Even though the Servants had been summoned and the nights had grown wildly intense, Kay's basic routine hadn't changed in the slightest.
No, if anything, Scáthach's training had become 1.5 times more brutal now that she had solid backup.
Thud!!
Kraak!
Kay's body soared into the air over the ashen wasteland.
Bearing tons of demonic beast bones on his back, he'd climbed the sheer cliff dozens of times, only to be struck through a gap in his defense during the sparring session with Scáthach that followed.
Kay rolled on the ground, spitting out blood-tinged saliva.
Scáthach looked down at him with chill eyes. "Get up. If you're going to collapse from something so trivial, tonight's battle is revoked."
Swallowing a curse, Kay staggered to his feet. "Huff... huff... If revoking it counts as mercy, then thank you... Please, just let me rest for one day..."
No sooner had the sparring ended than Tamamo, who had been anxiously pacing atop the battlements, dashed down as if shot from a cannon.
She grabbed a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from Kay's forehead, then cast a simple healing charm with practiced skill to ease the tension in his muscles.
"You did well, my lord. Go wash up quickly. This Tamamo will diligently scrub your back──"
Scáthach planted [Gáe Bolg] in the ground, sharply cutting off Tamamo's gentle touches. "That's enough, fox. Today he has neither time to wash nor to rest."
"Why? Haven't we finished the morning training session? Honestly, Scáthach, using your title as an excuse to overwork my lord like this...?"
"Shut your mouth. As of today, the trajectory of your training will change."
Ignoring Tamamo's grumbling, Scáthach looked Kay squarely in the eye.
In her red irises, instead of her usual sadism, there was a deep, solemn appraisal shining forth.
"Kay. Your body has now been compressed and honed to its limits. For someone ordinary, it's a miracle of completion."
"...What are you laying the groundwork for, breaking more bones?"
"No. Physical training is now on track. The problem is firepower. No matter how strong your muscles become, even the greatest of heroes used weapons or [Noble Phantasm]. Sigurd did, Heracles did, Setanta did. I do the same."
Kay quietly nodded at those words.
Against the overwhelming mystique of the Artoria sisters and the monstrous anomaly that is Vortigern, sheer physical might alone has its limits.
"That is why I prepared these. Toys too precious to rot away in this [Abyssal Realm], I now bestow them upon you."
As Scáthach traced complex runic sigils in the air, the void twisted, and two gigantic shadows plummeted down.
Thud!!
The first weapon revealed itself amid earth-shaking tremors.
It was a golden double-headed axe of colossal size, rivaling Kay's height.
Its ornate gilding, combined with the overwhelming presence and fighting spirit emanating from the axe edges, proved it was no mere chunk of metal.
"What is this... it's ridiculously huge."
"It's the legendary axe Hercules seized from the Amazon queen Hippolyta in Greek myth. After Hercules's death, it wandered countless battlefields until finally drifting into this realm."
"Hercules's weapon?! Then why is it here, in Britain?!"
Kay blurted out in alarm, and Scáthach snorted.
"Don't be surprised. As the Age of Gods waned, numerous legendary weapons flowed across the continent to this island nation. Hercules's sword and girdle, Theseus's armor, Hippolyta's bow... most remnants of the Age of Gods must be buried somewhere under Britain's soil. This island is the navel of the world, after all."
She glanced slyly at Tamamo and added.
"They say fragments of the colossal machines—the remnants of the Greek gods' war engines—have even reached that far eastern island nation across the sea."
"I know, I know. Among the Genji warriors of that era was one Sakata Kintoki. The bizarre giant robot he rode—the Golden Hyozuki Bear—was made from metal brought here across the ocean. The world is really small, isn't it?"
"Robot...? Why would there be robots in medieval times...?"
Feeling as though all his prior knowledge was shattering, Kay massaged his temple, but Scáthach paid no mind and continued her explanation.
"Anyway, this axe is a divine artifact. It lacks any special mana-release like [True Name Unveiling], but it boasts absolute indestructibility and the power to cleave mountains. And for you, who aren't adept with mana, I personally carved two primordial runes into the haft."
At the end of the axe's haft, two faintly glowing red runic characters could be seen.
"ᚨ (Ansuz) and ᛖ (Ehwaz)."
"Ansuz is the breath of the gods. If you visualize the Æsir in your mind and breathe a bit of mana into it, it will emit the corresponding elemental power—fire, lightning—imbuing the axe blade with that attribute according to your imagination."
"Oh..."
"Ehwaz is bond and unity. When you activate this rune, your body, linked to the axe, instantly hardens several times over. It's useful for both defense and offense."
Simple yet brutal, it was a custom modification perfectly matched to Kay's combat style.
"Accept it with gratitude. But this is not the end."
At Scáthach's gesture, next to the golden axe, a sword in a black leather scabbard materialized.
"And this...?"
"It's the Light Magic Sword Cúrdinn, once wielded by Setanta. To be precise, I reforged it entirely from scratch in the forge of this realm."
Pride as her teacher shone in Scáthach's eyes.
"In Cúrdinn, I melted down one of my own [Gáe Bolg] and forged it in. Then I mixed in the red spear left by the foolish knight Diarmuid, plus the remnants of Gaeizarg."
"What? You melted legendary spears down and forged them into a sword?"
"Yes. This sword's name is [Cúrdinn Alternative (Piercing Deathblade)]."
When she slid the scabbard free, the sleek, ominous longsword, its blade tinged with red, came into view.
"This blade inherits the curse of [Gáe Bolg], inflicting an incurable curse on any wounded enemy. The moment it pierces the heart, red barbs erupt and utterly obliterate from the inside. Plus, by absorbing Gaeizarg's property, any barrier or shield of pure mana is sliced through like tofu."
She tossed the sword to Kay.
Kay caught the sword in a hurry. It was heavy, but the grip somehow felt perfect in his hand.
"Of course, Cúrdinn's inherent ability remains. Upon [True Name Unveiling], even with your measly mana reserves, you can unleash a beam of light equal to Fergus's Caladbolg. Granted, considering your mana supply, you'd be drained for a while after one use."
It was a horrifying concoction, layering every malicious curse imaginable—the embodiment of the Abyssal Realm queen's dreadful creativity.
"...Is it really okay to give me something this incredible? Judging by the power, it surpasses even [Gáe Bolg]."
"You are my companion and my final disciple to graduate this realm. I could hardly uphold my dignity if I didn't send you off with at least this dowry."
Scáthach smiled alluringly and pinched Kay's cheek.
"Now, from today on, your task is to master these two weapons perfectly. Rolling around like a beast is over. Face me as a weapon-wielding warrior. Once you become proficient with these two, I will permit your descent from the mountain."
"Descend the mountain... you mean, let me return to Britain?"
Kay's eyes widened. It was the first clear answer he'd heard in three years.
"Yes. Of course, first you must satisfy me completely."
Suppressing the surging emotions, Kay gripped the golden axe and the magic sword tightly.
If he could master these, he could protect his sisters and the everyday life of Britain.
"...Thank you, Scáthach. I won't disappoint you."
Touched by the fighting spirit blooming in his eyes, Tamamo and Scáthach both beamed with pleasure.
Meanwhile, perched in the shadowed area atop the battlements, someone crouched, quietly watching the training ground below.
Jeanne d'Arc Alter.
She toying with the hem of her cloak, her gaze stubbornly fixed on the sight of Kay swinging the golden axe, sweat streaming down his face.
"...Hmph. Getting nice weapons is exciting, huh? Bet his waist will snap under that axe's weight."
Though she muttered under her breath, her eyes lingered obsessively on Kay's solid back muscles and serious expression.
Recently, a curious undercurrent had formed between her and Kay.
She neither wagged her tail like Tamamo nor ruled the night like Medusa.
She just sat next to him at meals, grumbling softly, or when Kay cleaned, she'd snatch his broom and burn it up with mana—in her tsundere-style interactions.
Stupid man. Even if you go back to that Britain or whatever, you'd end up getting hurt. Might as well stay here. You'll be betrayed in the end, too.
Jeanne d'Arc Alter shook her head vigorously to dispel her thoughts.