Chapter 578: Archer·Sakatsuki, Deployed
The grudge between Shinji and Sakatsuki had been brewing since the preliminary rounds. While Shinji resented Sakatsuki for stealing his spotlight and often mocked him, what was interesting was that Sakatsuki—someone so prideful—never ignored Shinji's clownish remarks, always countering with sharper retorts.
Back and forth, their relationship grew increasingly hostile.
But this time, faced with Shinji's provocation, Sakatsuki merely shrugged. "Sorry, but I won't be entertaining your request. After all, I'm just a weak, pitiful, and helpless Servant."
Under Shinji's disbelieving stare—his face practically screaming "Are you freaking kidding me?"—Sakatsuki boldly looped an arm around Hakuno's and grinned. "For details, please consult my newly contracted Master—Miss Kishinami Hakuno!"
"Huh?! Wait a second!"
Shinji's eyes widened as he first scrutinized Sakatsuki's changed attire, then fixed his gaze on the three Command Spells on Hakuno's hand. After a long pause, reality finally sank in. "You actually became a Servant?! And contracted with an idiot like Hakuno?!"
"How dare you call my Master an idiot?" Sakatsuki shot back. Then, in front of everyone, he swept Hakuno off her feet in a princess carry, bouncing her slender legs slightly before declaring loudly, "These legs could keep me entertained for a whole year!"
Kishinami Hakuno: "!!!"
Matou Shinji: "???"
Rin Tohsaka, passing by: "?!!"
"You—you, I—" Shinji's finger trembled as he pointed at Sakatsuki, who showed not a shred of shame. It took him a while to finally choke out, "I never thought you were this kind of person!"
Shinji's mind was blown.jpg
"Hahahaha, this guy's hilarious!" The Servant beside him burst into laughter, her voice hearty as her ample chest heaved with mirth. "Hey, what's with the shock, Master? Life's meant to be enjoyed to the fullest!"
She even ignored the awkward atmosphere, enthusiastically waving at Sakatsuki. "Hey, you! Let's grab a drink sometime!"
"Sure thing," the young man replied with a laugh, still holding his Master. As for Hakuno, she had already buried her face in Sakatsuki's chest under the surrounding stares, refusing to show herself.
At this rate, people would definitely think she was a Master who seduced her Servant with her looks!
Once again, Kishinami Hakuno felt the crushing despair of social death...
Without further exchange, after Sakatsuki dropped his bombshell, Shinji—with the strange sense of loss that came with having his lines stolen—dragged his Servant away in a flustered retreat.
Meanwhile, Sakatsuki, with Hakuno's small hands desperately clutching his waist, strode into the arena to begin tonight's main event.
"What? You say your legs are too weak to walk? Hmm... but the enemy programs are already charging at us, you know?"
"Eek—!"
Today's Sakatsuki was also enthusiastically tormenting his Master~
———
Arena: First Lunar Sea.
As a battlefield opened during the first round, the Sea of Thoughts in the First Month presented a deep blue labyrinth, with numerous hostile programs lurking within, quietly waiting for the Masters and their Servants who dared to invade their territory.
Hostile programs.
Created by the Moon Spirit Crystals to eliminate unqualified Masters, these autonomous combat programs come in various bizarre shapes and possess varying levels of combat ability... but one thing remains the same: they harbor hostility towards any Masters and Servants that intrude into their territory.
Once within their attack range, they will launch an assault without hesitation, fighting to the death.
Even the weakest hostile program possesses combat power that ordinary magi find difficult to handle; this is precisely why the existence known as 'Servants' becomes the ticket for Masters to enter the arena in the Holy Grail War of the Moon.
However, this does not guarantee absolute safety. As the saying goes, two fists cannot defeat four hands; even the embodiment of heroes known as Servants can be overwhelmed by a swarm of hostile programs, let alone when they have a weak Master to protect.
This awkward situation is particularly evident in the first layer of the Sea of Thoughts, where a group of Masters and Servants is being chased around by a massive number of hostile programs, shouting in panic. Among them are unfortunate souls whose reckless commands lead to their Servants being injured by hostile programs, forcing them to activate their spells and escape in a flurry.
If they do not make progress, they will be unable to explore the arena further; and if they cannot conquer the Sea of Thoughts, they can forget about obtaining the key to the next round and qualifying for the first battle—Masters of such low caliber will lose their qualification to fight against other opponents and be erased by the Moon Spirit Crystals.
Amidst the lively arena labyrinth, reminiscent of a school spring outing, there exists a pair of Master and Servant that stands out from the rest.
"They're coming from behind, Sakatsuki."
"OK."
The nonchalant Master and the composed Servant—accompanied by the youth in a red robe drawing his sword, a flash of cold light passed by, and both the hostile programs in front and behind fell to the ground, disintegrating into their original data particles, dissipating within the Sea of Thoughts.
Confirming that all surrounding hostile programs had been eliminated, Shirano Baiye called up the Master panel, where the increase in QP was evident, bringing joy to the girl's heart.
"Nice job, Sakatsuki."
Compared to those rookie trainers who had just captured their Pokémon and embarked on their adventures, Shirano Baiye appeared much more astute. She understood that her amnesiac companion knew nothing about combat, so she entrusted all her faith to Sakatsuki, allowing him to attack freely while she merely observed from a god's-eye view, offering reminders when necessary.
In contrast to other Masters who competed for the initiative against rebellious Servants, Baiye seemed much more laid-back, which is why her synergy with Sakatsuki was incredibly smooth—by the time they had taken down the seventh hostile program, they had already developed a preliminary rapport.
"That line should be mine to say; it's rare to encounter such a reasonable Master."
Throwing the black and white dual swords behind him, the legendary duo of Gan Jiang and Mo Ye transformed into spirit particles and dissipated, as Sakatsuki returned to Baiye's side, his tone filled with appreciation: "The progress is faster than I expected. Let's call it a day for today's battle; next, just read the books I picked out for you and learn the spells before the first round."
"I get it..." Hakuno sighed helplessly. Though wearing her school uniform, the reluctance to memorize texts was probably a sentiment shared by all students.
A gentle sensation touched her head as Sakatsuki placed his palm on her hair, giving it a light ruffle with a smile playing on his lips:
"Don't be so downcast. Magecraft is actually quite fascinating—trust me, it won't disappoint you."
"R-really..."
Hakuno found herself momentarily stunned by the young man's handsome features before quickly turning away, feigning nonchalance as she changed the subject. "Speaking of which, I didn't expect to see Shinji again, but that female Servant with him was..."
"Francis Drake."
"...Huh?"
The girl froze, unsure whether her shock stemmed from Sakatsuki casually revealing the Servant's true name or the significance behind that name itself.
"Captain Drake, the Star of the Pioneer who roamed the seven seas, crossed the Atlantic, defeated the supposedly invincible Spanish Armada, and became a legendary hero... What's wrong? That expression—are you surprised she's a woman?"
"N-no, not that." Hakuno shook her head. "What I'm more curious about is... how did you know her true name?"
Servants were shadows of Heroic Spirits walking among humans.
To Hakuno, while Sakatsuki had appeared in the selection battles, the fact that he'd become a Servant meant he must have left a remarkable mark on human history.
If he could identify Captain Drake's true identity at a glance, did that mean his past had intersected with that legendary pirate's?
"Don't doubt it, Hakuno. I'm undoubtedly a traveler living in the modern era."
Sakatsuki immediately discerned the girl's thoughts. "If there's anything special about me, it's that I know the appearances and true names of most Servants—not through historical records distorted by time, but their actual, authentic forms in this universe."
As proof, he casually pointed toward several figures at the maze's far end. "See? The one wearing the skull mask with a thick left arm is Cursed Arm Hassan of the Assassin Order. That white-haired boy carrying a greatsword is the executioner Charles-Henri Sanson. That androgynous French individual is the Chevalier d'Eon... My my, even Medusa got summoned, huh."
Watching dumbfounded as Sakatsuki effortlessly revealed each Servant's true identity, Hakuno found it increasingly incomprehensible when she finally regained her wits. "How... how are you doing this?"
"Just seen too many of them." Sakatsuki's smile turned slightly bitter as he recalled the daily parade of gold and rainbow orbs that never appeared for him back in Chaldea. "Anyway, it's a long story."
"Oh, uh-huh..."
Hakuno nodded half-understandingly when suddenly, Sakatsuki's expression shifted subtly as he turned to her:
"Hakuno, we're ending today's exploration here. Can you return on your own?"
"Of course." Noticing the change in atmosphere, the girl's expression turned serious. "Did something happen? Do you need help?"
"No, this is personal."
The young man spoke in a calm tone, his gaze fixed silently on some distant point as the whispers of familiars reached his ears. Hakuno had never seen Sakatsuki look so serious before, and could only stare blankly as he turned and strode deeper into the labyrinth, heading toward where the sounds of battle grew increasingly fierce.
[Did you hear? Someone's rallying others to hunt down a lone Master, trying to eliminate the threat early.]
[A Master without a Servant for some reason. How strange—did the Servant withdraw early, or was there an error with the Moon Cell?]
[That little girl in the red dress seems to have top-tier magecraft skills.]
[Exactly. That's why she's seen as a threat.]
A little girl. In a red dress.
A Master without a Servant.
So, you're there after all, my little red dragon.
The young man lowered his eyes, his crimson coat flaring behind him like bloodstained wings as the steel light surrounding him tore through any hostile programs daring to approach, forcing the Masters and Servants he encountered to retreat in alarm.
His fighting spirit blazed fiercely as the blue-and-gold Crown Bow of Orion materialized in his grasp. Though flickering like a phantom, the authority it held was unmistakably genuine—the rank of a Grand Servant.
Now that his class had shifted to Archer, Sakatsuki could once more access sealed records, summoning forth the bow that symbolized Orion to fight by his side.
As he advanced, an aura of cold, regal intensity radiated from him, his entire being sharpening into an unstoppable arrow hurtling toward the girl's location.
—Archer·Sakatsuki, deploying!