Later.
I walked out of Homurahara Academy, filing the matter of Sakura Matou into a corner of my mind.
With my primary objective at the school concluded, it was time to summon another Servant.
I finalized the analysis on my walk home, my strides precise and my mind processing data at accelerated speeds.
As for the Matou situation? I would retrieve the answers...tonight.
...
..
.
Afternoon.
Home.
"Is it ready, Medea?" I asked flatly after concluding our lunch.
"Yes, Master. It is ready. Shall we proceed now?" Medea asked with a satisfied sigh; the food had been top-notch, as always.
"Yes. Let us conclude this immediately. We cannot summon a Servant if the available slots are already taken." I replied, rising from my chair and gesturing for her to proceed.
"As you command, Master." Medea stood gracefully and walked toward the open lawn behind our house.
I followed her. Moments later, we reached the clearing connected to the residence, where a red magic circle was engraved upon the ground.
"Master, you must stand in the center and chant the incantation I provided earlier." Medea instructed, standing beside the circle and looking at me expectantly.
In response, I walked forward and stood inside the magic circle.
Click
All one hundred and twenty of my Magic Circuits fired up with a roar. Countless emerald-green lines traced across my body, glowing beneath my clothes.
Click
A second click resounded as my circuits connected seamlessly to the summoning array beneath me.
I poured mana into the circle ceaselessly, saturating its structure like a raging torrent.
[Ultimate Analyst] stirred.
[Ultimate Detective] sharpened.
[Ultimate Precognition] activated.
[Ultimate Anthropologist] surfaced.
I spoke.
"Let silver and steel be the essence.
Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation.
Let blue be the color I pay tribute to.
Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall.
Let the four cardinal gates close.
Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom circulate."
The magic circle beneath me began to radiate a brilliant blue glow, overwhelming the original crimson hue.
"I hereby declare.
Your body shall serve under me.
My fate shall be your sword.
Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail
If you will submit to this will and this reason…Then answer!
An oath shall be sworn here!
I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven.
I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell! "
Azure radiance submerged my surroundings, rendering the world hazy and ethereal.
"From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power,
Come forth from the ring of restraints,
Protector of the Holy Balance!"
I called out...
And 'she' responded...
From beyond space and time.
The blue radiance exploded outwards, and from within the light came a voice, noble and dignified.
"I ask of you, are you my Master?"
A young girl in her early-mid teens walked out of the light. She had a slender and petite physique, soft skin, and green eyes. Her blonde hair seemed as if sprinkled with gold dust, a single ahoge rising from it. Her face was elegant with slight signs of naivety. Her clothes consisted of shining armor with a royal blue dress beneath.
I looked into her emerald green eyes. She peered back into my blank crimson pupils.
Silence fell as both of us looked at each other.
I was indifferent. She was dignified.
I was [Ultimate Despair]. She represented Hope.
"I ask of you once again, are you my Master?"
"Yes." I finally responded flatly.
"My sword is yours to command. I will give it my all to bring you victory." She replied in a heartbeat, unwavering.
"King Arthur, right?" I asked her a moment after her vow.
"Yes, Master. Though I'd prefer it more if you refer to me as Artoria." She spoke with ingrained elegance.
"Artoria... it is then." I replied and started to walk back inside, stopping for a moment to point at Medea nearby.
"This is Caster. She is my other Servant. Do get along with each other." My introduction was perfunctory, basically to get Artoria up to speed.
"Master! You can handle supplying mana to two Servants simultaneously?" Artoria asked in worry, her knightly compassion shining through.
"Hm? Now that you mention it, it is putting considerable burden on my magic circuits. Yet... it's not anything grave." I replied after a quick check. Sustaining two Servants was indeed draining my mana rapidly, but... My [Ultimate Adapter] talent was already working in the background to make sure I could adapt to it.
"Master, you have to take care of yourself." Artoria spoke while following me inside, all the while keeping a wary gaze on Medea, walking by my side to prevent Caster from any sneak attacks.
I ignored her antics for now. My gaze focused on her status:
True Name — Artoria Pendragon
Alignment — Lawful Good
Parameters:
Strength — A
Endurance — B
Agility — B
Mana — A
Luck — A+
NP — A++
Class Skills:
Magic Resistance — A
Riding — B
Personal Skills:
Charisma — B
Instinct — A
Mana Burst — A
Noble Phantasm:
The Sword of Promised Victory, Excalibur (Anti-Fortress) — A++
Invisible Air (Anti-Unit) — C
.
Meanwhile... Medea was left dumbfounded outside.
Did someone just steal my home?
...
..
.
Evening.
"So, Master... Why do you want to exchange swords with me again?" Artoria asked, a hint of disbelief on her dignified face.
Her armor was gone, the royal blue dress beneath it now fully visible.
"I just wanted to know... if the legendary King of Knights could hold out against me for some time in a sword exchange. It might be slightly interesting." I replied without expression, throwing a sword towards her.
"Are you sure about this, Master?" Artoria asked one last time, catching the sword mid-sentence and holding it with a perfect stance.
"I'm sure," I replied without expression. A barely imperceptible tint of interest blazing within my crimson eyes.
Why would I not be sure?
I had the [Ultimate Swordsman] talent.
I was just curious which would be superior...
[Ultimate Swordsman] or the King of Knights?
[Ultimate Analyst] could not give a definite winner.
[Ultimate Detective] could not deduce who was better.
I did not know who would surpass the other...
And that made it all the more interesting.
...
Artoria Pendragon... was not boring.
At least... not yet.
...
..
.
***
[200 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter]
[5 chapters ahead on P@tr3on = [email protected]/Not_Aaryan]
...
[Ultimate Swordsman]: Peko Pekoyama's Talent. She was able to contend with the [Ultimate Soldier] Mukuro with this talent. Izuru should able to use a sword to an extent where it could be better than Peko's.
[Author's Thoughts]
Our King is here and she's already marking her territory. Poor Medea got sidelined the moment our glorious King made an appearance.
Who do you think is better suited to be with Izuru,
Medea or Artoria?
Or maybe... both?
After all... only children choose, adults take it all.