Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Not long after Nobunaga had wandered off on her own, Rin produced a dry laugh while Fenrir adopted an admittedly adorable pouting expression as she complained, "I don't like her." Though she hadn't been worried that her Master would be harmed, just the fact that Nobunaga had attacked him twice was enough to put her at the top of Fenrir's list of hated individuals. As for Rin, she actually found the situation somewhat humorous as, given what she knew of Vahn, the fact he had summoned such a Servant almost seemed like 'just desserts'. He had been like a demon during her training and, now that he had summoned a Servant of his own, it seemed like she represented many of the traits he generally kept hidden.Curious about the identity of Vahn's Servant, Rin asked, "So, did she end up introducing herself? Based on the fact she used a pistol, I imagine her classification is an Archer-Class Servant, right?" Even though Nobunaga had also used her sword, Rin didn't find it particularly impressive, especially when compared to the fact she could manifest a pistol out of then air before firing magical bullets. Unsurprisingly, Vahn nodded his head in response to her words before saying, "She said her name was Oda Nobunaga, the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven. It doesn't seem like she will be easy to deal with unless I use a Command Spell..." Since Master's were able to sense the presence of their Servants, Vahn could sense that Nobunaga had already left the Tohsaka Manor before wandering off on her own.Hearing Vahn's words, Rin showed mild surprise on her face as she asked, "Oda Nobunaga? To think that yet another Heroic Spirit is actually a woman...hell, the real Oda Nobunaga was actually born after the Holy Grail War had already begun. It's pretty rare for someone born so late into the Age of Men to become a Heroic Spirit. At least this confirms our suspicions that the Grail is seriously messed up. Not only did I end up with two different Servants from the Mesopotamian Era, but your Servant is eastern in origin, meaning the Grail's previous restrictions pretty much aren't applicable anymore."Nodding his head, Vahn then took a quick glance at his Command Spells which, curiously, took on the shape of a bow with a cross-shaped arrow running through it. He didn't know if this was the result of summoning an Archer-Class Servant, or if whatever method the Grail used to 'scan' potential Masters had somehow detected his own skill with the bow. Since the magic circle hadn't done anything to his body, Vahn suspected that scan that Akasha had performed was also stored within the Root when she transferred his body over...Deciding not to 'force' Nobunaga to follow his orders, Vahn instead turned his attention to Fenrir before heavily stroking her head. She wasn't in the best of moods so he played with her ears as he said, "We won't have much free time once the Holy Grail War starts so I'll make sure to pamper you plentily tonight."Fenrir's mood immediately improved when she heard her Master's words while, at the side, Rin's expression became much redder than usual. Noticing this, Vahn gave her a concerned look that caused her to shake her head lightly before saying, "I'll be fine. Just for tonight, I don't mind if you and Fenrir make a bit of noise..." As these words left her mouth, Rin's red became two shades darker since it almost sounded like she didn't mind listening in on them. At the same time, her heart was starting to beat like a drum within her chest as, even 'deeper' within her chest, a presence began to spread from an area beyond her ability to discern.Noticing Rin's abnormal state, Vahn's [Eyes of Truth] activated, allowing him to see a foreign mana expanding outward, slowly encroaching Rin's own. What he didn't expect was, from the moment he activated his [Eyes of Truth], Rin felt like her body was burning wherever Vahn passed his gaze. She had the distinct impression that he could see through her completely, causing Rin intense feelings of shame and, more frustratingly, excitement. She barely even heard Vahn's words as he explained, "It seems like Ishtar isn't content with staying cooped up. What a troublesome woman..." Even with his aversion to forcefully imprisoning anything, Vahn knew that Ishtar was essentially an unwanted invader within Rin's body. Her comfort wasn't that important to him since she showed no regard for Rin's, her host and Master's, feelings...Deactivating his [Eyes of Truth], Vahn gestured for Rin to turn around and, somewhat surprisingly, she complied without a word. He then proceeded to place an even stronger 'seal' to prevent Ishtar from emerging while, at the side, Fenrir looked toward Rin with squinted eyes. Even if her Master seemed to be willfully ignoring it, her nose couldn't be fooled. She could 'smell' the peculiar aroma of a woman wafting from Rin's body, causing her to feel a strong desire to 'protect' her Master from Rin's inevitable attempt to seduce him. She had learned a lot from Loki, Syr, and Haruhime so, unless her Master was seeking Rin out on his own volition, Fenrir wouldn't let her get close to him without a good reason. It didn't matter to her if Rin was being influenced by a god as, ultimately, that was her problem, not something her Master should have to concern himself with...Feeling Fenrir's gaze on her back, Rin felt as if her entire body was covered in a thin layer of ice which, surprisingly, helped her calm down quite a bit. If the influence of Ishtar was like a tiny flame that continued to grow in intensity, Fenrir's glare was like a bucket of ice water that doused it almost instantly. As a result, by the time Vahn had finished 'sealing' away Ishtar once again, Rin had managed to regain enough composure to appear relatively unflustered as she said, "I'm going to inform the others that we both managed to summon Servants. I'll be going with the story that my Servant is the Lancer-Class, Fenrir, so you'll have to provide her with a spear..."Though Fenrir had never actually fought with a spear before, her natural dexterity and agility would allow her to play the part without too much difficulty. She may not be able to contend against the more powerful Servants, especially since the Grail was being finicky, but neither she nor Rin had to worry about acting alone. Fenrir was essentially just Rin's bodyguard, at least until the latter was forced to take action and reveal the existence of her actual Servants. Most of the fighting would still be handled by him, insofar as taking the fight to enemies was concerned.With Rin's condition stabilized for the time being, Vahn and Fenrir retired to the study to lounge about while Rin went off to call Lord El-Melloi II. Vahn used this time to play with Fenrir's tail for a bit as he looked through his Unit Management which, even though she wasn't actually his Subordinate, listed Nobunaga's status. It showed her Loyalty value as (-), meaning the number was null from The Path's perspective. Fortunately, it didn't matter that much if Nobunaga was truly loyal to him as, even if she had a high level of [Independent Action], she still had to follow the rules of the Holy Grail War. He hadn't given her any orders so she couldn't attack normal civilians and, unless they attacked her, even other Masters and Servants were off-limits.-----------------------------------------------------------------[Status]Name: [Oda Nobunaga]Age: AgelessRace: HumanStrength: 30CEndurance: 43BAgility: 33CMagical Power: 41B+Good Luck: 47B++Soul Tier: 3 (Fragmented Lord)Noble Phantasm: [Three Thousand Worlds: Three Line Formation:E~A]Origin: Anti-Divine, PurposeSkills: [Loved by Fate:Innate:SS], [Child of the Stars:Innate:B], [Conquerer's Oath:Innate:B], [Tenka Fubu:A], [Demon King:A], [Strategy:B], [Magic Resistance:B], [Independent Action:B]Magic: (-)Magecraft: (-)[Tenka Fubu]Rank: APassive: User becomes stronger in the presence of any entity of Divine origin.Active: Attacks against entities of Divine origin have a high chance of ignoring resistances.[Demon King]Rank: APassive: Recognized as an evil entity by the world, regardless of alignment.Active: Increases parameters based on the amount of malice targetted towards the user.[Strategy]Rank: BUse: The user's ability to plan and make sound decisions under pressure.[Magic Resistance]Rank: BUse: The user's ability to resist magic attacks equal to the skill's rating and lower.[Independent Action]Rank: BUse: The user's ability to act independently without relying on a Master's support. Significantly reduces mana consumption when outside of combat.-----------------------------------------------------------------Vahn was rather impressed with Nobunaga's status but, considering she was a Heroic Spirit that had been recognized by the Throne of Heroes, it wasn't too difficult to believe she should have been very powerful during her time alive. Though the legend surrounding a person could actually make their Heroic Spirit more powerful than the original, especially for more recent Heroes, that didn't really matter to Vahn. Just the fact that Nobunaga's [Good Luck] had nearly broken through the 'limit' set by the Root showed a great deal of promise. It shouldn't be easy for Nobunaga to promote her strength further but, with the supplement of his Source Energy, Vahn felt like she would be a nightmare for other Servants at her preferred range...What Vahn was curious about was the power of Nobunaga's Noble Phantasm as, unlike other skills and abilities, there was no information on its function within her Status. Since each Servant's Noble Phantasm was usually their strongest means of attack or defense, Vahn couldn't help wondering what Nobunaga's did. The fact that it showed a never before seen variable like E~A seemed to indicate that it either had a variable efficacy or was entirely dependent on luck. Vahn assumed it was the former as it would be a significant weakness if Nobunaga's Noble Phantasm was solely based on her Good Luck parameter...Deciding it was best to ask directly, Vahn focused his mind before sending his thoughts to Nobunaga, asking, ("Nobunaga, can you explain to me the functionality of your Noble Phantasm? I need to know exactly what you're capable of if I want to incorporate you into my plans.") Even if he ultimately handled the battles himself, Vahn still wanted to know if Nobunaga might be useful for providing support fire. The only problem was, even if he would normally be immune to her attacks, Nobunaga actually dealt significantly more damage to beings of Divine origin. Since he had two active skills that made him even weaker against such attacks, there was a chance a stray shot of her's could actually injure him pretty severely. This wouldn't kill him, by a long shot, but it had been a while since his body was destroyed and Vahn wasn't in a hurry to experience it again...In response to his telepathic message, Nobunaga's voice sounded as if it were spoken directly into his ears as she mused, ("I was wondering how far you were going to let me wander off before sending me a message. I've already made it from one coast to the other and was just on my way to check out the northern part of the island. You're lucky I didn't just run off on you, boy.") There was a bit of excitement contained within Nobunaga's voice that, even without knowing what she was up to, it was easy to intuit that she was enjoying herself.Releasing a light chuckle, Vahn played with Fenrir's floppy ears as he said, ("I don't think you're the type that would just wander off and abandon your duty. Since you already claimed to recognize me, I don't mind letting you explore the area on your own. I trust your judgment, Miss Demon King...") With what he had learned about Nobunaga over the last few hours, Vahn knew she was the type that dedicated herself to whatever she decided upon. She was a great revolutionary during her times and, even though her reputation painted her out to be an evil and malicious force, Vahn felt that this was more along the lines of historical embellishment. After all, the policies Nobunaga enacted during her time, combined with the efforts she put into trying to help her people prosper, painted a different picture from how she was commonly portrayed in media...Though he didn't hear her laugh through their telepathic link, Vahn could imagine Nobunaga standing atop a building, gazing out over the horizon as she answered, ("My Noble Phantasm allows me to summon as few as a single matchlock, or as many as three-thousand. So long as you can provide me with an adequate amount of mana, I can even wipe out entire armies on your behalf. Though, if you expect me to work that hard for you, expect that you'll owe me quite the debt after the fact. You had better prepare some strong sake and a full banquet if you want me to defeat your enemies on your behalf.")As he was starting to feel like he had a grasp on Nobunaga's nature, Vahn's expression became more resolute as he replied, ("I do not require others to fight my battles for me. If you want to sit in the back and watch me do all the work, be my guest. I'm not after the Greater Grail to have something like a wish granted, as I'm perfectly capable of achieving my goals without such things. Our goal is to destroy the Grail and bring this whole farce to an end, nothing more, nothing less.") Though Vahn obviously didn't include the fact that The Path already provided him with infinite possibilities, including having wishes granted, that didn't make his words any less true.For several seconds after he finished his words there was only silence in response, even though Vahn could sense that he was still linked telepathically with Nobunaga. When she finally responded, there was a slightly teasing tone to her voice as she stated, ("You won't catch me idling, Vahn. If that is your true desire, don't think I'm going to miss out on the fireworks. Stay alert though, or I might send one flying up your ass...!") Following this, Vahn could swear that Nobunaga was laughing boisterously on the other side, even though it didn't leak through their connection. Since this seemed to be a quirk of her nature, he decided to ignore it and simply replied, ("Make sure you return by nightfall. You don't seem like the type to get caught off guard, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Even if I don't need your help to achieve my goals, losing someone that is supposed to be my ally would leave a bad taste in my mouth.")This time, Vahn could imagine Nobunaga waving her hand in a dismissive manner as she half-heartedly answered, ("Yeah, yeah, don't worry. Contrary to what my appearance might lead you to believe, I'm a big girl. Just make sure to summon me if you get into some trouble you can't handle. If you call me Big Sis, I might lend you a hand.") With these parting words, the connection Vahn had established with Nobunaga was severed rather unceremoniously. As this was within his expectations, he didn't let it bother him and instead shifted his complete focus to Fenrir before tracing his index finger around her navel. This caused her jaw to tremble slightly as she opened her eyes just enough to let her scarlet red irises shine through...Since Nobunaga would almost certainly return before nightfall, Vahn knew his time to 'pamper' Fenrir would come to an end a bit earlier than expected. Though it was somewhat embarrassing, Vahn actually couldn't send mana directly to Nobunaga through the mana pathways that were supposed to exist between Master and Servant. As the Grail was incapable of altering his body, Vahn completely lacked the capability to efficiently send Nobunaga mana without direct contact. Though he could get around this if she was inside of his domain, it was a problem if she encountered an opponent on her own.Nobunaga was obviously cognizant of the fact that she wasn't receiving any mana from him so, even if they footed around the issue, she would 'obediently' return in the evening. Then, either through the use of [Hands of Nirvana] or feeding her mana-rich foods, Nobunaga would be able to replenish her reserves. There were also a few more 'intimate' methods in which to transfer mana, such as the exchange of bodily fluids and 'life essence', but Vahn had no intentions of even broaching the subject. If it came down to it, at least during an emergency situation, he would allow her to directly consume his blood. This would undoubtedly provide her with more than enough energy to keep going, just as the Tier 5 Eva had been able to persist for years after feeding for a little over an hour.With his mind wandering slightly, Vahn leaned down, kissing Fenrir's collarbone before moving his way up her neck. She responded by placing her paw against the back of his head while stretching her neck to increase the available surface area. Vahn found this rather adorable so he made sure to move nice and slow to savor the moment. It wasn't until he could feel Fenrir's claws begin to poke through his hair that he released a light chuckle and moved to her lips. At the same time, his right hand snaked down her abdomen, sending 'electrical' surges through her body before he invaded the fabric of her shorts. She was wearing a light T-shirt and a pair of denim shorts that matched the style of the modern era. Though they were made from magic, they had the textile sensation and functionality of actual fabric, making it so that the elastic band allowed Vahn access to the treasure concealed within...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Nobu-chan is super lucky o_o...','Playful Banter','(U,...,U)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

After a seated discussion lasting more than three hours, extending to the point that the group nearly took a 'break' for lunch, Vahn and Rin were finally preparing to return to the Tohsaka Manor. Almost as soon as the meeting had ended, however, Luvia blocked their, or, more specifically, Rin's path before saying, "It pains my heart that you kept Vahn to yourself for the last month, Rin. Tell me, is he the reason for your sudden increase in power?" As she had known Rin for nearly twenty years at this point, Luvia was very aware of her Rival's strength. They both used a similar fighting style, including a reliance on [Jewel] Magecraft, so she had often been able to gain a small advantage as a result of her more developed physique. Since Rin had been able to land a few solid hits on her the last time they met, something which had never happened before, Luvia believed it was the result of Vahn's 'interference'.In response to Luvia's accusation, Rin crossed her arms, adorning an annoyed expression as she answered, "I wasn't 'keeping' anyone to myself, Luvia. Vahn is his own person...besides..." When she got this far, Rin shook her head suddenly before changing her words, adding, "It is true that he is helping me grow stronger, but that has nothing to do with you. You wouldn't be able to last two days under Vahn's training regimen so don't even think about pestering me during the Holy Grail War...!"Though Luvia's eyes gained a curious glint when Rin fell into a sudden silence, the latter's words caught her interest even more so she looked towards Vahn and uttered, "Oh~?", before following it up by asking, "You are helping Rin with her training, Vahn? I wonder what kind of intense physical workout would take place between a fine man like you and this...well, I digress. I must admit that I'm curious about your methods so, if you find yourself wanting to expand your familiarity with this world, please give me a call~."At the end of her words, Luvia snapped her fingers with a seductive smile on her face, resulting in a burly man wearing sunglasses to seemingly appear out of nowhere before handing over a gold-encrusted cell phone. Vahn received the device with a somewhat skeptical look, causing Luvia to step a little closer as she whispered, "It isn't fair if you give Rin all of your attention...that cell phone is pre-programmed with my phone number. Even if its the middle of the night, it should still get through to me. Call me if you ever-" As Luvia had attempted to walk her fingers up his chest, Vahn moved faster than she could even perceive as he snatched her wrist and answered, "It has been a pleasure, Miss Edelfelt. Thank you for your consideration..."Vahn could tell that Luvia wasn't actually a bad person, as she had a mellow and calm Earth Elemental mana flowing through her body. There was even a strand of gentle green that ran through her mana circuits, showing that Luvia had an extremely rare 'Life' affinity as well. Though it wasn't impossible for there to be evil and cruel people capable of using the element, the color would be distinctly different, almost as if their nature had polluted their Affinity irreversibly. However, even if Luvia's true nature made her out to be a gentle and kind soul, Vahn had a 'practiced' resistance against anyone with her outward, highly entitled, personality.Feeling the strength in Vahn's grip, even though he wasn't putting enough pressure to hurt her, Luvia didn't show any discomfort at all. She didn't seem to mind his dismissive attitude either, maintaining her seductive smile as she giggled and said, "The pleasure is mine, Vahn. I look forward to our longlasting friendship..." With this said, Luvia pulled back her hand before retreating to her room at the penthouse's far end. Along the way, she put a little bit of effort into her gait, causing her waist to snake noticeably, even though Vahn had already turned away. Surprisingly, instead of being allowed to leave outright, their path was blocked yet again, this time by Gray. This caused Rin to produce a deep frown but, before she was able to make any comments, Gray simply said, "I hope you are able to return home one day..." before bowing politely and walking off.This time, Vahn followed Gray's retreat with his eyes for a few seconds, an appreciative smile on his face as he muttered, "Thank you..." in a voice he was certain could reach her ears. With that said, he and Rin finally left the hotel before venturing back to the Tohsaka Manor. Along the way, she had attempted to confiscate the phone Luvia had given him but, even if he found her character lacking, Vahn wasn't going to let Rin dispose of a 'gift'. Ultimately, she settled on having him program her own number into the phone, teaching Vahn how to use the phone in the process. As they had gone back using the train, there was plenty of time for Rin to teach him all of the basics as Vahn kept people from bothering them by releasing a subtle 'threat' through his domain...Upon arriving at the Manor, Rin disabled the proximity barrier surrounding the property as Vahn, already prepared, opened his arms to receive Fenrir. She made sure to properly conceal her ears and tail with transformation magic so, even though there were a few people walking around, none paid too much attention to the Fenrir other than noting how cute she was.After settling back into the Manor, Vahn prepared lunch for everyone before sitting down with Fenrir and Rin to discuss when she would perform the ritual to summon her Servant. Rin had already been considering the matter since the previous discussion so she quickly answered, "There are still ten days until the Holy Grail War officially begins. I think it would be better to wait until the day leading up to the event so that other Master's aren't able to build any momentum. Since they will be waiting for the opportunity to summon Servants of their own, it might disrupt the plans of our enemies if we force them to compete amongst themselves. There is also a chance that we will be targetted once the War begins so I'd like to improve my parameters as much as possible before then."Agreeing with Rin's decision, as it was the suggestion he was intending to make, Vahn smiled approvingly as he said, "You've put a lot of thought into this. I'm impressed, Rin." This caused Rin's face to form an awkward smile as, even though she wanted to play off his praise as unnecessary, her nature made it impossible for her to let such a compliment just roll off her. Seeing this, Vahn's own smile broadened before they spent the rest of the meal making casual conversation and simply enjoying the food. After this, Rin and Fenrir took care of the dishes as Vahn pulled out a piece of paper and began writing down a far more intense training menu to match Rin's convictions...---Eight days after the original plan had been discussed, Rin found herself laying in bed with her entire body feeling as though it was swollen. She had quickly come to regret the strong front she was compelled to maintain as, without showing any form of leniency at all, Vahn had practically turned into a 'demon' during their training. Worst of all was the fact that, instead of simply training in the morning, Rin had a menu that lasted the entire day. Her only breaks were during the five scheduled meal times, something she wouldn't have even considered in the past. Now, however, Rin felt like her stomach was always empty as the training intensity only seemed to increase without ever getting easier...Rolling over with a groan, Rin looked down at her exposed abdomen before muttering, "Well, I guess it hasn't been all that bad..." Though she had always been fit before, she found the subtle lines forming her abdominal muscles to be strangely appealing. As even Vahn had complimented her on the development of her body, Rin, who had lamented the idea of becoming a 'muscle-woman', was slowly opening up to the idea of pushing her physique to the next level. Vahn assured her that she wouldn't start to look like a bodybuilder and, as even Luvia's figure maintained its appeal with her slightly developed muscles, Rin figured she would be able to pull it off without a hitch.Lifting her head forward a bit, Rin saw her muscles tighten up in response, causing a small smile to spread across her face. This persisted until she relaxed, causing her smile to immediately fade when another wave of pain washed over her body. Following this, Rin quickly corrected her previous thought, muttering aloud, "I take it back...tssss...Vahn needs to learn to treat women with some delicacy..."Almost immediately following her complaint, Rin was startled by a surprisingly loud knock on her bedroom door. Following this, an ice-cold voice that sent a shiver up her spine plainly stated, "Rin, Master wanted to know if you plan to eat breakfast this morning..." Based on the sound alone, Rin was able to determine that Fenrir had heard her prior words. The latter was always hyper-defensive of her 'Master', something Rin was keenly aware of, even though it never seemed to 'stick' within the forefront of her mind.Releasing an exasperated sigh, Rin rolled to the side of her bed before answering, "I'll be down in a moment..." in a tired voice. Following this, she could hear the pitter-patter of footsteps as Fenrir left without affirming she had heard her words. Rin produced a wry smile as a result before unsteadily leaving the comfort of her bed and going through the arduous process of dressing herself. It was at times like this that she envied Luvia a bit as, from what she had observed, the latter had an entire wardrobe team to help her prepare for the day. Though they both used [Jewel] Magecraft, which was enough to bankrupt most Magus families, the Edelfelts actually had a surface business that served as a major player in the trade of precious gemstones. The main reason her relationship with Luvia had always been rocky was due to the fact that, as much as she hated the reality, Rin was reliant on her connections with the Edelfelt family to procure more than half her stock of jewels...After dragging herself all the way to the dining room, Rin found a plate already awaiting her, its contents seeming to be a golden apple that had been arranged like a flower before being baked. The aroma alone was enough to make Rin's stomach growl audibly, causing a ruddy blush to appear on her face as Vahn stared back at her with an amused smile. It was at moments like this that Rin felt Vahn was a hateful existence as she was almost certain he was trying to make her 'dependent' on his delicious food. At this point, she couldn't even remember what normal food tasted like as her tastebuds had already been conquered by the meals Vahn prepared, even before her training had begun...While shaking her head to clear such thoughts, Rin walked over to the table before plopping down in her usual chair. She told herself that she could stop eating his food whenever she wanted, even as her body moved on pure muscle memory as she unhesitantly bit into a slice of the baked apple. The moment the flavor spread across her tongue, Rin cupped her cheek with a blissful smile on her face as she intoned a satisfied, 'Mmmm~'. Any thoughts about the 'danger' of Vahn's food immediately faded from her mind as she quickly finished of the delicious apple, relishing the perfect balance between sweetness, tartness, crunchiness, and juiciness...Waiting for Rin to finish annihilating the breakfast he had prepared for her, as her eating habits had become somewhat 'uncouth' over the last few days, Vahn then asked, "When do you plan to perform the ritual? Though waiting until the last moment might sound like a good idea, the chances of something going wrong increase the longer we wait." At this point, Vahn was a little bored with just simply clearing out any Magi that were lurking within the Miyama district. After wiping out a group that had set an 'ambush' for him three nights ago, there hadn't been any other incidents so he was growing a little restless.Now feeling completely reinvigorated, Rin smiled radiantly as she nodded her head in agreement and said, "We can perform the ritual whenever you're ready. I've been preparing a catalyst over the last ten years so there shouldn't be any problems with the summoning itself. Just promise me that you won't do anything reckless as soon as the ceremony is over." With how strenuous her training had been over the last eight days, Rin was more than ready for the 'reprieve' that the Holy Grail War would provide. Though her strength and speed had increased by a truly shocking amount over the last few days, causing Rin to wonder if she was becoming something other than human, there was also a fair amount of 'stress' building up inside of her as a result.Knowing what Rin must be thinking, Vahn issued a light chuckle before rising to his feet and saying, "Very well, then. We should get it over with so we can begin preparing for the official start two days from now. Depending on which Servant you acquire, it could impact the plans I have moving forward." Though this wasn't guaranteed to be the case, Vahn knew there was a non-negligible chance that actual gods would be summoned during this Holy Grail War. As this would put them at Tier 4, even if they were restricted by the rules of the War itself, Vahn knew they wouldn't be simple opponents. He was very confident in his own strength, enough that most 'restricted' Gods didn't concern him, but that could change very quickly depending on the circumstances...Without delaying the event any further, Vahn found himself standing alongside Fenrir as they watched Rin conduct the summoning ritual within her workshop. Over the last few days, Rin had allowed him to enter the area freely so Vahn wasn't surprised by the complex magic circle that had been inscribed on the workshop's floor. He had already completely analyzed its structure and, if necessary, had the potential of recreating the entire thing in a short period of time. Though he no longer had the [Pactio] reflected in his status, Vahn's skill and dexterity made him capable of forming Tier 5 magic circles without any real difficulty.Once everything was prepared, Rin began a long chant that, while not necessary for the ritual, increased the 'connection' between Master and Servant. For her catalyst, she used the same rainbow-colored gemstone she had nearly thrown at him during their first meeting. According to Rin, it had nearly ten years of her accumulated magic power. Since it was also crystallized using a complex process and several rare materials, it was the most powerful jewel in her possession. If placed on the market, it was even purported to be worth more than thirty-two-billion Japanese Yen, an impressive fortune going by this world's standards. It also served as Rin's trump card, capable of rivaling an S-Ranked Magic Spell, meaning even he wouldn't have come out unscathed if she had used it against him...While watching the ritual, Vahn kept his [Eyes of Truth] active, doing his best to try and comprehend exactly how Heroic Spirits were manifested. Unfortunately, though he was able to see the flow of Mana, Vahn wasn't able to make any sense of the ritual other than the fact it seemed to bend Time and 'Fate' within the confines of the magic circle. Since there wasn't anything within the 'formula' that should have allowed such functionality, Vahn ultimately ended up more confused by the time Rin had completed her incantation than he had been before she started. Even so, now that he had witnessed it, Vahn had all the time in the world to study the phenomenon within his mind to try and make sense of what exactly went into making the summoning ritual function...The last part of Rin's incantation had her loudly exclaim, "Come forth, my Servant. Become my blade so that I may cut down my enemies...!" Since Rin specifically wanted to summon the Saber-Class Servant, as it was purported to be the strongest of them all, she had included several verses related to blades, knights, and chivalry. In response to her completed incantation, the magic circle beneath her feet began to radiate an intense magical light as the various overlapping energies began to intertwine into a single stream. Vahn found this phenomenon rather curious but Rin, having experienced this 'anamoly' once before, showed a fretful expression as she cursed, "You've got to be kidding me...!"Hearing Rin's exclamation, Vahn knew something had gone wrong so he immediately moved to protect Rin while using [Enkidu] in an attempt to prevent the ritual's completion. Though he had moved almost instantly after Rin's shout, this ultimately proved too slow as Rin's body had started to radiate with a pink light that spread from her heart and quickly encompassed her from head to toe. At the same time, her clothes 'literally' exploded as a red crest, forming a circular shape with three distinct segments appeared beneath her clavicle. Then, just as Vahn had begun to probe Rin's body for further anomalies, her black hair began to change color, starting from the roots. Like a gradient shift, it quickly transitioned into a natural-looking blond as mystical light began to wrap around Rin's body in several black bands...Though it felt like the process had taken a long time, Rin's transformation had actually only taken ten seconds before she looked like an almost completely different person. Instead of her former casual clothes, she now had a skin-tight black bodysuit that was accented with actual gold. Overtop this, she had what looked like the upper half of a dress that had the actual dress part removed, revealing Rin's soft thighs and long legs ending in two ornate shoes that, much like the rest of her outfit, were adorned with gold. Her right leg had a peculiar black legging of the same design as a maroon tattoo, shaped like two teardrops, glimmered like gemstones above her knee. Completing the outfit, Rin had a maroon mantle that was covered with a layer of fur that had a texture similar to velvet. Atop her head, a black crown seemed to grow from her skull while her previously black ribbons had now turned the same maroon as her mantle. With various other golden accessories complimenting her appearance, Vahn couldn't help but sigh as he was already aware of what had happened based on the familiar aura radiating from Rin's body...After laying still for an additional twenty seconds, Rin's eyelids began to twitch before slowly opening. Instead of their original aqua-blue, her eyes were now a few shades lighter than wine-red while a subtle golden light radiated from their depths. For several seconds after she opened her eyes, she just stared back at Vahn in silence before drawing a slow and audible breath. Vahn already knew what was about to happen so he covered his ears with a soundproof barrier just as 'Rin' shouted, "Unhand me, you scoundrel! You dare lay your hands upon this Goddess!? I will ensure that your soul is imprisoned for all eternity within the deepest depths of the Underworld...!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Rin is not simply RIP, but RIPPED','It's too late girl, your stomach is already within Vahn's grasp...','A Goddess descends...!')(A/N: Some people already know whats going on but, for the unitiated, this is Rin's current appearance: https://bit.ly/2MMypDq)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1036: Tensions