Servant Summoning

The night in Qianxi held a tranquil beauty.

In the hush of the world, the city lights connected like a colorful galaxy, contrasting with the deep, dark hues of the sky. The residents here were mainly people who couldn't adapt to the fast-paced urban lifestyle. Naturally, their slower pace of life led them to prefer resting at home at night.

In this regard, Qianxi was more suitable for the Holy Grail War than Fuyuki. Under Japan's rapid economic development, Fuyuki had become a high-tech metropolis, bustling with traffic even in the dead of night. This was completely at odds with the "concealment" required for the Holy Grail War.

On the peaceful roads, cars occasionally passed by, their swaying taillights drawing serene arcs in the solemn night.

Karl did not dislike this tranquility.

Northeast of Qianxi lay an artificial mountain range, with lush trees stretching across verdant grasslands. While full of life, the slightly damp air further enhanced the sense of repose.

Of course, for a Magus, this was probably insignificant. Inducing plant growth was a subject Magus had been researching for a very long time. Judging by the results, Magus might have developed a similar civilization hundreds of years before science, but in terms of versatility, it never caught up as quickly as science.

However, for Magus, this was not a problem.

After all, the idea that "Magus are superior beings, nobles possessing techniques that commoners cannot grasp, that is normal" was widespread among the Magus community.

Tsukahara Meiji felt a bit cold. As mentioned, the word "spring" only evoked a sense of renewal, but in reality, spring had nothing to do with "warmth." In fact, April was still in the "cold season." Tsukahara Meiji, wearing only a track jacket, naturally didn't feel very comfortable.

In this regard, Karl, dressed in a close-fitting, light blue tunic, should theoretically have been colder... However, Karl's clothing was his Mystic Code, and with the enhancement of magecraft, it was actually warmer than Tsukahara Meiji's...

The two moved quickly towards the Leyline convergence point in the peaceful night.

Karl, as expected of a cautious Magus, had prepared so thoroughly for the battle that Tsukahara Meiji felt a little scared. He had even pinpointed the location of Qianxi's Leyline.

In the quiet forest, only a few sparse insect chirps could be heard. The rustling sounds of grass and leaves under their feet sharply stimulated Tsukahara Meiji's eardrums and heart. A few distant dog barks pushed the air of silence into his respiratory tract, chilling him to the bone and lungs, then stirring up an unease called the unknown, which spread from his young heart throughout his body.

The closer they got to the important point, the more nervous he became. This was only natural for a person, especially with the surrounding environment being so quiet, so... terrifying.

Tsukahara Meiji felt that the night had never been so frightening. He could clearly hear his own heartbeat, a faint thrumming emanating from within and returning to his brain from the outside. The white mist exhaled by Karl's calm breathing further intensified his fear.

"If only I hadn't read horror manga before leaving..."

He grumbled to himself.

Of course, this was neither a reflection nor a complaint, but a clumsy attempt to lighten the mood. His sole purpose was to avoid being overwhelmed by the silence and to find something, anything, to talk about with Karl to cope with the increasingly serene and solemn atmosphere.

Karl grunted, but did not respond.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Karl raised his hand to stop him. The German stated with extreme certainty:

"This is it, the most active Leyline."

Karl's words brought Tsukahara Meiji a sense of relief. His only wish now was to finish quickly and go back to sleep.

The place where they stood was an area with particularly lush vegetation.

According to Karl's measurements, this was precisely where the Leyline converged.

Regarding Leylines, there are different sayings in different places. In China, the most common term is "Dragon Vein."

When ancient emperors chose their capitals, they always prioritized favorable weather and smooth harvests. As the capital, it naturally had to provide the most comfortable living conditions—otherwise, why would an emperor, who wasn't foolish, choose to establish his capital here if it faced earthquakes one day and floods the next?

Ancient Chinese Taoists and sorcerers dedicated themselves to developing their own methods for locating Dragon Veins.

Beijing, as one of China's six ancient capitals, naturally possessed abundant Dragon Veins. Qianxi, being geographically close to Beijing, benefited from this, with Leylines converging there from all directions and passing through Qianxi on their way to Beijing.

Karl had chosen a spot where the flow of mana was relatively vigorous.

Neither Karl nor Tsukahara Meiji were top-tier Magus, so they had to make sure not to waste anything and to maximize their Servant's attributes. In areas with abundant Leylines, they could harness the power of the Leylines to further improve their Servant's various stats.

Using animal blood mixed with mercury to draw mystical patterns, the murky dark red liquid, under Karl's depiction, carved a viscous red line through the lush green. However, under the cover of night, only black was a distinct color.

Drawing a magic circle allowed no room for error. To begin summoning a Servant at midnight, the time when mana was most active, Karl had to ensure success on the first try.

Tsukahara Meiji was happy to step aside and simply squatted on the ground, focusing intently on how the red liquid flowed. At the same time, he mentally recited the incantation for summoning a Servant over and over again.

Although Karl had said, "The incantation for summoning a Servant comes from the heart; the intent is what matters," Tsukahara Meiji still wanted to recite it as accurately as possible. After all, this was a grand event held only once every sixty years, and it was his good fortune to participate. If he mispronounced a single word, it would be incredibly embarrassing!

What if the participants of the next Holy Grail War looked at the records and saw: "Wow, this Tsukahara Meiji couldn't even get the incantation right!" Tsukahara Meiji shivered just thinking about it: to be hated while alive and become a laughingstock after death, such a life would be too tragic.

Focusing on drawing the magic circle and reciting the incantation in his mind, Tsukahara Meiji's concentration became so intense that he was no longer aware of the insect chirps or dog barks. At this moment, his mind was filled only with the incantation he had repeatedly recited, the one he knew by heart.

"Alright, now, the Catalyst is yours..."

Karl seemed to have finished drawing the magic circle.

Hearing him say this, Tsukahara Meiji looked up from his own world, but what he saw was not the ring or oak branch that Karl was handing him.

Instead, Karl's hands were crossed over his chest, and he wasn't holding anything. Rather, a faint, mercury-like silver glow emanated from his chest, flowing down his blue sleeves and into his wrists. It was like the common gauntlets seen in fighting games, an inconspicuous glow quietly enveloping his forearms, condensing into a Mystic Code. A solid structure of white silver fastened itself onto his arm, piece by piece, as if it were a part of his flesh and blood, revealing a hardened hue.

This was clearly not a Catalyst.

This was Karl's second Mystic Code. Tsukahara Meiji had heard him mention it; it was a Mystic Code Karl had prepared for himself, with various enhancement and mana-evading incantations engraved on the gloves.

This was the secret art of mana of the Winsted Family.

For example, the Tohsaka Family in Fuyuki excelled at "Mana Transfer," while the Abner's Winifred Family had a knack for "Precise Mana Control." The Winsted Family's specialized field of mana research was "Enhancement," specifically "Composite Enhancement."

It was no exaggeration to say that if the previous head of the Winsted Family had applied enhancement magecraft to himself, his physical body would have been comparable to a Servant's in terms of strength.

(Is this... combat readiness? ...What is he doing with that?)

Tsukahara Meiji didn't quite understand, but his instincts told him that Karl would not make a mistake, so he trusted him. Thus, the crystal poker quietly flipped from Tsukahara Meiji's sleeve into his palm.

"Here, hold onto it."

Karl's sea-blue eyes caught Tsukahara Meiji's cautious vigilance, and he nodded in satisfaction, silently praising his companion's quick understanding. He clenched his fist and extended it towards Tsukahara Meiji. However, Tsukahara Meiji, standing beside him, clearly saw that there was nothing grasped within it... it was just a fist.

Just as he didn't know what to do...

Clang!

The sound of metal striking metal!

Like lightning, the part of Karl's hand covered by the silver bracer sparked with intense heat! Due to the immense force transmitted, Karl's arm was lifted dramatically! Karl's brow furrowed, and he pulled his arm back with all his might!

For a projectile to have this much power—enough to send Karl's strength-enhanced arm flying—was a testament to the impact of this strike!

It was a Servant! Not a Magus!

Thud!

Immediately after, came the sound of wood being hit.

A shuriken was embedded in the night, glinting coldly with the darkness.

Enemy attack!