Interlude: The ocean of lies.

You know, when i planned this whole trip here, i did not expect it to go on like this.

The entirely of the training montage for the first 2 weeks or so was the same as Issei, in which i would be running and Tannin would be spitting flames, it is worth mentioning that Tannin's flames are unnatural powerful, and so is Bova's, though i didn't notice it at first, when compared to the rest of the dragons, it is superb.

The only difference between me and Issei was that Tannin had to go all out to keep the training going.

I have not challenged him as of yet, i would lose anyway. He is still much stronger and faster than me, though i can see my advantages, without any magic or demonic power i would lose.

Now typically i wouldn't try to beat someone with fists, i believe that humane hands were not made to kill or to damage anything, they are too fragile and their bone structure and shape is also not good for that kind of thing. Not to mention the lack of claws. Which is why people invented swords, spears, bows, daggers, halberds and so on. These weapons were made to counter the weakness of human's hands, and by that logic they are far superior to our fists too. Why would i punch someone in the face when i can thrust a sword in their brain? Surely you can tell which one of these would be more effective right?

I don't use fists, i use weapons. The far superior and more logical method of attacking.

That said however i won't turn my back on a gift freely presented to me.

This is where the grind began.

Archmage is capabale of learning another system of magic, if the user has seen it once or has some idea of how it works. Archmage will do the heavy lifting from there on.

So i basically copied parallel existences. Of course i had never seen something like that and the source material didn't exactly explain how it was made either, just that it was a unique ability. So between my stupid ideas and Archmage working hand and hand, that took some time to make it work. But at long last, i have succeeded.

2 parallel existences are currently around here, one of them, much weaker than the other.

The stronger one is currently beating the ever existing cosmos out of Bova, who in fact asked to be beaten continuously, a strategy that has been working fabulously as Bova has improved a lot, even learning some magic in fact.

The other one however is currently attempting to figure out Senjutsu.

Why? For you see, recently i had a little bit of a 'oh shit' realization.

I can never learn Touki.

To learn Touki, one needs to train their body to their limit and even breaking that to achieve Touki.

And let me tell you, the Scathach in me, did not go easy on my physical training. But even then Touki never came to me. It was only recently i realized the problem here, you see my demonic power is gigantic, the prime age of growth for devils is between 12 to 18 here, i am not even there and i am closing in on peak ultimate level. And this gigantic demonic power is empowering my body on a daily basis, without any real reservations because, essence of blank.

I am far, far, far, far away from my physical limit. And even then blank can always stretch that limit, sure its nerfed to ground by that ROB but it still has its basic function you know.

So i will never hit my limit, and if i never hit my limit how can i achieve Touki? I can't, that's how.

So i am forced to go with the second method, learning Senjutsu to get Touki.

Something i never wanted to do.

Why? Because its straight up inferior to demonic power. What? You think i can't just imagine shadow clones and make them? Think again. I can do everything that Senjutsu users do, except i use my imagination to do it, they use their life force. Do i need to elaborate on how much superiority i have to the yokai?

Its the reason why i never bothered learning another system in this world, everything they do, so can i. Why would i learn something that is so inferior to me, it may as well be a joke.

But here i am now, actually grinding. And i mean that by definition.

Grind is to do a lot of useless things, in order to achieve something useful at the very end of it.

The gamers understand this sentence very well.

This whole scenario in turn leaves my main body with less than 70% of its strength, which means now i actually have to try to survive Tannin's attacks, as he is quite merciless.

Though i don't deny the results, my physical strength is increasing faster than before, due to me putting more pressure on my body in a fight.

Aside from grinding, i have used the opportunity to ask Astrid to forge gauntlets that can change size for me. Specifically these gauntlets are to be used by my future rook, whose currently going through his beating. How hard is he getting beaten? Well take the most spartan thing you can think of, then multiply it by Herculean labours. That should be about right.

So i thought i will give him a present, the way the gauntlets work is also easy enough. Remember Thor used a rune for his gauntlets to better wield his hammer? So i thought, if he could do it, so can i.

While all of this shit was going on, i decided to look for some...prominent clans and families, lets say. What i am hunting for are descendant of heroes or reincarnations or some other special cases, Fallen angel children to be exact. It happens quite often when some fallen angel leader decides to fuck a chick and then leave. Akeno's case was rare one in which the dad actually tried to stay. And Greeks still produce demigods on a daily basis. Who would have guessed?

Anyway this search and finding is being done by Kaya, since she is like 150 years old or something.

Yeah, it gets a bit confusing sometimes. But hey, don't let that distract you from the fact that she has an adult form. Milf in disguise.

But apparently most of her peerage members are high class devils with peerage members of their own, who work in their business, which mostly includes humans and some deals with other pantheons.

Its not really a surprise considering the Phenex family sells Phenex tears to other pantheons too. As long it isn't harmful to underworld, you are free to do business around. This allows them to do a rather convenient search, since i am looking for high profile clans, and they do business with each other.

Or so that's what people would typically think.

In dumber but also smarter terms however, this whole business is an information network.

Think about it, Paimons have the ability to manipulate people's minds with their voice, they do business with prominent human clans and families, or lower level pantheons who aren't hostile to us. Like the yokai.

Not sure if people are just collectively ignoring the obvious, or if their business opportunities are just that good. Probably neither, go figure.

Anyways, Kaya has ordered her servants to order their peerage members to check their informants and partners for any significant person they could find.

Outside of that i have also asked Graymama to give me news about significant people in the church overall. And behold, I have already found someone.

Seriously the church has so many cases of children related crimes. This one however isn't a crime. In this case it was a mutual agreement on both sides. So its a bit worse than kidnapping children.

So you know how the Excalibur fragments became usable after Valper Galilei initiated the holy sword project? Yeah before that project happened those who could actually use these swords and served the church's interests could be counted on a few unfortunate fingers.

Apparently one of these unfortunate children was found in house pendragon. The heiresses to be exact.

You can see the conspiracy here right?

We send the girl to the church at a very early age, so that she can hear stories of our ancestors and grow to love her family name and honor it.

The girl's mother? she is an outsider, fuck her. Both metaphorically and literally. Maybe if we do that she can give birth to another heir.

The girl will also hate the church since those manipulative bastards stole our swords.

The church seeing that the girl can use Excalibur fragments will obviously use her to bolster their forces, so we let them train her and give her a few fragments, and then we will finally meet with the girl that left us and give her a new chance to come back to the family with the Excalibur fragments and we get to hit 2 birds with one stone. Not only will we retake our holy sword, but we will also gain an extremely powerful heiress.

Or so that's probably the rough sketch of Pendragon's plan.

The church's plan on the other hand...

We take the girl that can use Excalibur fragments, we train her from an early age so that she can become a powerful soldier of God. Then we allow the girl to go back to the Pendragon's house and take caliburn as well, then wait until the girl becomes the next head of the family. Those bastard manipulators probably expect her to become the greatest of her clan, but they will be in for a surprise when she chooses to side with us, and serve our greatest, most kind Lord. We hit 2 birds with 1 stone. We get to take the strongest holy sword, and keep house Pendragon under the church too.

This is just brilliant. Two parties making a deal with each other and thinking they are the ultimate winner while the other party also thinks the same. And nobody is gonna notice the holes in their plans either. It reminds me of the Despicable Me, that scene where Gru was explaining his plan.

In essence, this is 2 old men trying to rob each other.

Guess what? I am robbing both of them.

I will be hitting 3 birds with 1 stone, i will get both Caliburn and Excalibur fragments, while getting the most talented knight i could get in this generation.

Yes indeed so lets show the girl some much needed ahhm...."unconditional love".

Where to find the girl? Set a flying puppet, put runes on it with the intent to track someone. Runes, BERKANO and EIHWAZ can do that.

Don't forget to attach a teleportation flier into the puppet.

Then watch as the puppet finds what you're looking for.

In Italy. Great. Off we go.

__________________________

I can proudly say that, this was the easiest infiltration i have ever done. It was also my first, sure. i legit teleported right in the catholic church, hid my presence and waltzed it.....from above of course. To be fair this place is highly protected, so above was the way to go.

Good thing this area is isolated.

Observation haki giving me exact info on all the guards and sisters was the cherry on top here.

Reaching my destination finally, i proceeded to knock on the door.

What? I have got manners and shit. Maybe the lady is changing in her room. I don't want some entitled loli tsundere screaming "KYAAAAAAAAA HENTAI" in the middle of my infiltration.

notice how i missed the part where she slaps me? Cuz i ain't no simp.

I was snapped out of that thought, as my body automatically dodged on instincts, before a holy sword bursted through the door and struck where i stood before.

Huh, i was expecting a attempted slap, she decided to thrust a sword at me. Seems i am not the only one who hates cliches.

Wasting no more time i open the door, see the person's surprised eyes for a second before she tries to take her sword out, not letting her do that i conjure an ice spear from the ground that strikes her hands, before trying to sweep her off her feet.

An attack which she avoids by jumping into the air, only to come face to face with an Icy great hammer that strikes her body mid jump, throwing her back with a bleeding nose and a few broken ribs.

I immediately make a break for her and shut her mouth with my palm, before using my other hand to put her hands above her head.

"Now i didn't come here to kill you, if i wanted that i wouldn't bother talking to you. Here's how this will go, i will let you go, but you can't scream alright?"

Hearing that she thinks for a second before nodding her head.

I free her hands and remove mine from her mouth, before immediately pointing an icy sword at her neck as she opens her mouth to scream instantly.

Yeah i am too old to fall for these cliches.

Shutting her mouth up and standing up, still with a sword pointed to her neck, was a girl looking to be about 13 years of age.

Blonde hair, green eyes, fair skin, an undeveloped body that looked to possess great potential to be a beauty.

Still i couldn't help but ask:

"Are you mad?"

"Huh?"

"I said do you have any problems in your brain? Bipolar disorder? PTSD maybe? i literally tried knocking on the damn door and you still decided to respond with a sword. Oh wait...Daddy issues?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"How did you even....nevermind. Sisters go to sleep at 9, and the guards wouldn't be here either unless it was an emergency which never happens, so that means either an assassin or just some spy has come here. I see no reason not to respond with a sword." said the girl, flabbergasted at first.

Ok she is smart. So definitely not the Pendragon plan. Maybe the church plan.

"Well i am no assassin if that's what you are thinking. I merely came here looking for some prominent figures. How is your life miss.Pendragon?"

"Could be better, but it could also be worse. I mean there's never enough food for me, but on the other hand there could also be no food at all."

Translation: Better than my life at the Pendragon's mansion, but i am not delusional enough to think of this as a blessing either. Knowing that they could just take it away whenever i become useless to them.

I may have over simplified her situation. This problem seems to have some other roots too

"I thought you were here for sword training?"

"Well the instructors i have had since i arrived here usually don't last more than a month. They just run out of things to teach me, as i learn everything, And then leave."

Well i certainly picked a talented person then.

"My name is Antares. What if i tell you, i could be your newest instructor?"

She looks at my body mockingly for a second before responding:

"So you are an old man who gets pegged by his mistress with a mile long stick every night, i see now." with a stoic face and unamused voice.

The fuck has your life been until now? This looks like a hellhole i don't even wanna get close to. And i come from hell.

Finally setting a sound proof barrier, i look around realizing the room is really spacious.

So i took my sword away from her neck, and threw it in front of her feet, As i make a new one for myself.

She immediately took a stance with the icy sword. It feels good, communicating with smart people, they know what you want them to do before you even say it.

She furrowed her eye brows looking at my "stance", but didn't say anything.

She charged forward towards me with a slash from the right side.

In response i meet her slash, then sliding my sword on the surface of her sword, i move forward to try and sever her head.

Eyes widened, she ducks to dodge the sword before doing a sweeping slash of her own from below.

I jump over, before two handing my sword and changing it's direction into a downward swing, aiming to split her in half.

This time she rolls to the left, before quickly standing up and taking a defensive position.

She was a bit too naive, thinking just because i didn't had a stance she can underestimate me and go for a casual swing. But then she quickly responded to a dangerous situation, her moves are not sluggish at all, having little to no wasted movement. Good, she is good, Much better than your average 40 year old exorcist in this world.Even if a little lacking in exprience.

But she still hasn't tapped into her potential, the teacher within me is getting really excited to train this one.

Though looking at how much difficulty she is having with her breathing, i can't help but be a bit disappointed. I expected more pain tolerance and endurance, though i suppose she is a 13 year old girl, and i did break her ribs.

Knowing she has no time to waste around, she once again goes on the offense, this time with a more committed downward swing, which i redirect to left by sliding my sword against hers.

Undeterred, she spins around with her sword to slash at my right side. This time i decided to directly parry her attack, staggering her. Before going for a thrust towards her face, which she avoids by moving her head at the last moment. Still the sword grazed her, leaving a rather big wound on her beautiful face. Regaining her balance, she goes for a thrust to my chest, exploiting the opening caused by the awkward position of my sword. However that is exactly what i wanted her to do. In a show of speed, i quickly move my sword in front of my chest and simply responded by a thrust of my own to meet hers. The tip of our swords clash, however it is very clear that she will lose this battle of strength.

It is shown as the tip of her sword breaks and mine finds its to her chest, ready to strike her heart.

"I have won miss.Pendragon"

"Yes, i accept my loss."

"So then, are you ready to talk with your dearest new instructor now?" i ask, definitely not to annoy her.

Black lines appear on her forehead as she responds "Yes, my name is Artoria Pendragon. It is nice to meet you my dearest instructor."

Smiling, i search through Archmage's infinite storage, before taking out a healing potion.

I spent a lot of time in Ajuka's lab, things like this were kinda just made in the process.

"Drink it. It will heal your wounds."

She looks at it, perhaps thinking it could be poison, but then looking at the sword, currently pointing to her chest, she grabs the potion and slowly drinks it.

Finally taking my sword away, i watch as the healing potion heals all of her wounds, external and internal. An effect not dissimilar to the Phenox tears. Not too surprising as the potion has already shown its effectiveness when training Bova. Poor lizard.

"So Artoria, can i call you Artoria? I have realized a certain amount of disdain you have for your previous instructors, why it that?"

"Yes you can call me that. As for my instructors, as i said, a bunch of old men, too proud of their own meager achievements. I don't really know how to explain it, but i have the abillity to copy all of the opponent's movements, after seeing them from different angles. So every time an instructor arrived here, i simply copied their movements, perfected their stances, and then defeated them with their own styles. This resulted in them getting mad and going bald, so they never returned. Church commissions for new instructors every time, but that never fixes the problem, merely repeats the cycle. They never last more than a month."

I see, congratulations you are now an official member of my peerage. There's only one more thing to take care of then.

"Would you like to go back to the Pendragon household?"

"No, i want nothing to do with them."

A fine answer, however you aren't being direct enough, which means....

"Then let me rephrase that, do you want to go back to the Pendragon family?"

she stood there silently for a few seconds, her head hung low, before looking at me with determination in her eyes and answering:

"Yes, i want to go back. There is someone waiting for me there. I have to go back for that person."

I see. This situation really is more complicated than i originally thought. I suppose i underestimated the old fools and higher ups.

"When will you be leaving then?"

"When i reach the age of fourteen, i will have to participate in a ceremony that proclaims me the official heir of the clan."

Its probably the ceremony to see if she can wield Caliburn. Though she decided to withhold that information. She doesn't trust me enough.

"About a year then, good. From now one i will come to train you every night. Until you turn 14."

"I respectfully accept your guidance."

She has no reason to refuse of course, if i understand this correctly, the old fools of house Pendragon have already guessed that she might get brainwashed by the church, or becomes too strong for them to control. So they have taken someone important to her, hostage. She needs to go back to save that person. To do that she needs strength. Something that i am currently offering for free.

But i can't help but ask myself, if the Pendragons have prepared a hostage as a backup plan. Then what has the church prepared?

Regardless of that, we spend the rest of the night chatting away, each of us, trying to get closer to the other person for the sake of our own benefits.

On paper things don't look too bad. However i have resolved myself to get Artoria as my knight. And for that, i will have to help her when the time comes. We are running on a 1 year time limit. I have to prepare.

Oh Bova, oh Bova, you poor little lizard. I am going to triple your training until the next year.

Justice for the lizardman? Nah i don't think so.

I wonder if this level of lizard abuse will make me infamous in the dragon mountains.

___________________________

Hey people. Author here👋

So something i realized while thinking about the timeline of the story is that, i missed an important event in this time period, that being World war 2. I have absolutely no plans for that, and i don't even have sufficient knowledge to plan anything for it either, furthermore when i open this app, i don't want to either write or read about world war of all things.

So i came to the conclusion that: Lets just pretend that never happened in this world and move on with it. Not like anything that matters to the supernatural world happened anyway. Just Kokabiel fighting Vasco Strada.