A dimensional journey starting from the Dragon Clan

In the forest.

"What on earth am I doing?"

In the past twenty-four hours, Ayaka Shajo thought about this problem for the first time.

A beast with beautiful fur lay next to Ayaka. Ayaka thought blankly while stroking its belly.

"Um...what am I doing?"

"By the way, the Holy Grail War."

The silver beast howled and rubbed its head against Ayaka.

"It should be...the Holy Grail War."

Ayaka felt the warmth brought by the animals and recalled her experiences in the past half day.

············

Snowfield Center Street half a day ago

When the sun was about to rise, Ayaka was walking quickly to leave the police station, but the swordsman behind her suddenly sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"Ah, it's nothing. I asked my friend to help inquire about the situation at the police station. It seems that the people who were detained before have temporarily taken refuge outdoors."

"Then what?"

"I made an appointment with the police officers before, and I will accept their house arrest until dawn. But if I go back, I don't trust you alone, so I am hesitant about who to keep. If the police station is paralyzed, then I will be Being placed under house arrest until just now can be regarded as an act of kindness."

The swordsman's bright tone made Ayaka sigh and ask: "Are you actually planning to fulfill this agreement?"

"Promises are important. Not only do those who break them suffer misfortune, but so do those who are caught up in them."

"I still don't understand... You just said that you were "hesitating about who to keep". Aren't you alone?"

"I still have you, so I'm not alone."

Seeing the swordsman trying to fool him by making witty remarks, Ayaka gave him a cold look.

"Hahaha, even if you look at me like this, I can't reveal my trump card in a place like this. But if you want to know anyway, I can give you a hint..."

"No need." Ayaka looked at the swordsman with a colder look, then sighed and continued, "But you should be really worried about me... although I think your fuck is useless. I’m heartbroken...but still, thank you.”

Hearing Ayaka's brief thank you, the swordsman smiled and shook his head, replying: "There's no need to thank me, I'm really futile. I was just doing what I wanted to do, but I got you. Thank you, this will make me more motivated. By the way, if you are tired from walking, do you want me to call the horse out? With a little magic, that guy William may help me get it out..."

"No, no need, really no need! By the way, who is William? Just don't tell me if you don't want to. Why do you have to show off the names of people I don't know one after another?"

Ayaka stopped the whimsical heroic spirit and asked her doubts.

The swordsman looked away for a moment, and then replied with a perfunctory smile: "Oh, because you have a sullen face, as if you are lonely. I think if you know that there are many invisible companions around us, you won't You must feel lonely..."

"That just makes me feel weird."

"Okay, I'll never do that again. I'll slowly explain 'everyone' to you later."

"It doesn't matter if you don't explain it. But, for example, about the lighting incident before, if there are other people who helped me without my knowledge, can you say thank you to them on my behalf..."

Hearing this, the swordsman opened his eyes wide, and after a moment he smiled and praised: "Ayaka, although you always have a stern face, you are a gentle person."

"I'm really sorry for keeping a straight face..."

As they were talking, a voice suddenly interrupted from the side.

"Hi! Girl! Girl!"

"Um?"

"Ah, it is indeed the little girl from yesterday. I saw that you seemed to be walking over from the police station. Are you okay?"

Ayaka felt as if she had heard this voice not long ago, so she turned around following the sound. I saw a young man standing there, wearing a fancy hairstyle that you will never forget once you look at it.

A mohawk, a tattoo on his neck, numerous stud rings on his face and ears... the man's punk-style look is very eye-catching. Ayaka remembered that when she first came to this city, the drugstore clerk who told her where there was a cheap motel was the man in front of her.

"You were from that time"

"I didn't expect to meet you in a place like this. What a coincidence. Could this person next to you be your boyfriend?"

"No, he is just an ordinary friend." Because he couldn't tell ordinary people about the existence of the Servant, Ayaka randomly found a name.

As for the swordsman, he looked at the man with a mohawk and the punk-style young man beside him intently, and then asked in an innocent tone: "Excuse me, did you sew these fancy clothes by yourself? ? Or should you hire a professional craftsman to sew it? And your hair, can I ask if you also combed this rebellious hairstyle yourself?"

Seeing the swordsman's eyes shining and asking questions repeatedly, the punk-style young people looked at each other. The man with a mohawk asked Ayaka: "Which country is your boyfriend from?"

"I told you, he is not my boyfriend..."

The swordsman put aside Ayaka, who was about to deny this, and interrupted: "I'm from England. In fact, including London and Winchester, I haven't been in that land for long. .”

The man said with some confusion: "Ah... I think that is the birthplace, there is no way I don't know..."

At this time, the swordsman noticed that the man was carrying a guitar case. He opened his eyes wide in realization and asked, "Could it be that you are musicians?"

"Brother musician, you are really particular about your choice of words."

"Ah, I'm sorry, the knowledge I learned is a bit biased. So where can I hear your music? In a church? A pub? Or the opera house...ah! I just destroyed that place..."

Although the swordsman's words seemed to be teasing the other party, in Ayaka's ears, there was miraculously no malice.

Previously, Ayaka felt that the swordsman had always kept a distance from her and acted calmly with everything. Now the swordsman was asking innocent questions like a child, and Ayaka finally understood: This person... probably likes music...

I don’t know if the unique charisma of heroic spirits comes into play, but the man and his group seem to have the same feeling as Ayaka. They regard the swordsman as a "weirdo who likes music."

"I don't quite understand why you ask, but do we look like people who will perform in church? Ah! That's pretty good. For example, Whoopi Goldberg (Note: Hollywood female star, representative of "Sisters") Crazy") movie."

"Is that man a famous opera singer?"

"Well, that's right." The man shrugged and told Ayaka and the swordsman, "We were originally holding an all-night concert, and suddenly there were gunshots and explosions. The guests were all ordered to evacuate by the police. Kicked out."

"...What a shame."

Recalling the battle between the priest and the vampire that she just witnessed, Ayaka couldn't help breaking out in a cold sweat.

"How about it? Are you willing to listen to our performance? We won't charge you any money."

"Ah, this..."

Because Ayaka and the others needed to hide their whereabouts, and the words "no money" made Ayaka feel guilty, so she was about to politely refuse——

"Can you? Thank you! You are such a good person. Even if I come back to my seat, I will never forget your great kindness!"

The swordsman's eyes shone brightly, and he was as happy as a child meeting a movie star for the first time. This made Ayaka completely understand.

Ah, that's for sure.

This hero... likes music very much.

············

A few minutes later, Ayaka and Kenshi followed the man with the mohawk and his bandmates into an underground Live House.

"The stairs are a bit steep, so be careful where you step. Sorry, this building is too old and doesn't have modern things like elevators."

Ayaka just asked "Is there an elevator in this building?", but the man probably understood it as something else, so he replied to her so regretfully. This made Ayaka feel guilty.

But then again, this heroic spirit... no matter how you look at it, he is a hero from around the Middle Ages, right?

Although I don’t know much about punk and metal, this kind of intense rock music is completely different from the music of his time...

Hmm...is that called classical music? No, the swordsman probably listened to it much earlier than Mozart or Beethoven.

What if he gets angry when he hears rock music... Even many modern people are disgusted with rock music, saying that it is music for young people...

Ayaka's mind was filled with negative thoughts, but she had nowhere to go, so she followed the swordsman and the band members.

She decided that if the swordsman shouted "This kind of garbage is not music at all", she would take him away by force even if she tried to use the power of the command spell.

Speaking of which, is it a command spell? Although I’ve heard how to use it, I haven’t formally signed a contract with him. Will it really be effective? And it seems that mine is still a fake command spell...

Ayaka's Command Seal is a "false Command Seal" created to seize other people's control.

Those were the five patterns implanted in Ayaka by the "White Woman" before she set foot on this land.

Although the "White Woman" said that it could command Servants just like a real Command Seal, Ayaka had no idea how credible her words were. After all, the current Holy Grail War is far from what Ayaka heard from the "White Woman".

It’s different starting from the point where “the Holy Grail War must be hidden and the fight must be carried out secretly where ordinary people cannot see”…

Even if this command spell is real, I don't know if I can use it like a magician...

Ayaka walked down the stairs while bearing the anxiety that was about to overwhelm her.

She mentally prepared herself.

However, what awaits her ahead will be a hell she has never seen before.

Facts have proved that Ayaka's mental preparations were all unfounded.

"Amazing!"

This was a lonely concert, with only Ayaka, Kenshi and a few Live House staff members who did not seek refuge in the audience. However, just after listening to the band's entire performance, the swordsman alone gave out a thunderous cheer comparable to hundreds of fans.

"Awesome! I'm so touched! I have to write this emotion into a poem and dedicate it to Avalon... No, this doesn't need excessive modification at all! Just an ordinary 'wonderful' sentence is enough! Ayaka, This is amazing, Ayaka! Do bards of this era play such exciting music?"

"Ah, no, um..."

Ayaka was speechless for a moment.

The swordsman had bright eyes and asked in a low voice at a volume that only Ayaka could hear: "What is the name of the music they play? It is completely different from the music of my time. It has been subdivided into new types. I don’t know why, but you didn’t tell me this kind of knowledge, which is obviously the most important thing! This Holy Grail War is indeed very strange, and has different possibilities from ordinary Holy Grail Wars.”

"What I find strange is that you...this kind of music is called...punk? No, maybe it's metal."

Seeing Ayaka and the swordsman secretly whispering, the guitarist who finished playing walked over curiously, and then took over Ayaka's words and said: "Ah, you can call it whatever you want. Although not long ago, there were some people who were interested in punk and metal. The difference is huge, but we are just making the music we want to do, and you can just treat it as ordinary rock and roll."

The guitarist didn't seem to be particular about the name of his music. Seeing the swordsman's unabashed joy after listening to the music, he was even a little shy.

"Rock music! That's it, this kind of music is called rock music!"

After speaking, the swordsman looked at the electric guitar in the man's hand.

"Is this the musical instrument today! This is the first time I have heard such a unique sound. The thunderous roar and the melody are in perfect harmony! It feels like my internal organs are being firmly grasped along with my soul! "

Hearing the swordsman's words as if he had seen an electric guitar for the first time, the man showed an incredulous expression and asked: "I just heard what you said about metal punk. Is it possible that you said it in such detail? You are not even the first in rock and roll." Do you want to listen to it once?”

"Ah, rock music is simply called rock. I'm ashamed to say that this is indeed the first time I've heard it. I may have heard it in other times and places, but at least I don't have this memory now. I didn't expect to get such fresh music. move!"

"I really admire you... Brother, which hill in England did you come from?"

"You can't really travel from the age of knights, right?"

The female bassist made a casual joke, to which Ayaka could only smile bitterly.

The man handed his electric guitar to the swordsman, who was as happy as a child, and asked: "Then do you want to touch it?"

"Is that okay?" After that, the swordsman's recital began.

Although it was his first time playing the guitar, the swordsman quickly became proficient in it.

Ayakashi stared blankly, with random thoughts popping up in her mind, "Sure enough, those who can become heroes can do anything," as if to remind her not to get lost in the music played by the swordsman.

While Ayaka was dazed in the corner of the room, the man brought another guitar and played with the other band members to the music of the swordsman, and finally captured the ensemble with a video camera.

The band members seemed to admire the swordsman very much and chatted about what to have for breakfast later.

The swordsman didn't even know when he took off his armor and put on a set of clothes that someone had given him that he had put in the dressing room before, dressing up like a slightly mature band member.

This outfit matched the swordsman's blond hair with red hair, which surprised Ayaka.

"Although I refuse to participate in the Holy Grail War, I am probably not qualified to say this...but has this heroic spirit really thought about seriously competing for the Holy Grail?"

After the band members said they were going to change clothes and returned to the lounge, the swordsman walked towards Ayaka, who was sitting in the corner of the stage, and asked: "Ayaka, are you okay? Are you sleepy?"

"Thanks to you, the electric guitar keeps playing and I'm sober now."

"Haha, I'm so sorry."

The swordsman sat down next to Ayaka with a smile and whispered: "There are no magic rituals in this underground place, nor are there any external surveillance devices connected to it. If you want to sleep, do it now."

Hearing this, Ayaka's eyes widened through her glasses. Ayaka thought that the swordsman must be addicted to music, let alone the Holy Grail War, and even the things they were escaping from were forgotten, but he didn't expect that he would still pay attention to these things.

"Could it be that what you just did was all an act?"

"What performance?"

"You just pretend to be moved by the music."

"How is that possible! I'm really touched! Ayaka doesn't feel touched?" The swordsman looked around the stage and auditorium, and continued, "To be honest, I wanted to sneak into a place without enemies from the beginning. The magicians were watching the place, and they were expecting to hear modern music. However, it was an unexpected surprise to encounter such a wonderful melody. Ayaka, thank you for not stopping me."

"I couldn't stop the atmosphere at that time. And even though the man with the mohawk was dressed like that, he was still quite nice." Ayaka sighed and said to the swordsman, "Actually, I don't hate it either. Song. It’s just that you are too noisy, making it difficult for me to interrupt.”

"Really, I'm really sorry...but they are so awesome! Although they wrote about their own depression and anger in the lyrics, they did not turn into simple complaints, but put these words in passionate words Shout out musically and prove your existence to the world! After all, the poems I used to listen to were all praising the heroic deeds of the great First King Arthur Pendragon and the Knights of the Round Table."

The swordsman remembered the past, his eyes shining with the same brilliance as before.

Seeing this, Ayaka thought to herself: This hero is exactly the opposite of me... When he told these things, he seemed to be happy from the bottom of his heart. It's completely different from the pessimistic me. If he hadn't been connected to someone like me through magic, he would have been able to get the Holy Grail.

"I think"

"Huh? What's wrong? If you are sleepy, I can ask you if there is a pillow or quilt."

"I'm not sleepy, I just want to ask you...what are you going to wish for the Holy Grail?"

Hearing this, the swordsman said with slight surprise: "Oh, it's so rare that you would actually ask me about the Holy Grail War."

"Nothing, I just thought that if you have a very important reason, then I have to apologize to you first, because I don't seem to be of much help in the fight for the Holy Grail."

The swordsman showed a blank expression and asked Ayaka: "Have you always cared about this? You provided me with magic power when I appeared in this world. How can you not be of any help?"

"I'm sorry, I'm actually a petty person." Ayaka said, turning her face to the side.

Seeing this, the swordsman felt troubled and said, "What's the reason for wanting the Holy Grail... I want to know too."

"What do you mean? Didn't you answer the call because you wanted the Holy Grail?"

"Normally, it should be like this, but I am not sure why I want the Holy Grail after being summoned here. In a special place called a 'seat' by magicians, there is not only space, but also time and world lines. It's all very muddy. Maybe I will have some reason to want the Holy Grail when I am summoned in the future, or somewhere else. At least I don't have that memory in my mind now."

"I don't quite understand time and memory...but don't you have any wishes? Doesn't it say that the Holy Grail can grant any wish?"

"If I said I didn't regret anything I did during my lifetime, I would definitely be lying to you, but I don't have any wish for the Holy Grail. If I get the Holy Grail, I hope I can get a body and really study. The music and opera of this era. It may not make sense to do this, but I want to bring as many songs and heroes as possible back to the place where my soul is... the 'seat' I just mentioned."

Ayaka didn't know if the swordsman was joking or serious. She turned around and saw the swordsman's face thinking seriously.

This expression made Ayaka vaguely understand that what he said was not made up casually to hide his true feelings.

This swordsman really doesn't know.

Why was he summoned as a desirer for the Holy Grail?

"The reasons why heroic spirits want the Holy Grail should be various. Maybe some heroic spirits are summoned not because they have a wish to come true, but because they have other intentions for the Holy Grail, such as wanting to destroy it. Just like when I was summoned , the heroic spirit suspected of being a stalker who appeared in the opera house, I think that’s probably what she thought.”

Then, the swordsman looked back on the past and continued: "Indeed, the great King Arthur once wanted to get the Holy Grail. As a person who respects King Arthur, I also want to get it very much. One of the reasons is that I want to send it to King Arthur's real tomb. …But I don’t want to go so far as to trample on the ambitions of other heroes and put others in danger.”

The swordsman paused, smiled wryly and nodded to Void.

"Well, you are right. This is not what I would say. After all, I was confused by the treasures related to the Round Table, and was eventually shot by you. However, it can also be said that I was because of that. You’ve learned a lesson, haven’t you?”

"You're talking to someone you can't see again..."

What the hell is the agreement just now... Ayaka was about to sigh——

The next second he swallowed the sigh.

"Let me introduce it to you, but the magic channels need to be connected more closely..."

Before he finished speaking, the swordsman stretched out his hand and gently touched the tattoo on Ayaka's right hand.

"What do you want to do..." In an instant, a clear "scenery" spread out in Ayakashi's mind.

"ah……"

In a watchtower that resembled a Western castle or fortress, a man was wrapped in bandages and holding a crossbow in his hand.

His eyes can be seen through the gaps in the bandage, as sharp as an eagle aiming at its prey, but full of gentle colors.

The man glanced at Ayaka, then looked away as if he was at a loss, and then nodded slightly.

At the same time, the scenery in front of Ayaka changed back to the original Live House.

"That was just now..."

Ayaka asked, deeply confused as she saw a picture that was far removed from reality.

The swordsman smiled and replied: "Pierre Basil, a skilled archer."

"who?"

It was said to be an introduction, but Ayaka still knew nothing about her other than her name. She was just about to ask the swordsman to explain in more detail, but was blocked by the latter's next sentence. She could only open and close her mouth silently like a goldfish.

"I was killed by him."

"Huh……"

"There are two Noble Phantasms or trump cards that I can use. One of them is the guys I choose. With their consent, I can copy their souls from the 'seat' and travel with me."

Facing the stunned Ayaka, the swordsman briefly talked about his characteristics as a heroic spirit.

"It's impossible for them to appear physically like Servants from beginning to end. If they all appeared, it would consume a lot of magic power. Most mages can't afford it, and they may be exhausted in the blink of an eye. And die."

"No...wait..."

"So they will use my magic power to use their own 'skills' or 'magic' to help me, such as the arrow that bounces off the arm of the heroic spirit at the opera house, and the luminous water balloon used when the police station has a power outage. In addition, they You can talk to me normally, but it seems like you have to use magic power to talk to Ayaka just like before."

"Not you first"

Ayaka's cheeks twitched slightly, but it wasn't because she couldn't understand what the swordsman just said.

Although she didn't know much about magic, she was instilled with the most basic knowledge by the "white woman", so she was able to understand it.

Because she understood, she couldn't understand why the swordsman did this.

"By the way, let me tell you, my other Noble Phantasm is"

"No, I asked you to wait a moment! Wait a moment!"

"What's wrong?"

The swordsman was startled by Ayaka's shout and stopped talking.

Ayaka pressed her temples and said, "Why are you suddenly talking about this? That's the person who killed you. If you say his name, isn't it the same as making your real name public to the public!"

"Ah, do you know about Pierre?"

"I may be a little sorry to say this to Mr. Pierre, but I don't know his deeds, and to be honest, I can't guess your real name. However, if your words are heard by other magicians who are familiar with history, wouldn't it be Was it exposed all at once?”

Contrary to the flustered Ayaka, the swordsman tilted his head and muttered, "Am I not known so well?", then nodded with a serious face and affirmed, "You are right, if the enemy hears it, they will probably guess it." My identity. But that’s not all I’m going to say, I’m going to tell you my real name.”

"What do you think?"

"Didn't I say at the police station that I would find an opportunity to tell you my real name? Now that I don't have to worry about being eavesdropped by magicians, I think it's the best time. If you want to destroy someone in a hotel or on the street in the city, It will be difficult to remove all surveillance eyes.”

At least there are no bugs or familiars in this Live House, just what the swordsman said. If so, then now that the band members are back in the lounge may indeed be the best time to talk, but before that there are still many questions.

"I understand, but I still think it's better not to say anything, okay?"

"Why?"

The swordsman asked unclearly, and Ayaka replied firmly: "You and I are just connected by magic, right? It's not even a formal relationship between master and servant! In this case, I think when you meet Until you find a better Master, it’s better to keep your real name a secret. Tell me whether such a person is harmful to you or not..."

Ayaka tried to dissuade the swordsman with an unprecedented seriousness, but——

"My name is Richard! I am the monarch of the Principality of Normandy and the King of England!"

Ayaka was wondering why the swordsman's expression suddenly turned serious, when she saw the swordsman interrupted her unfinished words and loudly announced her real name as if to reassure her.

"But I'm already dead, so I have to add 'before' to these names."

Seeing Ayaka stunned, the swordsman smiled mischievously like a child again and shrugged.

"Perhaps the common name 'Lionheart' is more famous than my real name and title."

············

Now, in the forest.

"Oh, I am really implicated by such an incredible king."

After giving his real name, the swordsman's attitude toward Ayaka was the same as before.

When she first heard the word "king", Ayaka was a little scared. But later, when she saw the swordsman eating the fast food bought by the band members with a moved expression, and staying in the Live House to listen to the music, Ayaka decided not to care too much about the other person's position during his lifetime.

"Jazz...classical music...blues...pop...each one is great! Oh, Pastorela, Estampie, Desco rt...Southern poets The songs have also opened up new areas!”

Probably due to the hobby of the owner of Live House, a variety of music records from all over the world are collected here. Every time the swordsman listens to a piece of music, he will sincerely express his feelings.

"Ayaka, your country's singing is good at expressing people's emotions and is very beautiful. Anime songs are very narrative and have various styles. It's great! This country's rap skillfully combines language and music, which is eye-catching. One light!"

Ayaka looked at such a swordsman, and her respect for the king was gradually disappearing. However, Ayaka felt that the swordsman was a person worthy of respect, so she listened to all kinds of music with him.

"The music in England is also diverse, from hymns and folk songs that make people feel nostalgic to a kind of music called progressive rock (Progressive Rock). They are all very interesting! I have to say that music is free!"

Finally, everyone used the DVD player to watch the Whoopi Goldberg movie that the man with the mohawk mentioned at the beginning.

The swordsman exclaimed: "I see, this is what is called a movie! It has a different flavor from drama, it's great! Ah, this choir is so awesome."

Ayaka was defeated by Sandman not long after the musical movie started and dozed off on the sofa in Live House.

When she woke up, it was already noon, and the two of them thanked the man with the mohawk and his party.

Just after walking out of the Live House, the swordsman suddenly said this sentence——

"Okay, let's find someone to join forces and form an alliance."

So, Ayaka and the swordsman stepped into the forest, because they could feel the strong aura of heroic spirits here. Finally, they met a long-haired heroic spirit - they didn't know whether he was a boy or a girl, but he was so beautiful that Ayaka couldn't help but take a breath.

The swordsman started talking to the long-haired heroic spirit in a familiar manner as soon as they met, but the heroic spirit didn't show any sign of being offended.

"What brings you to me?"

Hearing the long-haired heroic spirit ask this question, the swordsman looked in the direction of Ayaka and said, "It's nothing. Although I don't know your real name or what kind of heroic spirit you are, I've been gone for so long. First of all, The first heroic spirit I saw is you, so I want to ask you a favor." At this point, the swordsman made that suggestion.

Even from Ayaka, who knew the content in advance, it was a very ridiculous statement.

"Do you want to join forces with us?"

"He is so direct... In a country governed by this person, it must be very difficult for the people..."

Ayaka sighed softly and escaped from reality while stroking Silvermon's back.

"But having said that, although this dog is very big, it is very affectionate and very cute."

While Ayaka was playing with the silver beast she regarded as a dog, the long-haired heroic spirit asked the swordsman with a gentle smile: "I can join forces with you to form an alliance, but what benefits will my master gain?"

The swordsman looked at Ayaka again, shrugged and replied: "Since you value the Master so much, shouldn't you advise it not to approach the enemy casually?"

"This is what I want to say to you... However, it seems that both of us are worried about the same thing."

"Well, although we try our best to protect the Master... the problem is the way they look..."

"What are they talking about?"

Ayaka sat on the huge tree stump and thought in confusion, but in a blink of an eye she was stroking the silver beast, putting aside her doubts for the time being.

"The big dog is so warm. Was it raised by that heroic spirit?"

The silver beast seemed to be enjoying it too. It lay on Ayaka's lap and let Ayaka play with its fur as she pleased.

Looking at such a man and a beast, the swordsman sighed: "I thought it was a creature that was more wary of humans."

"My master has a special way of getting along with humans. It doesn't like humans. I think it just makes an exception to get close to your master, as if she is a companion or comrade-in-arms."

"Maybe it's because they don't look like the Master. However, in fact, she is not the Master." The swordsman joked and said, "The reason why I want to join forces with you to form an alliance is... I was in the city last night I saw a monster here."

"Monster?"

"I don't know if you know that that kind of monster is called a vampire. It is a natural enemy of mankind that feeds on fresh human blood. It is also the target of the Holy Church. Ah... first of all, do you know the Holy Church?"

The swordsman started to confirm from the most basic knowledge, and the long-haired heroic spirit shook his head slightly.

"I only know the part of the knowledge that the Holy Grail gave me. The Holy Church has not yet appeared in my time, and the monster called the vampire... How should I put it, although there were monsters that devoured flesh and blood in my time, I didn't Find out if they are the same thing."

"Oh, it seems that you are my senior in history?"

"It's not as exaggerated as you said. It's just that I was born before you and died before you. I think people born after me are pioneers worthy of respect. They can develop the planet without relying on gods. .”

"Even if you praise me, you won't gain anything." The swordsman replied with a smile, but after a while, he suppressed his smile and continued, "This Holy Grail War is a bit strange. I feel that something is happening here, light. It can't be explained with the knowledge given by 'Zuo'. Do you have any clues?"

"..."

"The Holy Grail War may have been involved in something very troublesome...or more importantly, it was taken advantage of by some people. My idea is very simple. After all the problems are solved, the Holy Grail War can start again."

The swordsman said, glanced at Ayaka again, and then continued in a low voice that she could not hear: "If this continues, even if I lose and Ayaka takes refuge in the church, she may not be safe. Because vampires can attack churches without any scruples."

"You really value your Master."

"No, if she was the kind of Master who was very motivated from the beginning, I wouldn't think so much about her. She actually didn't want to participate in the Holy Grail War, but she got involved because she was connected to me. If I didn't To take responsibility for this and cast her aside would be a stain on the nations that have inherited our family tree and the name of our great first king."

The swordsman lowered his voice, but said something powerful. In response to this, the heroic spirit couldn't help but smile and nodded: "It's really interesting. You should also be a king, but you are a completely different type from the one I know. Especially the number of friends, I think your friends should be more than The average person has more.”

"Really? I think you have more friends than I do, right?"

"I regard everything living in the world as a friend. However, most of the time it is me who is being sentimental."

The long-haired heroic spirit said, quietly closing his eyes, opening his arms, and spreading his palms upward. As he moved, bubbles appeared one after another on the ground, and countless weapons such as swords, hammers, axes, and guns appeared in the bubbles one after another.

"However, there is only one true friend who can make me open my heart."

Seeing this, the swordsman grinned and said, "Hey, are you agreeing to form an alliance with me or rejecting it?"

"I want to promise you, but there are two problems." The long-haired hero continued with a soft smile, "My only close friend is a very picky person. Whenever I make a new friend or someone I want to cooperate with, Sometimes, he would say, 'Let me test whether you are qualified to join forces with my friends,' and then use some difficult questions to drive people away."

The long-haired heroic spirit recalled the distant past and showed a nostalgic smile.

"If it were you, he would probably ask to compete with you in martial arts. You are not a citizen of Uruk. If you are too weak, he will kill you on the spot, because he will regard you as a thief who wants to steal treasures. .”

"I understand what you mean. Are you trying to say that your 'best friend' has also been summoned this time?"

"Thank you for your ability to understand so quickly. I can't bear to give you hope now and let you down later. I want to confirm first whether you have the ability to fight that king. If you find it inconvenient, then destroy the monster Leave the matter to me alone, and you can hide somewhere before I take care of the monsters."

Countless weapons pouring out from the ground suddenly tilted, with their tips pointing towards the swordsman.

Even in such a situation, the swordsman still glanced at Ayaka and Ginlang first, and after confirming that the weapon was not pointed at them in the distance, he smiled reassuringly: "You are so gentle. If you can do it alone To solve it, in order to ensure that we get the Holy Grail, wouldn’t it be better to kill me right here?”

"It's a pity that my wish has been fulfilled. I only need to fulfill the agreement with my friends. I am not interested in your life or death."

The long-haired heroic spirit had an extremely gentle smile, but the words coming out of his mouth seemed to mean, "If I'm interested in this from now on, I'll come and take your lives."

The swordsman responded happily: "I like simple and clear things best. In a word, you just want me to show you my martial arts skills."

"Ah, what are you going to do..." Ayaka couldn't help shouting when she saw this, but the swordsman didn't even look back, just raised his hand slightly.

"Don't worry, Ayaka. We are just testing our skills to form an alliance. Generally speaking, it is human nature not to want to form an alliance with weak people."

"I feel like what you're implying is that you're not ordinary."

Hearing the long-haired servant's words, the swordsman showed an embarrassed smile.

Then, as if he wanted the heroic spirit and Ayaka in front of him to hear clearly, the swordsman said loudly: "As you said, I may not be as 'normal' as I think. In fact, I am As king, I have been causing trouble to the people and the king's brother. My enemies call me the king who does all kinds of evil, and my respected rivals are completely opposite to me inside and out."

Even though the swordsman said such derogatory words, his eyes still shone brightly.

"Even though I understand the principles of governing a country, I still have uncontrollable passions welling up in my heart."

--Huh?

Hearing these words, Ayaka suddenly felt something was wrong with her body.

——The Command Seal is... generating heat?

The special command spell on Ayaka is the starting point of the magic connection. At this moment, a large amount of "waves" that are mistaken for heat are flowing into her body through the command spell. Just like the price of providing magic power to the swordsman, the swordsman's uncontrollable heat was also transferred to Ayaka.

"It's so powerful that it's beyond my imagination. You must be a very powerful heroic spirit. Each of those weapons that emerged from the ground are the most outstanding crystallizations of mankind, and you can make them all target me... Haha..."

The swordsman chuckled softly at first, then smiled and smiled - instantly bursting out all the heat that had been hidden in his heart before. "Hahahaha! That's great! Great hero! There is no higher honor than this! I want to express my sincere gratitude! To you! To the Holy Grail! And...

"Our first king's 'Utopia (Avalon) far away from everything' - you gave me the opportunity to challenge the legend of the Gods!"

············

dark place

"But having said that, it's really incredible."

"what do you mean?"

The voice of the servant came from the darkness.

Francesca was lying on the bed, eating snacks and replied: "Well... 'that catalyst' was obviously used, why didn't Alto appear, but that strange swordsman?"

"What catalyst did you use?"

"Well, because I heard that the scabbard of the legendary sword was missing, I used the box that was said to have sealed the scabbard. It has the same pattern as the scabbard."

"box?"

The invisible heroic spirit asked.

Francesca rolled around on the bed and said in confusion: "Yes, it is said to be a 'box' made of beautifully polished stone discovered by Einzbern in Cornwall. Because it is There are still traces of magic power, and it has the same pattern as the scabbard, so I think it must be Alto’s.”

············

Big forest.

Facing the suddenly excited swordsman, the long-haired heroic spirit smiled calmly and began to inject powerful magic into the earth where countless "Noble Phantasms" were inserted.

Ayaka couldn't help but take a breath.

Wait a moment?

That guy's sword... is still confiscated by the police... Is he going to fight with his bare hands?

Moreover, he doesn't even wear armor?

The swordsman took off the armor made of magic power, and now he was wearing the casual clothes he got at Live House.

In Ayaka's eyes, every weapon on the ground exuded a vicious aura. She thought to herself that although she didn't know how effective a swordsman's armor would be, it was at least better than casual clothes. Wearing casual clothes would make you feel dizzy in the blink of an eye.

Ayaka panicked and tried to stop them, but the long-haired heroic spirit ignored her and shot all the weapons out of the ground.

At the same time, the swordsman kicked the ground hard and rushed towards the group of sharp blades.

He was high-spirited and said a high-spirited word with joy -

"Let our fight begin!"

············

police station.

"Warlock, can you tell anything about the sword I gave you?"

In response to Orlando's inquiry, the heroic spirit on the other end of the phone replied helplessly: "It doesn't have anything. This thing is not a Noble Phantasm at all, just a decorative sword. However, the design is quite good, can you give it to me?"

What Orlando handed to Dumas was the decorative sword that the swordsman left at the police station.

No one would have thought that the swordsman would abandon his weapon and flee first, so when Orlando returned to the director's office and found the sword still on the desk, he even wondered if it was a trap.

"At any rate, it's also evidence. I can't give it to you privately."

"I said, you are still the same, as smelly and hard as the stones in the cesspit!"

"What I'm more concerned about is that I heard that the guy did use this sword to unleash a thunderous slash, cutting into pieces the falling rubble in the opera house. I have changed the memories of the police who witnessed it, but some of them said , it’s like a laser cannon.”

Orlando speculated that it was probably the power of the sword that destroyed the ceiling of the Opera House in the first place.

However, he judged that it was just an ordinary decorative sword, so he asked Alexandre Dumas, a warlock, to analyze it and maybe he would find something.

If things go well, it might be possible to conclude an alliance agreement with the swordsman on the condition that the sword is returned, but if it is not a Noble Phantasm, then this policy is unrealistic.

"The blond knight with red hair... I guess it's most likely the Lionheart."

"You really think so, Warlock." "Well, speaking of Lionheart, he is a fan of the great King Arthur. He has been hearing the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table as bedtime stories since he was a child. Musicians in the City The music they played must also be songs praising King Arthur. Some people say that when he was young, he seemed to be bohemian, but in fact he was collecting King Arthur's inheritance everywhere."

"I've heard about this too."

Orlando felt that it was one of the heroic anecdotes made up by later generations and was of no importance at all, but unexpectedly the warlock's reaction was somewhat serious.

"It is said that the reason why the bard culture is so prosperous is that the mysteries of the Druids were spread around the world orally, so it is best not to underestimate the poetry of that time. If you listen to the same bedtime story every day, it will It will become something like a curse or a blessing, and it won’t be surprising even if it can transform human souls.”

"Mysteries must have been relatively weak in Lionheart's time, right?"

"This may be the case in the American continent. According to current calculations, the Lionheart King is a Frenchman, but the England where he is king is an island country surrounded by sea, and the mystery is difficult to leak. He was exposed to some kind of mystery while he was alive. It’s quite normal. You can guess it from the fact that the ‘Clock Tower’, one of the current magic bases, is located in England.”

Having said this, the Warlock paused for a moment, and then asked in a serious tone, as if to persuade Orlando: "Brother, do you know what Lionheart was called in my time? Maybe there are still people like this now. Call him."

"There are so many anecdotes about Lionheart, I don't know which one you are talking about."

Orlando originally thought that the warlock was joking again, but then he thought about it, and sometimes the words the warlock said could indeed bring him important information. However, Orlando did not expect anything like this, and just listened calmly to the answer given by the warlock.

"The King of Wandering."

"Ah, this is what you are referring to. I heard that he has been in power for ten years and has stayed in his own country for less than one year..." "That's not what I'm talking about. I don't mean that he often goes to the battlefield or anything like that."

Seeing that the warlock had given up, Orlando asked in surprise: "Then I don't know. If it wasn't on the battlefield, where would the Lionheart be wandering?"

"——At the watershed between myth and history."

This sentence is very powerful.

Although it was just an ordinary sentence, it was so powerful that even Orlando couldn't help but fall silent.

"In other words, he once stepped into an era when elves, rune magic and other mysteries were still prevalent, and he was also the last king of that era. Don't underestimate him."

············

In the forest.

There is a word called "electricity and flint".

It was the light of lightning and the fire of flint to describe the rapid speed.

But what Ayaka saw at this moment were scenes of "electricity and flint" that were so intense that they could burn her eyes.

Countless weapons shot out from the ground.

The swordsman shuttled between the weapons, forced himself in front of the long-haired hero, and unleashed a fierce right hook.

The long-haired heroic spirit immediately dodged, but the swordsman took a step forward and swung an uppercut diagonally from the lower left.

The opponent continued to dodge, and part of his raised long hair was hit by the fist, and several hairs gently fell to the ground.

The swordsman's fist turned into a slash, cutting off the hair that was flying in the wind.

He pushed further towards the long-haired heroic spirit, using flexible steps to avoid the earth tentacles released by the other party. He even used weapons that emerged from the ground as stepping stones to unleash combos worthy of a professional boxer.

The long-haired heroic spirit is not a fuel-efficient lamp, and he promptly resolves the vicious fists that come towards him one by one.

In terms of speed alone, although the swordsman has a slight advantage, he seems to be unable to match the long-haired heroic spirit in terms of explosive muscle strength. After the swordsman is violently bounced, his speed will be curbed, and he will eventually be evenly matched with the long-haired heroic spirit.

At this time, weapons came one after another from the ground, and the swordsman had to distance himself and regroup.

"I'm really surprised. You're so fast... I didn't expect you to be faster than me. Could it be a magic that strengthens the body?" the long-haired heroic spirit asked with interest.

The swordsman replied with bright eyes: "That's right, but it's not my magic. What I care more about is... I really can't hit you with my fists."

"Magic is your 'friend's' trick...have you ever learned boxing?"

"I learned a little bit. I originally wanted to try combining the techniques I saw in the movie today with the fighting skills I learned, but it doesn't seem that simple. You are our alliance partner, and I can't kill you. Just knocking you out will be enough..."

"You just have to learn a little bit and watch a little bit to be able to reach the level just now. You are already good enough."

The long-haired heroic spirit said with a smile on his face and changed his tone slightly.

Soon, the swordsman discovered that not only the breath of the long-haired heroic spirit had changed, but also the posture or the balance of the whole body had also changed slightly.

Seeing the doubt on the swordsman's face, the long-haired hero said: "As a spearman, I have to show some real skills."

"I am a swordsman, please teach me."

The two announced their ranks to each other, smiled at each other, and then started moving.

A spark-filled battle started again in front of Ayaka.

A sentence suddenly appeared in her mind. It was a sentence that the swordsman said in a sighing tone when the woman in black was jumping around with the afterimage in the opera house, "This is the first time I have seen more beautiful than Loxley." A guy as light as a swallow!"

But, Ayaka thought. She didn't know what it meant to be "light as a swallow", but simply looking at the explosive speed, the swordsman should be higher than the woman in black, right?

However, the swordsman in the middle of the battle was surprised as he continued to attack with his fists.

"Hey, what kind of trick is this? This guy... is faster than before..."

The swordsman didn't know that the spearman used the "transformation" skill at the moment he changed his breath, which increased his agility by reducing his durability and magic power.

In this way, the speed of the two of them is almost the same. In addition, the spearman's muscle strength itself has not decreased, so the swordsman's fist combos were blocked and suppressed by the spearman.

Immediately afterwards, the swordsman's right hand conjured a water ball containing magic power, releasing a flash of light that exposed the opponent's weakness for a moment.

But the swordsman did not take the opportunity to pursue the opponent, but instead took the initiative to distance himself.

He looked at the ground, avoided the tentacles and weapons attacking him, and picked up a thick branch that fell beside him. The swordsman pointed the branch at the spearman and smiled slyly.

"It's true that half-baked boxing skills are no good. Next, I'll use a sword that matches my class."

The spearman asked enthusiastically: "Are you going to use that branch instead of the sword?"

The swordsman shrugged and replied: "I have always wanted to imitate the Knight of the Lake. He said, 'A knight does not die with his bare hands.' He could repel the enemy with a picked branch in his hand."

Ayaka and Ginmon stood together, watching the battle between the two heroic spirits with bated breath.

Seeing the swordsman confidently holding a branch and posing in a posture, Ayaka thought uneasily: Although I don't know what happened specifically, he couldn't have deliberately challenged others with his bare hands because he wanted to imitate that knight, right? No way?

The cold sweat flowing down Ayaka's cheeks seemed to be a signal, and countless weapons were shot out from the earth again, flying towards the swordsman holding the branch.

The weapons were so densely packed that even if the swordsman used his previous speed, he might not be able to dodge them all.

Ayaka had such a desperate scene before her eyes.

But the next second - the scream that was about to break through Ayakashi's throat was suppressed by even greater shock.

Because that ordinary branch actually began to emit a dazzling light. ()