章節 1443: Internal Strife
Due to the fact they needed to clear a veritable horde of Attack Programs along the way, it took a little more than two hours before Musashi, Caenis, and Altria caught up to Shirou's location. By then, the surroundings had changed even more than before, shifting from a dirt path floated in mid-air to a forest that now spread through the area.
More surprising, at least for Shirou, was the fact that a small cottage had manifested around him, its interior filled with various different weapons he had been fond of using in his lifetime. It was like one of the safehouses he would frequent in between missions, a place where he could relax and lay low when things got particularly hectic.
Seeing peculiar dwelling up close, Musashi couldn't help asking, "Did you make this or did the Moon Cell make it for you...?"
Since he had been given a lot of time to think about the specifics, Shirou quickly assembled his rifle, answering, "The Moon Cell seems to respond to the subconscious desires of its inhabitants, creating a territory in which they can relax. I imagine the terrain is determined by the most powerful person in a given area. I can't be certain, though, as I met with Benienma earlier...she seems to have built the Enma-tei she had been talking about in the past."
Though she had already assumed the Japanese-style region was the domain of Raikou's group, the mention of Benienma caused Musashi to frown slightly as she asked, "Did something happen...?"
Understanding Musashi's concerns, Shirou issued a dry laugh, answering, "I ended up accepting an invitation to spend the night. When the time comes, I may have to trouble you..."
Hearing Shirou's response, Musashi released a tired sigh, rubbing her forehead in an exasperated manner before saying, "Sure, but you'll have to buy the drinks. Don't think I'll let you off easy if any trouble arises, though. Dealing with a few Oni is one thing, but that Raikou woman is in a league of her own when it comes to troublesome opponents."
Remembering her first encounter with Raikou, a shiver ran through Musashi's body. This wasn't due to the fact that Raikou was powerful, however, but as a result of her nature. The woman gave off the impression of an intelligent and rational person, but, the moment you 'triggered' her true nature, she was like a demon. The fact she could keep other troublesome figures in line without any issue was a testament to how scary she could actually be. It wasn't for no reason she had become known as one of the most famous figures in Japanese folklore...
Seeing Musashi's reaction, Shirou felt guilty, as, if he had been more cautious, refusing Benienma's invitation wouldn't have been that difficult. This was always the case when dealing with Yokai, but, due to the impression given off by the petite sparrow, it was hard to remain on guard around her. She wasn't actually a bad person, possessing a kind and caring nature, but that didn't exactly make her any less dangerous.
Deciding to shelve the matter until later, Shirou allowed his rifle to disperse into particles of mana before pulling out a modified SMG and saying, "We should find Jason as soon as possible. I'm also worried about Alice but she should be fine with Lovecraft and Abigail watching over her..."
Though Abigail was, potentially, the most dangerous person in their entire group, her power was kept in check as a result of Lovecraft's influence. She was rather fond of the gaunt-faced man, and, though she spent most of her time cooped up in her own room, Abigail also got along well with Alice. The latter was largely immune to her influence, so, whenever Lovecraft had been busy with his writing, Alice would often keep Abigail company.
Understanding that time was of the essence, Musashi nodded her head in agreement before turning to Caenis and saying, "We'll leave choosing the path to you. I get that you like to destroy things, but try and leave the monsters to us. The sooner we track down Jason and pass information to everyone else, the sooner we'll be able to do our own thing."
Caenis didn't like being used as a bloodhound, but, knowing there was a fair amount of truth behind Musashi's words, she just snorted before hefting her spear and shield. Then, without sparing them a second glance, she picked one of the split paths that had formed, bolting off at a pace even Heroic Spirits would struggle to keep. This caused Musashi and Shirou to exchange wry smiles, but, as even Altria had already taken off running, they didn't have time to just stand around idling.
---
While Shirou and Co were fast approaching, the man in question, Jason, was sitting with a sneer on his face as a rougish-look individual with windswept golden hair sat over a basin filled with rainbow-hued liquid. He appeared to be in his late twenties, and, though very sparse, a divine aura radiated off the young man as his eyes rolled back into his head, the result of inhaling the strange chemicals within the basin.
After several minutes of inhaling the suspect liquid, the man turned to Jason, his voice reminiscent of someone talking in their sleep as he stated, "Impossible...can't see...the future is uncertain..."
As this wasn't the first time he had heard something similar, Jason erupted from his throne, shouting, "You're absolutely useless...!!" in a high-pitched voice.
In response to Jason's remark, the handsome man just offered a polite smile, his eyes rolling forward to reveal sky-blue irises as he smoothly answered, "I suppose I'll be returning then. Since I'm useless, don't bother calling me for a while~."
With those parting words, the man vanished into motes of bluish-white light, leaving Jason glaring with clenched fists as he attempted to restrain himself. He knew no good would come from trying to force Idmon to come back, as, unlike most Noble Phantasms, he didn't have complete control over his. The entities inside, while not their true selves, expressed the same personalities they had in life, so, if he managed to piss them off, his Noble Phantasm drastically weakened.
Fortunately, he had Change'e there to remind him, "Lord Jason, please, remember what Archimedes said. The future is being affected by the existence of the Sage Dragon Emperor. Unless his influence can be removed, attempting to predict the future is all but impossible."
Hearing Change'e's words, Jason was able to forcibly calm himself down, even if his frustration had only increased. He hated not knowing what the future held, even if most prophecies ended up being vague, at best. It was still better to know, as, when it came down to encountering powerful foes, any amount of information was better than going in blind.
After taking a few deep breaths, Jason exhaled a long sigh before offering a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as he said, "Thank you, Faerie Change'e. Your words have helped to calm my spirit..." Then, without waiting for her response, he looked toward the duo that had been playing dice at the side, saying, "Castor, Pollux, lend me your ear. I require your aid..."
Instead of responding to Jason, Pollux, identifiable by the fact he rarely wore anything to cover his upper body, flipped a cup containing six dice, glaring at his brother, who, in response, stated, "I'll go with odds..." in a venomous tone. Then, still ignoring Jason, Pollux removed the cup, revealing dice with a value of twenty-seven. This caused Castor to grimace, his teeth clenched tightly as Pollux unceremoniously punched him, sending his half-brother twin tumbling a few meters as he loudly guffawed.
Seeing the duo ignore him, Jason continued to stare in silence, his face appearing grimmer with each passing second. Then, just as his blood pressure reached a critical level, Pollux looked over at him, a crooked smile on his face as he rubbed the stubble along his jaw and asked, "What do we get out of it, eh? You know we don't like fightin' your battler for you, Capt'n. Gotta learn to be a real man one of these days."
Unlike Jason, who had delicate and handsome features, Pollux, a son of Zeus, was rather ugly. He stood at startling 228cm tall, with a build that could only be described as 'heroic'. He was a veritable wall of muscle who spent most of his life out at sea, wrestling serpents, giant squids, and various other sea creatures. It was for this reason that he and his brother Castor, whom he had shared his Immortality with, became the patron saints of ancient sailors, representing St. Elmo's fire and the Constellation of Gemini.
Jason was no stranger to Pollux's barbaric nature, so, while it incensed him to have his masculinity questioned, he forced a smile and said, "That horse bitch, Caenis, might be coming for my life. If she turns out to be our enemy, I don't care what the two of you do with her. I'm really not asking you for much, only that you confirm whether or not that group of mongrels is trying to kill me."
Hearing Jason's words, Pollux's face formed into a frown while, at the side, Castor rose to his feet and asked, "Caenus? Isn't that the name of Coronus' father? Are you trying to pick a fight with us, Captain?"
Feeling killing intent radiating off the duo, Jason paled slightly as he shook his head and explained, "No, no, you have it all wrong! The Caenis I'm talking about is a female! She is a bit muscular for my tastes, but she is the same woman that Poseidon had taken a liking to in the past! You're free to go and confirm it for yourself if you don't believe me...!"
Before Castor and Pollux could respond, a wispy green projectile whizzed by Jason's head, bloodying his ear as a cold feminine voice stated, "I will go...you despicable scoundrels can stay here and keep each other company. To think, people actually consider you to be Heroes...pathetic."
Though Pollux found Jason's expression amusing, he took exception to the woman's words, his face darkening as he shouted, "Shut your mouth, Atalanta! I had enough of your crap back when we were alive! You don't have Artemis here to protect you any longer so don't tempt me, brat! You might not have any charm, but I'll still make you a woman if you keep pushing your luck...!!"
Hearing Pollux's remark, Atalanta, appearing almost identical to the Heroic Spirit summoned by Astrid, showed a resolute expression as she readied her bow. Green energy began to swirl around her in response to the lightning that flickered across Pollux's right arm, but, before a fight could break out between them, a deep voice echoed through the chamber, silencing everyone with a simple, "Enough..."
Following the booming voice, a muscular man one full size larger than Castor and Pollux stepped into the room. His skin was a deep bronze color, appearing much like tempered iron, and, though his facial features were even more horrifying than the twins, his aura inspired fear and respect, even in other Demigods. As a result, Pollux took a step back, and, though she continued putting on a strong front, even Atalanta lowered her bow, clicking her tongue as if she had been looking forward to a fight.
Seeing the appearance of the mountain-like man, Jason's expression visibly brightened, but, before he could say anything, the man glared at him, stating, "You are still the same coward..." Then, turning to Pollux, he added, "Your licentious ways are what got you and your brother killed. You pointed out that Artemis is no longer here to look after Atalanta, but how many times did Zeus have to save you when you dug yourself into trouble? If you're not going to help, return to the abyss and stay put. If you continue behaving like villains, I will crush all three of you..."
A stark contrast to the bravado they had wielded toward Jason and Atalanta, Castor and Pollux could do little more than grind their teeth in response to the man's harsh rebuke. They were well aware of the fate that would befall them if they chose to make the man their enemy, so, while his words were enough to make their blood boil, Pollux, with a grim expression on his face, ultimately replied, "There is no need for that...we were just joking around, isn't that right, Atalanta?"
Instead of responding to Pollux's words, Atalanta leaped down from her perch alighting from the room with a simple, "I'm going..." as she passed the bronze-skinned man. This earned her a slight nod from the massive man who then, as if blocking the passage, crossed his arms, alternating his gaze between Jason, Castor, and Pollux. This was enough to exponentially increase the tensions in the room, even after Jason tried to laugh things off, saying, "Geez, Heracles, is this any way to treat your own allies? We're all friends here, right? I mean, the three are you are practically family so there is no reason for such hostilities, haha...ha...ha..."
After glaring Jason into silence, Heracles snorted aggressively through his nose, superseding the former's commands, stating, "If you are going to stay outside, prepare for battle. Worry about the rewards once you've accomplished something. If that fool ends up dying, you'll also disappear. Keep that in mind before you do something stupid..."
With his words finished, Heracles stopped glaring at the trio, turning his eyes upon Change'e who, from the start, had been standing silently at the side with a smile on her face. She noticed his gaze and offered an elegant wave in response. To this, Heracles gave a courteous nod before promptly turning, his instincts telling him not to get involved with the unassuming woman. She gave off the same feeling as Goddesses like Athena and Hera, so, while he was always respectful to the Gods, he would rather not get involved with them a second time...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Don't mess with Yokai','Greek Heroes aren't very Heroic...','Heracles laying down the law')
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章節 1444: Explanation
Though a far cry from her peak capabilities, Atalanta still had A-Rank Agility, allowing her to cover vast distances in an exceptionally short period of time. She moved swifter than the wind, leaving few traces of her existence as she zipped passed various Attack Programs, the majority of which didn't even react to her presence. Only those with flight capabilities, or those designed with speed in mind, were able to trace her path. By the time they shifted from a neutral blue to a vibrant red, however, they already had arrows sticking out of their bodies, followed by small explosions that either killed or disabled them.
Atalanta had always been skilled at hunting on the move, an ability that had allowed her original self to hunt down the legendary Calydonian Boar, a Phantasmal Beast created by Artemis to lay waste to the Calydonian region. She had been the only one capable of wounding the creature, a combination of Artemis' blessing, her reputed speed, and her ability to manipulate the wind to guide her arrows to their target. As a result, she drew first blood against the beast, allowing other Heroes to eventually deal a fatal blow, saving all of Greece in the process.
Now, as a result of the skills her original self had polished, Atalanta moved with impunity through the Photonic Abyss, bypassing a startling amount of foes along the way. She only began to slow after seeing a massive, plesiosaur-like Attack Program in the distance, its length more than 30m. It was also capable of swimming through the air, floating several hundred meters above the ground as it bombarded the terrain with massive, reddish-black, lasers.
Hunting large game always got her excited so Atlanta wasted no time in drawing her bow, shaping Wind Elemental energy into three vibrant green arrows. Before she was able to loose them upon the massive creature, however, she sensed a strange fluctuation that made her hair stand on end. In the next moment, the 30m long Attack Program was bisected in two, its individual halves slowly sliding away from each other before ultimately exploding seconds later...
Atalanta had already assumed the people engaging the creature were her quarry, so, rather than let the monster's death bother her, she quickly made her way over to the site of the battle, finding three women and one man spread out over the uneven terrain. They, or at least the man, also noticed her, his pale-gold eyes glimmering with a subtle silver light as he calmly stared back at her.
Though generally not fond of men, for a variety of reasons, Atalanta didn't get the same impression as usual when seeing the white-haired man before her. He reminded her a lot of Paris, a delicate boy with a gentle nature. Unlike Paris, however, the man before her gave off the impression of someone that had born heavy burdens, much like a soldier that had spent an inordinate amount of time upon the battlefield.
While she was somewhat interested in the man's story, Atalanta ultimately decided to simply ignore him, turning her eyes upon the muscular woman with horse-like ears, surprising the latter by asking, "Are you Caenis?"
Due to the nature of Atalanta's existence, Caenis hadn't even noticed the feline woman 'sneaking' up from behind her, causing her ears to perk up in surprise as she spun around, spear brandished as she shouted, "Who are you!?" in a higher pitch than normal.
Having dashed back more than a hundred meters by the time Caenis had turned around, Atalanta just ran her fingers through her hair, answering in a dull tone, "I am Atalanta. Based on your features, you must be Caenis, correct?"
Hearing Atalanta's introduction, realization donned on Caenis, followed by her spear lowering as she offered a rare smile and answered, "I remember you now...yes, you are that little brat that ran around with the Argonauts back in the day. Did Jason send you to guide us?"
Though Caenis didn't get along with most people, those like Atalanta were the exception. Not only was she a woman worthy of respect, but, much like herself, Atalanta had suffered greatly as a result of both men and God alike. She knew the original Atalanta for a brief moment, and, though they had only exchanged a few words, Caenis had come to empathize with the woman's plight. As for why she hadn't recognized the famous huntress, it was due to the fact that nearly sixteen hundred years had passed since their last meeting. Back then, Atalanta also had a relatively 'normal' appearance, bereft of the feline traits she currently possessed...
Sensing no hostility from Caenis, Atalanta's grip on her bow loosened slightly, followed by a slight shaking of her head as she answered, "Not exactly...? I was sent to ascertain whether or not you had malicious intentions. That coward got spooked by your killing intent and has been panicking ever since."
Hearing Atalanta refer to Jason as a coward, Caenis couldn't help but release a loud laugh as she shouldered her spear and said, "That pansy would be started by his own shadow if he saw it in the middle of the night. Though I wouldn't mind leaving that man to rot on a pike, I'm not going to kill him for no reason..."
Though she wasn't exactly lying, even Caenis didn't quite believe her own words, causing Atalanta to frown slightly. Fortunately, Shirou had approached, leaving Musashi and Altria to finish off what few enemies remained. The Photonic Abyss seemed to produce a functionally infinite amount of Attack Programs, but, so long as you cleared out an area, they wouldn't respawn in the same location. Thus, by clearing out an area, you could give yourself some breathing room by establishing and growing a territory.
Ignoring the glare Caenis sent his way, Shirou held up his hands in a disarming manner as he stated, "My name is Shirou...Shirou Emiya. We have come with the intent to share information. Many things have changed in the last few hours. Before Jason ends up doing something that causes trouble for everyone, we wanted to meet with him and explain the new situation. Tell him that he doesn't need to worry. Unless he starts a fight, none of us have the intention of trying to harm him..."
Though she didn't sense any falsehood in Shirou's words, Atalanta got the distinct impression that, if it came down to it, the pale-haired man wouldn't hesitate to kill Jason. This was a problem, as, while she cared 'very' little about the arrogant man, she didn't want to just vanish into thin air. At the very least, it was strangely comfortable staying inside the mysterious abyss every Argonaut existed within prior to being summoned, so, if possible, she wanted to avoid Jason's death.
Shirou could tell his words hadn't been able to convince Atalanta, causing his smile to turn wry as he lowered his hands and added, "It's fine if you just pass on the information to him. If he just chooses to stay put, we don't have any pressing need to interfere in his life. Ultimately, the person he needs to worry about is the Sage Dragon Emperor. The latter has only given us forty-eight hours to reach a consensus. If Jason is unwilling to compromise...there is a good chance he will die a very painful and gruesome death..."
Compared to before, Atalanta could hear the sincerity in Shirou's words, despite their gravitas. This made it seem like there was no room for discussion, implying that death was an absolute, impossible to avoid, outcome.
With her own existence threatened, Atalanta showed a resolute expression, saying, "Tell me. I will do my best to convince him. That man is a coward who prioritizes his own survival over everything else. If he can be convinced that his death is a certainty, he should be willing to compromise..."
Shirou didn't harbor much hope that Jason would actually acquiesce to the Empire's Common Law, but, as it would be unnecessarily cruel to leave him in the dark, he still explained the situation from start to finish. This left Atalanta slightly pale, her expression showing clear disbelief as it was hard to imagine someone as powerful as Shirou described. If not for the presence of Musashi, one who had easily cut down a veritable army of enemies, she wouldn't have been able to believe it...
---
Around the same time that Shirou was convincing Atalanta, Vahn found himself face-to-face with a woman possessing many shared features with his Shishou. It could almost be said they were twins, if not for the fact one had deep purple hair while the other's was closer to vermillion. Even their outfits were similar, with Aife wearing a skin-tight bodysuit that was sparsely covered in pale-gold plating. If not for her royal-blue cape and the small diadem she wore to represent her status as a queen, her aesthetic would have been virtually identical to Scáthach's...
After the initial shock wore off, a period of time lasting less than a single second, Vahn initiated the conversation, stating plainly, "You are Aife, elder sister to Scáthach...tell me, what end did you expect, attacking my people and assaulting my fortress with such disregard? Though an honorable death is the right of everyone warrior, the fact you surrendered so quickly shows this was not your intention."
Hearing Vahn's remark, Aife's face became somewhat red due to embarrassment and shame. This was always the worst part when surrendering to an enemy, as, more often than not, female warriors experienced great shame before they were finally released. She knew little about the Sage Dragon Emperor, as it hadn't been all that long since she was summoned. What she did know, however, was that he had an entire army filled with beautiful, and devout, women.
Taking a few deep breaths to compose herself, Aife met Vahn's gaze without shying away, answering, "I came to meet with my sister. I had hoped to lure her out by making a scene. Unfortunately, as you can see, I seem to have overestimated myself...your forces are truly mighty, Sage Dragon Emperor..."
Toward the end of her statement, Aife performed a courteous bow, as, after suffering defeat, things like titles and status meant very little. In her era, it wasn't uncommon for survivors to be stripped of their titles and land upon surrendering, the only exception being when the victorious party showed leniency. She had conquered many territories by taking advantage of this principle, gaining vassals by sparing and assimilating various clans into her own.
Since Aife had a lot of similarities with Scáthach, Vahn was slightly perturbed by her elegance and the amount of emotion she displayed. Thus, in response to her praise, he took a deep breath of his own, asking, "You haven't heard from Shirou and Musashi, I presume?"
Hearing the familiar names, Aife showed a contemplative expression before ultimately shaking her head and saying, "I have not personally conversed with either in recent memory. After we separated previously, I wandered around the area, slaying strange monsters before stumbling upon the mighty walls of Your Majesty's fortress. After that...well, it is as you see..."
Seeing Aife draw attention to the golden accessories linked around her wrists and ankles, Vahn gave a small nod before pulling a chair out of his Inventory and saying, "Sit. This could take a while. Before that, however, allow me to explain what happened to your sister. Afterward, you will be free to go. I know of your culture and traditions, but, this is no longer your era. You are free to live as you please, so long as it does not violate the Common Law. Now, before you ask questions, allow me to explain the situation...starting with the death of your sister..."
Though she had been expecting many things, hearing Vahn mention her sister's death was not one of them. As a result, Aife's mind completely blanked for what felt like several hours, unable to muster any thoughts at all as she passively listened to his recounting of events...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I'm fast a fuck booooooi~','A meeting between a horse and a cat','RIP Aife's mind...')
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