Chapter 92: Ascension

A new dawn arrived in Fuyuki City, and the news about the withering flora spread in every neighborhood. Articles about the never seen phenomenon made its way to the front page, speculating the rise of a new virus or flu.

Chaos and despair took over all but one man. The priest who derived pleasure from others’ suffering. He smiled as he strolled through Fuyuki streets after meeting Gilgamesh in the early morning. He basked in the sunlight, the cold breeze of winter, and the distorted expressions around him.

‘Stray lambs.’

Kirei Kotomine felt fulfilled after years, ten years to be precise. The satisfaction was still inferior to driving the Azoth Sword through his then mentor, Tokiomi Tohsaka. He suddenly had the urge to meet Rin and confess his crimes. She would show such beautiful despair.

“You’re the weirdest priest I have ever seen.”

Nobunaga, who accompanied Kirei, couldn’t help but comment. She had met many wannabe world dominators and salvation bringers in her life, but none of them came close to Kirei’s level of evil. He genuinely wished for the world to end, and he’d go to any lengths to achieve it.

She seriously considered switching sides to more sane people. At least she hoped to see sane people on the other side.

‘How do I go about it?’

She was bound by the contract of the Command Spell, otherwise, she’d have fought to death. There was no point in taking a fight where she’d be subdued with a word, much like her friend Kagetora.

‘There has to be a way.’

She needed to find a way to switch sides then beat up the arrogant gold-haired jerk. Seperating from Angra Mainyu was a must to accomplish her goal.

***

Waking up early proved to be difficult for Sakura. So, Haruki let her stay tucked in. From Medusa to Cú Chulainn, there was no lack of heroes with nose sharper than humans can ever have. They wouldn’t take him seriously if he was covered in a thick smell of sex. He had to maintain his image as a leader.

“Haruki…”

He ignored the rather pitiful voice whispering in his head as he explored the long corridors of the mansion. His mansion.

“Haruki, listen to me.”

At this point he was just messing with Arch. She pulled an unexpected prank on him, and being alone for a while would be her price to pay. He was rather surprised that Arch hadn’t found out. Did she stop reading his mind?

“Sniff, Haruki. Don’t be a jerk.”

‘Are you actually crying?’

“...No.”

‘Liar.’

Haruki never thought a day would come when the overbearing goddess cried inside her small room.

“Don’t speak to me right now.”

Arch stopped whining and hid in her lair. Haruki left her to her own devices and took a quick shower. Fresh out of shower, he headed to the kitchen where he found Medea in the kitchen with an unexpected helper on her side. Semiramis wasn’t in her signature black empress dress. Rather, she wore a loose crimson maxi dress with black frilly accents and held a white apron in her hands as if she was checking it out.

Semiramis’ lips stretched in a wide grin as she saw him. “My master, congratulations on waking up.” Semiramis put on the apron before his eyes. “Your mother’s dress is a bit on the loose side. It’s still more comfortable to move around.”

Medea giggled. “This doofus empress almost tripped earlier. Haruki-sama should have seen her.”

“Medea, you promised to keep it a secret.”

“Haruki-sama must know my secrets.”

“...” Semiramis stared at Medea before shaking her head. “My master, Artoria is training inside the dojo. You can accompany her if you wish to strengthen your bond with her. If you want to go the other way and strengthen your bond with this Humble Empress, please watch me cook for you with all my heart~.”

Haruki wondered if Semiramis was always this talkative. She seemed like a completely different person today.

“Don’t be embarrassed, my master. I am a little rusty. But I can assure you about the elegance in my culinary arts.”

Medea flicked Semiramis’s cheeks. “Please shut your mouth. Let me focus here.”

Semiramis retaliated with an elbow. Medea stopped her urge to smack Semiramis. After her second upgrade last night, she could floor Semiramis with her physical strength alone.

Medea looked over her shoulder. “Haruki-sama, my vessel is strengthened twice now. I’m prepared for the war.”

With her connection to Haruki and increased magical reserves, she could cast spells once deemed impossible due to her low magical energy supply.

Haruki asked Arch to show Medea’s status, which she did without uttering a word.

Medea: A Sorcerer from the Age of Gods and your current Servant, tied to you by the Fuyuki Holy Grail System.

-Current Status — I am bursting with strength. I can take on any Heroic Spirit!

-Relationship Status — 132/100

-Species — Spirit

-Age — Uncountable

-Gender — Female

-Height, Weight — 163cm/51kg

-Alignment — Neutral Evil

-Parameters

Strength: 20 (D)

Endurance: 32 (C)

Agility: 35 (C+)

Magical energy: 80 (EX)

Luck: 40 (B)

-Authorities

None

-Noble Phantasm

Rule Breaker

...

Her confidence had reached unprecedented levels after her second strengthening.

“Ascension sounds better than vessel strengthening.”

“Ascension…” Medea nodded as if she liked the word. “I have gone through two Ascensions. What will happen at my third?”

“We’ll see when we get there. It won’t take long.”

Haruki was also a bit stumped about his ability. Getting authorities and skills from sex—his cheat was as unbelieavable as it could get inside the Nasuverse. Not surprising considering Arch was from outside the Nasuverse, unrestricted from its rules and laws.

“What about me, my master?” Semiramis pressed her chest against him and looked up at him. “Will I go through Ascension by your grace?”

Haruki rubbed her hair. “Tonight, maybe. I need your spies out there to monitor Angra Mainyu’s servants.”

Semiramis didn’t need more strength since she’d soon busy herself in creating the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. But Haruki needed the authority from her.

Semiramis smiled as if she was happy at his answer. “I’ll have a big surprise before that. Look forward to it.”

“Surely it’s about enemy Servants.”

“Oops, you got me.” Semiramis giggled as she drew back. “Two Servants, Oda Nobunaga and Kenshin, come to drink at a location every few hours. We can launch a sneak attack and take them down.”

“Oda and Kenshin… it won’t be easy.”

They had Angra Mainyu as their masters to unleash their full potential. Nagao Kagetora was the most problematic one due to her divine armaments and inhumane fighting skills.

Haruki tried to conceive the future with his Precognition Skill. The results left him in deep shock.

“We won’t fight them.”

“What do you mean we won’t fight them?” Semiramis frowned. “My master, look at our forces. They are two and we are six. We also have you. Are you saying we’re not strong enough to fight them?”

Semiramis fired her doubts without stopping for a moment.

Medea turned off the stove and approached Haruki. “Let Haruki-sama explain.”

She was a bit vexed about Haruki’s lack of confidence but she felt like there was a reason for it.

The Former Empress and Sorceress waited for an explanation.