanship but is anxious as a result. She reveals her determination to complete her swordsmanship was simply to surpass her father even happy to continuously traveling to other worlds if she can get stronger. But now that her goal is within sight, something she admits she never thought was possible, she's honestly confused on what to do afterwards since she no longer has a home nor someone to settle down with.
* ArcVillain: A still living Amakusa Shirou Tokisada who survived his Shimabara Rebellion and then spent 20 years traveling throughout alternative worlds and grows embittered that no matter where he went, his rebellion failed and Japanese Christians were slaughtered.
* AscendedMeme: A weirdly accidental localization-only example. After the corrupted Inshun [[OffWithHisHead gets his head lopped off]] and nonchalantly puts it back on, Musashi declares she's not fighting an opponent "who won't die even if you kill him!". This is a literal take on a Japanese StockPhrase about the toughness of a fighter, but it became associated with VisualNovel/FateStayNight in English communities due to a viral screenshot of a fansub worded like that.
* BackFromTheDead: At the end of Shimousa, Musashi dies after winning her fated duel with Kojirou. But due to her achievements, she becomes a Servant and makes a contract with the protagonist.
* BadassCreed: Since Shirou Emiya has become a Demi-Servant, his elegy has been updated to match the mindset of the Heroic Spirit that controls him.
-->''Though I am not Jubei, the invincible swordmaster. Though I am not Hanzo, the great spymaster. Though I am not Abe-no-Seimei, like your so-called Caster. Though I am nothing more than a swordsmith, why was it I that was summoned? You could never figure it out, and so you have lost. I once sought to forge the ultimate blade. Not one that cuts through flesh, bone, or the living. I sought a blade that terminates enmity...A blade that severs bonds, severs certainty, severs karma. That is to say, to be free of one's fate. Uncountable years of toil to reach this place. Forging thousands of swords to create a barrow of blades. Many paths, converge here. Enduring desires, flow here. Unjust deaths, gather here. My whole life has been for this single swing. The heart of the blade is here! Accept this blow from my Tsumukari Muramasa!!!''
* BattleAmongstTheFlames: The final battle of the chapter is a one on one duel between Musashi and the real Sasaki Kojirou in a castle set on fire.
* BloodKnight: Yagyu Munenori to a shocking degree when he finally reveals his true identity to the heroes at the climax. He reveals the reason he's helping Amakusa potentially destroy reality is for a true death match against Musashi.
* BotanicalAbomination: Amakusa's turned Toke Castle into one of these called Onriedo Castle, a mass of dark thorny vines bursting from the walls. Fueled by the sacrifices of several Heroic Spirits, many innocent humans killed by the Swordmasters, and a sacrifice of Tokugawa blood, Amakusa from this Shimousa isolated from the great Tree of Time can launch an attack on Proper Human History by destroying any world with the Tokugawas in them, including Chaldea itself as was intended all along. Fortunately, Muramasa destroys it before Onriedo can be completed. ''Cosmos in the Lostbelt'' and [[Recap/FateGrandOrderS3E7HellRealmMandala Chapter 5.5]] in particular reveals just what Onriedo Castle really is.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: All of the Seven Heroic Spirit Swordmasters barring Caster of Limbo, Saber of Empireo and Berserker are this, but several stand out:
** The protagonist and Musashi first meet Inshun as an affable servant who spent two days killing all the evil spirits he could find. He is forced to fight off the enemy so the protagonist, Musashi can protect the two children that was with them and is transformed into a bloodthirsty enemy who revels in slaughtering women and children wholesale as a result.
** Assassin of Paraíso is shown to be relatively kept together barring a few moments where she loses her temper despite the Curse of Annihilation on her mind at first. However, she fully falls into this when her cursed blood is fully awakened against her will, where-upon she becoming a ranting madwoman determined to complete her mission that splits between desiring to kill the heroes and bemoaning her ancestral curse and how everything she did to be free of it was AllForNothing.
* CarnivalOfKillers: The main villains are the Seven Heroic Spirit Swordmasters which are 7 heroic spirits that were empowered and corrupted by their summoner and the Caster of Limbo.
* TheCorruption: The Curse of Annihilation that Caster of Limbo casts on the other six Heroic Spirit Swordsmen make them bloodthirsty monsters that desire the death of everything living. It turned Inshun from a noble monk into a psychopath that only wanted to kill everyone in his way for fun, and Assassin of Paraíso gets a double-dosage of corruption courtesy of her {{Orochi}}-cursed blood.
* DarkerAndEdgier: The protagonist has been forced to participate in adventures while they've been asleep before, but those are usually resolved by morning. Here, they suddenly fall into an outright, magically-induced coma that lasts for days.
* DebutQueue: Yagyu Munenori and Kato Danzo are added to the summoning gacha after completing the episode.
* {{Deuteragonist}}: Musashi is your main companion and has an arc of reaching void throughout the chapter.
* DoomedMoralVictor: Mixed with InSpiteOfANail as well. Amakusa hopped across realities to see if his rebellion actually succeeded. And in nary a one it did not. [[MaddenIntoMisanthropy He didn't take it well.]]
* DuelToTheDeath: Every single duel Musashi participates in with the antagonistic Servants ends this way.
* EarlyBirdCameo: Apparitions of Watanabe no Tsuna and Kintoki in his Heian-kyo warrior's attire appear when Raikou unleashes her Noble Phantasm on an unfortunate army she was tasked to annihilate in the manga.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Ashiya Douman calls this Shimousa a Missing Belt. The next part ''Cosmos in the Lostbelt'' changes it to Lostbelt.
* EvilCounterpart: Musashi has two in this chapter.
** Yagyu Munenori: They are both still living humans that can battle and kill heroic spirits, are considered among the best swordsmen that come from Japan and enjoy duels with skilled opponents. But while Musashi understands there is a time and place for duels and can even be disappointed with herself for her automatic response to danger to prepare for a fight instead of protecting those weaker than her, Munenori is working with Amakusa and the Caster of Limbo to destroy not only his world but all the various parallel worlds just to have a true death match with Musashi once again.
** Amakusa Shirou Tokisada: They are both living humans that can travel the multiverse and are strong enough to fight heroic spirits. But while Amakusa went mad from his 20 years traveling between the dimensions and wants to destroy all of reality as a result, Musashi despite spending an untold number of years traveling to various worlds is still chipper and kind, unwilling to let the innocent be harmed.
* EyeScream: Musashi loses one of her eyes when Danzo self-destructs.
* EyepatchOfPower: After losing her eye, Musashi uses one of her katana's tsuba as a makeshift eyepatch. This is supposed to be a reference to UsefulNotes/YagyuJubei's own signature EyepatchOfPower since Musashi is playing the role of Juubei in this ''Samurai Reincarnation'' reenactment. Jubei's father Dajima-no-Kami lampshades their similarities.
* {{Foreshadowing}}:
** The entire chapter turns out to be a prototype Lostbelt (though it's called [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness a Missing Belt]] by Limbo) caused by [[ManBehindTheMan Caster Of Limbo,]] who takes orders from a being he calls [[GreaterScopeVillain God]]. Earlier on, Amakusa comments that he can see the "Roots of Fantasy" descending, a phrase that would be used by Wodime in the ''Cosmos in the Lostbelt'' prologue.
** For the story itself, Musashi notes that Munenori actually doesn't value human life that much. Danzo explicitly states that she works under his orders. Is it any wonder that the final Heroic Spirit Swordsman is Munenori himself?
* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: At first the protagonist can only use Musashi and for a brief time Inshun due to not being connected to Chaldea. But after meeting Inshun, they can call upon their servants in battle again but they don't seem to be with them, Kotaro briefly brings this up, comparing Servants only appearing in battle to shadows that can only manifest for a brief time. Also, this is why unlike the Mash that travels with you in regular battles and runs away after being defeated, this one fades away like any other servant.
* GameplayAndStorySegregation: While Musashi does join Chaldea at the end of the Singularity, whether or not the Player actually gets her [[RandomNumberGod is another matter entirely.]]
* GoodFeelsGood: Musashi admits that it's not in her nature to be a hero and if it wasn't for the protagonist's guidance she would have ignored the monsters. But she admits fighting for what was right for once was fun and far more fulfilling. In her last moments, she thinks she was so grateful to have met the protagonist.
* {{Gorn}}: Shimousa is renowned for being one of the [[BloodierAndGorier bloodiest and most violent story chapters in the game]]. Expect a bloodbath to occur whenever the Heroic Spirit Swordsmasters are on their rampage. While the game isn't quite as graphic as it simply describes the carnage that ensues in their wake, we get a full detailed view of their violent massacres in the manga adaptation.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Amakusa's plans to destroy the Tokugawas throughout Proper Human History falls because he named his BotanicalAbomination Onriedo Castle. Edo Castle was the seat of power of the Tokugawas, and Muramasa was said to be their downfall. By giving his key piece a similar name, he also gave it a conceptual weakness to Muramasa.
* HopeSpot: After defeating Berserker and Rider and rescuing Onui and Tasuke safely, things are looking up with the heroes even enjoying a new day and about to eat breakfast...and then Caster of Limbo and Amakusa kick the final stage of their plan into high-gear using the sacrifices and the souls of five of the seven fallen Swordsmasters, resulting in countless people turning into monsters as the blood moon permanently blankets Shimousa.
* InnocuouslyImportantEpisode: This chapter is the oddball in ''Epic of Remnant'' as it's not related to hunting any of the leftover Demon God Pillars, but rather is a stealthy prelude to Part 2, ''Cosmos in the Lostbelt''. It introduces several new characters and plot points that are explored later such as Ashiya Douman who becomes a recurring antagonist, the existence of "Satan" and his plans for Proper Human History and Chaldea, the BotanicalAbomination Onriedo Castle capable of launching an attack on both, and a "Missing Belt" which is a history that should have been pruned but survived somehow. [[Recap/FateGrandOrderS3E7HellRealmMandala Chapter 5.5]] of Part 2 acts as a StealthSequel to this chapter as well by explaining what Ashiya Douman was trying to achieve here as well as the true nature of this isolated Shimousa.
* LaserGuidedKarma: Shirou Amakusa believes that Japan is suffering this due to their actions during the Shimabara Rebellion, where they killed thousands of Japanese Christians regardless of age while insisting they weren't human. Now, he's doing the same to them, and in many cases turning civilians into monsters to kill their friends and family.
* MaddenIntoMisanthropy: ArcVillain Amakusa admits he's insane after traveling through the multiverse and seeing that no matter where he went, his rebellion was doomed to fail. In the Pseudo-Parallel World, he openly laughs when people are slaughtered and plans on destroying the multiverse in his rage.
* ThatManIsDead: After Inshun falls to the Curse of Annihilation, the Lancer Purgatorio and even Musashi state that Inshun is dead due to how deeply the curse corrupted his personality. Generally all the Seven Heroic Spirit Swordsmen say the Heroic Servant they were are dead and they are simply the remains.
* MistakenForRomance: Quite a few characters seem to think Kotaro and Danzo are attracted to each other due to Kotaro being flustered around her and her focus on him, but in actuality Kotaro thinks of Danzo as his mother.
* MoleInCharge: Yagyu Munenori works as a strategist for the Tokugawa against the Seven Heroic Spirit Swordsmen that he's part of, and he can realize the irony of the situation.
* MoralityChain: At the end of Shimousa, Musashi admits that it was because of the protagonist, Onui and Tasuke that she fought the monsters head on instead of running away. She admits it was the protagonist's bravery and morals that guided her to fight for what was right.
* MythologyGag: Sasaki Kojirou stopping Musashi from escaping using the stairs mirrors his role in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' where he stopped Altria from entering Ryuudou Temple by defending the stairs.
** Shirou Emiya is once again chosen to be a Counter-Guardian, but [[VisualNovel/FateStayNight it's not exactly like in that other story.]]
* ThePowerOfHate: Tomoe as Archer Inferno can only remember her hatred when her husband, Yoshinaka was betrayed and killed. Tomoe even questions why she can only feel hatred. After being defeated, she remembered that in life she was able to get past her hatred when she remembered Yoshinaka wanted her to live and even lived a long life and died peacefully.
* TheRival: The moment Musashi and Kojirou meet, they instantly know who they are and that they must fight to the death, showing that their rivalry is their destiny. In fact the elderly male Musashi refuses to die because he hasn't had his legendary duel with Kojirou yet.
* RunningGag: A Lancer is still unlucky, this time it's Inshun, who not only is corrupted by Caster of Limbo and is the first of the Seven Corrupted Servants to fall.
* SequelHook: Onriedo Castle was destroyed along with its master Amakusa, but Ashiya Douman and their mysterious backer "Satan" are still out there planning something, leading to ''Cosmos in the Lostbelt''.
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Downplayed. Danzo is present and futilely protesting when Shuten and Raikou decide to destroy the entire province of Sagami. When the other protagonists hear this latest shocking news, she feels the need to specify that she absolutely hadn't known either.
* TagalongKid: At the start of the Pseudo-Parallel World, the protagonist and Musashi befriend Onui and her little brother Tasuke. They continue to tag along with the protagonists even after the protagonists have taken them back to their grandfather, Muramasa.
* ThemeMusicPowerUp: A Japanese instrument version of "Emiya", "Unoriginated (Unsourced) Blade Works" makes its debut here.
* TookALevelInBadass:
** At the start of the Pseudo-Parallel World, Musashi is under-leveled and missing her third skill but as she continues to fight the Seven Heroic Spirit Swordsmen, she grows stronger.
** Kotaro throughout the Pseudo-Parallel World grows stronger, first by gathering the kunai of Assassin of Paraíso and later on taking Danzo's remaining magic energy after she explodes. He is then shown with his third ascension sprite and is asserted to be the ultimate ninja.
* WholePlotReference: To the historical fantasy novel ''Samurai Reincarnation'', with famous Japanese figures being resurrected as zombies by Amakusa Shirou and it being up to one samurai[[note]]UsefulNotes/YagyuJubei was the main character of the original[[/note]] to bring the villains down and restore peace.
* WouldntHurtAChild: Contrary to her [[WouldHurtAChild companions]], Raikou's motherly instincts are so strong that she refuses to harm children despite the Curse of Annihilation making her loathe the world and sadistically slaughter any adult in her way.

** The manga adaptation shows what was going on back in Chaldea HQ while the protagonist / Ritsuka was in her coma during the Pseudo-Singularity's events.

* AscendedMeme: A weirdly accidental localization-only example. After the corrupted Inshun [[OffWithHisHead gets his head lopped off]] and nonchalantly puts it back on, Musashi declares she's not fighting an opponent " who won't die even if you kill him!". This is a literal take on a Japanese StockPhrase about the toughness of a fighter, but it became associated with VisualNovel/FateStayNight in English communities due to a viral screenshot of a fansub worded like that.

[[folder:Click for full story]]
!![[AC:Prelude]]
!![[AC:Prima Cantica: Purgatorio]]
!![[AC:Seconda Cantica: Inferno]]
!![[AC:Terza Cantica: Paraiso]]
!![[AC:Quarta Cantica: Kalasutra Hell]]
!![[AC:Ultima Cantica: The Stage of Carnage, Onriedo]]
!![[AC:See You Again Someday, Flower at the Apex of Heaven]]
[[/folder]]
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* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Amakusa's plans to destroy the Tokugawas throughout Proper Human History falls because he named his BotanicalAbomination Orniedo Castle. Edo Castle was the seat of power of the Tokugawas, and Muramasa was said to be their downfall. By giving his key piece a similar name, he also gave it a conceptual weakness to Muramasa.

* AdaptationExpansion: The manga adaptation shows scenes of what was going on in Chaldea HQ while the protagonist / Ritsuka was in her coma during the Pseudo-Singularity's events.

* AscendedMeme: After the corrupted Inshun [[OffWithHisHead gets his head lopped off]] and nonchalantly puts it back on, Musashi declares she's not fighting an opponent "[[VisualNovel/FateStayNight who won't die even if you kill him!]]"

* AlternateUniverse: Up till now, the game has had the protagonist travel to distant parts of the timeline to fix human history. This one takes place in a parallel world. It's in fact, [[spoiler: a lost history, or "Missing Belt", as Limbo words it]]. The in-game chapter button also reads Psudo-Parallel World rather then Psudo-Singularity

* BigBad: A still living Amakusa Shirou Tokisada who survived his Shimabara Rebellion and then spent 20 years traveling throughout alternative worlds and grows embittered that no matter where he went, his rebellion failed and Japanese Christians were slaughtered.

* MaddenIntoMisanthropy: BigBad Amakusa admits he's insane after traveling through the multiverse and seeing that no matter where he went, his rebellion was doomed to fail. In the Pseudo-Parallel World, he openly laughs when people are slaughtered and plans on destroying the multiverse in his rage.

* BrainwashedAndCrazy:
** All of the Seven Heroic Spirit Swordmasters barring Caster of Limbo, Saber of Empireo and Berserker are this, but several stand out:

* AlternateUniverse: Up till now, the game has had the protagonist travel to distant parts of the timeline to fix human history. This one takes place in a parallel world. It's in fact, [[spoiler: a Lostbelt]]. The in-game chapter button also reads Psudo-Parallel World rather then Psudo-Singularity

* ShoutOut: After the corrupted Inshun [[OffWithHisHead gets his head lopped off]] and nonchalantly puts it back on, Musashi declares she's not fighting an opponent "[[VisualNovel/FateStayNight who won't die even if you kill him!]]"

* AlternateUniverse: Up till now, the game has had the protagonist travel to distant parts of the timeline to fix human history. This one takes place in a parallel world.

* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: At first the protagonist can only use Musashi and for a brief time Inshun due to not being connected to Chaldea. But after meeting Inshun, they can call upon their servants in battle again but they don't seem to be with them, Kotaro briefly brings this up, comparing Servants only appearing in battle to shadows that can only manifest for a brief time. Also, this is why unlike the Mash that travels with you in regular battles runs away after being defeated, this one fades away like any other servant.

* GoodFeelsGood: Musashi admits that it's not in her nature to be a hero and if it wasn't for the protagonist's guidance she would ignored the monsters. But she admits fighting for what was right for once was fun and far more fulfilling. In her last moments, she thinks she was so grateful to have met the protagonist.

* MaddenIntoMisanthropy: BigBad Amakusa admits he's insane after traveling through the multiverse and seeing that no matter where he went, his rebellion was doomed to fail. In the Psuedo-Parallel World, he openly laughs when people are slaughtered and plans on destroying the multiverse in his rage.

* MoleInCharge: Yagyu Munenori works as a strategist for the Tokugawa against the Seven Heroic Spirit Swordsmen that he's part of, he can realize the irony of the situation.
* MoralityChain: At the end of the Shimousa, Musashi admits that it was because of the protagonist, Onui and Tasuke that she fought them head on instead of running away. She admits it was the protagonist's bravery and morals that guided her to fight for what was right.

* EyepatchOfPower: After losing her eye, Musashi uses one of her katana's tsuba as a makeshift eyepatch. This is supposed to be a reference to UsefulNotes/YagyuJubei's own signutare EyepatchOfPower since Musashi is playing the role of Juubei in this ''Samurai Reincarnation'' reenactment. Jubei's father Dajima-no-Kami lampshades their similarities.

** Yagyu Munenori: They are both still living humans that can battle and kill heroic spirits, are considered among the best swordsmen that come from Japan and enjoy duels with skilled opponents. But while Musashi understands there is a time and place for duels and can even be disappointed with herself for her automatic response to danger to prepare for a fight instead of protect those weaker than her, Munenori is working with Amakusa and the Caster of Limbo to destroy not only his world but all the various parallel worlds just to have a true death match with Musashi once again.