Chapter 2. Mordred’s strength, unexpected guests

[That's the spirit! Master, we'll fry that big fish, easy-peasy!]

Isaac faintly smiled as he heard Mordred's spirit being raised. He looked at Headon and told him, "I'll take this test, but do I have to do it right now? I want some time to prepare first."

He had just taken over this body. It was only natural that he wished to have some time to adjust to it and feel out his abilities, before rushing in like a fool.

Headon replied, "You can, as long as you don't take too long. Let's see… I will give you half an hour to prepare. After that you have to either take the test or leave. But remember that if you leave, you will never be allowed to enter the Tower again."

Isaac nodded. "Okay."

Thinking of how he could test out his powers and prepare, Isaac first focused on himself.

Then, within his mind, he received the information on his abilities as a Servant.

Servant Class: Saber

Name: Mordred Pendragon 

Special Traits: Dragon Blood, Rebel

Shinsoo Quality: Crimson Lightning

Shinsoo Shape: unknown

<Stats: >

Strength: B*

Endurance: A

Agility: B

Note: Mana and Luck stat have been converted to raise the rank of: [Shinsoo Resistance], [Instinct], [Riding] and [Clarent].

<Skills: >

[Shinsoo Resistance A]

[Instinct A]

[Shinsoo Burst A]

[Anima A (converted from Riding)]

[Charisma C-]

[Battle Continuation B] 

<Noble Phantasms:>

[Clarent A+++ (sealed)]

Note: [Secret of Pedigree: Helm of Hidden Infidelity C] has been converted to strengthen the Shinsoo Armor and is now a part of Shinsoo Armor.

<Armaments: > 

[Full Plate Shinsoo Armor]

…

'Hmm, so it's like that…'

From what he remembered, inside the Tower there is no such thing as people absorbing and accumulating Mana inside themselves. Instead, they manipulate and use Shinsoo outside their bodies to fight. Additionally, Shinsoo transforms their bodies over time, making them stronger.

Because of this, his Servant-like body inside the Tower no longer ran on Mana, but used Shinsoo.

'And the ranks of Shinsoo Resistance, Instinct and Clarent were all raised, this is very good! I even have Anima powers at rank A!'

Isaac felt very satisfied. Rather than receiving Mordred's base specs that he was familiar with, his converted stats offered him even better prospects.

In addition, Clarent's Rank was raised all the way to A+++ rank in a sealed state. The original was only C-rank normally with B-rank potential.

Didn't that mean it could surpass A+++ when its full strength was unlocked?

Isaac assumed it to be much stronger because Mordred's spirit now resided in it and perhaps also because of his wish.

However, only inspecting his Servant Status didn't tell him just how strong he was.

To test himself, he took his long and broad sword into both hands, took up a striking stance, and then slashed out.

Swoosh!

Using his full speed, his slash caused some sword wind to fly.

It wasn't as much as he expected from Mordred's full strength, there was no shockwave that caused a gush in the stone floor, but what he did already was very superhuman and quite amazing.

'If I want it to be stronger, then…'

Following that, Isaac tried using one of the skills he knew he should be able to perform.

He put his sword into his left hand, balled his right hand into a fist and took a punching stance.

'Shinsoo Burst!'

As he called out inwardly to use his Shinsoo Burst ability, white-crimson lightning currents began to dance around his arm, crackling.

At the side, Headon's eye came out as he secretly observed the new Irregular with curiosity. 'A crimson lightning Shinsoo Quality… How interesting. And he can already use Shinsoo Reinforcement, how unusual.'

Meanwhile, Isaac sent out a lightning-fast punch with enhanced power, using both Shinsoo Burst and the full extent of his strength.

Bam!

A shockwave formed as Isaac's fist struck the air, causing even fist wind even stronger than before.

'Amazing!'

Feeling power filled him from the inside, Isaac activated Shinsoo Burst over his entire body, and crimson lightning began to crackle all over, raising his body's stats to another level!

With this boost, he suddenly kicked off the ground and broke into a sprint to test his speed.

With the first kick, crimson lightning exploded, and Shinsoo Burst propelled him forward at inhuman speed right from the bat!

He did not even need to accelerate more, and in a matter of a single second he already crossed a distance of around 200 to 300 meters!

Threatening to crash into a well, Isaac slowed down, kicked off the ground, raised his foot and… began to scale the wall for a few steps, before doing a backflip with sword in hand, flying in the air in an arc and then gracefully landed on the floor.

His armored steel shoes made a loud clanging sound as he landed while slightly crouching, but there was no harmful impact on his body.

Straightening himself up, Isaac was filled with amazement.

Apart from the fact that his body had greatly superhuman stats, even the way to use his skills, move and to fight was already a part of him - these were all Mordred's fighting experiences and memories from life as a knight.

Even the way to swing the sword was already engraved deeply in his mind!

'It's like in the rumored Ainsworth Holy Grail War. After you place a Servant Card inside your body, you gain all the stats and abilities of that Servant, including their combat experience,' Isaac thought to himself, with awe and even more trepidation.

[How does it feel, Master?] Mordred asked with a boisterous voice, a hint of anticipation.

'... It feels great. I knew I partnered with a great Heroic Spirit,' Isaac said inwardly after thinking for a bit, choosing to compliment his partner.

[Hehehe, you bet!]

Isaac grinned as he heard Mordred's quite happy laughter.

He had only tried it earlier, but it seemed that he could communicate with Mordred using thoughts. There was a strange connection between them.

Seeing Headon seem to look at him strangely, Isaac restrained his grin, which probably made him look as if he's foolishly grinning to himself.

He let out a breath.

After testing his speed, it seemed that he should have no problems in outrunning that giant eel.

Although he had never seen a White Armored Eel in action, he had a feeling that it shouldn't be reaching the speed of sound, which he himself actually might.

Isaac looked at his long and broad sword.

That sword was called Clarent. Wielding in, Mordred could use her Noble Phantasm Clarent Blood Arthur - an ultimate move that shot out a beam of destruction from the sword's tip.

He could use it to either pop the Ball or kill the Eel if necessary.

However, just how many times could this skill be activated now that he didn't actually have Mana?

In 'Tower of God', Ignition Weapons seemed to have their own power supply.

Just as Isaac was pondering, Mordred spoke up: [Hey, Master… Someone very strong is coming.]

Hearing Mordred's tone that had suddenly turned low, Isaac was brought back into reality just in time to see a figure floating down from the void-like ceiling.

It was a woman.

She was tall and impeccably dressed in a semi formal outfit; her white suit fit her slim figure perfectly, and her blood-red necktie complemented her black hair that was tied in a ponytail and waved about as she was falling down with a nonchalant posture.

She landed not far from Isaac with hands in her pockets as she smiled at him coolly, her eyes excited, then opened her mouth. "Yo!"

…

[Yuri's POV.]

Yuri had rushed back here from the middle area ever since she got the intel that a second Irregular had apparently appeared.

No matter how unbelievable this information was, since she was already there, she naturally had to at least check it out.

And in the end, the information proved to be correct, as she found an armored teenage boy on Headon's floor.

She had already broken rules once by coming here to see Bam, so she felt it would not be a big deal to come out again to greet and make a cool impression on this new Irregular as well.

However, after looking at him for a few moments, her friendly and nonchalant expression turned to one of joyous surprise.

'Oh my, he's so handsome and cute!!!' Yuri's eyes widened as she stared at the blonde knight, who looked back at her with curiosity.

Looking at Yuri from the side, Headon swirled his staff and said, "Lady Yuri, you're back. Did you perhaps forget something?"

Yuri glanced at Headon and said coolly, "Headon… I suppose I did. Anyway, is this boy really a second Irregular?"

"... Well, if you cannot feel the peculiar aura around him, I feel that you should at least know, Lady Yuri, that only Irregulars, or incredibly foolish people, would break into my floor by force," Headon replied nonchalantly.

His tone was neutral, but contained a clear warning. Since Yuri had broken into this floor twice already.

And at this attitude, Yuri slightly frowned. 'This rabbit, what's with this passive-aggressive tone?... Well, he shouldn't be trying to kill me, though.'

After thinking for a moment, Yuri looked back at the handsome knight boy. She smiled in a friendly manner and raised her hand in a greeting. "Hey, my name is Yuri. What is yours?"

Isaac twisted his lips into a wry smile. The woman had asked him something, but to him all of this sounded like unintelligible gibberish. He helplessly smiled and replied, "... Sorry, we no speak Americano."

Yuri tilted her head a little at this, before she turned to glare at Headon.

"Damn it, Headon," she called out to the Guardian of the Lowest Floor. "You didn't give him a Pocket either?"

Headon scratched his head. "Whoops. I suppose I forgot."

Yuri snorted. "Forgot my ass. How can you use the same lame excuse twice?"

Headon: "..."

Yuri frowned, but as she continued to stare at Headon, it seemed as if he didn't care. She sighed and then shouted toward the ceiling, "Evan! Why are you hiding again? Come down here!"

As Isaac observed these proceedings curiously, he soon watched a diminutive man with short white hair fall down into the chamber, landing safely on his two feet.

"Hello, sir Headon. Sorry we're intruding again. Have you been well?" Evan smiled politely as he drew back a line a little. 

Headon was silent.

Yuri rolled her eyes. "Enough with the fake diplomacy. I hope you have one more extra Pocket for this boy."

Evan observed the new person in the room for a while with both wariness and curiosity, before he sighed, "Sigh... Let me check."