Kapitel 21: Chapter - 18

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Chapter - 18: The second heavenly blade!

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[Next Day, Evening]

[Ryuudou Temple]

[Third Pov]

Otakemaru ascended the steps of Hyodo Temple with his little master, carrying her like a character from a fairy tale. Manaka's cheeks were flushed with a clear blush, as if she was experiencing the most beautiful moment of her entire existence.

As they continued their journey, Manaka found herself torn between two distinct wishes she could make at the conclusion of this Holy Grail War.

It had only been a few days since she had summoned Avenger, but she had never felt such a range of emotions in her life—happiness, contentment, excitement, curiosity, and more.

Her first desire remained unchanged: she wanted to access the Root, to unravel the mysteries of the universe that eluded her in this world where she was not connected to the Root.

However, a more recent desire had taken root in her heart. She longed for Otakemaru to be reincarnated, to live eternally with her, and to share a future where they could have children together....

This Holy Grail War had transformed into an unexpectedly intriguing event.

Following behind them was Sakura, who appeared calmer and more composed than before, dressed as a maid? Medusa, in her spiritual form, remained by Sakura's side, ready to protect her at a moment's notice.

Despite the emotions swirling within the little girl clinging to his arm, Otakemaru remained indifferent to her feelings, focused on the path ahead.

Otakemaru, could certainly sense the emotions of the little loli ce was holding his arm, but he did not particularly care to be honest.

"It cannot be continued beyond this point," the Assassin, a murderous Servant in this Holy Grail War, commented with a small, menacing smile on his face.

This Assassin was the "fake" Servant conjured by Caster for this war, embodying the legend of Sasaki Kojiro enough to be summoned as a ghostly figure.

He appeared as a samurai, clad in traditional attire and wielding a longsword that appeared deceptively fragile, though Otakemaru knew better than to underestimate a samurai's weapon.

Otakemaru couldn't help but react with a flat tone, expressing his weariness at the repetition of this encounter. It seemed that many samurai shared a particular masochistic streak.

"Of course, I keep out all those who meddle in my mistress' den." All right, it was pretty obvious he was teasing her, I could tell by his tone and the way I could feel an annoyed look that he was watching us

Challenging the hero before him, Otakemaru asked, "What if I insist on butting in?"

"Then," the Assassin replied, his eyes gleaming with a desire for combat, "I would be forced to physically stop you." The anticipation of battle filled the air as he readied himself for another clash.

"So... Do you want to fight?" Otakemaru inquired, his tone laced with curiosity. "Last time didn't go very well for you, from what I remember."

The Assassin replied confidently, "Please, this time things will be very different. I will use my lethal technique to ensure my victory." He conjured a sword into his hand. "Besides, I'm terribly bored."

Otakemaru found this intriguing, matching the Assassin's enthusiasm. "Me too. Apart from Lancer, there's been no opponent with the determination to fight to the death," he remarked.

As the tension in the air mounted, a rift appeared beside Otakemaru, from which emerged a majestic sword. Its hilt was adorned with intricate carvings, radiating an aura of undeniable nobility.

With a smile, Otakemaru declared the sword's name, "Kenmyoren!" His voice carried the weight of the immense power and divine authority contained within the blade.

The portal beside him began to close, disappearing like a fading dream, as if it had existed solely to manifest this extraordinary weapon. Lingering in the air was not just the energy of the sword but also a true ether that harked back to the age of the gods.

Otakemaru's grip on the hilt tightened, and the ornate carvings responded to his touch, as if acknowledging their rightful master. A surge of strength coursed through his veins, as if this sword were an extension of his very being.

The intricate designs on the hilt radiated a soft, regal glow, asserting their authority over the world around him. In a display of power that defied the understanding of the modern world, the environment surrounding Otakemaru began to shift.

The air itself seemed to shimmer and transform, becoming more perfect, as if it too recognized the blade's undeniable authority. Trees and rocks took on a distinct presence, as if they had been transported to a different time, a time that might no longer exist in this timeline.

Amidst this breathtaking transformation, Otakemaru remained at the center, seemingly unaffected. His gaze remained fixed on the sword in his hand, a hint of sadness and melancholy in his eyes.

[Picture --> Kenmyoren]

Sakaki stepped forward, offering a compliment, "Nice sword..."

Otakemaru responded with a small smile, revealing his fangs, "Of course, and sword created by heaven itself."

"Then, no doubt it will be a much more interesting clash than the last one," Sakaki remarked before launching into the battle.

Otakemaru brought Kenmyoren to face the descending attack, treating it as nothing more than a greeting. However, the clash between their weapons generated enough force to shatter the stones beneath their feet and shake the entire temple as they both pushed against each other.

It was a thrilling spectacle, a battle of determination and bloodlust as Sakaki wielded his katana against the Yokai in front of him. Otakemaru couldn't help but smile brightly as his desire for battle grew, but he knew he had to restrain himself. He didn't want this to turn into a one-sided extermination.

Sakaki swiftly adjusted his stance for efficiency, his hands gripping his sword with precision. He moved skillfully, attempting to outmaneuver Otakemaru and find an opening to strike.

Sparks flew as their blades clashed, and Sakaki tried to exploit any opportunity to thrust his sword toward Otakemaru's exposed flank.

Otakemaru countered by using his immense strength to push Sakaki back, creating enough distance to narrowly evade the tip of the samurai's blade, which could have easily ended the battle with a deadly cut to his neck.

The clash continued with both combatants displaying their exceptional skills and determination.

However, Otakemaru didn't panic. Instead, he took a step forward, once again finding the tip of Sakaki's blade in front of him. He quickly abandoned his attack, using Kenmyoren to block Sakaki's strike.

But Otakemaru's strength was enough to send him crashing against the temple wall. Otakemaru had to admit that the samurai in front of him had better sword skills, at least until now. However, he was superior in all the other aspects.

"You use very simple attacks, as if you only know the basics of the sword, but you compensate with a very frightening instinct... but what happens if I do this?" Sasaki's words preceded a simple step forward, and his blade was already poised to claim Otakemaru's head.

Otakemaru's eyes, which had seen enough of Sasaki's movements, adjusted quickly. This time, he saw the attack coming and gently raised his sword to block it. He also used his other hand to push against the flat of his weapon, intercepting Sakaki's attack.

Sasaki was clearly surprised. "How?" he exclaimed, astonished to see his attack defended so easily.

Otakemaru simply leaned Kenmyoren against his shoulder, maintaining an indifferent expression. "There's no reason to be surprised. I simply adapted myself to you—your heartbeat, your movements, and your sword technique."

Sasaki laughed, adjusting his sword's position once again as he let go. "What a terrifying monster," he commented. "In that case, it looks like I'll have to give it my all to stand a chance."

"Show me your utmost, hero," Otakemaru replied with an open face, ready to face the full extent of Sakaki's power.

Sasaki began its final attack, "Secret Technique - Tsumabe Gaeshi," a rapid and seemingly unbeatable attack, striking from both the front and back.

"Hakka, Ten no akarui hoshi" ¹

It happened so quickly, an attack that should be unbeatable. But in the end as always in front of Otakemaru's counterattack all this seemed to lose value, after all he was too strong.

"I've won," Otakemaru declared in a low voice, his dominance evident. He maintained a calm demeanor as the tip of Sakaki's sword pressed against the blade of Kenmyoren, keeping it from piercing his flesh.

"Unbelievable," Sasaki muttered, witnessing his final technique stopped so easily. "You possess so much potential. If you put serious effort into martial arts, you could become even more fearsome than you are now.

"You're not the first to tell me that, and you certainly won't be the last, samurai," Otakemaru responded in a flat tone. "And my answer to you is the same as it's been to everyone else before you... Why would I use something that has never defeated me?"

The samurai let out a hearty laugh as he unsheathed his blade. "That's the most peculiar reason I've ever heard for not learning martial arts. Well, you seem to require a challenger who can defeat you to progress on your path."

"It was a decent way to pass the time," Otakemaru remarked in an indifferent tone as a portal materialized above him. "That and a small token of my appreciation for providing more entertainment than I had anticipated."

"Well, if you insist!" Sasaki enthusiastically agreed as a crate emerged from the portal. There was clearly more where that came from, as various kinds of alcohol were plentiful.

"Sake, is it?" Sasaki mused, eyeing one of the bottles with admiration before he popped it open and took a swig. "A truly exquisite flavor, robust with a delightful hint of glutamate flavor undertones." He nodded in approval.

"I'm delighted you found it to your taste," Otakemaru's master commented as they continued their ascent. However, their path soon led them to a disgruntled witch and her master, who appeared rather unimpressed.

"Borrowing this locale for today... I trust it won't pose too much inconvenience," Otakemaru stated, sporting a wide, menacing smile that made it clear he wasn't concerned about her irritation.

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A/N: The next chapter will close the first volume of this story.

I have also chosen, all the Servants to be introduced for the next story arc. There will be one Oc made by me and then all the other Servants are from Type-Moon.

I wanted to ask something of the more experienced people in this world: Scathach should be dead in this timeline so that she can be summoned from the throne of heroes, right?

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