The residents of Camelot Apartment generally didn't have many clothes in their wardrobes.
Rei and Manaka could change into whatever clothes they wanted at any time, and Merry was the same—illusions were incredibly versatile in that regard.
As for Gray, Artoria, and Okita, it wasn't that they didn't have clothes; they just preferred wearing the same outfit for a few days before switching to something similar, rather than changing daily.
The only exception was Rin, but rather than saying she bought a lot of clothes herself, it was more accurate to say she was gifted many by Crane.
As a fanatical seamstress, Crane frequently gave clothes to others.
Naoki also had plenty in his wardrobe, but he rarely wore them.
And now—
*CREAK!*
In one of the few clothing stores still operating in the Imperial Capital.
Okita, having changed into clothes picked out by her Master, walked out of the store and approached Naoki. "Master, sorry for making you wait. Since I've never worn clothes from this era, it took a bit of time."
Okita was no longer wearing her Shinsengumi uniform. The light green haori had been removed, replaced by a beautiful sakura-colored kimono. The Kiku-ichimonji she had carried earlier was now stored in a long bag.
Seeing her appearance, which perfectly matched her vibe, Naoki was momentarily stunned.
Noticing her Master's silence, Okita grew nervous. "I-Is it weird? Me wearing clothes like this?"
"No, it's perfect." Naoki said, giving a thumbs-up. "So beautiful that I don't want you to go back to your old clothes."
"Ugh… That's a bit…"
Okita blushed.
(But this means I do look really pretty, right? Is this what Merlin meant by a change in appearance?)
If so, did it work?
Judging by Naoki's reaction, it probably did.
Smiling slightly, Okita said, "But since I've always been in England, I didn't realize the Shinsengumi were so famous in the future. Even in the store just now, people asked me about it."
"Well, they're an organization that often appears in books and even on screens in the future. But in this era, the Shinsengumi are more seen as tragic heroes. To truly gain widespread praise, that'll have to wait until after this war ends." Naoki explained. "Once the Incineration of the Human Order is over, I'll find some Shinsengumi-related works from the future for you—like movies, TV series, and novels."
"Thank you, Master."
Okita, who was smiling a second ago, suddenly turned cold, her eyes sharp. Her hand lightly touched the bag holding her sword.
"Be careful, I can sense faint killing intent."
"Yeah, I feel it too." Naoki nodded. "They're hiding very well, with almost no aura leaking. It's probably an Assassin, and their Presence Concealment rank must be high… Even so, erasing their existence from the world is useless against me."
If the enemy truly wanted to sneak up on Naoki undetected, they'd have to do it in a dream.
(If I'm not mistaken, this Assassin is—)
"Izou Okada."
"Is that the enemy's true name, Master?" Okita immediately understood the significance of the name. "Can you provide more information?"
"Of course, but let's talk while we move. It's not good to have a big fight in the city center. Let's head to an open area first."
"Alright."
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Izou Okada.
One of the four great assassins of Japan's late Edo period, known as the Slayer Izou and the Spirit of Tosa.
He had an extraordinary ability to replicate any sword technique after seeing it once. As a swordsman, his talent was undoubtedly at a genius level. Though legends typically summoned him as an Assassin, his abilities were strong enough to rival a Saber, and his compatibility with the Saber class was actually quite high.
As long as he was a swordsman, the first battle would surely be tough.
"So, a swordsman who can steal others' sword techniques?"
As she was carried through the forest by Naoki, hearing the information about Izou Okada, Okita's expression grew slightly serious. For a pure swordsman like her, Okada was a bit troublesome in terms of compatibility.
"Well, even so, he's ultimately just a hero from the modern era with minimal mystery. He can't fly or fire beams, and he barely has any long-range attack methods. Plus, as an Assassin, his body is fragile. Honestly, he's not considered a threat."
"That's true."
Swordsmen who could fire beams—while this didn't apply to all swordsmen, at least most Saber-class Servants were like that, especially heroes from eras where mystery hadn't fully faded.
Compared to those ancient beings, Okita, Okada… heroes from the modern era seemed a bit pitiful.
No, not just in that regard.
(Since I can't keep up with Master's speed, I have to be carried… As a Servant, this is really embarrassing!)
After deciding to face Okada in an open area, Okita had initially planned to move with Naoki. But her speed couldn't match his, and in the end, she had to be carried like this.
Even though her Agility was A+!
"Hm, this place is good enough."
Stopping in an open field on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital, Naoki set Okita down. "Here, even if there's a big explosion, it'll just be seen as normal wartime activity and won't cause major issues. Alright, Okita, lend me your sword for a moment."
"Okay… Master, what are you going to do?"
"Nothing much, just giving a little blessing to a warrior heading into battle, as a fairy."
Smiling, Naoki lightly ran his finger along the blade of Kiku-ichimonji.
Whether it was an illusion or not, to Okita's eyes, the once-ordinary blade of her Kiku-ichimonji was suddenly enveloped in dozens of rainbow lights. Powerful Mana infused the blade, even forming a new layer of light on its surface, giving the impression that a single swing could unleash a torrent of light.
Naoki handed the sword back to Okita. "This should do. Its power and sharpness have been enhanced to their limits. It also has self-regeneration, an unhealable curse, a continuous bleeding curse, and the blade itself is laced with a highly lethal poison. Oh, and it can fire a beam equivalent to a C-rank Noble Phantasm."
"…"
Looking at her beloved sword glowing in her hand, Okita suddenly felt a strange sensation.
At the same time, from the nearby forest, Izou Okada rushed out, standing before them, slightly out of breath. "Finally caught up—what's that?"
"A sword." Naoki laughed. "Come on, Okita. Think of this as a sword test. Try swinging it and see the effect—oh, by the way, this enchantment is one-time use and will disappear in a few minutes."
"I-I understand."
Holding a sword brimming with such mystery for the first time, Okita herself grew nervous. Instinctively, she assumed the basic stance of Tennen Rishin-ryū and swung—
*BOOOOOMM!*
A multicolored beam of light shot out instantly!