The self-proclaimed "Knight King" girl, Artoria, faced Leo and Erika, who wielded weapons defying modern physics and CADs. Mikihiko, Ceria, and Mizuki watched tensely. When Mizuki removed her glasses, her Crystal Eyes revealed a massive swarm of spirits enveloping Artoria.
"Mikihiko, she's surrounded by countless spirits," Mizuki said.
"Yeah, seems so," Mikihiko replied. "(Ceria wasn't exaggerating about Excalibur, but controlling that many spirits isn't humanly possible.)"
Mikihiko's casual use of Ceria's name stemmed from her condition: accept it or be called "Miki" like Erika. Having trained under Yugen's psion control, witnessed Tatsuya's near-full-throttle CAD calculations, and handled the Dragon God's data surge, Mikihiko still found Artoria's spirit mastery through Excalibur staggering.
Ceria smiled at their exchange as the three swordsmen vanished, sparking combat.
"Not bad," Artoria said.
"Your tone's like my idiot brother's—it's annoying!" Erika snapped.
Used to wielding a tachi, Erika found the double-edged knightly Clarent unfamiliar, yet it felt equal or superior to her usual devices. It intuitively channeled her Shinsen-ryū techniques perfectly. Though her family included police officers, Erika had never handled firearms. Clarent's gun mode—blades splitting to reveal a shotgun barrel, triggered via the grip—was daunting, but its knowledge was imprinted in her mind, eliciting a wry smile.
Using Accel Boost, a refined self-acceleration spell honed by Yugen's psion control, Erika closed in, but Artoria parried Clarent as if reading its path. Leo swung Balmung at Excalibur, the impact cracking the ground beneath Artoria. Yet, she held firm against both Tenjin Reisō without faltering, shocking Mikihiko.
"She's withstanding their attacks?" he asked. "Ceria, what's Excalibur?"
"A divine weapon," Ceria said. "The ultimate god-forged sword. If it existed in our world, everyone would fight to claim it."
Excalibur chose its wielder, rejecting most. If it chose Tatsuya, a demon wielding a divine sword would be absurd. As Leo and Erika disengaged, they charged again with body enhancement spells. Artoria deflected their onslaught with minimal effort, as if waiting. Ceria noticed her shift first.
"Miki-chan, an attack's coming!" she warned.
"I know! And it's Mikihiko!" he retorted.
As Artoria raised Excalibur, surrounding spirits emitted a golden aura, evoking a ripe wheat field. Sensing its abnormal spiritual surge, Ceria deliberately used Mikihiko's nickname to heighten his alertness. When Artoria unleashed Excalibur's energy, a radiant slash engulfed the room. Leo and Erika dodged with enhanced agility, and Artoria, perhaps out of pride, spared Mikihiko, Mizuki, and Ceria, who kept their distance.
Her fierce assault struck the ceiling, which collapsed under Excalibur's might. Movement magic could clear debris fastest, but risked harming Leo and Erika.
(What do I do? I can barely protect Mizuki and Ceria… Can I even hold out?) Mikihiko thought.
Then, the wristband CAD from Yugen glowed, and a voice echoed in his mind.
"I ask: Do you desire power?"
"Is it like Leo and Erika's?" Mikihiko responded.
"Close enough. But now's no time for debate. I ask again: Do you seek power?"
Surprised but unshaken—thanks to Yugen's influence—Mikihiko stayed calm. The youthful male voice continued, as if confirming his resolve.
Once, Mikihiko would've eagerly craved power, but that arrogance brought pain, a lesson he knew best. Reuniting with Yugen and meeting Tatsuya refined his strength, a undeniable boon. Excessive power could destroy him, but wielding it required will. With his friends in peril against Excalibur's Knight King, Mikihiko's choice was clear.
"I want power to protect what's precious," he declared. "I might harm others in the process, but I'll never regret failing to act."
"Your wish is heard. I am Zhuge Kongming. Call my soul's blade."
The legendary Three Kingdoms strategist. Stunned but resolute, Mikihiko raised his left hand, adorned with the CAD.
"Come, Tenhōsen!" he shouted.
A fan larger than his ancient magic iron fan appeared, its surface etched with complex spell arrays and mechanical components. Mikihiko channeled the optimal spell, green light flowing into Tenhōsen's arrays.
"Protect everyone—Amaarashi!" he cried.
Activating the Yoshida's wind-based spirit magic Amaarashi—normally requiring dragon vein mastery or time—he conjured a spherical wind barrier, shielding himself, Mizuki, Ceria, Leo, and Erika from debris. As the collapse subsided, Mikihiko dismissed Amaarashi, staring at Tenhōsen.
"I thought Yugen's insanity prepared me, but I'm still lacking," he muttered.
"Don't let it corrupt you too much," Kongming chided, his tone almost a sigh.
Meanwhile, Tatsuya, Miyuki, Shizuka, and Himeri roamed a castle town-like area. Honoka's absence and lack of clues about Yugen's group were unexpected. Tatsuya tried Elemental Sight, but the overwhelming strain—far beyond normal information dimension viewing—forced him to cancel it. Miyuki sensed it affected her surveillance resources, prompting her to lift Oath to reduce the load.
"Why's our magic restricted?" Miyuki asked.
"This world's laws aren't physical or informational," Tatsuya said. "During the last fight, Mist Dispersion missed structures entirely."
It resembled Lina's Parade or Yakumo's illusions, but applied to entire structures, not individuals. Walls could be scaled but not decomposed.
"The castle's our best lead," Tatsuya said. "Is that… Azuchi Castle?"
"If a nonexistent castle is here, this isn't a small issue, as Yugen said," Himeri noted.
"It's anything but normal," Shizuka added.
"True, Shizuka—!" Miyuki gasped. "Incoming!"
A crimson magic circle bloomed on the ground, spawning black-armored samurai wielding real swords and spears. Their faces, masked, glowed with eerie red eyes.
"No time to hesitate," Tatsuya said. "Come, Graf Eisen."
"Indeed," Himeri agreed. "Roar, Klarwind."
"Freeze, Yoishigure," Miyuki declared.
Shizuka's Tenjin Reisō, the mechanical hammer Graf Eisen, materialized iron balls infused with her Resonance Destruction, shattering armor like paper. Himeri's Klarwind, a cross-spear, split to reveal a gun barrel, firing wind-infused Tenjin Magic bullets that pierced samurai. Miyuki, using self-acceleration and flight, froze samurai with ice bullets from Yoishigure's dual magnum short swords, then slashed their armor.
I'm the one being protected, Tatsuya thought, readying Trident to decompose immobilized samurai with Mist Dispersion. As the threat vanished, they dismissed their Tenjin Reisō, and Miyuki rushed to Tatsuya.
"Are you hurt, Onii-sama?" she asked.
"Thanks to you all, I'm fine," Tatsuya said. "Though being protected by women stings a bit."
"I get it, but let's head to the castle," Himeri said.
"Yeah," Shizuka agreed.
Entering the castle's main hall, they sensed a wavelength—not psionic but spiritual. Miyuki noticed Tatsuya's CAD glowing faintly.
"Onii-sama, your CAD…" she said.
"It's… resonating?" Tatsuya mused, seeing visions of Leo and Erika facing a woman with Tenjin Reisō-like weapons.
The CAD's Parasite origins likely triggered the resonance. Tatsuya concluded Leo and Erika were inside. Before he could suggest joining them, the world's colors faded, resembling Elemental Sight's information dimension. A glowing orb appeared before Tatsuya.
"Who are you?" he asked. "This power isn't ordinary."
"I am what you lost ten years ago… or rather, its successor," a female voice replied, saintly yet vague.
Freezing time for all but Tatsuya marked her as supernatural. Refraining from speculation, he pressed, "Why stop time for me?"
"To speak with you… and because your desire for power awakened me. You know why, don't you?"
"I can't deny it," Tatsuya admitted.
His magic calculation area, dominated by Decomposition and Regrowth, barred normal magic, and his emotional capacity—save for Miyuki—was stripped during artificial area implantation. Bound as her Guardian, Miyuki became both purpose and shackle. Meeting Yugen challenged this, and Miyuki's wish for friendship swayed him. Sparring with Yugen, the world's strongest magician, sparked a desire to rival him, despite his rewritten emotions—a feat only his friend could inspire.
"I'm Miyuki's Guardian, and I know what Aunt intends," Tatsuya said. "But that's beside the point. I don't just want to fulfill my role—I want to stand beside Yugen, to be worthy of his friendship."
He sought power to protect Miyuki, friends, and those who cared for him, to escape this world. The orb transformed into a golden-haired, armored woman, who touched Tatsuya's cheeks, pressing her forehead to his.
"Your wish is granted. My supernatural power—Cross Exelion."
The light faded, colors returned, and the CAD's glow subsided. Tatsuya felt power surge within. Focusing, he summoned a heavy automatic pistol, unlike Trident, in each hand—Cross Exelion. His allies gasped, but Miyuki smiled.
"As expected, Onii-sama," she said. "You've mastered Tenjin Reisō."
"Not through effort like you or Yugen," Tatsuya said. "But it feels good."
Firing Cross Exelion, Tatsuya decomposed approaching samurai instantly, surprised at its enhanced spiritual targeting compared to Trident. He kept firing, erasing them effortlessly.
(It automates my Piercing Psion Bullet process… I must stay disciplined.)
Not one to get cocky, Tatsuya vowed not to be swayed by this power. Confirming the samurai's absence, he dismissed Cross Exelion, grabbed Trident, and led the group up the innermost stairs.
This was mischievous, almost unhinged. The "trial" was unclear—whose, and for what qualification? If Tsukiko was the target, why hadn't past Mizukagami Rituals triggered this?
"How long does this go?" Tsukiko asked.
"Depends on whoever built this dimension," Yugen replied.
A long wooden floor stretched ahead. Ignoring its unnatural planks, Yugen advanced 500 meters, wary of traps, to a shoji screen. Slicing it like butter with Murakumo, he braced for tricks. The sight beyond stunned them.
"What's going on?" Yugen asked.
"I'd like to know!" Tsukiko replied.
Before a burning temple, two figures clashed. A girl in a black military uniform and cape, wielding a katana and materializing matchlock guns, rained bullets on a hooded figure with a spear, who didn't dodge—the bullets veered away. Yugen recognized the girl's Oda crest.
(Oda family crest? Honnō-ji? No… Mitsuhide wouldn't dress like that…)
A vibration hit, not from the fight but a growing tremor, like an earthquake. Both combatants paused, alarmed. The girl noticed Yugen and Tsukiko.
"You! Know what this is!?" she shouted.
"No clue," Yugen replied. "We just got here. Tsukiko, hold on."
"Wha—!?" she yelped.
As Yugen scooped up Tsukiko, the floor cracked and collapsed. Though not obligated, he activated Phalanx via Valkyrie to shield all four from the fall. The temple's flames spread below—to the throne room Yugen had passed, resembling a crumbling kingdom. Dismissing Phalanx, he set Tsukiko down, swiftly deploying Murakumo to block Excalibur's strike from Artoria.
"Quite the greeting," Yugen said.
"Impressive," Artoria replied.
"Yugen, move!" Erika shouted.
Yugen, carrying Tsukiko, dodged as Erika charged with Clarent. Leo switched Balmung to gun mode, firing. Erika deflected Artoria into Leo's line, but Artoria sliced the shells with Excalibur. She'd likely caused the ceiling's collapse. Their survival was thanks to Mikihiko, who manifested Tenhōsen and used Amaarashi to shield five allies—a feat astonishing even him, given Tenjin Reisō's last emergence was 900 years ago.
With Leo and Erika battling Artoria, Yugen turned to the temple duo.
"We looped back despite going ahead," he said. "Are you two behind Tsukiko's voice?"
"I'm Oda Nobunaga, Sixth Demon King!" the girl declared.
"Well deduced. I'm Nagao Kagetora, blessed by Bishamonten," the hooded figure said.
Kagetora's female identity was plausible, but Nobunaga's claim gave Yugen a headache. They explained: Nobunaga intended to summon Tsukiko, but Kagetora's interference distorted the heartscape dimension—Shinshō Jigen—causing Artoria Pendragon and Excalibur to materialize, making them the root of this mess.
"Leo and Erika are strong with Tenjin Reisō, yet can't finish her," Yugen said. "Will cutting you down end this?"
"Actually…" Kagetora began.
"Don't!" Nobunaga interrupted. "Killing us won't guarantee it stops!"
"What?" Yugen asked.
Nobunaga explained: Artoria was an unforeseen irregularity, beyond heartscape control. Dissolving it would leave her and Excalibur in the information dimension, potentially bridging it to the physical world—a wedge for Parasites to flood reality.
"…You owe me big," Yugen said. "With interest."
Sighing, Yugen vanished, clashing Murakumo with Excalibur. Artoria, stepping back, showed a hint of delight.
"They're not weak," she said. "You forged them, didn't you… Yugen, was it?"
"Didn't expect to use this so soon," Yugen replied. "But if you're not stopped, our world's in danger. No hesitation, no mercy."
A torrent of spiritual energy erupted around Yugen, halting Leo and Erika. Silvery light poured into Murakumo, transforming it into a radiant tachi. Sensing its peak, Yugen spoke.
"Rejoice, Knight King Artoria Pendragon. You're the first to face this—take it to your grave. Unleash the Celestial Origin, Amenomurakumo."
A flash filled the room, fading to reveal a mechanical tachi with a gun mechanism, its silver blade gleaming divinely like Excalibur. Yugen's Tenjin Reisō, in its Seven Saints Unsheathing form—Amenomurakumo.
"Let's duel, Knight King," Yugen said. "I'll win."
"Those words, I'll return!" Artoria retorted.
As they charged, their blades clashed, unleashing a shockwave. The battle of two extraordinary irregularities began.
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