The burning sensation spread from the back of her hand to her wrist and eventually through her whole body, causing her heart to flutter as it never had before.
Following her instincts, Sakura forced herself to open her eyes, looking through her tears toward the center of the brilliant light.
As the tall figure clad in armor gradually emerged from the magic circle, Sakura felt a stinging pain on her skin, as if arcs of lightning were snapping against it.
Finally, Noah's consciousness was released from the chaotic vortex of light.
Huh? Where on earth am I?
This isn't Orario.
After a few seconds of confusion, a flood of knowledge poured into Noah's mind, bringing him back to his senses.
Oh right, that useless System said I could fight a lot of interesting people here. And no matter how long I stay, only one second will pass back in Orario.
Hmm, so, where is my Master?
The knowledge that surfaced in Noah's mind told him that he had materialized in this world as a Heroic Spirit, and all the Mana he needed for battle came from his Master.
Although Noah didn't expect his Master to be incredibly strong, he hoped they wouldn't at least hold him back.
Noah had finally escaped the miserable state of being a big shot in Orario and was just starting to enjoy the thrill of being a powerhouse. He hadn't enjoyed it for long yet, so he didn't want to go back to being weak.
Noah glanced around and noticed the remains of countless worms, which made him frown.
Ugh, that's disgusting.
Then, Noah saw a little girl staring blankly at him. Behind her stood a bald old man with eyes that looked like they were about to pop out of their sunken sockets.
The first thing that came to Noah's mind wasn't confirming via Mana resonance that the girl was his Master, nor the fact that the old man gave him a feeling of disgust similar to the worms.
Instead....
Why is this another case of human trafficking?
"I am Matou Zouken," the bald old man said, recovering his wits before Sakura could. He stepped past the young girl and stood before Noah, speaking in a raspy voice that seemed to grate against his throat. "May I ask your esteemed name? And in what Class have you been summoned?"
Noah's first impression of the old man was simple: he was not a good person...
However, Noah, having experienced so much, wouldn't judge a book solely by its cover.
Let's establish the situation first.
"My name is Noah. Noah Sifel. And I have descended as a... Berserker?"
Looking at his own parameters, Noah hesitated slightly before answering.
Zouken fell silent.
After a long pause, he nodded to Noah as if he had suddenly woken up.
"I am very sorry, but I am ignorant. I have never your name."
It wasn't uncommon for irregularities to occur during Heroic Spirit summoning.
For example, for some unknown reason, Noah had appeared in the world a year earlier than expected, without a catalyst or an active summoning ritual.
Furthermore, despite appearing as a Berserker, he could converse with a clear mind, possibly due to a special Noble Phantasm.
The problem was that Zouken had never heard the name Noah Sifel.
A Servant's strength is closely related to their Class and Master, but the fame of the Heroic Spirit themselves is even more critical.
Heroes who created epic legends, overlords who established achievements, divine spirits who reached the other side of the world... Compared to those who were unknown in life, these famous Heroic Spirits undoubtedly possessed greater power.
Even just one or two special Noble Phantasms crystallized from their legends could turn the tide of battle.
However, Zouken, who had lived for hundreds of years and whose experience was undoubtedly at the pinnacle of this world, was certain he had never heard of the legend of Noah Sifel.
Yet, at least on the surface, Zouken did not assess Noah as weak.
Is he a fictional Heroic Spirit? But I've never heard of him in any story.
Or perhaps, a Heroic Spirit from a parallel world?
Parallel worlds are simply manifestations of different timelines; the legends should be largely the same.
In that case, his strength is a gamble.
"That's normal. I'm not from your world. Although I don't know how I stack up here, I've saved the world before, so I should be decent, right?"
I can't read him at all. There's absolutely nothing giving him away.
Zouken silently observed Noah, trying to use his centuries of accumulated experience to analyze the identity of the unknown Heroic Spirit before him.
As figures with legendary lives, each Heroic Spirit usually carries a deeply ingrained belief system that defines their personality.
However, Zouken detected almost no specific emotion from Noah.
Humility, arrogance, swagger, confidence, cowardice, integrity... Apart from a hint of curiosity about his surroundings, his eyes revealed nothing.
Occasionally, when their eyes met, Zouken felt as if he were looking into a mirror.
Those clear eyes faithfully reflected the world around them, completely concealing his own emotions and will.
It's certain that, despite our drastically different appearances, he is essentially the same kind of cunning monster as myself.
Tsk.
Zouken had a premonition that he and this Servant probably wouldn't get along.
Having witnessed several Holy Grail Wars, Zouken knew very well that discord between Servant and Master was more fatal than anything else.
If a Servant doesn't coordinate well with their Master, the more powerful they are, the more of a burden they become.
Should I destroy him and summon another?
It all happened unexpectedly, anyway...
However, before deciding whether to keep him or destroy him, I need to understand the situation better.
"Sakura, can you see this gentleman's parameters?"
Sakura stood quietly to the side, only occasionally glancing at the silver-haired swordsman with a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
Although she didn't know exactly what was happening, Sakura knew that something very important had occurred.
If Grandfather could forget about her because of this and treat her like air, that would be wonderful.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Zouken still looked at her.
Not only that, Sakura also sensed that Zouken's mood had shifted.
The initial pleasure he took in teasing her and savoring her fear had turned into something heavier and more serious.
Sakura dared not wait and quickly checked Noah's status.
As someone born into a lineage of magi, Sakura, though unaware of the specifics of Classes or Heroic Spirits, could intuitively sense the flow of mana and information.
It was like a screen of light suddenly appearing in her mind. She didn't know how it was projected, but reading it was effortless.
Noah Sifel
Class: Berserker
Alignment: Neutral Good
Strength: C
Endurance: C
Agility: B
Mana: B-
Luck: A+
Noble Phantasm: EX
Class Skills:
[Mad Enhancement] (C)
[Magic Resistance] (C)
Personal Skills:
[Intuition] (A)
[Battle Continuation] (B)
[Compassion for the World] (A+): Grants increased Luck, immunity to mental interference, and increased parameters when fighting to save the world.
[Moonlight's Blessing] (A): The blessing of the stars and moon enhances charm toward women.
Noble Phantasms:
[Silent Sorrow]
Rank: EX
Type: Anti-Country Noble Phantasm
Range: 1~999
Maximum Targets: 999 people
Description: The final crystallization of the world's power, forged amidst the blood and fire of living beings, embodying both hatred and hope. The power of heavenly thunder and karmic fire judges evil and saves the good. It is both a sword of salvation and a sword of destruction, the key connecting the future and the end.
[Tragic Hymn of Light]
Rank: EX
Type: Barrier Noble Phantasm
Range: ? ? ? ?
Maximum Targets: ? ? ? ?
Description: Defying the will of all beings, transcending predetermined destiny, extinguishing the heart of light to transform into the purest darkness. It bears all sins and slaughter with the most benevolent heart.
Effect: Devours attacks and converts them into one's own power.
Even from my perspective, these stats are divine. Zouken mused.
After all, he is using a little girl whose Magic Circuits have not yet been fully developed as his Mana source.
If I were to supply the Mana myself, it would be easy to raise several attributes to A-rank within a year of preparation.
These Noble Phantasms, in particular, are truly exceptional.
Summoning such a powerful Heroic Spirit again would likely require a miracle.
Moreover, securing a Heroic Spirit a year in advance gives me a massive advantage.
Torn between his desire for the Holy Grail and his caution in nipping potential danger in the bud, Zouken struggled for a long time before ultimately succumbing to his inner greed.
Fortune favors the bold!
Who achieves anything by crying in fear?
"This Sir... I hope that we can cooperate sincerely and win this Holy Grail War."
Looking at Zouken's outstretched hand, Noah hesitated for a moment, then decided not to shake it.
He was afraid that his Intuition would cause his body to react before he could consciously control it, leading him to kill this vile creature on the spot.
"Well, cooperation is no problem. I'm not really interested in the Holy Grail. I just want a good fight. As long as you can provide me with enough Mana, that's fine."