章節 1146: Conceptual
While waiting for the crystalline solution sealing the bodies to slowly liquidize, Vahn decided to ask the most pressing question on his mind, turning to Da Vinci to inquire, "How exactly were you able to make three bodies in such a short period of time?" Though he had certainly given her enough materials to form a few homunculi, Da Vinci herself had said they were fundamentally different. He knew she was capable of doing many inexplicable things but, even knowing she had something like the [Soul Anchor: EX] Magic, this was slightly outside of his expectations. The only evidence he needed to know they were abnormal was, much like Da Vinci's current body, Vahn was unable to discern anything from the three bodies she had created.
As she had already expected Vahn to ask such a question, Da Vinci gave him a teasing look as she reminded, "If you want to learn the secrets of my bodies, you'll have to discover them on your own. What I can tell you, however, is that these are Conceptual Vessels, a Manifestation of Ideals that have been given physical form. In life, I had no such thing as a Noble Phantasm yet, now that I have been formed as the Mona Lisa, I have a unique ability that allows me to manifest my Omnipotence. By supplying nothing more than Magical Energy, my Noble Phantasm is able to instantaneously analyze a target before changing into a form that perfectly counters their existence. I can even break apart other Noble Phantasms without having to make any effort...ufufufu~."
Since Vahn only seemed more confused by her words, Da Vinci issued a sonorous giggle before adding, "These bodies function on a similar principle to Spirits such as Ghosts, Faeries, and Demons. Instead of being the amalgamation of a group of people, however, the forms of the Mona Lisa rely solely on my own pursuit of 'Idealized Beauty'. By providing pure Magical Energy in a form infinitely close to Ether itself, it is possible to actualize concepts and manifest them in the physical world. To make it easier to understand, you can consider your inability to grasp the true nature of this body as another way my own beliefs had manifested. Though beauty is an entirely subjective concept, the Mona Lisa represented what idealized beauty was to me, something only I was able to understand according to a very strict set of principles. With that being the case, you would never be able to comprehend the structure of this body as it uses a set of logic that is entirely 'alien' to you..."
Hearing Da Vinci's explanation, Vahn was still more than a little lost, even though he also had a loose understanding of what she was trying to convey. After all, his own body functioned on a similar set of principles as, even though he had taken physical form, he was irrefutably an entity comprised of Source Energy. In fact, all forms of matter were actually just a complex arrangement of particles that were constrained by a series of Laws to be given physical form. He also knew the reference she had made to Ghosts as, even though most people considered them to be fictional existences, the failure of Science to prove this left the lingering thought in the minds of people all of the world that they 'might' exist. As a result, Ghosts were a very real thing, just like Cath Palug, Angra Mainyu, and even Alaya herself. They were all the manifestation of concepts given sentience by a set of beliefs that, so long as a single person acknowledged the principle that governed them, guaranteed they would exist into perpetuity...
With the first tank drained, the most mature version of Da Vinci was supported by a series of padded mechanical arms that lowered her into a hunched-over position. Though there was a chance his crest would have no effect on them, Vahn didn't think it would be an issue since, even if she wasn't using them, he knew these bodies were still a part of Da Vinci. They may be Conceptual Vessels, but they were still given form as a result of her singular belief in the 'Idealized Beauty' while the [Soul Anchor] quite literally anchored them to existence. Though she had used the strange crystalline substance to put them in stasis prior to his arrival, Vahn suspected they wouldn't even degrade so long as they were properly cared for.
While observing Vahn form his Familia Crest, making sure to analyze every step of the process, Da Vinci also explained of her own volition, "These three bodies each represent a different approach towards the same concept. I have named this one after my previous work, Benois Madonna, using my analysis of Uesugi Kenshin and Rani Lakshmibai as a template. My goal was to create a body that was compatible with Divine Energy, even without having what you call a Divine Soul. Unfortunately, it does not seem possible to borrow the power of a God without their permission. Still, I believe I had some small success since this body still uses Divine Energy as a power source instead of Magical Energy."
-----------------------------------------------------------------
[Status]
Name: [Benois Madonna]
Age: 17 days (Ageless)
Race: Human
Strength: 5E
Endurance: 14D
Agility: 24C
Magical Power: 50A+
Good Luck: 19D
Soul Tier: (-)
Circuit Quality: EX
Noble Phantasm: (-)
Origin: (-)
Skills: [Mind Workshop:S], [Eidetic Memory:S], [Parallel Thinking:B], [Golden Rule:B], [False Divine Core:C], [Blasphemer:B]
Magic: (-)
Magecraft: (-)
[False Divine Core]
Rank: C
Use: Grants the user [Divinity] at the same rank as this skill but triples the amount of damage taken from both Divine and Anti-Divine attacks.
[Blasphemer]
Rank: B
Use: Decreases luck by two grades.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
When she saw the parameters and Skills of her Benois Madonna, Da Vinci snorted through her nose before commenting, "How petty. Now I feel even more determined to make a body that can emulate a God's." After these words left her lips, Da Vinci adopted a thoughtful expression while, right before Vahn's eyes, he watched as the body being supported by the mechanical arms simply dissipated into particles of mana that were absorbed by the holes in the bottom of the container. Though he had seen similar sights during his own experiments in the past, it was a little unnerving to see the body of another person vanish right in front of him. However, as it wouldn't make any sense for him to try and insist Da Vinci keep every Conceptual Vessel she makes, there wasn't anything he could about it.
Since she was able to read him very easily, Da Vinci noticed Vahn's discomfort even while she had been thinking about other things. Then, after palming her fist, she decided to tease him a bit by asking, "Did you want me to let you research that body? Do not worry, Vahn, as I can make any number of such forms in the future. Even if you get carried away with them, I don't mind what you decide to do. I was planning on making a version to help you train your Petting Laws in the future so let me know if there is a particular version you are fond of~."
Though she was just playing with him, Vahn knew that Da Vinci was actually very serious about her words. Even when she was teasing people, it didn't seem as if she was capable of lying to others as, from her perspective, it was merely a waste of time and brainpower. The most effective forms of teasing were things grounded in truth which, if the circumstances allowed, could be made a reality with only a marginal amount of effort. Thus, even though it was more than a little uncanny, Vahn couldn't help considering the matter since, if he left it to Da Vinci, there was a good chance he could increase his understanding of Petting Laws even further, all while allowing her to collect data...
Seeing that Vahn was in a better mood than before, Da Vinci finished preparing her second body, allowing Vahn to inscribe his Familia Crest as she explained, "I have higher expectations for this body, as I used my analysis of Artoria Pendragon and Siegfried as a basis when creating it. After analyzing the True Dragon materials you gave me, I was able to create a body that should be able to rival the power of Artoria herself if the power is able to mature properly. The only downside is, while I believe the body itself is of a higher quality than my current form, there is a very real chance that the limbs could explode if improperly used. I've never been too fond of physical exertion so this form is more of a failsafe than something I would typically inhabit..."
-----------------------------------------------------------------
[Status]
Name: [Maiden of Dragon's Descent]
Age: 22 days (Ageless)
Race: Human, True Dragon(sealed)
Strength: 34B
Endurance: 37B
Agility: 28C
Magical Power: 50A+
Good Luck: 39B
Soul Tier: (-)
Circuit Quality: EX
Noble Phantasm: (-)
Origin: (-)
Skills: [Mind Workshop:S], [Eidetic Memory:S], [Parallel Thinking:B], [Golden Rule:A], [False Dragon's Heir:A], [Mana Burst:D]
Magic: (-)
Magecraft: (-)
[False Dragon's Heir]
Rank: A
Use: Allows the user to emulate the properties of a True Dragon due to possessing the heart, bones, blood, marrow, and essence of a True Dragon. Grants a functionally limitless reserve of mana, albeit with severe restrictions on the amount that can be used without severely damaging the body.
[Mana Burst]
Rank: D
Use: The ability to infuse the weapons and body of the user with Magical Energy before forcefully expelling it. Marginally increases offensive and defensive capabilities, creating a focused burst of magical energy that ignores some defense.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
While Da Vinci was relatively pleased with the results, especially with the [Golden Rule] having been increased to A-Rank, Vahn was genuinely surprised she had made such a powerful vessel. Going by her own admission, this wasn't even the limit of the body as, with a bit of training, it would become even stronger. The most surprising element was that, much like Artoria herself, the body looked rather petite and powerless yet, as if this was nothing more than an illusion, it held several tens of times the power of a normal human being. It was only a few parameters weaker than he was, a fact that made Vahn feel somewhat embarrassed as he watched Da Vinci reseal the body in the stasis container. Though she was tempted to change bodies, she had higher hopes for the third and final body she had made as, even though it was the 'smallest' of the group, it was the one she spent the most time on.
As Vahn waited for the furthest-left tank to drain out, he was still considering whether or not to ask Da Vinci to prepare an extra body he could conduct tests on. He could always just make one himself, using a similar method to how he had produced the vessels for everyone else, but Da Vinci would be able to build in all kinds of resistances that he could not emulate. His own body would be too easily manipulated due to his 'awareness' of it, something that couldn't be changed unless he bound a soul to the vessel to detach it from himself. The one thing he was absolutely certain of, especially while watching the little girl in the tank slowly be lowered to her knees, was that he would make sure the version she prepared for him was a mature form. Though the 144cm tall version of the Mona Lisa was only 3cm shorter than Circe, while having slightly more developed features, Vahn could imagine the deadpan stares the other girls would give him if they discovered he spent time in the workshop with the body of an 'unconscious' young girl to hone his Petting Laws...
Once again, while watching Vahn apply the Familia Crest, Da Vinci took it upon herself to explain, "I have the highest hopes for this body as I used the data I had collected from analyzing Circe, Fenrir, and Medusa. Though it looks a bit young, I am confident that it has the most potential of any of the other designs I had come up with. The best feature is that, due to my inability to comprehend the structure of two of the existences it is based on, there is an air of Mystery inherently attached to this body. At the same time, I believe it has the highest compatibility with you, even if not used for the purpose of sexual intercourse and reproduction. You have a weakness against young girls so I should be able to tease you and focus on my work more easily in the future~."
-----------------------------------------------------------------
[Status]
Name: [Sage Emperor's Bane]
Age: 29 days (Ageless)
Race: Human
Strength: 11D
Endurance: 14D
Agility: 38B
Magical Power: 50A++
Good Luck: 40A
Soul Tier: (-)
Circuit Quality: EX
Noble Phantasm: (-)
Origin: (-)
Skills: [Mind Workshop:S], [Eidetic Memory:S], [Parallel Thinking:B], [Golden Rule:EX], [Aura of the Protected:EX], [Fragrant Aroma:B]
Magic: (-)
Magecraft: (-)
[Aura of the Protected]
Rank: EX
Use: Compels those with a positive impression of the user to protect them, even at the risk of great physical harm to themselves. Reduces all Parameters by one grade when in the presence of those who have a desire to protect the user.
[Fragrant Aroma]
Rank: B
Use: Pheromones emitted by the user smell pleasant to both males and females, regardless of age, race, and personal preferences. Reduces the ability of opponents to focus on the user with malicious intentions.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As he had been able to read the runes as he formed the Familia Crest, Vahn's own expression became a blank mask that caused Da Vinci to giggle at his side. The name of this body alone was enough to make him want to facepalm but it was the fact that it actually had the [Golden Rule:EX] skill that caused Vahn's brain to completely blank. He had actually avoided looking directly at the younger of the three bodies because, even in his periphery, it's presence was almost intimidating. It gave off a similar impression to Circe, making you want to look while also making even the thought of looking seem improper.
Given the fact it even had another ridiculous EX-Ranked skill, it was clear as crystal to see that Da Vinci had put a little 'too much' effort into its creation. He knew there was nothing he could do to stop her from teasing him incessantly in the future, especially when the Da Vinci he had known up until this point spontaneously sat down on the ground before laying down and closer her eyes. In the next moment, the younger body being supported by the padded arms twitched with the signs of life, eliciting a sigh from Vahn as he helped her stand. Fortunately, she had enough wherewithal to cover each of the three bodies with a flesh-tone set of silicone undergarments so he didn't have to worry too much about seeing something he would rather avoid having to worry about for the time being.
Feeling Da Vinci's soft, seemingly boneless fingers, combined with the strange magnetism her shoulder seemed to have when his hand touched it, Vahn knew the next sixty years were going to be extremely troublesome. The one thing he was grateful for was that Da Vinci herself seemed to have no intention of using this body for anything 'too' intimate. At the same time, it was clear that she had always expected this body to become her new vessel as, after steading herself, she gave Vahn a smile before walking over to a mechanical cube and placing her palm on a small terminal. The cube opened to reveal a strange mechanical device that Da Vinci attempted to heft onto her back with a bit of difficulty.
Due to Vahn's presence, her Strength was only that of a normal person but, once she had properly worn it, the device seemed to lose its weight as it began to glow with magical blue light. There was the sound of a mechanical whirring as, from within the cube, a set of two stylish gauntlets formed around her forearms while a set of massive mechanical arms attached themselves to her backpack. Then, as Da Vinci's hands moved around, the larger mechanical arms mirrored her movements as she quickly calibrated them while explaining, "I had a feeling that anything I made in an attempt to 'counter' your impossible existence would be of a much higher quality than normal. As these bodies are just Conceptual Vessels before my Soul inhabits them, they are able to carry my intentions and beliefs. Now that I've confirmed this, I'll be able to make a more powerful form in the future. Can you put that old body of mine into the stasis container for me~?"
While shaking his head in an exasperated manner, Vahn removed the gemstone necklace from Da Vinci's [Mona Lisa] before handing it over to the lingerie-clad young girl she now inhabited. As he placed her former body into the container, Da Vinci continued to calibrate the exoskeleton she had prepared to facilitate her smaller body, complete with a series of interchangeable arms, some of which seemed to be powered by nothing more than her thoughts. After she was finished trying out each component, Da Vinci settled on a pair of thin, multi-segmented, mechanical arms that would allow her to work with the same machine precision she required for her work. They were formed of black and gold metal, artistically designed to match many of Da Vinci's other masterpieces.
Now that she was wearing proper clothing, Vahn could finally look directly at Da Vinci's new body, now fit with royal blue goves and stocking that ran past her elbows and halfway up her thighs. The rest of her outfit consisted of a red dress that was lined with frills along the hem. Underneath were several layers of pristine white fabric that were equally as frilly which, combined with the sparrow-like doublet and frilled choker, gave her a youthful yet stylish appearance. Vahn never understood why she liked to have puffy fabric around her shoulders and upper arms but, as it made the outfit look strangely 'balanced', he couldn't really comment on it. Then, to complete her the entire outfit, Da Vinci looked at herself in a large mirror for a few moments before tying her hair up in a loose ponytail, using a black bow that she requisitioned from Vahn.
After she was satisfied with her appearance and the function of her assistant exoskeleton, Da Vinci turned her attention to Vahn before swaying her hips, making her dress spin back and forth a few times as she asked, "So, what do you think? Am I the most adorable young lady you've ever laid eyes on? Be honest, as I'll be able to tell if you're lying~." Since her features were still almost the exact same as the Mona Lisa's, albeit much more youthful, Vahn could only give a wry smile in response before surprising her slightly when he commented, "You are indeed adorable, but the title of most adorable will always belong to my daughter, Ina."
Hearing Vahn's words, on of Da Vinci's sub-processes imagined a young woman with platinum blond hair and striking blue eyes that could see the future. One of Vahn's most prominent memories was seeing her smile toward him for the very first time while each of his successive memories regarding her actually served as the stimulus for some of Da Vinci's own innovations. As a result, though she was slightly dissatisfied that Vahn claimed Ina was more adorable than she was, Da Vinci couldn't really fault him. Even her own views of beauty were biased so, unless she was willing to admit her own logic was wrong, Vahn's words were the 'truth', at least from his perspective.
With an understanding nod, Da Vinci didn't show any signs of being bothered as she smiled in a teasing manner and commented, "There are things I can get away with that your daughter would be admonished for. Observer~." As she said this, Da Vinci lifted up the edges of her dress, causing Vahn to roll his eyes as he asked, "Who was it that said that the 'mystery' of what lay beneath clothing was one of the most charming aspects of it...?" This caused Da Vinci to immediately giggle like a young girl as trotted over to his side and reminded, "I could take them off completely if you'd like? It would be rather inconvenient, but even this body is perfectly capable of bearing children. I'm certain you would be able to manage the delivery without any major issues, ufufufufu~."
As he had already expected Da Vinci to behave like this, Vahn wasn't flustered by her words as he reached out his hand to rub her head, explaining, "This form might provide you numerous benefits, but it also has a pretty drastic weakness...my skills are far more effective when I think the target is adorable." Though this wasn't 'entirely' true, Vahn wanted to experiment with the concept of trying to change the perception of the target. If Da Vinci believed his words were true, something she could loosely verify from his memories, it would become true. As Vahn himself chose to believe it, he could feel the peculiar energy of Petting Laws flow into Da Vinci's head as it spread a calming wave through her entire body.
After blinking a few times in surprise, Da Vinci smiled before pulling Vahn's hand away, seemingly undaunted as she teased, "Perhaps the body I prepare for you will look even younger? I can even give her a pair of fluffy ears and a tail, ufufufu~." This comment was enough for Vahn to concede defeat as he took in a deep breath with a 'warning' look in his eyes. Though this caused Da Vinci to giggle, she was also very aware that Vahn was serious and that she shouldn't take things too far. She did, however, intend to make a version of herself that was resistant to his Petting Laws since she was also curious about how far he could push the peculiar energy that was currently difficult to even analyze. If he could show its usefulness in a more cohesive manner, she might find a use for it herself in a future invention...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Belief is a powerful thing','The Sage Emperor's Bane xD...','Vahn about to give Da Vinci a spanking...')
https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)
paypal.me/Einlion
Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE
章節 1147: Trap
Though everything had been going relatively smoothly, especially with the assistance of Luvia, Rin quickly found herself hitting a wall after Lord Animusphere's announcement. One of the only reasons she had been stuck in London was due to pre-existing contracts she had, both with private Magi and the Mage's Association. She also had properties of her own and various physical assets that required a lot of paperwork and bureaucratic hoops to jump through if she wanted to avoid being blacklisted completely by the Association.
Rin had been intending to cut ties with the Association but there was a significant difference between leaving on good terms and becoming a target for removal if she stepped on the wrong people's toes. Now, however, Rin found that her special passport had been voided while the Mage's Association had essentially drafted all current and former members into the war effort. Until she had met a specific quota of magical gems, which she herself had to provide and enchant, it was almost impossible for her to leave London without being captured and imprisoned by the Association's Enforcement Division. Currently, any attempts to distance yourself from the Association was the same as being labeled a traitor as, with the fate of the world on the line, the powers-that-be had become decidedly less lenient...
With an annoyed expression on her face, Rin sat in the back of a heavily reinforced black car, one of several in a motorcade that was intended to make it harder to pinpoint her location. Not just her own, but Luvia's intuition told her that someone was pulling the strings to force them into a difficult position. This was, while most Magi were able to just turn over the requisite materials, she had been asked to report to the Department of Mineralogy to enchant some of the jewels they had prepared for her. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain that this was an attempt to lure her away from the Edelfelt Mansion but, as she lacked the status to outright refuse, Rin, accompanied by Gray and an entire team of Edelfelt Mercenaries, made their way to the Clock Tower.
While sitting across from Rin, Gray had a serious expression on her face as she held Add in her right hand and observed their surroundings through the window. She had also been given a quota of her own but, as she lacked any significant achievements in Magecraft, her task was to donate a portion of her blood on a monthly basis. Though this was obviously another 'trap', as she had previously been exempted from such things due to the unique qualities of her blood, Gray was accompanying Rin to the Clock Tower in order to avoid having a battle take place at the Edelfelt Manor.
For the time being, they needed to play the part of Magi 'loyal' to the Association as the time Rin had set to rendezvous with Vahn still nearly five months out. They didn't even know his current location and, much like the various Magus Families and Departments of the Clock Tower, their attempts to try and discern his location had all met with failure. Though they had the means to contact him during an emergency they were unable to overcome themselves, calling him to London was something each of them wanted to avoid now that the Mage's Association had placed a Sealing Designation on him.
Suddenly, the silence between Rin and Gray was interrupted by a small paper talisman erupting into green flames. This was a charm used to counter direct curses, meaning they were already under attack by an enemy that yet to reveal themselves. Rin released a tired sigh when she saw this before pulling out a pendant and chanting a tracking spell using the ambient magical energy created by the talisman. At the same time, Gray was communicating with the rest of the motorcade through a small phonograph that was set with an amethyst. The Tohsaka family had secret techniques that had been passed down through the generations, allowing nearly impossible to detect communication with any party that had the paired gemstone. Though she had made her own version, the same method she had used to communicate with Vahn via radio, that was only a prototype that likely wouldn't be of much use here in the heart of the Mage's Association.
After her spell had completed, several small strings of light began to flow from the pendant in Rin's hand, causing her to frown deeply as each of these strings indicated an enemy. Even at a glance, it was easy to see there were more than a dozen people directly hostility towards them. Then, just as the motorcade was about to split up to make it harder for the enemy to pinpoint which vehicle she and Gray were in, several reddish-black lasers struck the doors and windows hard enough to crack the magic resistant glass. Though it was still daylight outside, this didn't seem to deter their enemies much as there were several follow-up lasers striking the car and knocking it off course with their impacts. To her credit, the driver was able to keep the vehicle under control while a few of the other vehicles in the motorcade moved to flank and protect them.
Seeing what was going on, Gray's eyes turned sharp as she muttered, "They are trying to make us group up. Those spells were not intended to disable the vehicle outright..." As she said this, Gray activated Add, turning it into a metal gauntlet with extremely sharp claws. She pulled her hood around her head and was preparing to jump out of the sunroof as Rin reached out to stop her, saying, "There is a good chance you are their main target. Since they are obviously trying to capture us, splitting apart would only complicate matters. Let's entrust Luvia's guards to move us to a secure location before we take action."
Though she didn't agree with Rin's plan of action, as following protocol left you open to being lured even deeper into a trap, Gray still elected to stay behind. If Rin transformed and fought alongside her, there were very few enemies that would be able to contend against them. There was a limit to the level of attack their enemies could use without drawing too much attention so they weren't in dire straits just yet. After all, using Magecraft publically like this wasn't something that could easily be swept aside, especially if it involved high-profile characters within the Association, so, unless their enemies intended to cut ties with the Mage's Association while in the middle of London, the chances of them using any high-rank Magecraft was slim.
---
As expected, even after an additional ten minutes, there were only a few pot-shots fired at the motorcade while the Edelfelt security forces had already destroyed several golems and familiars. The fact that there weren't any Magi intercepted showed that this attack had been more of a means to shepherd them and discover which vehicle Rin and Gray were located in. To avoid playing into the enemy's hand, as there was a chance they were familiar with the various safehouses the Edelfelt family had prepared, the motorcade instead opted to use the alleyways on populated streets to transfer Gray and Rin to a new vehicle. Having a car driving around with several dents and holes in it was an easy way to get pulled over by the police so the Edelfelt security forces, seemingly having vehicles staged all throughout the city, were quickly replacing the damaged cars with new ones.
When asked to change cars, Rin shook her head in response to the tall man wearing a black suit and shades, explaining, "The Clock Tower cannot ignore this incident, nor can they force us to try and fulfill our nonsensical duties after being attacked like this. Gray and I will blend into the surroundings while the Enforcement Division converges on this location." As they were currently on a busy street that had a lot of pedestrian foot traffic, as London was very popular around the new year, it made more sense to Rin to break off from the security detail without leaving the area completely. Her intuition also told her that moving vehicles wasn't a good idea and, as it had never let her down before, Rin wasn't going to ignore her hunch just because it allowed the security detail to do their job more easily...
The large man's expression didn't change much at all when he heard Rin's explanation, remaining completely professional as he quietly spoke into his headset before nodding his head and saying, "We will leave some of our forces here while moving the rest into the surrounding city blocks. If an enemy tries to target you and Miss Gray, we will be able to box them in." Though this man was the current leader of the motorcade, he lacked the authority to 'force' Rin and Gray to follow his orders. Even if he didn't agree with what Rin wanted to do, Luvia had given her the highest authority when it came to her own safety.
As she was known for wearing vibrant red clothing, Rin changed into a beige-colored coat before undoing her ribbons and allowing her hair to flow freely. Then, after borrowing a pair of sunglasses from one of the security detail, she and Gray joined the foot traffic while the latter covered her arm with her mantle. Though she stood out like a sore thumb with her peculiar garb, surprisingly few people paid attention to them as Rin was currently using a spell to obscure the perception of others to make it harder to track them. This required them to have to dodge around a few people that nearly walked directly into them but Rin and Gray were able to reach the relative safety of a rather high-end department store without anyone sparing them so much as a direct glance.
After stepping into the warmth of the well-lit showroom, Rin rubbed her forehead with a tired expression, complaining, "That idiot should have left us a means to contact him directly...haaaaa..." Though Rin also wanted to complain about Luvia having Lord Animusphere publish his findings so soon, it was only a matter of time before the Mage's Association learned the truth. It was better if they deal with things on their own terms and try to reap benefits than being caught off guard by the movements of others. This matter was undoubtedly related to Svin as, with Bathomeloi Lorelei still away from London, Rin had serious doubts about any of her forces moving without her leading them directly.
Hearing Rin call Vahn an idiot, Gray lightly giggled while keeping her right arm hidden from view, even though they were standing out of sight from most other people within the store. She knew Rin just missed the 'real' Vahn as, even though the memory fragment was pleasant to interact with, it became increasingly clear that there was something 'different' about him. The real Vahn had a very distinct 'presence' surrounding him and, though their actions and mannerisms were identical to each other, Gray felt the time she spent with the memory fragment wasn't as meaningful as the short time she had spent at Vahn's side. It could be due to the fact that the memory fragment was always very relaxed while the actual Vahn always invested himself wholly in every moment, even though he was also very busy...
To get a better vantage out onto the streets, Rin and Gray moved to the second floor of the store so they could view the pedestrian traffic from above. From this location, it was easy to see the Edelfelt security forces and, though Rin assumed they had already explained the situation, she decided to go ahead and contact Luvia directly. Since the was almost guaranteed that their enemies had watched them walk into the department store, Rin didn't bother using magical means and just pulled out her cell phone before turning it on. Once it had booted up, she dialed Luvia's number from memory as none of the temporary phones they had were updated with any contact lists.
It didn't take long for Luvia herself to pick up, answering the phone by asking, "Are you and Gray safe?" In response to this, Rin had a wry smile on her face as she answered, "Yes. How is the little one? Has anything happened at the Mansion?" Though it was extremely unlikely anyone would try to attack the Edelfelt Mansion directly, Rin couldn't help worry about Sakura during an emergency like this. Fortunately, Luvia immediately answered, "She is currently holed up in her room after eating lunch. You should hurry back so she doesn't have to worry about you too much. If you need me to, I can send a helicopter to your location..." Even if the consequences would be a little bit troublesome to deal with, Luvia wasn't too worried about any fines she would incur from the government as she had more than a few connections within Parliament who would cover for her.
While thinking about whether or not to alight to the roof and have Luvia pick them up, Rin felt a tingling sensation in her temples just moments before Gray pulled her aside. Immediately after this, the glass they had been looking through was shattered into an incalculable number of pieces as a pale golden 'beam' passed right where Rin's abdomen had been previously. Then, several seconds after the projectile had already pierced through the second floor and into the first, the sound of a loud rifle echoed through the area. This caused the pedestrian's below to begin scrambling about like startled ants as several more rounds were fired into the second floor of the department store, trailing behind Rin's and Gray's evasive actions.
As the projectile being fired toward them were able to easily pierce through the second floor, the two girls did not rely on standard cover to protect themselves and instead moved deeper into the building's interior. Rin cast a physical barrier around them that would be able to shield from even high-caliber rounds before relinquishing her body over to Ereshkigal once they reached sufficient cover. Though another round pierced through the walls, this time targetting Rin's head, it was intercepted by the barrier before the latter outright shattered. A flattened golden projectile fell to the ground immediately thereafter and, though it was largely destroyed in the collision, it was easy to sense the ambient Magical Energy radiating off of it.
While Gray placed the bullet into a small container, Ereshkigal used her peculiar spear to easily intercept a few more rounds that had been fired towards them. This seemed to deter their attacker from wasting more precious ammo as they actually couldn't see where 'Rin' and Gray were located. They had no way of knowing that Rin had transferred control to Ereshkigal and, though the latter lacked in Agility compared to most Lancer-Class Servants, her perception as a Goddess granted her the same limited omniscience as her sister. Unless the rounds fired were anti-divine in nature, they wouldn't even be able to harm her from the start but, as it was better to be safe than sorry, she had no intention of tanking one directly.
After several long seconds of silence, Ereshkigal looked towards Gray and said, "Rin wants you to try and contact Luvia again..." is a somber monotone. She had never been very sociable and, now that her host was endangered, Ereshkigal was more than a little upset. Though she could preserve Rin's life, even if the latter suffered fatal damage, this would require the use of her Death Divinity, an act that would require her to enter a deep slumber as she slowly recovered. Without the Greater Grail, she and Ishtar were extremely limited in the amount of power they could use so Ereshkigal deeply resented the person who tried to fatally wound Rin...
Since it was hard to refuse the words of a Goddess, Gray nodded her head in response before trying to use her own cell phone to contact Luvia. Before she could even type three digits, however, the power within the department store was cut while even the screen of her phone cut out. This caused Gray to frown as it implied their enemy had either used an EMP or had activated a powerful barrier to try and trap them. There were muffled sounds of explosions outside so she assumed it was the latter as this kind of attack simply defied logic otherwise. It was clear to see that their enemy had a lot of sway within the Mage's Association, but that didn't mean they could just act with impunity, especially after the announcement of Angra Mainyu's emergence...
Though it was dark within the department store, the area was lit up by the glowing red aura around Ereshkigal's spear while her two maroon eyes cut through the darkness with a cold light. Gray's own stark blue eyes also glowed slightly in the darkness, especially when she unveiled her gauntlet and began channeling her own magical energy. She was capable of using [Mana Burst], just like Artoria and Mordred, so her body was shrouded in a blue aura that functioned almost identically to [Cantus Bellax], the only major difference being that [Mana Burst] added an explosive effect to attacks that could ignore defense.
Amidst the sound of muffled explosions, a loud crashing sound could be heard as part of the ceiling collapsed. From the debris, a vibrant bluish-white light could be seen, illuminating the surroundings like a high-oxygen flame. It was because she sensed this presence that Gray had activated her [Mana Burst] and, now that the person she least wanted to see had appeared before her, she instantly kicked off the ground with enough force to leave a crater that nearly collapsed the second floor as she charged the figure before it could get its bearings. In response to this, the figure dashed back with swiftness few Servants could manage, breaking through the cloud of debris to reveal a form reminiscent to a Werewolf that was comprised almost entirely of bluish-white flames.
At the same time that the figure dashed back, it released a feral howling sound, combined with the words, "Gray, stop...!" This caused a soundwave to spread through the department store, destroying displays and knocking over products before passing through Gray and causing her [Mana Burst] to dissipate. Without missing a step, however, Gray just reactivated her skill as she kicked off the ground once again, changing Add into the form of a long spear as she shouted, "I'll never go back to you, Svin! Leave me alone...!"
As she shouted, there was a veil of moisture over Gray's eyes but it paled in comparison to the amount of conviction contained within as she attempted to stab Svin in the stomach. This caused Svin's expression to turn even more feral as he attempted to grab the spear with his unnaturally long arms, an action made possible due to his combination of Beast Magecraft and Reinforcement. In this form, he could even outpace a fighter jet and, unless his opponent used Silver weaponry or B-Rank Magecraft, he would be able to instantaneously regenerate from almost any wound. Gray's Mystic Codex, however, was capable of ignoring his regeneration since it carried the Holy Property, giving it greater potency than even sanctified Silver...
While the tip of Gray's spear cut through his pectoral muscle, Svin was able to divert the trajectory of her attack, using the same motion to kick her hard in the ribs. Her [Mana Burst] dissipated nearly the entire impact but it still sent Gray's body tumbling through a series of wardrobes, splintering them into small wooden fragments while Svin wrangled with the disobedient Add. Unfortunately for him, he was not afforded the type to apply the seal he had prepared as Ereshkigal, not content to just watch the events play out, had stabbed her spear into the ground as she finished chanting, "Fall into the embrace of the Underworld. Kur Kigal Irkalla..."
In what seemed like a singular instant, a reddish-black pulse spread through the area, changing the surroundings into a seemingly endless graveyard that was filled with various tombstones and cages. This caused Svin's eyes to widen as he exclaimed, "Reality Marble!? You...who are you!?" Without deigning to respond, as the idea of speaking to another man left a bad taste in Ereshkigal's mouth, she pulled her spear from the ground before charging toward Svin and swinging it in a large arc. To his credit, he was easily able to evade her relatively slow attack but, as he was already trapped within her terrain, Svin quickly found his calves and feet pierced by thorned vines made out of malignant reddish-black energy.
Experiencing an extreme amount of pain, made worse when he tore his limbs free in his attempt to evade even more vines, Svin's eyes began to burn with an even more vibrant light as he shouted, "You stay out of this! Gray is mine...!" Following this outburst, Svin released a loud roar in an attempt to dissipate the Reality Marble but, without even fluctuating in the slightest, Ereshkigal's Underworld domain persisted. Though Svin was undoubtedly very powerful for a Magus, it was extremely foolish to try and destroy a God's domain while they were present within. In this place, she had the highest authority and, greatly enhancing her own power while slowly draining away the vitality of any enemies trapped within. Thus, in response to Svin's howl, Ereshkigal's eyes had an even colder light than before as she muttered, "Less than a beast..." The moment these words left her lips, a large cage formed around Svin's body while he was mid-howl. At the same time, a smaller cage appeared within her left hand, this one showing a smaller version of Svin that was spontaneously shrouded in blood-red flames that caused his actual body to begin burning in turn...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'RIP security forces','Dat intuition though...','Ereshkigal has a strong bias against other men xD...')
(A/N: I'm still resting today but, after waking up from a long nap, I felt like writing a chapter while relaxing in my bed. I hope you enjoyed it (^ _ ^)~!)
https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)
paypal.me/Einlion
Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE
每周推薦票狀態
200+ 推薦票
榜單 
114 推薦票 
段落評論