Chapter 123: Unexpected Meeting

"I shall answer your call. I am your Servant, Lancer." A bright golden light shone, as a figure in armor, lance in hand, and riding a white armored stallion, appeared upon the summoning circle. Her light blue eyes glinted with determination as she surveyed her surroundings, the silver armor reflecting the ambient light in the room.

"With this lance, I will be your strength." she said, her voice steady and resolute, looking straight at the eyes of the man who had summoned her.

'Hm? Why are they staring me weirdly?' Artoria Lancer tilted her head, confused at the strange looks she was receiving by the people around her.

"...Shit," Brunhilde muttered, staring in disbelief.

"Umm..." Gudako looked at Artoria then at Zenkichi, then back at the servant. She was hesitating on whether to call for help or not, because the servant that her friend summoned looked extremely like the Lion King! But she hesitated, as like many of the servants she summoned in the past, some of them started out as her enemies but became loyal when they got summoned.

Actually, she's feeling a bit stunned that Zenkichi actually managed to become a master and summoned a servant! Was this a benefit for world travelers? Ohhh, thinking about it now, she was excited on travelling to other worlds, can she go to a certain world and find the One Piece?!

Zenkichi smiled, and to the surprise of his partner and friend, he stepped forward. "Hello, Lancer. My name is Zenkichi Hitoyoshi, your... master. Welcome to Chaldea! The last hope of humanity."

He too was on guard upon seeing who his servant was, but all his doubts washed away when he didn't feel any hostility and remembering that Artoria Lancer is different from the Lion King or Goddess Rhongomyniad.

'Is this a coincidence...?' He pondered before shaking his head. He might've chance upon her because he has a copy of Rhongomyniad, as summoning a servant has certain conditions: one of them needing a catalyst to summon a specific servant, or failing to provide one, those with a compatibility to the summoner would get summoned.

He wasn't prepared for this to happen, they were just fooling around and bam! Servant summoned.

'Oh well, no use on regretting. This is actually a favorable situation for me in the upcoming battles.'

Artoria nodded solemnly, getting off of her horse, which dissipated as she touched the ground. "Master, it is an honor to be summoned by you. And you don't have to fill me in about the current circumstances, I answered your call with the knowledge that the Incineration of the Human Order is looming, in order to save what's most important, mankind."

Zenkichi smiled warmly at Artoria Lancer's response. "Thank you for your understanding, Lancer. Your dedication to our cause is truly commendable. With your strength and loyalty, I'm confident that we can face whatever challenges come our way."

Gudako, still slightly stunned by the unexpected summoning, finally found her voice. "Welcome to Chaldea, Lancer. We're grateful to have you join our ranks."

Artoria nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you. I shall do my utmost to fulfill my duties as a Servant of Chaldea." she paused for a moment and said, "Also, Master, please call me Altria when we are not in battle. It's easier to call me with that name when there are many Lancer servants."

Zenkichi nodded, "Okay... Altria."

Altria smiled faintly at Zenkichi's acceptance of her request. "Thank you, Master Zenkichi. I appreciate your understanding."

With introductions made and the initial surprise of the summoning wearing off, the atmosphere in the room began to relax. Gudako stepped forward, eager to help guide Altria around Chaldea.

"Wait, do you two want to come along as well? I know we basically finished the tour but..." she asked.

Altria stepped forward and said, "Master, you don't have to come along with me. You must be tired, don't worry about me. We can talk and bond later on. As your Servant, I am here to support you in any way I can."

Zenkichi nodded appreciatively at Altria's consideration. "Thank you, Altria. I'll take you up on that offer then. Gudako, why don't you and Brunhilde continue the tour? I'm sure there are still some areas of Chaldea that Altria would like to see."

Gudako glanced at Brunhilde, who nodded in agreement. "Sounds good. There are a few more interesting places I'd like to show you, Altria. Let's go."

With that settled, Gudako and Brunhilde led Altria away to explore more of Chaldea's facilities, leaving Zenkichi alone in the summoning room.

"..."

"Come out." Zenkichi coldly commanded, his tone shifting slightly as he addressed the unseen presence in the room.

"Hmph. So you noticed?" The voice emerged from a crack in reality right before Zenkichi's eyes, a red demonic eye stared at him. "As expected of an outsider, a false deity you might be, your strength is still not to be underestimated."

"Well, it's an honor to be looked upon by the king of magecraft." Zenkichi lowly replied, perspiring down his temples.

Although the fake Solomon, Goetia, is extremely far and this was only a projection of his that held a small percentage of his power, it gave off a suffocating pressure that would crush any normal human being into pancake.

Still, Zenkichi remained composed. He died numerous times already, what was some pressure of a Demon God to him? He steeled himself, knowing that he had to tread carefully in this encounter.

"And what is it that you seek here, Goetia?" Zenkichi inquired, his voice steady despite the tension in the air.

Goetia's crimson eye narrowed slightly, observing Zenkichi with a mix of curiosity and disdain. "So you know... Hmph, no matter. Who sent you here? The only beings that can threaten me now are few, and I already took care of them. Is it that stupid disciple of mine? But I don't sense the power of the Kaleidoscope on you."

Zenkichi clenched his fists. "How did you bypassed the enchantments laid around the facility?"

"Ha! Hahahaha!" Unexpectedly, Goetia burst out laughing. "False god, no, mortal. Do you honestly believe that a few measly enchantments could stop me? I am Goetia, the King of Magecraft, the Grand Caster! Your feeble attempts to hide behind magic are nothing more than child's play to me."

Zenkichi's expression remained stoic, but inside, he felt a surge of anger at Goetia's arrogance. "If so, then why haven't you gotten rid of this place that can threaten to destroy your goal? Why not kill me and everyone else in this place?"

"I simply do not see any of you a threat, not until you retrieve the seventh Holy Grail. Till then, you Chaldeans will serve as my entertainment as I further incinerate Humanity." A dark chuckle escaped from the eye, sending a chill down Zenkichi's spine. "I had only dropped by when I noticed... an anomaly, greater than anything I've ever seen in my infinite lifetime, in Chaldea, which is you. Only to my great disappointment..."

The crimson eye enlarged, showing great contempt. "You're weak! Hahahahaha!"

Zenkichi's jaw tightened as he absorbed Goetia's scornful words. He knew he wasn't the strongest, but he refused to let Goetia's mockery shake his resolve.

"You may believe me weak, Goetia, but I will not yield to your arrogance," Zenkichi retorted, his voice laced with determination. "I may not possess the power of a deity or the authority of a king, but I have something you lack: the will to fight for what I believe in, even in the face of overwhelming odds."

Goetia's eye narrowed further, a glint of irritation flickering within its crimson depths. "Bold words for a mere mortal. But do not mistake defiance for strength."

Zenkichi squared his shoulders, refusing to be intimidated. "Strength isn't solely measured by power, Goetia. It's measured by the willingness to stand up against tyranny, to fight against assholes... like you."

A low growl rumbled from Goetia's form, the air crackling with suppressed energy. "Enough. You may cling to your ideals, but they will not shield you from the inevitable. When the time comes, you will kneel before me, just like all the rest."

With that ominous warning, the crack in reality sealed shut, leaving Zenkichi alone once more in the summoning room. Despite the lingering tension, he felt a renewed sense of determination burning within him.

Days passed by and Zenkichi, Brunhilde and Altria integrated themselves into life at Chaldea, each of them doing quite well for themselves on bonding with everyone. But with the great threat of the singularity coming up soon, they didn't idle around for long and started honing their combat skills and learning new ones as well.

During that time, Zenkichi used the Holy Grail he got from Ozymandias to wish for stabilization for his Divinity and Demonic Power... which didn't completely work, as expected. It had increased the providence of his authority by several folds, but it isn't permanent and would run out unless he refuels with the grail.

The most surprising thing however, is what the Grail did to his Demonic Power, or more specifically his Demon heritage.

[Ding! Partial Awakening of the Demon Heart: Flames of Hell- Use and control of the flames of Gehenna, capable of incinerating anything in its path. This power is now partially awakened within the user, granting him access to the Flames of Hell, albeit in a limited capacity. Exercise caution when using this ability, as it may consume you if not properly controlled. Further development of this power may be possible with continued training and mastery.]

Yeah... turns out, he wasn't using the full firepower of his demonic heritage. He hurriedly tested it out in the training room and the effects were.... devastating, to say the least. The power was several times more powerful and lethal.

"Hmm..." Zenkichi opened his eyes, his biological clock telling him it was time to wake up. He looked at the beautiful sleeping face beside him with a smile. Brunhilde subconsciously frowned, sensing discomfort, she leaned closer to him, her expression softening as she nestled closer to him.

Zenkichi gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face, marveling at how peaceful she looked in her sleep.

He let out a sigh, pressing his forehead against hers. 'Today's the day, time to go to Mesopotamia, Babylon.'

.....

AN: So, any recommendations of an anime to watch this year for me and everyone else?

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