"Doctor, building them this way seems much more convenient."
"The timeframe was still too short, and I couldn't quite reach the standards of my hometown."
"But even this is incredible! Science is truly a miracle."
Roche watched with fascination as the small cleaning robots scurried across the floor, while Bulma finished packing her equipment beside him.
"Well, they're mediocre at best," Bulma said with a shrug. "Building something truly impressive requires more time and better materials. In a war like this, it's better to focus on tools that provide immediate utility. As for the fighting, Rider and the others should be more than enough to handle it."
She snapped her toolbox shut and headed for the door, with Roche scurrying after her, clutching a bag of supplies.
To the magi of this world, mystery and magecraft were the foundations of their existence, passed down through generations. Such non-scientific phenomena naturally intrigued Bulma. She saw them as potential sources of inspiration for her own research, a challenge to bridge the gap between technology and the supernatural. She intended to study them more closely once she had a spare moment.
But first, there was a pressing matter to attend to.
Led by a homunculus, she and Roche arrived at the clearing where Siegfried and Natsu were resting. The area was wide and unobstructed, providing a clear view of the surrounding landscape. Bulma glanced at Siegfried, whose expression remained as stoic as ever.
"It looks like we didn't interrupt your rest," she noted.
Ignoring Natsu, who was staring at her tools with starry eyes, Bulma knelt down to inspect the spell etched onto Siegfried's chest.
"The enemy hasn't launched another attack yet, which is a good sign," Siegfried replied, shaking his head. While Natsu's presence provided some measure of security, Siegfried wouldn't be able to truly relax until the mark was gone. He had no way of knowing when the enemy Assassin, Minato Namikaze, might use it to close the distance. He couldn't even be sure if there was a limit to the technique's range, so he didn't dare lower his guard.
Because of this constant threat, even his Master, Gordes, had conceded that it was safer for Siegfried to wait outside the castle walls.
"Let me take a look at this," Bulma said, pointing a handheld scanner at the glowing marks on Siegfried's skin.
Meanwhile, Natsu was carefully reaching into the bag Roche had dropped, pulling out a small metallic capsule. He turned it over in his hands, eyes wide with curiosity.
"Wait, Natsu, that's the Doctor's,"
BOOM!
Roche tried to shout a warning, but he was too late. Natsu had already pressed the button. In a puff of pink smoke, a sleek metallic gauntlet manifested in his hands.
"Hmm?"
Siegfried looked over, surprised by Bulma's lack of reaction. She didn't seem bothered at all that her creation was being handled so carelessly.
"What is this thing?!" Natsu asked, his eyes gleaming as he held the gauntlet up to the light.
"That's a prototype the Doctor made. She calls it a [Mana Amplifier]."
"She said that by wearing it, a person can significantly magnify their magical output."
"Oh? Can I try it out?!"
Without waiting for an answer, Natsu slid the gauntlet onto his arm.
"Um... that was actually designed for the Masters..."
Roche's voice trailed off. He simply didn't know how to handle the Caster's impulsive behavior. His own movements felt sluggish compared to the dragon slayer's frantic energy.
"Hah!"
Natsu dashed over to a pile of boulders on the far side of the clearing. He channeled a small amount of mana into his hand and threw a punch.
KABOOM!!
A massive pillar of fire erupted from the gauntlet, acting like a concentrated heat beam that completely disintegrated the obstacles in its path. The ground for several meters ahead was scorched black, the heat still radiating from the charred earth.
"This is amazing!" Natsu shouted, waving his arm. "I only used a tiny bit of mana, and it produced that much power!"
He could only imagine the level of destruction he could cause if he used it during a full-scale battle.
'Sssst.'
Suddenly, thick white smoke began to pour from the gauntlet.
"Your mana is too intense! The device is overheating!" Roche screamed as he ran over. "You can't use it like that!"
Roche knew exactly how valuable the device was, as it had been intended to give the Masters a fighting chance. But Natsu had reached the device's limit with only a fraction of his output. Roche looked back at Bulma, who was still focused on Siegfried, and pleaded with Natsu to stop before he broke something irreplaceable. If Natsu started messing with the other prototypes the Doctor had flagged as "unstable," they would be in serious trouble.
***
"Archer, are you here?"
"Is there a problem?"
Genos landed softly on the stone floor, his expression flat as he looked at the siblings. His blunt tone wasn't meant to be rude; it was simply his natural way of communicating with anyone other than Saitama or Dr. Kuseno.
"There have been reports of a 'dragon' appearing in a nearby town this morning," Fiore said, handing him a photograph from an envelope. "The Clan Head wants us to investigate. He thinks it might be linked to the attacker from last night."
"But since Saber and Caster are pinned down here, you're the only one available to look into it."
"Understood."
Genos memorized the name and location of the town in a heartbeat. He knew the attacker from the previous night was formidable, and they couldn't afford to ignore any potential leads.
"Wait, just in case, take this with you," Caules said, stepping forward. "I managed to get it from Caster."
He held out a Dragon Ball Radar, but Genos shook his head.
"Hmm?"
"There is no need. The Doctor has already integrated a tracking radar into my internal systems," Genos replied, his eyes flickering with data streams.
"I see. In that case, we're counting on you."
Caules tucked the radar back into his pocket, looking much more relieved.
"I will return shortly."
Compressed air hissed from the soles of his feet as Genos took to the sky, heading toward his target. Entrusting him with the investigation was a wise decision. As long as his "Core" remained safe in the research lab, he didn't have to worry about the consequences of an engagement. In the past, he wouldn't have hesitated to resort to self-destruction to take down an enemy. But his perspective had changed. The kind-hearted Dr. Bulma had been very firm with him, removing his self-destruct mechanisms entirely.
'Life isn't something to be thrown away so easily.'
'As a cyborg, you have to work even harder to keep living.'
'Keeping your core here isn't about disregarding your life. It's about making sure you survive to see another day.'
He could still hear the emotion in the Doctor's voice when she spoke those words. Her reverence for life was something Genos respected deeply. He had taken her advice to heart, vowing to unlearn his self-sacrificial tendencies. It was just another part of his growth under her guidance.
Minato pressed his hand against the side of a large boulder, sensing the network of marks he had laid across the region. He had spent the entire night moving through Romania, placing his [Flying Thunder God] seals in strategic locations. Even with the massive mana pool provided by his current status, the sheer volume of seals was beginning to take a toll.
"I managed to cover a significant area with my Shadow Clones," he mused. "But if I go any further, I'll be entering the Black Faction's primary territory."
The Yggdmillennia clan considered the entire region to be their domain, but Minato wasn't particularly concerned about their territorial claims. Any scouts or homunculi in the towns wouldn't be able to hinder him. The true conflict would be decided by the Masters and Servants. Once the "Garden" was complete, they wouldn't have to worry about terrain or boundaries ever again.
"I suppose even a Heroic Spirit can feel fatigue," he sighed. He had worked straight through the night, and he wasn't looking forward to the amount of rest he would need to recover.
'Assassin, where are Saber and the others right now?'
Amakusa's voice suddenly echoed in his mind, causing Minato to pause.
'Saber... Mordred.'
He focused on the seal he had placed on Mordred's Master and realized they were quite close to his current position.
'According to the map, they should be entering the town just ahead of me.'
'I see.' Amakusa's acknowledgment held a hint of frustration. Despite his warnings, it seemed the pair had decided to act on their own anyway. He really didn't want to start another major confrontation so soon, especially since he didn't want to risk exposing his core forces to the White Faction just yet.
'There were rumors of a'dragon'appearing in that town this morning,' Minato noted. 'I imagine Saber wanted to investigate it herself.'
'It likely has something to do with the White Faction,' Amakusa replied. 'Assassin, follow them from a distance using your clones. If something goes wrong, be ready to intervene.'
Amakusa knew Minato was exhausted, so he only offered the clones as a secondary measure.
'Understood.'
'Wait...'
Amakusa paused for a moment, his thoughts shifting as he considered the situation.
'Actually, transport me to their location as well.'
***
"Look, I told you. No matter what happens, you are not to act rashly."
Sisigou looked at Mordred, who was vibrating with excitement beside him in the rented car.
"Yeah, yeah, I heard you!"
Mordred's response was dismissive as she floor-pushed the accelerator, the car hurtling down the road. "I mean, a dragon! Even if it's just a rumor, there's no way that's a coincidence in a war like this!"
The thought of finding a legendary beast had her spirits soaring. They were already on the outskirts of the Black Faction's territory, but she didn't care. From their previous encounter, she was certain the Black Faction didn't possess the ability to summon a dragon. That meant it had to be linked to the White Faction.
And if the White Faction was there...
'Father must be there, too!'
Her logic was a leap of faith, but she was convinced. She had to see the "King" again, no matter the cost.
"Good grief..."
Sisigou sighed, his head already starting to ache. He secretly hoped the rumors were just that,hollow talk with no basis in reality. If it really was a Servant-level threat, it meant they were heading straight for a fight. Black Faction or White Faction? He wasn't sure, but either way, trouble was brewing.
The Dragon Ball in his pocket pulsed with a faint light, giving him a bad feeling about the destination. He just hoped they wouldn't run into anyone too troublesome.
'*'
"Is this the place?"
Minato appeared in the town with Amakusa, his voice low.
"Yes. Thank you for the assistance, Assassin. You should go and rest now. Most of the layout is complete, so there's no need to push yourself further today."
Amakusa, still dressed in his priest's vestments, offered a sincere word of thanks. Minato's figure flickered and vanished in a heartbeat.
'Revelation?'
Amakusa recalled the vision that had caused him to change his plans. [Revelation] was a skill that allowed him to glimpse fragments of possible futures, though they were often difficult to interpret without context.
'That blade I saw...'
'Whose was it?'
The vision had been intriguing enough to bring him out into the field personally. He had a premonition that there was someone in this town with whom he shared a significant connection. If that was the case, he wanted to see for himself who this "Holy Spirit" truly was.
...
"Did you honestly choose to do things this way?"
"I think it's a better fit."
The vegetable shop owner stared at the two "brothers," who looked almost identical. He was at a loss for words. Their clothes were similar, and except for a few scars and the color of their hair, they were spitting images of each other.
"Is that so? Well, I think Sakura and the others would prefer this variety instead."
"Hmm. You might be right."
While the "twins" were certainly a strange sight, their selection of ingredients was professional and meticulous. They seemed to be carefully considering the tastes of the people they were shopping for.
"Thank you for your business!"
The shopkeeper waved them off, still confused as to who they actually were.
"I know walking in pairs is safer, but we're standing out like a sore thumb," Fujimaru said with a dry laugh as they walked down the street. They could feel the weight of the gazes following them.
"We have the same face and the same voice," the other Shirou,the one from Miyu's world,replied. "Calling us twins is an understatement."
Despite their appearance, their inner worlds were entirely different.
"What is your wish for this war?"
The Archer of the Miyu-verse turned to his counterpart, curious. He wanted to know what the version of himself who had lived a normal life with Kiritsugu actually wanted.
"My wish?"
The question caught Fujimaru off guard. He paused, rubbing the back of his head with an embarrassed grin. "Well, it's nothing grand. No epic ideals or anything like that."
"In fact, I suppose you could call it a bit selfish."
He looked back as if reminiscing on an old memory.
"?"
The Archer waited, wondering what the self-proclaimed "normal" version of himself would say. But the answer he received left him completely stunned.
"Heh..."
"I... well, because of something that happened once... I've always wanted to be..."
"An adventurer."
"That's all."
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]