Jayr POV - Nasuverse, Moon, SE.RA.PH, Tsukumihara Academy - 2030 AD
Three days left. That is the number that hangs in my mind the moment I wake up.
It isn't just a countdown; it is a constant weight pressing between every breath.
The artificial dawn once again shimmers through the simulated curtains, painting gold across the marble floor of our Private Room.
Nero is already awake, lounging on the couch, idly toying with her sword's hilt as faint motes of red light flicker around her while her gaze lingers on the two paintings we drew yesterday, and a small content smile adorns her face.
Then, Nero's gaze focuses on me, and her smile grows infuriatingly confident as she says, "Three days, Praetor. Plenty of time for Rome to prepare for triumph."
I sit up, and with an equally confident smile on my face, I humorously reply in a dry tone, "Or for everything to fall apart and burn down." Making Nero laugh out loud, "Hahaha! Ever the pessimist. You should learn from me, optimism makes for finer speeches and finer sleep."
In response, I smile faintly, adjust my jacket, and throw a metaphorical jab, "And finer migraines, apparently."
Her expression flickers, then she gives me a mock glare before sighing dramatically and saying, "Low blow, my dear Praetor. Very low."
Despite her theatrics, the truth sits between us; the next battle is close, very close.
After that, we go over our usual checks, our equipment, and energy levels, make sure that no one tried to break past our Private Room's defenses, and once we make sure that everything is in order, I push myself up and say, "Let's make use of the day. We've already done the hard part... Now it's time to observe and prepare."
Nero rises with a flourish, dissolving into light as she shifts into her Spirit Form. Her voice whispers directly into my mind, warm and amused. [You lead, Praetor. I'll watch. The world will not see me, but Rome's eyes miss nothing.]
I nod, and without wasting any more time, I step out into the corridor.
The academy feels different now, quieter, more aware.
Walking through the campus, I can see various NPCs, who appear as busy students, and among them, I also notice the Masters.
Not only do the NPCs look slightly different, but their behavior seems a little off; maybe it's their lack of a soul. To them, this battle is just a string of data variables.
Within a small group of gathered Masters, one person stands out like a sore thumb as the force of his presence overwhelms his seemingly innocent appearance.
It is a 14-year-old student with short, blond hair styled neatly above the ears and with long bangs, fair skin, green eyes, and a slight, confident smirk on his face.
He is wearing a custom Tsukumihara Academy uniform that makes him stand out amongst the students with its distinctive orange jacket and matching pants.
The jacket has dark brown trim around the edges and features a small, decorative patch on the left side.
Underneath the jacket, there is a high-collared shirt with a small bow at the neck. He also wears black fingerless gloves on one hand and white boots.
Naturally, he is Leonardo Bistario Harwey, more commonly known as Leonardo B. Harwey, or even as simply Leo.
(Image Here - Leonardo B. Harwey)
Leo is the heir to the Harwey family that owns sixty percent of the wealth of the real world.
When he was 3 years old, the Harwey family invested in him as he showed his great potential, thus he underwent repeated surgery as a child, including a sound thaumaturgical process to burn knowledge directly into his brain as the Harwey shaped him to be the ideal ruler.
Standing right behind Leo is a shadowy figure radiating the same aura of strength who is clad in armor and armed with a sword, his aura marks him as a Servant.
He is a tall young man with wavy dishwater blond hair and aqua eyes with long eyelashes.
He is wearing a full set of pristine silver-white armor, which covers his torso, arms, and legs.
Parts of his limbs, particularly his upper arms and the area around his thighs, are covered in dark fabric with blue sections showing between the armor plates.
The armor is adorned with small gold-colored rivets and a delicate floral design on the chest plate.
He is Leo's Servant, Sir Gawain, a Saber Class Servant.
(Image Here - Gawain)
He is one of the Knights of the Round Table that appeared in the Arthurian legends, also known as the White Knight of the Round Table.
If King Arthur was the night, the symbol of the moon itself, then Sir Gawain was the day, who shoulders the sun.
He acted as King Arthur's impersonator in the royal castle of Camelot; in other words, he was one of the candidates to substitute for the King after his fall.
He is the bearer of the sister-sword to Excalibur, Excalibur Galatine.
However, in his blind adoration for the King, he remained unaware of the King's agony.
A loyal knight just like Sir Bedivere, who took care of King Arthur in his final moments, but unlike Bedivere, who wished for the King to attain happiness as a person from the bottom of his heart, Gawain wished for him to flourish as a king.
Unmindful of such evaluation and intentions from those who surrounded him, Sir Gawain remained as King Arthur's right-hand to the end.
Leo notices my presence, and with a confident smile on his face, he says, "Oh... Nice to meet you, I am Leonardo B. Harwey. I see you qualified for the actual tournament as well. I did notice that you were slightly different from the other teachers; it seems I was right."
Suddenly, Leo seems to remember something as he turns around to look at his Servant and says, "... Oh, Gawain? Ah, how forgetful of me. Gawain. Introduce yourself."
In response to his Master's request, Sir Gawain steps forward, nods in greeting while an enigmatic smile forms on his lips, and says, "I am his Servant, Gawain. I am pleased to meet you, and hope you will be a worthy foe."
He is the exemplar of knighthood and, though a Servant, has the same bearing as his Master.
In response to Gawain's greeting, nod back and say, "Likewise. I am Jayr Pucci. I wish you all the best."
Leo is perfectly aware of how much information he's giving to everyone, but he seems completely unconcerned.
It's obvious that he chooses not to concern himself with such things as subtlety or tactics, for him, if something is destined to be revealed, so be it.
From his point of view, his victory is all but assured; his superiority over others was clearly reinforced every day since he was born.
This may be a respectable attitude for some of the most ignorant ones, but for me, it is absolutely foolish.
I mean, I've witnessed even Gods falling because of their arrogance and sense of superiority, many at my own hands, and Leo is nothing but an ant compared to them.
At the very least, while arrogant, he doesn't act like a spoiled young master in some cultivation novel; in fact, he can be considered quite kind and just.
Shortly after my greeting, Leo says, "I must take my leave now. I hope to see you again. Please fight with honor and pride."
With a polite bow, Leo and his Servant turn around and depart, leaving me smiling wryly while looking at their retreating figures, while I hear Nero's voice in my mind, followed after a beat of silence, [Hmph. That boy speaks like a marble statue. Cold, smooth, and boring. Rome could turn him into an ornament.]
Hearing that, I hold myself back from chuckling and say, [It's not all that wrong. He was raised to be a perfect ruler, but because of that, he lacks normal human emotions. Leo himself is more aware than anyone that he was desired as a ruler and raised to be a ruler. A king is not someone who comes from the human world, but one who is sent by the heavens to the earth. Those who are born thus are said to possess regality. Leo's regality is a "thorough ideal." One can say he is a lord of a level unattainable by the average person; someone who has overcome the contradiction of having discarded human feelings while full of humaneness, for the purpose of realizing a totalitarian society where people of unequal skills can live in equality. Though he has had no freedom since birth, that he nevertheless has a calm personality is no doubt his innate nature.]
Nero's response is instantaneous as she loudly snorts and says, [Hmph! To be 'sent by the heavens,' is it? How dreadfully dull! A ruler born without choice, molded by fate and stripped of freedom… Ugh! There is no king! That is a statue in a temple, adored yet lifeless! A true emperor, you see, is not born divine, but becomes so by the strength of their own will! I, Nero Claudius, was no gift from the heavens! I seized my throne with my own two hands! I laughed, I cried, I burned with passion, and for that, my Rome adored me! You say this Leo has no freedom and yet is calm? Pfah! I say that is the calm of a puppet, not the heart of a ruler. A king who abandons his humanity in pursuit of perfection will never understand the joy of his people, nor their sorrow. If we face him in the future, I will tell him this: "Your ideals may be perfect, little lion, but they are bloodless. The world does not need gods dressed as kings. It needs humans bold enough to rule despite their flaws!" ...Still, I admit, there is beauty in such resolve. But let it be known: even a star sent from the heavens must bow before the radiance of Rome's Emperor of Roses!]
The next moment, Rin walks up next to me and mutters, while shooting a murderous glare that is almost palpable at Leo, "Leo...!? I knew one of the Harways would be here, but the scion of the family himself... The powers of the Holy Grail... I guess the plutocrats of Europe see a threat in the SE.RA.PH. But still, to risk him... Oh well, what was borrowed on Earth will be repaid in Heaven... Things just got more interesting, although my powers as a magus are far superior to his!"
Then, without so much as saying hi, the now fired-up Rin Tohsaka almost seems to stomp away.
The next moment, I hear Nero's voice chuckling in my mind, [That woman has spirit. I'm starting to like her.]
I keep the wry smile on my face while thinking, 'Of course... She may be a different version of Rin Tohsaka, but she is still a feisty one.' While at the same time I reply, [Of course you do. She reminds you of yourself.]
At this point, I feel Nero's smugness bleed into my mind as she comments, [Bold, brilliant, beautiful. Yes, I see the resemblance.]
Shortly after that, I resume the exploration of the campus and soon notice that the groups of laughing NPC students pretending this was a school and not a war zone are now gone, likely going through their classes as programmed.
Now, only wary Masters walk the hallways and paths of the campus, their steps quick and careful, eyes darting as if even the shadows might conceal an enemy Servant.
Suddenly, Nero's voice murmurs near my ear, "The atmosphere has changed. It feels like Rome on the eve of battle. Beautiful, tense, expectant."
I take another quick glance at my surroundings and murmur back, "Everyone's waiting for something. The Secondary Trigger, most likely. After all, I'm pretty confident that most of the Masters have already retrieved their Primary Trigger at this point."
She hums softly; the sound is both thoughtful and distant.
Like that, time passes, and soon the simulated sun begins to dip toward orange, and I spot the black-clad figure crossing the hallway, making me casually greet him with a nod, "Father Kotomine."
He focuses on me, the faintest of smiles touches his face, the kind of smile that never reaches the eyes, before he says, "Ah, one of the Irregular Masters. How fortunate. I was just about to search for you. You already have a cipher key... Excellent. You'll soon get the other one at this rate. The second floor is where you'll find the Secondary Trigger. Head to the Arena. You should be able to go to the new floor now. I've said my piece."
After saying that, Father Kotomine moves to leave, but after taking a single step, he stops and turns his head to look at me once more and says, "Oh, I almost forgot to ask. Have you set foot in the chapel yet? The system's jurisdiction doesn't penetrate that far, but... You can strengthen your Servant there. Well, I've said my piece. Go and slaughter to your heart's content."
Hearing that stuns me for a brief moment, 'Eh? Can I strengthen Nero? I thought that it was a feature only avaiable in the game where one strengthens the link between the Master's and the Servant's souls by hacking into each soul and choosing what to improve, allowing an increase of a Servant's parameters and unlocking new skills, but I quickly dismissed that as I felt that the link between Nero and I was already strong enough. But if it is truly possible to improve it even more... Then it changes everything! I may be able to fully unlock Nero's potential and even gain a few extra advantages.'
While my mind starts to think of all the brand new possibilities produced by this new revelation, Father Kotomine silently leaves, and I feel Nero's presence stir beside me, her voice curious, [Strengthen a Servant he said… sounds intriguing. Shall we test it, Praetor?]
In response to Nero's question, I just nod silently before quickly leaving the main building through the door close to the Nurse's Office, finding myself in the enchanting garden encircled by flowers with a circular fountain in the middle, and completing everything is the chapel found on the other side of the garden.
I calmly approach the chapel, push open the door, and go inside, where it is dark and eerily silent. At the same time, I realize that what Father Kotomine said is true; this place is completely cut off from the rest of the world created by SE.RA.PH.
There's no one in the pews, and as I get used to the dim light, a flash of colors almost hurts my eyes, and I notice the presence of two women sitting at the sides of the altar, where a cube of swirling data silently floats above it.
The one on the right side of the altar is a beautiful young woman with long, flowing red hair that reaches down to her waist, fair skin, and striking red eyes.
Her expression is subtle, with a slight smirk that adds an air of confidence and nonchalance.
She is wearing a dark gray hoodie with a blue drawstring, paired with white jeans that are held up by a blue and white striped belt.
Her footwear consists of red, white, and black sneakers, which complement the overall color scheme of her outfit.
I immediately recognize her; she is Aoko Aozaki, the first protagonist of Mahou Tsukai no Yoru and a supporting character in the Tsukihime series and Tsukihime Remake series, but more importantly, she is the Magician of the Fifth Magic, which makes her one of the strongest characters of the whole Nasuverse.
(Image Here - Aoko Aozaki)
On the left side of the altar is a young adult woman with light blue, neatly styled short hair and sharp blue eyes framed by rectangular glasses.
She wears a fitted, dark purple blouse with ruffled detailing on the chest and slightly puffed sleeves; a gold brooch fastens the collar, adding a refined touch.
Her outfit is completed with high-waisted, slim white pants and white heeled boots that have light purple soles and gold buttons near the ankles.
Naturally, I also recognize her; she is Touko Aozaki, the older sister of Aoko Aozaki, a principal character in Kara no Kyoukai, the main antagonist of Mahou Tsukai no Yoru, and a supporting character in Lord El-Melloi II's Case Files, and more importantly, a genius with talents that are independent of her lineage and one of the most powerful magi in the world.
(Image Here - Touko Aozaki)
While I briefly focus on them, they also notice my presence, and Aoko greets me by saying, "Hey there, welcome to the chapel. You're here to perform an Alteration of the Soul?"
This is followed by Touko, who says, "Ah, you're one of those... What was it again? ...Ah, right! Irregulars! The ones who arrived here from the universes outside the control of the Root to take part in this Holy Grail War. The ones who forced such a unique and fascinating change. Well, it's not like the derailments matter. And the more test subjects, the better, I always say. Welcome to the Eden of the East. I assume you're here for an Alteration of the Soul?"
In response to their question, I simply nod, making Aoko nod back and say, "My job is to perform Alterations made possible by various events. You get the gist of it, right? If you want to do an Alteration of the Soul, let me know."
Then Aoko throws a glance full of disdain at her sister and says, "As for that creature over there, she's totally useless, like 8-track tapes, or the C:\ prompt."
Hearing that, Touko snorts and shoots back, "And you're lower than dirt. Don't screw up or the Moon Cell will come down on you... again."
Aoko groans out loud before she tries to defend herself, "Gah! How many times do I have to tell you that the Master was at fault... That time! They specifically told me to do quasi-legal Alterations, so I added a few... Extra skills."
Watching their exchange, I can't help but let out a chuckle while thinking, 'No matter what reality, those two still can't stand one another... This all started because Aoko was chosen as the Aozaki family's successor over Touko, leading to a long-standing rivalry where Touko expresses her resentment by stealing money and other items from Aoko, while Aoko views her sister as irresponsible.'
In an instant, Touko focuses on me and coldly says, "Laugh now, but it wouldn't be funny to the one who lost because of her towering incompetence. Listen well, young man. If you value your life, do not put any trust in that 'thing's' abilities. If I were you, I'd stick to regaining the spiritual statuses that your Servant may have lost."
At this point, I briefly take another look at the altar, then focus back on Aoko, who asks, "Well then, what do you say we try an Alteration right now?"
I smile and say, "Let's try. I'd like to see this Alteration of the Soul with my own eyes." While thinking, 'I already have a pretty solid idea on how this is going to work... But before I do anything else, I'd like to be more careful and watch how they do it...'
At the same time, Nero materializes beside me, her form solidifying in a cascade of golden light. She then looks around, unimpressed, before she walks up to the altar.
Aoko stands up, claps her hands, and exclaims while her lips form into a confident smirk, "Good..."
The next moment, a holographic interface flickers to life in front of Aoko as she starts to quickly move her fingers over it, until she suddenly exclaims, "What the hell is going on here!? Your Servant's parameters are already maxed out! This is incredible... The link between you and your Servant is one of the strongest I have ever seen! What an absurd Master-Servant pair...!"
While Aoko is shocked by what she is seeing, I focus all my attention on what is happening at the moment, using everything at my disposal, making me realize, 'I see! This is why this process can only be done in the chapel since it is completely cut off from the system of SE.RA.PH and the rest of the world, but directly connected to the Moon Cell, it is also completely safe from any kind of outside interference. Basically, it is like my Private Room but with direct access to the Moon Cell.'
Realizing that, I don't waste any more time and approach the altar while gently shoving Aoko out of the way and say, "Excuse me."
In response, Aoko is about to loudly complain, but Touko stops her by saying, "Just let him do whatever he wants... At worst, he messes up and gets himself killed," before she mutters in a low tone, "And it is not like any of us can do anything to stop him..."
At this point, I fully focus on Nero and the interface in front of me while thinking, 'Indeed... This is the current limit that my link with Nero can achieve... but it isn't the actual limit we can possibly reach.'
Coming to that conclusion, I start to move my fingers over the interface initiatiating the ritual of the Alteration of the Soul.
The air shimmers as motes of light start spiraling between us before forming a massive pillar of light.
Circuits start to flare along my skin, mirrored by runic lines of red and gold that bloom across Nero's body.
For a moment, the world dissolve and I see her, not the emperor, not the Servant, but Nero Claudius, the woman beneath the crown.
Suddenly, I sense an immense pressure, likely the warning of the Moon Cell, but I completely ignore the feeling and continue.
The link between us deepens even more, a current of emotion and power threading through our souls.
At this point, the Moon Cell reacts and attacks us in an attempt to stop us, releasing a pillar of energy that is about to crash onto us. But I unleash the full scope of my powers and Divinity and forcefully stop the Moon Cell's attack and any further interference.
My heart races, not from pain but from sheer resonance, two wills, two stories, sharing the same rhythm, and then I access Nero's Heroic Spirit core directly, reaching the heroic spirit's root that the Moon Cell has sealed away.
This is an origin that even the person themselves, in this case, Nero, can never know.
The farthest point that became the cause of the birth of the entity known as Nero, in other words, zero.
At this point, I fully focus my Spiral Cosmo into Nero's Heroic Spirit core and remove the limiter placed on her, allowing her to acquire that level of "fundamental truth" which will help her release the Mythological Mystic Code and take the Mythological Mystic Code of Emperor Form that will allow her to be able to raise her spiritual rank according to her will, unleashing literlly an absurd level of power, the ultimate trump card.
The only downside is that the Mythological Mystic Code is a very powerful engine and its power places much burden on the Servant to the point that the basic Servant frame is not capable of withstanding the power output of the Mythological Mystic Code, thus can only be used one time only, if not it will cause massive damage and even outright destroy Nero, but with my abilities, I am confident that I can fix it.
Done with releasing the Mythological Mystic Code, I am about to leave Nero's Heroic Spirit core when I suddenly notice my Anti-Spiral Cosmo react to something else deeply hidden within the heroic spirit's root.
Following this feeling for a bit, I peel away the hidden veil and see it glowing into blood crimson light, another power deeply tied to Nero, this time one much darker, which has potential for untold destruction, the power of the Beast Class.
The Beasts of Calamity, symbolizing the seven Evils of Man, are an Extra Class that manifests as calamities that threaten human history.
Beasts are typically a larger class of Saint Graph beyond the scope of Servant Saint Graphs, but they do share the characteristics of Parameters, Skills, and Noble Phantasms.
Looking at that well of power, I ponder, 'This is a risky power, but something that we may need to face the other Champions. The power of the Beast Class is absolutely insane, maybe even more powerful Mythological Mystic Code.'
For a moment, I am unsure of what to do, but then I feel Nero's will and immense trust, so I stop hesitating and use my Anti-Spiral Cosmo as a bridge and focus. I also release the power of the Beast Class.
Again, the Moon Cell strongly reacts to what I'm about to do and fiercely struggles, but my hold on it is way too strong, and so it can only watch as I continue.
In an instant, the whole heroic spirit's root turns crimson and starts to shake, but then, Nero and I combine our wills and use my Anti-Spiral Cosmo to tame the power of the Beast Class, making everything return to its normal state, excluding the presence of a blood crimson sigil hovering right next to the golden one representing the Mythological Mystic Code.
At this point, I willingly leave Nero's Heroic Spirit core and open my eyes just in time to see the pillar of light fade away.
Nero then exhales, her aura burning brighter than ever, "Ah… magnificent! I feel alive as if my first breath! My sword sings in my veins again!"
She twirls, her dress swirling in a flare of scarlet as she praises me, "Praetor, you have outdone yourself. You have fed the flame of Rome itself, making it burn brighter than ever!"
Hearing that, I smile before I offer her a theatrical bow and say, "You're welcome, Your Majesty."