Chapter 5

~Shinji Matou POV~

As soon as I came out of the other side of the Kaleidoscope portal, I quickly realized I was falling through the night sky with my luggage.

Looking down, I recognized the familiar skyline of Fuyuki, having seen it multiple times in my year in Fuyuki.

"It looks like you'll have to help me right off the bat, Kunzite."

"Understood, Master Shinji."

As I fell faster and faster toward the ground, I began using Kunzite for the first time.

I felt the magical energy move far more easily than before when I was using Aqua Ignition. Which really made me appreciate the kaleidostick in my hand.

Using the same concept for my Aqua Ignition, I pulled the water in the atmosphere, but due to being so high up as well as having way better control thanks to Kunzite, I pulled in way more water than I could at my best.

"Alright, that should be more than enough; now I just need to shape it." With the water gathered with my magecraft, I turned it into a bubble and then enveloped my falling luggage. After my luggage was secured and floating next to me, I pulled more water from the atmosphere and created a slope, which I slid down onto a platform of water, effectively slowing me down to a stop.

"Damn that old man. I swear to God, I am going to beat him so hard when I get back."

"Yes, it was reckless of my previous master, Zelretch, to put you in a situation like this. I too shall give him a thorough beating." Kunzite said while floating beside me.

"We'll deal with the old man later. For now, I need to get down from here and set up a base of operations."

While I had an idea of what world Zelretch sent me to, given that he gave me this Kaleidostick but I wasn't going to take any chances if something was different.

Using the water I gathered for the slope and platform, I created a set of stairs that headed toward the ground. Of course, it couldn't reach the ground, but with every step I took, the step behind me would disappear and appear as the next step at the bottom, effectively making an infinite staircase.

After about twenty minutes of silent walking, I was back on solid ground once again, dismissing the spells I had active so as not to draw unwanted attention. "God, that was a workout," I said with relief. For that entire spell, I had used 200 units of magical energy, and that was with the reduced cost of my spells due to my element. If a person without an element affinity tried what I just did, they would have to use six times the amount.

But it was good to push my limits to see how far I could push my magic circuits before they became strained.

"Anyway, Kunzite, how are my circuits looking?" I asked Kunzite, who was floating beside me.

"Your magic circuits are in optimal condition, and they don't seem to have been strained due to your spells."

"I see that's good; that means I should be able to get a base of operations in this world and start getting stronger." Due to being under Zouken's watch, I couldn't really do anything, but with no one to hold me back and the infinite power of the Kaleidostick, I could finally start focusing on improving more than just my magecraft.

With that thought in mind, I began walking through the quiet streets of Fuyuki. It was quite weird, really, to be able to casually walk through these streets when not even 48 hours ago I was having to constantly look behind my back.

"But I can't say I don't like it." I said with a smile.

After walking around for a couple of minutes, I arrived at my destination.

"Alright, this spot is perfect." I thought with a smile as I stared at the empty plot of land. I was currently on the north side of Miyama town.

"Master Shinji, there is nothing here."

"Yes, there is nothing here. At least not yet. Now Kunzite provides me with magical energy."

"Understood, Master Shinji."

With Kunzite's confirmation, I began pulling upon my magical energy, but as I began gathering it in front of me, I immediately could tell that making what I wanted would require way less energy than expected, and after going through other stuff I had made, I saw that it would require less energy than I used.

So I wasn't even using my Arc of Embodiment with optimal efficiency. I'll have to train my magical energy control even more. But that's for later; for now, I need to focus.

Using the magical energy I gathered, I used it to fuel my Arc of Embodiment and create my home.

After the magical energy was used, a small red house appeared before me.

"There, I'm done." I said while breathing heavily, and my Prisma Trace disappeared, bringing me back to my original clothing.

"Master Shinji, what was that? Your magical energy changed after some time, and while I was able to filter it so you used less magical energy but..." Kunzite asked while floating next to me.

"Let's talk inside Kunzite." I said while closing my circuits and then heading into the house.

Once I was inside, I was greeted by a fully furnished room with a bed, table, kitchen, and a living room. Sitting down on the bed, I turned toward Kunzite.

"Alright, Kunzite, let me tell you about the story of a boy who lived on Earth."

After that, I explained my origins to the Kunzite. After all, we were going to be partners for the foreseeable future.

"I see a parallel world. I'm not as adept at using the Second Magic as Lord Zelretch, but if you say that it is so, then I shall believe you. You are my master after all."

Hearing Kunzite's answer, I couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, Kunzite; I'll be counting on you for our future battles."

[***]

It was the next day, and I found myself staring at Homurahara Academy.

"So it's here, right?" I asked Kunzite, who was floating beside me.

"Yes, I can feel the mirror world in that school."

Mirror worlds are reflections of the real world generated through the class cards. Each one contains a landscape that mirrors the one in the real world, but with no living things present and with damage done to it not affecting the real world. Their name comes from the analogy that if you put two mirrors opposite each other, they would reflect each other an infinite number of times, and each pocket space is but a single of such reflections, a mirror image of the world.

"Alright, that's good that it's the same as what I saw. I'll head here in a couple of days after I get some training in. After all, my spells aren't going to cut it anymore." Reinforcing my body, I jumped off the roof I was on, heading toward my home.

After half an hour, I arrived back home. Of course, this morning I thoroughly surveyed the place as well as the surrounding area with bounded fields.

Once I was inside the safety of my bounded fields, I reached into the satchel that was wrapped around my shoulder and pulled out a glowing green pill as well as a bottle of water.

Without hesitation, I popped the pill into my mouth and then washed it down with water.

"Now it's training time." With that, I began training. What I used before was a body-tempering pill. While I barely knew anything about cultivation, I knew these things were crazy strong in the right situation. So I am going to push my body to the limit for the next three days, and then three days after that, I will focus on improving my magical abilities. I had no idea when Rin and Luvia would come, but I'll change my schedule if they come earlier than expected.

The next few hours were a hell of my own making as I did various strength and endurance exercises such as squats, push-ups, pull-ups, burpees, and running.

"Master Shinji, you shouldn't push yourself too hard," Kunzite said with concern.

"I can't, Kunzite. Shadow servants may just be a shadow of their true selves, but they are still heroic spirits, so I need to go at them with everything I've got. Be it physical or magical."

"I understand, Master Shinji, but I shall not help you if you go past your set limit."

"Alright, I'll make sure to keep that in mind," I said with a smile.

[***]

"So there, huh?" I said with a scowl while looking at the magical explosions in the sky caused by Luvia and Rin's fight. "Really, they have no tact, fighting each other instead of focusing on their mission and even threatening to reveal magecraft."

"Yes, I have to agree. I have no idea how my sisters deal with them." Kunzite beside me said it in annoyance.

"Well, they will be abandoned by Ruby and Sapphire anyway, and at least Illya and Miyu are more tolerable," I said with a shrug as I walked back into my home. "At least my training has paid off extensively." Instead of the thin child I was before, I was now decently built and had grown until I was 4'5", putting me well above people my age. "And I have to thank you, Kunzite, for giving me some tips on controlling my magical energy. It helped me create some more powerful spells."

"I simply gave you tips; you are the one that put them into practice and in so little time."

"Yeah, back home, I couldn't really fully train my magic circuits extensively, but in this world, I can go all out without repercussions. Now I'm going to go to sleep. I have a big day tomorrow night."

Walking over to my bed, I collapsed onto my bed. Reaching over to my nightstand, I grabbed my adventurer card, taking one last look at it.

———————————————————

Name: Shinji Matou

Class: Adventurer

Age: 7

Origin: N̸̬͗õ̴̯͖b̷̢͖̆l̵̰͖͒ȇ̴̳̈ ̸̮̄Ë̵̛̗͎́ṉ̵̘̍v̷͍̞͗͒ẙ̶̯

Element: Aqua Radiance

Sorcery Trait: Absorption and Binding

Skill Points: 2

Magical Energy: 360

Strength: 37

Endurance: 23

Dexterity: 36

Agility: 34

Luck: 80

Skills:

Arc of Embodiment

Reinforcement

Structural Grasp

Magical Energy Manipulation

Water Magic

———————————————————

Alright, these stats should be enough with the buffs I get from Kunzite.

With that thought, I set my adventurer card down and closed my eyes before going to sleep.

[***]

"Activating second magic. Connecting magic circuits to the mana plane and activating the prisma trace is commencing."

I once again transformed into my Prisma Trace state with a few modifications, such as a pair of purple gloves.

"Alright, Kunzite, do you thing?"

"Understood, Master Shinji. Expanding to alternate realities. Mirror road formation." A magic circle formed under me as Kunzite spoke, and as soon as he finished, the magic circle glowed, enveloping me in its light.

Once the light died down, I found myself still at the entrance of Homurahara Academy, but I could tell that the world was empty of any life.

With a thought, I activated my full-body reinforcement before hopping over the school gate.

As I walked through the school, I made sure to keep my guard up the entire time. As I walked, I began going through all the information I knew about the Rider class card.

It should be linked to the anti-hero Medusa if nothing has changed. Her parameters were STR: B, END: D. AGI: A MANA: B LUK: E NP: A+ at her peak, but due to being made into a class card and not being a true heroic spirit, only being a thing that took Medusa's form, all of her parameters have gone down by one rank besides luck, mana, and noble phantasm.

But that didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things due to one of her personal skills called Monstrous Strength, which is B-ranked. It allowed her to increase her strength, endurance, and agility by effectively bringing her back to her peak. She used the skill in moderation, however, since every time she used the skill, it took her further away from Medusa and closer to Gorgon. But with her sanity stripped from her, she will more than likely be constantly using the skill.

Then there was another of her personal skills, Cybele, the Mystic Eyes of Petrification, mystic eyes of the highest order having the jewel designation in the Mage's Association's noble color system, which is higher than the gold mystic eyes that dead apostles have. They affect all targets within the owner's field of vision, regardless of whether said targets are looking at the eyes physically or if they have their eyes closed but continue to view her with their mind's eye, as it is a curse to look upon her in any way. Those with a mana rank of C rank or lower will be unconditionally petrified, while those of B rank will be petrified depending on the result of the saving throw. Those of A rank will not be petrified but suffer a rank down on all of their abilities and receive "heavy pressure" But with Kunzite, it won't be an issue, and since mystic eyes are magic, just knowing the effects of her mystic eyes weakens them for the person who knows that information.

Next was Medusa's high magic resistance, which is ranked B, which is weird in itself since the cavalry classes are said to have the least magic resistance. But it was due to her previous nature as a Greek goddess that it was so high, as well as her being skilled at sorcery and being able to use counter spells and such to neutralize incoming spells.

Now onto her noble phantasms. The first one is Breaker Gorgon, the blindfold she is always seen wearing. Its main ability is its ability to seal a person's abilities, which Medusa uses to seal her mystic eyes.

Her second noble phantasm is Blood Fort Andromeda, which is a counterpart to Breaker Gorgon. It takes the form of magic circles placed in predetermined locations that steadily drain the life force. However, if the true name is released and it is fully activated, regular people caught in it without the magic resistance skill will be quickly dissolved unless they possess knowledge of thaumaturgy, in which case it will be difficult to affect them. Even heroic spirits will have their life force plundered as long as they are inside the barrier.

Then her final noble phantasm is Bellerophon, a shining golden bridle and whip paired as a set that is capable of fully controlling a Divine Beast, and it is Medusa's most powerful attack. She uses it in combination with a recreation of the legend where a Pegasus was born from her cut neck to create a truly powerful attack, with Pegasus gaining one rank in stats, which was high considering it was a divine beast on the same level as dragons.

All that combined with her hit-and-run tactics and battle style, he could stand toe to toe with some of the strongest servants out there, even if it's only barely

"Master Shinji, we are getting closer to the elevated mana signature."

"Alright, Kunzite, you know what to do," I said as Kunzite changed in my hand. He went from the purple magical girl stick to a small handle, then out of the top of Kunzite a blade similar to a katana's. The blade was made from concentrated magical energy.

Now I add my own spells.

The pale white magical energy that made up my blade, specifically around the edge, became light blue.

"Any interference, Kunzite?"

"No, Master, your spell is holding up fine."

As I stepped onto the field, my heart raced with anticipation, and my voice trembled with determination. "Alright then, let's go slay Medusa," I said, my words echoing with a grim expression etched on my face. Each step I took across the empty school grounds seemed to magnify the deafening silence that enveloped us.

Then, from the very ground before me, a sinister black mist began to rise, billowing and obscuring a significant portion of the battleground. Emerging from the thick mist, I saw the ominous figure of Medusa. Her once-elegant attire was now in tatters, and the Breaker Gorgon adorned her, its gem in the center resembling a malevolent eye.

Without a moment's hesitation, Medusa summoned her nameless daggers, poised to strike. Despite my limited combat experience, I could sense her intentions. With the combined strength of my reinforced body and the physical boost from Kunzite, I leaped out of harm's way just in time.

Clutching Kunzite firmly, I swung him with all the might I could muster. A blade of mystical energy erupted from my weapon, surging towards the dust cloud created by Medusa's immense strength and shattering the very ground beneath it.

The blade of magical energy effortlessly cleaved through the dust cloud, but as expected, Medusa had vanished from sight. The pressing question was her whereabouts.

"Master Shinji, behind you!" Kunzite's urgent warning caught my attention. Whirling around, I caught a fleeting glimpse of Medusa's long, flowing purple hair as it approached from my left. Instinctively, I raised my blade, barely deflecting her strike, though I couldn't avoid a shallow cut to my cheek, despite the protective barrier Kunzite provided.

Summoning water with one hand, I formed it into a ball and launched it towards Medusa. Her resistance to magic lessened the impact, but it did succeed in pushing her back, granting me a precious moment to regain my composure.

Medusa's fighting style was far from conventional. She wasn't a typical heroic spirit; she was an anti-hero, designed to eliminate heroes. Her time on the shapeless island had honed her into a master of guerrilla tactics, whittling down her foes until they were vulnerable. However, in this encounter, she discarded subtlety and relied solely on brute strength.

This shift in her approach presented an opportunity. All I needed to do was keep her engaged long enough to execute my new spell.

With determination coursing through me, I initiated the next assault. In an instant, I materialized in front and slightly above Medusa, bringing my blade down in a swift, decisive strike. She responded by raising her daggers to block, which was exactly what I had anticipated. Seizing the advantage, I drove my knee into her hands, forcing her to momentarily relinquish her grip and creating an opening for my blade.

However, Medusa's agility was unmatched. She gracefully evaded my strike by weaving to the side, causing my blade to cut into the unforgiving earth. Without missing a beat, she retaliated by bringing her dagger down toward my head. Yet, I was prepared. A watery barrier materialized, intercepting her weapon and giving me the precious seconds needed to regain my stance.

Our battle continued, an intricate dance of offense and defense. I found myself mostly on the defensive, but Medusa's brute strength failed to inflict any lasting harm thanks to the protective barrier and Kunzite's healing.

After what felt like an eternity of clashing, we finally separated, perhaps for the last time. "Sorry, Medusa, but this is checkmate!" I declared with a triumphant smirk, activating my hidden trump card.

Surrounding us were numerous gems that I had meticulously scattered throughout the battlefield whenever an opportunity arose. They formed a mesmerizing circular pattern and began to radiate with the pulsating energy they contained.

Sensing the impending danger, Medusa swiftly raised a dagger to her neck and sliced into it. The blood that flowed from her wound hung suspended in the air, forming an intricate magic circle.

"Sorry, Medusa, but as I mentioned, this is checkmate! Now, bounded field is set. Outcome predicted. Program ready. Execute."

This was the culmination of my efforts—a spell I had meticulously crafted to surpass my limits. It was a blend of knowledge from my previous world and Kunzite's calculations. The first step was to create a bounded field, with each gem serving as both an anchor and a boundary. Kunzite and I connected to this field, becoming integral parts of the spell itself. Kunzite's role was to predict Medusa's every move through his connection to the bounded field, which provided real-time data. Finally, the last part was the activation of a spell within me that would push my body far beyond its normal limits, sending my sympathetic nervous system into overdrive for a fleeting moment.

Everything unfolded in a blur. I surged towards Medusa with lightning speed, my movements almost mechanical in their precision. In the blink of an eye, I severed Medusa's head from her body, launching it into the distance.

As the dissipating form of Medusa met my gaze, I couldn't help but breathe heavily, and my body suddenly wracked with pain. Blood seeped into my suit, staining it crimson.

"How much damage did I do, Kunzite?" I inquired through gritted teeth, the pain evident in my voice. Kunzite, now hovering in front of me, responded, "Several muscles all across your body have been torn asunder, and your bones are as brittle as glass. The only reason you're standing now is because I've already begun the healing process."

I offered a grateful nod. "Thank you, Kunzite. It was all worth it to obtain this class card," I said, a victorious smile gracing my face as I reached out to claim the hard-won prize.

"Now why don't you two come out?" I said while staring at the school building where Rin, Illya, Luvia, and Miyu were standing.