[AN: Hey everyone! Life's been crazy, so sorry for the radio silence. Hope you're all doing great! Here is a sneak peek of Chapter 18. The full chapter will be out soon (idk exactly when, but soon~). Thanks for waiting!]
----------
I feel pain all over my body as I look at the purple-haired beauty. She drives my head to the ground with her spear.
"Stop gwaking. Stand up and fight me properly," orders the she-demon.
Getting ready to fight, I stand up once again. I feel an ache in the muscles that I didn't know I had.
I take my stance and ready my spear. The demon invites me to attack her.
-------------
Once upon a time, there lived a foolish hero. He held a great power but lacked control. So he set out to find a suitable teacher. The teacher has taught many before him. He had found her location by accident. But she lived across the great ocean. So the hero left his family, friends, and lover to find the great teacher.
He mounted a great beast that flew him across the ocean and found her homeland.
There, her home was occupied by a terrible demon.
The demon was none other than me. Or rather, the Nameless Heroic Spirit that represented my lack of control. The System had placed me in a simulation of Scáthach's realm, where I would face the ultimate test: learning to master my power under the woman who had trained Cu Chulainn.
"Scáthach," I say, my voice hoarse from the beating. "I've come to learn."
The purple-haired warrior goddess smirks, twirling her spear with deadly grace. "You have guts, boy. But guts alone won't save you from yourself. Now fight!"
She lunges at me again, her spear a blur of purple light. I barely manage to raise my Gae Bolg in time, the impact sending shockwaves through my already battered body. This time, I don't just block—I analyze.
Her fighting style is brutal efficiency. Every movement serves a purpose. Every strike aims for the kill. Unlike my assassin-style training with the First Hassan, she fights with overwhelming power and precision.
I try to counterattack, but she reads my movements and redirects my spear with a twist of her wrist. I go flying again, crashing into the sword-covered ground.
"Pathetic!" she barks, but there's a glint of approval in her eyes.
"You survived longer than the last one. But surviving isn't enough. You must learn to control that power you wield."
She gestures to the sky, where I can see the outline of my Reality Marble pressing against the boundaries of her domain.
"That power of yours—the Imaginary Sword—it's wild. Unrefined. You're like a child playing with a nuclear weapon."
"I know," I admit, pushing myself up. "That's why I'm here."
Scáthach nods, seemingly satisfied with my answer. "Good. At least you're not arrogant enough to think you've mastered it. Come. We have much work to do."
----------
The next six months passed in a blur of pain, training, and gradual improvement. Scáthach's realm existed outside of normal time, allowing me to train without the System's update timer affecting me—or so I thought.
My days followed a strict routine:
**Morning:** Physical conditioning and combat training with Scáthach. She taught me the fundamentals of spear combat, how to use my Gae Bolg not just as a projectile but as an extension of my body. She drilled into me the importance of controlling my mana output, teaching me techniques to channel my Type-ORT infinite mana without overheating.
**Afternoon:** Magecraft refinement. I practiced combining my various spells, creating new combinations. Scáthach, despite being primarily a warrior, had knowledge of rune magecraft that she shared with me. I improved my Space-Lock, making it more durable and longer-lasting. I learned to infuse my Reality Marble into my attacks, giving them stability without relying on Imaginary Numbers.
**Evening:** Spiritual cultivation. This was the most painful part. Scáthach guided me through exercises to strengthen my soul, to make it capable of handling the power I wielded. The Heart of ORT's influence still lingered, and she helped me integrate it properly rather than just coexisting with it.
During this time, something unexpected happened. I grew closer to Scáthach.
She wasn't just a teacher—she was a warrior who had lived for millennia, burdened with the duty of training heroes who would eventually die. She had watched countless students perish, had sent them to their deaths with her own hands. And yet, she continued teaching.
"Why do you keep doing it?" I asked her one evening, after a particularly brutal training session where I had vomited blood from pushing my mana circuits too hard.
"Because someone must," she said simply. "The world needs heroes. Even if they die. Even if it causes me pain. That is the burden of those who have power."
I understood her pain. I had lost Kiritsugu. Had watched him die with a smile on his face, having failed his dream. I understood the weight of carrying someone else's dream.
That night, as I sat by the fire in her castle, she sat beside me. For the first time, she didn't look like a demon or a goddess. She looked like a tired woman who had been alone for too long.
"You have grown strong, boy," she said, her voice softer than I had ever heard it. "Stronger than most heroes I've trained. But you carry too much weight on your shoulders."
"I can handle it," I replied.
"Can you?" She looked at me, her purple eyes piercing. "You fight for others. You carry their dreams. But who fights for you? Who carries your burden?"
Before I could answer, she leaned in and kissed me.
It wasn't gentle. It was hungry, desperate, as if she were trying to steal a moment of happiness before it slipped away. I responded in kind, my hands finding her waist, pulling her closer. When we broke apart, she rested her forehead against mine.
"Don't misunderstand," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "I am not your lover. I am your teacher. But even teachers have needs. Even warriors crave connection."
That night, we didn't go further. But the tension between us changed. Our training became more intense, more charged. During combat practice, our bodies pressed together as we grappled. During magecraft instruction, her hands guided mine, her breath warm against my neck.
--------------------
I learned more from her in six months than I had from anyone else in my life. Not just techniques, but wisdom. The understanding that power without purpose was meaningless. That strength without compassion was tyranny.
"You are different from the others," she told me one day as we watched the sunset over her realm. "The heroes I've trained—they sought power for glory, for revenge, for foolish ideals. But you... you seek power to protect. To save. That makes you dangerous. Not to me. To the world."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because the world will try to break you. Will try to make you into something you're not. And someone with your power, if they fall... the consequences would be catastrophic."
She was right. I had seen it in my battles. The temptation to use my Nuclear Arrow, to wipe out entire cities to end a conflict. The System had given me power, but Scáthach was teaching me wisdom.
----------
The undead came at night.
They were the spirits of warriors who had died in this realm, twisted by dark magic into mindless killing machines. Scáthach had warned me about them—the price of her domain.
"Tonight, you will face them alone," she said, handing me my Gae Bolg. "Not as a test. But because I cannot fight them all myself. Will you help me?"
"Of course," I said without hesitation.
The horde came from the darkness, hundreds of skeletal warriors wielding weapons made of shadow. I activated my magic circuits, feeling the familiar surge of power from Type-ORT. My mana flowed freely, infinite and pure.
I started with Voidblast, overloading my Excalibur Morgan shells and firing them into the mass of undead. The explosions lit up the night, each one vaporizing dozens of the creatures. But more kept coming.
I switched to Phantom Flame, infusing it into my Muramasa blade. The blue fire cut through the undead like butter, burning their very essence. I moved through the horde like a force of nature, my training with Scáthach allowing me to fight with precision and power.
But there were too many. A massive shadow loomed over me—a Death Knight, ancient and powerful. It swung a blade of darkness that would have split me in half had I not activated Space-Lock, separating us from reality for a crucial moment.
I emerged from the bounded field behind it and drove my Gae Bolg through its back. The spear's death curse activated, and the creature dissolved into ash.
I continued fighting, my body moving on instinct. Gamers Mind kept me calm despite the overwhelming numbers. Gamers Body allowed me to push through the pain. My Reality Marble expanded around me, creating a bounded field that kept the undead at bay.
When dawn broke, the last of the undead fell. I stood amidst the carnage, my body screaming in protest, my mana reserves finally showing signs of strain.
Scáthach appeared beside me, her spear still bloody. "Impressive," she said, and for the first time, I saw genuine admiration in her eyes. "You have learned well. You are no longer a child playing with power. You are a warrior."
She kissed me then, deeply, passionately. When we broke apart, she smiled—a rare, genuine smile.
"You have one more lesson to learn," she said. "Come with me."
She led me to the heart of her castle, to a chamber I had never seen before. In the center stood a pedestal, and on it rested a crown of thorns made of silver light.
"This is the crown of the warrior who has mastered their power," she explained. "It represents the transition from student to master. But it comes with a price."
"What price?" I asked, though I already knew.
"The crown will bind you to this realm. To me. You will become my champion, my eternal student. In exchange, you will gain power beyond your current limits. Power to protect those you love."
I thought of Sakura, waiting for me back home. Of Rin, who was rebuilding the Jeweled Sword. Of the coming Holy Grail War. Of the System's update that was still ongoing.
"I accept," I said without hesitation.
Scáthach placed the crown upon my head. Pain exploded through my skull as the magic took hold, but I didn't cry out. I had endured worse.
When the pain subsided, I felt different. Stronger. More focused. My mana circuits had been refined, my soul reinforced. I could feel the boundaries of Scáthach's realm, could sense the flow of energy through it.
"You are now my eternal student," she said, her voice filled with pride and something warmer. "And I am yours. Forever."
She kissed me again, and this time, I didn't just respond—I claimed. My hands roamed her body, feeling the warrior's muscle beneath her armor, the warmth of her skin. She responded with equal passion, her fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me closer.
We didn't make it to the bed. We made love right there in the sacred chamber, our bodies pressed together on the stone floor, our cries echoing through the halls. It was fierce, desperate, as if we both knew time was running out.
Because it was.
----------
When I opened my eyes, I was back in the hotel room in Misaki Town. Arc was sleeping beside me, her arm draped over my chest. The System notification blinked in my vision:
[System Update Complete]
[Update Duration: 6 months (subjective time)]
[New Features Unlocked]
[Warning: World Quest timer has reached critical levels. 3 months remaining.]
I checked my Spirit Origin, and my eyes widened at the changes:
[Spirit Origin:Name: Shirou Emiya
Title: Imaginary Sword → The Peerless Warrior
Level: 50 → 55[???/???]
Class: Foreigner
Alignment: Neutral・Evil
HP: 150k->200k [regen 20k per min]
MP: 55k->80k
SP: 15k->25k [regen 12.5k per min]
ATK: 20k->35k
Points: 1,608,525->2,500,000]
[New Skills Acquired:
[Scáthach's Teachings - EX]
[Spear Mastery - A+]
[Death Curse Resistance - A]
[Reality Marble: Training Grounds - B]]
I stared at the new title: "The Peerless Warrior." I had expected something else, but this... this felt right. I had trained under the greatest spear master in history. I had earned this.
But there was something else. Something I hadn't expected.
In my inventory, where Avalon had always been, there was now a second item. A crown of silver thorns, pulsing with gentle light.
[Item: Crown of the Eternal Student
Rank: EX
Type: Contract/Boost
Effect: Bonds user to Scáthach's realm. Increases all parameters by 20% when in her domain. Allows instant return to her realm for training.]
I touched the crown, and a memory flashed through my mind—Scáthach's smile, her words: "You are now my eternal student. And I am yours. Forever."
I had grown closer to her in six months than I had to anyone except Sakura. And now, I had a way to return to her whenever I needed.
But there was no time for sentiment. The World Quest timer showed 3 months remaining. The Holy Grail War was approaching. I had work to do.
Arc stirred beside me, her eyes fluttering open. "Shirou... you're back. I felt your presence fade for a moment."
"I was... away," I said, sitting up. "But I'm back now. And we have a lot to prepare for."
She nodded, her expression serious. "Roa is dead. Chaos is dead. But the Grail War is coming. And from what Zelretch said, this one will be different."
I knew what she meant. This Grail War would be the real one. The one that would determine the fate of Fuyuki. And I needed to be ready.
But first, I needed to check on the others. To make sure Sakura and Rin were safe. To prepare for what was coming.
I stood up, stretching my newly enhanced body. The power thrummed through me, wild and refined at the same time. I had learned control from Scáthach. I had learned wisdom.
Now I needed to learn how to win a war.
As I reached for my phone to call Sakura, a notification appeared:
[Ding~ New Quest AvailableMain Quest: Prepare for the Holy Grail WarRewards: ???]
I smiled grimly. The game was far from over. In fact, it was just beginning.
========================================================
[Spirit Origin:
Name: Shirou Emiya
Title: The Peerless Warrior
Level: 55[???/???]
Class: Foreigner
Alignment: Neutral・Evil
HP: 200k [regen 20k per min]
MP: 80k
SP: 25k [regen 12.5k per min]
ATK: 35kPoints: 2,500,000
Familiar: Kyu Sugardust
Contract: Scáthach (Eternal Student)
Params:
STR: B
END: A+
VIT: A+
AGI: B+
MP: EX
LUK: C
NP: Anti-Fortress(A-Rank)]
[Skills:
[Gamers Mind-EX]
[Gamers Body-EX]
[Sword of Void-EX]
[Type ORT-EX]
[One Radiant Thing-EX]
[Imaginary Number Magecraft-A++]
[Seven Deadly Sins-A++]
[Perpetual Puberty-A+++]
[Kama Sutra-EX][Observe-EX]
[Pain Tolerance-EX]
[Avalon-EX]
[Reality Marble:???-E~EX]
[Reality Marble: Training Grounds-B]
[Scáthach's Teachings-EX]
[Spear Mastery-A+]
[Death Curse Resistance-A]
[Anti-Evil (passive)]
[Archery-A]
[Cooking-EX]
[Technician-C]
[Magecraft-B]
[Eye of Mind-C]
[Anti Divinity-E]
[Phantom Flame]
[Modern Rune]
[High-speed incantation-A]
[Territory Creation(A)]
[Healing Magecraft]
[Magecraft: Light From The World's End]
[Lucid Link][Imaginary Space Travel-A]
[Magic Bullet]]
[Spells:
[Tracing]
[Reinforcement]
[Refresh]
[Flash Air]
[Clone Jutsu]
[Voidblast]
[Fireball]
[Eternal Blaze]
[The Goal Of Life Is Death]
[Turn Undead]
[Elastic Body]
]
[Quests]:
World Quest:
->3 months left
Main Quest:
->Prepare for the Holy Grail War {Rewards: ???}
->Save Illyasviel von Einzbern (must heal her body). {rewards: 2M XP, Mana Output Increased By 100%, 100,000 points, 5SSR tickets}
->Help Rin Tohsaka Rebuild the Jeweled Sword Zelretch. {rewards: 1M XP, 50,000points, 3SSR tickets, Skill: Gatekeeper]
Character Quest:
->Increase your physical fitness->Increase your magical fitness
->Increase your knowledge of the world and beings living there
->Learn/Improve skills
->Learn more about people you already have a relationship with
Side Quests:
->Upgrade Skill: Type ORT
->Find what happened during the Fourth Holy Grail War
-> Find Tohsaka Tokomi's killer
->Unlock Excalibur Morgan True Name release.