After savoring Sion's warmth, Steve slowly released her from his embrace but still held her hand firmly. His gaze drifted past the bridge's bustling crowds, finally settling on the one figure that had never moved—his Servant, Watcher. Watcher stood quietly in the shadows at the edge of the bridge, as unmoving as a statue. The surrounding mountains, the waves of cheers and celebrations, none of it seemed able to penetrate the three-foot space around him. He belonged neither to this victory nor was he free from it—simply... watching, witnessing.
The great and decisive battle that determined the fate of civilization felt, from the perspective of history's long river, like just a slightly bigger ripple, worth recording but not truly changing anything in the deeper flow of time. This detached stance further intensified the emotions stirring in Steve's heart after the victory. He gently patted the back of Sion's hand, signaled her to wait, then walked toward the silent shadow.
Approaching, it felt as if the clamor of the world was cut off by some invisible force. Standing before Watcher, Steve felt as though only they were left in the world. The face under the hood was still blurred, but Steve could feel Watcher's "gaze" upon him.
"Watcher," he said calmly and firmly. "We have won this war. The Predatory Star is eliminated, and the greatest threat to humanity has, for now, been removed. The path of human reason has never been more established, thanks to our efforts." He paused, eyes sharp. "Now, I must know—your undefined Noble Phantasm: in this moment, with the stability of human reason, have its conditions for true name release been fulfilled?"
"If so, what is its effect?"
This question had lingered in Steve's mind ever since Watcher answered his summons. This abnormal Servant, so critical to the war, always seemed like a black box—full of key insights but locked shut. Now, Steve felt, it was time to open it.
Watcher's form shifted faintly, as if in salute. Then, a voice both emotionless and crystal clear echoed in Steve's mind, blocking out the outside world.
"—As you deduced, Master. The great cause you have achieved is the final and only key to releasing me, the Nameless Noble Phantasm."
Even before the words fell, an unparalleled ripple of solemn magical energy radiated softly from the core of Watcher's spiritual foundation. Watcher slowly raised a hand, the palm swathed in wide robes, and splayed it open—a gesture that seemed woven from starlight.
Instead of a war cry, Watcher began the release of his true name as if a historian writing the opening lines of an epic saga:
"I witness, I record."
"From the first note of the flood to the last echo of its end."
"From personal joys and sorrows to the rise and fall of civilizations."
"Here, under the name of the Observer, humanity forges an unprecedented new era through its own power..."
As the chant continued, Watcher's entire being began to glow with a golden light—not blinding, but overwhelmingly solid, stable, and indisputable in presence. It was as if something was being forged from "possibility" into "established reality."
"—Present the cornerstone."
At this, the light condensed. Watcher's form still blurred, but Steve could feel the bond between them grow profoundly close. Watcher was no longer just an 'outsider' or a summoned entity, but now an unwavering guidepost, a part of the world itself.
"My Noble Phantasm's true name is Ancora Fundamenti Principiorum."
Watcher's voice echoed in Steve's mind, elaborating its true powers:
"This Noble Phantasm is not for battle, but for 'definition' and 'safeguarding.' It has threefold effects:
First is 'Anchor of Existence.'
Master, you channeled divine power as a human and led all of civilization without relying on crowned Servants or magi, overcoming the world-destroying 'Predator-Wandering Star' disaster. This feat goes far beyond ordinary parallel worlds, creating a new and powerful worldline. My Noble Phantasm irreversibly cements the existence of this Worldline as a factual reality. From now on, my very existence is absolute proof that this world is not 'pruned.' Unless my spiritual foundation is completely destroyed, the history you built will have as much 'legitimacy' as any pan-human history and cannot easily be erased by higher beings."
Second is '[True Recollection].'
Watcher raised his starry hand, projecting a vivid hologram: the moment Steve gave the 'fire' command, seen in every detail, right down to the pulse in his veins and the shine in Sion's eyes.
"As the 'Anchor of Human Order,' I have the authority to access the 'true, absolute record' of any moment or coordinate in this anchored history. Master, this isn't just a memory replay or magical simulation, but direct access to the very concept of the 'past.' Whenever needed, you can view the unwarped 'truth' of anything that happened since your arrival. This may be vital for future battles against the ultimate threats lurking beneath the surface."
Third—'Legendary Inheritance.'
Watcher's tone turned formidably solemn.
"Master, even miracles can't guarantee the future. If, someday, the world truly meets its end—if this worldline is truly destroyed from the root—then, along with this Noble Phantasm, I can fully release my spirit foundation. Everything I've recorded—your wisdom, humanity's struggle, Madam Sion's love, your final glory—will be condensed into an indelible 'information package,' a complete 'tale' sent to another parallel world as a legacy of civilization, or directly engraved in Throne Heroes.
Even if the world perishes, your story—and humanity's—will live on as eternal legend.
That is the last loyalty I can show as an 'Observer.'"
Deeply bowing, Watcher finished. This, for the 'trailblazers of history,' was the utmost respect one could express. Steve, understanding at last what it meant for Watcher to be the 'Anchor of Human Order', was left speechless.
But beyond joy or dissatisfaction, what Steve felt now was an unprecedented sense of peace that would help him endure any storm, along with the weighty duty of being 'The Protagonist of History.'
…
Profile: Watcher
True Name: ??? (His true name is the concept of "Observer" itself)
Gender: Unknown
Height: 175cm
Weight: 60kg
Alignment: Neutral, Balanced
Master: Steve Weis
Parameters:
Strength: E
Endurance: E
Agility: E
Mana: A+
Luck: A
Noble Phantasm: EX
Class Skills:
Observer - A: Specializes in gathering and analyzing information; easily sees through most hidden magic or Noble Phantasms.
Mana Resistance - B: Negates mana rank B or lower.
Personal Skills:
Quick Thinking – A: Superior intelligence processing.
Appearance – A: Form and voice change based on observer's perception; cannot be exactly defined.
Noble Phantasm: Ancora Fundamenti Principiorum (Grade: EX; Type: Conceptual; Range & Capacity: ???)
First Effect: Anchor of Existence: Fixes worldline from 'possibility' to 'established fact,' granting it legitimacy equal to pan-human history, not easily pruned.
Second Effect: True Recollection: Access & replay any moment from within the established history in perfect accuracy.
Third Effect: Legendary Inheritance: If the worldline ends, compiles its full history for other worlds or Throne Heroes, making its legend eternal.
…