62 Chapter 30.3 - Archaic Flames [3]

'Hmm…'

Something is...odd today. I mean, I woke up, ate breakfast, and went out into Uruk as usual. But, well,

'Why is everyone staring at me?'

When I woke up, Shirou had paused and stared, his eyes somewhat wide before he shrugged and went on as usual. Gil and Gilgamesh held the same amused expressions as I met them, both giving an encouraging pat on my back before heading to the cafeteria. Saber had stared for a full minute, her mouth opening and closing, before she just sighed and left, nursing her head as she left.

As I sat down for breakfast, I met up with Mash and Ritsuka, and both stared at me as if I was some sort of alien. Ushi and Benkei did much the same, though they were much more subtle about it. Leonidas took a good look at me and gave my shoulder a playful punch as he left for his morning duties.

And now, I'm walking through the streets of Uruk, shuffling awkwardly as I feel everyone staring at me.

[[Stoicism] leveled up!]

Thanks, game.

I mean, my appearance is the same as always, and I don't feel like I'm doing anything weird. Well, I did get a new skill, but [Retainer of the Flame Goddess] doesn't do anything explicit, or at least, the description doesn't show anything. It's pretty much like a much stronger version of [Blessed by Dragons], except it's directed on [Fire] related things than [Dragon] ones.

...wait. No, I didn't just receive that skill yesterday, did I? I also took in the purified and restored version of the fire goddess.

Is that what's making everyone stare at me weird?

Thankfully, I'm not given that chance as a loud cry suddenly comes from a distance away. Everyone's eyes break away from me, and I make my hasty escape, heading towards the source of the scream.

I'm not that worried though. I'm picking up some heavy divinity from the area, coupled with some gentle heat, as if I'm sleeping under the sun.

And there's only one individual with that combination.

Nearing the end of the alley, sunlight peers into the dark, and I come out to the wide street to see a pile of unconscious soldiers, a very bewildered Mash, an incredibly exasperated Ritsuka, and a very lively Quetzalcoatl wrestling with Saber.

It's truly a strange sight.

The moment I close in, Quetzalcoatl turns to me, her eyes taking a teasing glint. "Mm~! So you're the new one!" She says as she leaps towards me, and I quickly swerve away to evade the incoming attack.

Or, at least I tried, because as soon as I moved, Quetzalcoatl dug her feet into the stone road, spun, and launched right into my stomach, knocking the air right out and sending both of us crashing onto the ground.

"Um." I begin, my cheeks reddening slightly. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing to worry about, deary~" She says with a wide smile, and I gasp as I feel her hands roaming throughout my body.

"W-What are you-, hya!?"

"Oh, was that a ticklish spot?" She drawls out, and I can only struggle to escape as she continues her ventures, skillfully prodding and teasing with those delicate fingers of hers. "How about this one?"

"Hya!?"

"Oho? That one was loude-" Before she can finish, an armored fist smashes onto her side and sends Quetzalcoatl flying into the nearby building, punching straight through the walls.

"What are you doing, you heathen!?" Saber shouts with burning fury, before her expression melts to one of concern as she gently picks me up. "Are you okay, Hanami-san?"

"I-I'm fine!" I squeak out, wiggling uncomfortably as the two spots Quetzalcoatl poked still tingle. "It's-, I'm j-just kinda sensitive right now…"

Saber stares at me for a minute or so, before she turns back to the American goddess and glares. Quetzalcoatl just stands from the rubble and smiles, cracking her fingers and neck as if to prepare for some massive battle. "Mm, that was fun!" She says happily, before dropping down to a low crouch. "Powerful and confident. The perfect combination~"

"...every word you speak is reminding me of Merlin." Saber whispers dangerously. "It's too bad you're a female. Your genitalia would've been gone by now."

Within the castle, a certain flower magus shivers.

"Ooh, how kinky!"

Saber glares further. "You damn-"

"K-Kya!?" I let out another squeak, and Saber stops as she looks down to me, clearly confused on what happened. I whimper slightly. "P-Please don't move so much, Saber…"

All goes quiet.

"...Hanami-san." Saber begins, her expression the most serious I've ever seen. "I know you mean well, and that you are a sweet girl, but please, I beg of you, never say those words like that ever again."

"E-Eh, why…?"

"...Hanami-san." Saber says again, this time with a smile. "Please stay quiet."

"Okay…?" And as she places me back down on the ground, I turn to see how Mash and Ritsuka are doing, and...huh? Are their faces red? And why are they looking away?

My attention is pulled away when Quetzalcoatl launches out of the house with a jovial laugh, and Saber rushes forward with her fists ready to strike.

And so a clash of [Wrestling] and [Jujutsu] occurs as the two fighters duke out in combat. Quetzalcoatl attacks with wide sweeping strikes and lunges, with a particular fascination of grabbing Saber and throwing her around like some sort of stuffed doll. In response Saber strikes back with quick and brutal punches, using any openings available and countering when possible.

Stone and debris fly as the two battle, occasionally bulldozing through buildings in their path, though both fighters are keen on keeping collateral damage to a minimum, hence why both are fighting with their fists and kicks.

It's just amazing to watch really. Quetzalcoatl's attacks are wild and primal, but their strength is undisputed, and Saber's swift punches are incredible, especially considering the short amount of time since she first picked up [Jujutsu].

But then Quetzalcoatl smirks, her magical energy spikes, and Saber brings her arm fast enough to block a powerful slam, though the force still lifts the king off the ground and sends her flying. Quetzalcoatl crouches, ready to jump,

Before she suddenly turns and leaps towards me. But, I'm ready this time, and I reverse the gravity around me, halting the goddess' charge and instead sends her tumbling back. Narrowing my eyes, I create several little balls of condensed magic and fire them at her. Seeing the attack, Quetzalcoatl swiftly stops and jumps.

The goddess realizes too late that my aim wasn't her.

"Saber!"

"Yes!" Stretching out her fist, Saber catches the orbs, and [Morningstar] activates as I spread the orbs' magical energy throughout Saber's arm, coating her gauntlet with powerful magical light. With her gauntlet now glowing with light, Saber cocks her arm back, her eyes trained on the airborne goddess.

"[Mana Burst]!" And with a shout she punches forward, the combined power of her [Mana Burst] and my magic firing off in the form of a powerful beam, and Quetzalcoatl can only shield herself as the beam of light slams right into her.

But then the attack suddenly grows, and Quetzalcoatl cries out as she's sent crashing into the ground, cracking the earth as the beam continues to push down onto her.

"...Huh?" I blink, surprised at the sudden doubling in power. I turn my eyes to Saber, and she looks just as confused, staring at her own fists in shock and fascination.

Wait, oh, I see. I didn't consider that!

Now, since my magic mixed with hers, the attack she sent was technically mine as well. And Saber's a dragon, right?

[Blessed by Dragon] doubles the power of any [Dragon]-based attacks.

You see what I'm getting at here?

But what was with that slight delay? If I was the one to attack, then the power bonus would've applied immediately. Is it because my involvement in the attack is indirect? Maybe that caused my [System] to need some time to rationalize the attack?

Whatever the case, it's an interesting tidbit I'll need to watch out for in the future.

However, even after that, Quetzalcoatl just stands up from the crater our combined attack created, looking as if she hadn't been slammed onto the ground by a powerful beam of concentrated magic. "Mm! That was fun!" She says cheerfully, and we all ready ourselves.

Then, Quetzalcoatl stops, and her smile softens. "But, if you're the one battling, then perhaps we all have a chance at survival after all."

I blink, surprised at the sudden shift. Quetzalcoatl simply laughs. "What? Cheery I may be, but so too am I a deity, you know? I'm not one to have fun at every moment." She says with a shrug. "Now, I've come to have that promise from that redhead fulfilled."

"Redhead?" I turn my eyes to Ritsuka, but she just blinks back, just as confused as I am. Then, if it's not Ritsuka-

"You mean Shirou?"

"Mm, yes, I think that's his name. Promised something about having someone help with the contract binding me to Tiamat."

Ah. Right. The [Three Goddess' Alliance]. I forgot that's even a thing-

Wait, but isn't that a contract that works between Quetzalcoatl, Ereshkigal, and Gorgon? Gorgon's out cold now, and there isn't any point since Gorgon's not planning on destroying humanity any time soon, so the contract should be nulled now. Quetzalcoatl shouldn't even be bound to the actual Tiamat at all.

But when I use my mystic eyes, I can clearly see a contract binding her to Tiamat. Did Gorgon's usage of Tiamat's name somehow bound Quetzalcoatl to the actual Tiamat as well-

No, hold on. From the moment I stepped into this Singularity, I knew everything was different, that there were new enemies I'll need to battle against to reach this Singularity's conclusion. What's to say the past of this Singularity isn't different as well?

"That 'someone' is probably me." I say as I sit on the stone road.

"Oh, truly?" She asks, and I nod confidently, my mystic eyes easily catching sight of the thread between her and the unseen Tiamat. Quetzalcoatl smiles. "Then I will wait for your miracle. But, be warned." She takes a step forward, and her smile takes a dangerous edge. "If your claim proves to be false, then hell shall follow."

I remain undeterred. "I know."

And so the air suddenly stills as my magical energy rises, reaching deep into Quetzalcoatl's soul. With my invisible hand, I reach out and grasp the connecting thread, and the magic in the air grows, and the stone roads and buildings around us begin to crack from the pressure.

'Ah, this is bad.'

Not wanting to pay for more insurance (not that it'll put a dent in my bank account), I create an [Empty ID] over us, and the empty streets become truly empty, with only the ones present at the bout brought into the mirror world.

I solidify my connection to the contract, and the pressure in the air nearly doubles. In the back, Ritsuka struggles to stand, needing Mash to hold her to stay standing, and Saber narrows her eyes, the metal bindings of her armor quivering and scraping against one another.

I feel Quetzalcoatl shiver at the invading energy, but I give her a quick smile to assure her.

The goddess looks to me, both confused and hopeful, and she forcefully calms her body. Seeing that, I take a deep breath, and shout.

"[Gehen]!"

Through our connection, and guided by my mystic eyes, the skill activates and my magical energy dives into the contract. It seeps into it, bringing forth information over the contract's effects and clauses, and once it reaches the contract's core,

My prana lashes violently, and like a piece of paper through a shredder, the contract is torn.

Unlike shredding a paper however, the effect isn't simply dirtying the inside of the shredder. The moment the contract is broken, its magical energy violently lashes back, escaping from Quetzalcoatl's soul and out into the world. The magic tears across the goddess' body, creating wide gashes all over her body, and through our connection, the violent magic attacks me too, cutting wounds all over my arm.

Thankfully, the effect on the outside world is minimal, and I let out a shaky sigh, slowly withdrawing my arm and gently placing it down on my lap. Had my [Reinforcement] been slower, I'm pretty sure I would've lost my right arm, and isn't that a scary thought?

Well, even if I did lose an arm, I guess I can just create a new one, maybe even one with magic and stuff.

Ah, but thinking about that is bad. As tempting as the idea sounds, I've never made a living arm before, and cutting my arm off just for an idea is a good way to reach an early grave.

But, that aside,

"So…" I begin softly, turning to look at Quetzalcoatl. "It should be broken now."

The goddess closes her eyes for a moment, and she can only silently nod. "That's good." I say, my eyes drooping slightly. "Really good." I repeat. "Sorry about the blood though. I...tried to hold back the whiplash, but I couldn't do much."

"Mm, I don't really mind." She says casually.

"Ah...okay then." I smile, and with my good hand, I stand back up.

Before falling down, my legs having grown numb.

"...eh?" I blink, before I'm suddenly assaulted by a massive pounding headache. "What's…?"

"Do rest, Hanami-san." I hear Saber say, and I blink to realize that I'm being carried in the knight's hands. "You've been working for a good hour after all."

'An...hour?' I sat down on the road for an hour? But I barely felt anything! The entire thing felt like minutes to me!

[Stamina: 4%]

But my stamina clearly states otherwise.

"Un, okay then." I whisper, and it isn't long before sleep takes me.