Please Play FGO With Me

"Mash? You're reciting such a long monologue to yourself—who exactly are you talking to?" Shirou asked, looking at the pink-haired girl who seemed to be staring off into nowhere.

"Shirou-senpai! Don't say it out loud! You've ruined such a touching soliloquy!" Mash pouted in dissatisfaction.

Chapter 31: Summoning Servant Shirou

Fate Company was gradually getting on track. As the Genius CEO Girl, she had originally planned to record these monologues for use as promotional material during the company's next event.

But thanks to Shirou's interruption, she'd forgotten it all. Mash glared at her clueless senpai, about to complain further, when her mouth suddenly fell open and her eyes went wide.

"What? You've got that 'senpai, come quick and see God' look on your face?" Shirou asked Mash in confusion.

The other girls who had looked over also showed expressions of astonishment.

At that moment, behind the youth's head, a white halo resembling a Magic Circle materialized.

The halo then flashed with intense white light, and Shirou was sucked into it.

It all started a few minutes earlier.

In the afternoon after school, on a small street leading home through the neighborhood, the sky was still fairly bright, just beginning to shift toward dusk.

The girl's name was Asuna Yuuki, and she was now facing the greatest crisis of her life. She was currently dodging beams of light fired by a tentacled monster, leaping around frantically, while a tiny figure floated beside her, chattering incessantly.

This wasn't a boss guarding a floor in a tower-climbing game, nor a virtual reality game appearing on the streets through a headset—it was a real, flesh-and-blood monster, its breath stinking and foul.

She had simply left school early as usual, being part of the "go-home club," and was walking the same route she always took home.

But this afternoon, the surroundings had inexplicably fallen silent, and the air felt heavy and oppressive.

The girl looked around. It was definitely the familiar scene—the road she took home every day. So why was it so abnormal?

Just then, her phone flashed with white light, and a Long Black-Haired Little Person jumped out from the screen, flying into the air.

"Danger! Master! Please summon a Servant and prepare for battle!"

"Battle?" Asuna Yuuki asked in surprise. The girl stared at the familiar-looking two-head-tall little figure, wondering if she was dreaming.

No sooner had she spoken.

A Large Crack suddenly appeared ahead on the road. The space shattered like broken glass, fragments falling away until it was torn open.

A Blue-Black Circular Creature crawled out from within. It had over a dozen tentacles like an octopus sprouting from its back, and a giant eyeball opened in the center of its front body, surrounded by bulging, ferocious veins. It floated up into the air.

"An eyeball? Why is it here?!" the girl screamed, turning to run, but there was no escaping it.

"No time to explain! Auto-summoning via possession now!" the little figure shouted, activating the system.

White light enveloped the girl with the light brown hair.

[Scanning enemy attributes. Class: Archer. Race: Gazer. Massive magical energy reaction. Suspected mutation.] [Selecting a Servant suitable for possession summoning for the host.] [Lancer-class Servant confirmed.] [Compatibility: 95%.] [Summon!] [Lancer-class Servant: Minamoto no Raikō!]

The General of the Heian period, the most powerful mysterious killer in this nation's history, manifested in a certain world as the Disciplinary Committee Chair!

White Flowing Light coiled like a dragon, tall and upright. A scabbard hung from her left leg guard. She held a White Katana, draped in a Feather Robe, and floated high.

A majestic, tall girl stood there, straight and proud.

Her eyes were haughty and noble. She swept her gaze over the pursuing Tentacle Eyeball Monster in the air and said coldly, "I don't know much about what's going on, but since there's a monster here, I'll cut it down first!"

The Feather Robe on the girl fluttered in the wind as she leaped into the air, dodging a beam cannon sideways. In an instant, she appeared behind the Gazer. The white treasured blade in her hand transformed into a Thunder Blade, crackling with lightning, and she slashed down fiercely.

The razor-sharp blade had once drunk the blood of countless monsters. If it struck true, the thick octopus-like claws on the monster's rear half would be severed, and the violent lightning would scorch them to ash.

Just as the blade was about to land on the monster, a hair's breadth away, it was stopped by something—as if it had struck a transparent, sturdy barrier.

The eyeball monster rotated its eye. Several tentacles suddenly stiffened, stretching out like spears to stab at her.

The girl quickly threw out a metal ball connected to wires. Lightning flowed out in a stream, blocking the Tentacle Eyeball Monster's tentacle attack, but the lightning that passed through was blocked by the barrier, dealing no damage to the monster at all.

"It's not that strong, so why can't I cut it? What's going on?" The girl retreated to create distance.

"Master! This monster has a high-energy Magic Shield. Normal attacks can't damage it," Xiao Da said, scanning the monster.

"Then how are we supposed to fight this?!" the girl complained.

All her attacks were blocked. Getting close meant being entangled by tentacles, while keeping distance made her a target for the eyeball beam cannon.

Even with Minamoto no Raikō possessing her, the girl could only dodge and keep pulling back.

"Master! Please summon Support!" Xiao Da shouted.

"Huh? There's that feature too? Is it really okay to drag others into this dangerous monster fight? I'd rather charge my Noble Phantasm to 300% and settle it in one shot."

"Master! Among your friends, there is a Warrior who has fought these monsters many times! Please summon him without hesitation!" Xiao Da projected a 3D image in front of the girl, the cursor locked onto an account.

"That's only useful if it's a Servant who can turn the tide... Got it!" The girl's eyes lit up when she saw the youth's Support Servant. She shouted, "Not a Eggplant, summon!"

At that moment, the youth swept into the white light saw, within the alien space, a tower towering amidst a sea of flowers in the distant reaches. Even the blue-gold sword scabbard that had long slumbered deep within his soul seemed to stir, flashing once before sinking back into silence.

There, the youth met a man half-human and half-nightmare, a carefree smile playing on his lips.

Silver hair, violet eyes, a black staff in hand. Within his white robes rested the King's Sword once wielded by the king himself—a blade that had dwelt apart from the world, secluded in this tower for thousands of years.

His name was the Magus of Flowers—Merlin!!

"..." Merlin gazed at the youth, his lips moving.

He seemed to be speaking to him, and then the white light swallowed the youth whole.

A pillar of light flashed on the street. A youth in a flowing white robe, purple ribbons, and black trousers leaped out from within, a magic staff clutched in his hand.

"So I'm the one summoned this time? Class Caster? The legendary tutor of King Arthur, Merlin." Shirou drew the sword—so similar to the holy blade he knew well.

Though legend said this sword had snapped during a duel where Arthur violated the knightly code, as its creator, Merlin seemed to have already repaired it.

Shirou surveyed his surroundings. An ordinary street, stifling air, mana saturating everything—he was in a pocket dimension.

Ahead, a strikingly dressed girl was being chased by a massive black-green eyeball monster. She dodged its tentacles and beam cannons with agile movements, doubling back toward him.

"You're Shirou from the same grade? You're Not a Eggplant? Great! Help me take down this monster!" The girl with light brown hair recognized the suddenly appearing white-robed youth.

"Yuuki-san?" Shirou stared at the girl flaunting her figure in a pink bikini, bouncing down the street while playing with a yo-yo. She looked familiar—wasn't she Yuuki Asuna, as famous as Yukino in the second year of International High School? And how did she know him?

No, this wasn't the time for questions!

Shirou cast aside his distractions, swung Caliburn, and slashed at the monster. The youth now possessed fragments of Arthur's tutor's memories and Combat Experience. As a man who had once taught King Arthur swordsmanship, this level of blade work was trivial.

He was no stranger to Britain's sword arts. As he swung Caliburn, the youth saw through the Servant's memories a young blonde girl, her hair tied in a ponytail, training diligently every day under her tutor and brother.

It reminded him of the time he had received sword instruction from that same blonde girl in the dojo.

How nostalgic!

The way she sternly knocked his bamboo sword away; the way she sat in the dojo in her blue-and-white dress and talked with him; the way she threw a tantrum when he chose to learn dual-wielding instead of her style...

Shirou mimicked the girl's sword movements from memory. Mana burst forth. The golden holy sword swept up cleanly, sending a golden blade of light racing along the ground before surging upward beneath the monster.

Chapter 32: Mother Raikou Appears

The golden light from Caliburn struck the eyeball monster's body but was blocked by a solid mana barrier, failing to harm it in the slightest.

"Shirou, this monster's mutation gives it a near high-density mana barrier. Normal attacks can't break its defense." Xiao Da, free to move in this pocket dimension, flew over to explain.

"This monster's strength is way too ridiculous." Shirou was stunned. What was up with these monsters? First, one with attacks strong enough to destroy buildings in the pocket dimension; last time, one too fast to hit; now, one too tough to cut.

"I have an idea. Please assist me in battle." The girl spoke with authority.

"Got it! What do I need to do?" Shirou asked.

"Reality might be different, but since this is a monster that appeared in the game, I'll use game logic to crack it. If it's in an invincible state, I'll break through with an invincibility-piercing move! I'll finish it in one shot with my Noble Phantasm! That's the only way, so give me the strongest reinforcement you can!" the girl said.

During her evasions, she had already seized the chance to charge her Noble Phantasm, but it wasn't safe yet. A giant eyeball like this couldn't have low HP. If she couldn't kill it in one blow, things would get messy.

"Understood! I'll do my best to reinforce you, Yuuki-san! Even though I only inherited a fraction of his experience, Merlin knows way too much." Shirou opened his amber Magic Eye and raised his staff high.

"Shirou! Servant abilities are too powerful. Without training and knowledge, you can't master them properly. That's why Da Vinci simplified the FGO system for ordinary people—just fight using the game's logic." Xiao Da reminded him.

"I'll try my best and see how far I can go!" At that moment, his amber Magic Eye transformed, revealing a rainbow-colored light.

Projection: Suzuka Gozen's Bodhisattva-Forged Wisdom Sword, Small Pass Chain. He applied 'Blessing of Wisdom' to himself. The silver sword gleamed, his mind sharpened, thoughts flowed freely, and his mana control became effortless, adjusting himself to peak condition.

First, Magical Charm. Merlin, as the son of a human and a nightmare, possessed immense mana. He reinforced the girl's body with Reinforcement Magic, accelerating her Noble Phantasm charge.

Next, Merlin's profound illusion magic—reaching a level that could deceive the world and alter the environment—created a layer of mist over himself and the girl, hiding her true form to confuse the enemy and protect them.

Then came Merlin's greatest life achievement: shaping Britain's king and the child of the Red Dragon, teaching them martial arts, morality, statecraft, and military strategy, guiding them to draw Caliburn and become the perfect ruler.

In that moment, the girl's Saint Graph was temporarily sublimated, her stamina, endurance, and mana comprehensively enhanced.

Finally, the youth held Caliburn in his left hand and the silver-glowing Small Pass Chain in his right. Through his Magic Eye, he bestowed upon the girl the strongest Reinforcement Magic he could muster.

Several beams of light flashed. The girl's light brown hair and the white Feather Robe draped over her fluttered high in the wind pressure generated by the mana fluctuations.

The girl felt her stamina and strength surge dramatically. Her mana output was amplified by more than half. The overwhelming mana caused red aura to spill from her body, and a mist-like mana shield coated her skin.

It seemed the youth's skill far exceeded her expectations. The girl nodded at him.

"Thanks, Shirou. I feel power welling up endlessly! At this rate, there's no problem at all!"

The girl sheathed the White Blade Dojigiri Yasutsuna and began chanting the incantation to activate her Noble Phantasm.

"This is Indra's Thunderbolt—the invincible, indestructible divine weapon of Gozu Tenno, the avatar of Indra as an Eastern god. The ultimate armament forged by the gods together from the bones of holy sages..."

A bolt of lightning descended from the sky. The golden thunderbolt emitted a crackling sound as it tore through the air, arcs of electricity dancing along its shaft. The girl, fused with Minamoto no Raikō, grasped it and spun it swiftly.

"Annihilate all enemies!—[Indra's Thunderbolt]!!!"

The girl lowered her stance and hurled the thunderbolt forward. It transformed into a lightning bolt of maximum destructive power, its divine might like the final strike of a heavenly god.

The lightning struck the eyeball monster dead center. Blue arcs of electricity writhed like dancing dragons. Before this blow, all defenses were meaningless. The lightning instantly pierced the invincible barrier, and the monster's massive body was swallowed by the blinding light, exploding into nothing—not even ash remained.

After launching the attack, the girl raised her hand and ran over, slapping the youth's palm in perfect sync.

Smack!

"That's exactly how it should be! Shirou, we make a great team." The girl gripped his hand from the high-five and waved it in the air, laughing excitedly.

Whether it was because the Servant inside her had influenced her personality, or because the girl herself possessed some innate affinity for combat, she seemed as thrilled as if she had just finished an exhilarating game.

A powerful monster, the tension of being on the verge of defeat at any moment, and then settling it all with a single flashy move! There was nothing in the world more exciting or fun than this.

'Is this what they call a natural-born monster slayer?' Shirou sighed inwardly.

Through the Magic Eye's enhancement of the girl, Shirou had already learned that Yuuki Asuna had been summoned as the Lancer-class Servant, Minamoto no Raikō.

But wasn't Minamoto no Raikō that bearded warlord from Japanese legends who fought demons alongside the Onmyoji Abe no Seimei?

The same legendary warlord who frequently appeared in all sorts of games, anime, TV shows, and movies?

Why was she a woman? And why did she look like a fanservice character? Even if she was incredibly cool in battle.

Still, the Servant he had fought alongside before, Ushiwakamaru, had also been a woman, so was it because of different worlds? It wasn't impossible to understand, and he certainly didn't want to be summoned by some bearded uncle.

At this moment, the girl seemed lost in the excitement of their previous battle.

"Hey, Yuuki-san?" Shirou called out, pulling her back from her thoughts.

"Mm?" The girl asked with a gentle smile.

"Wouldn't you feel a bit embarrassed if you were walking down the street in a bikini, cheerfully swinging your fists around?" Shirou hinted tactfully.

"What are you talking about, Shirou? Something that disrupts public order like that—I would never allow it to happen!" The girl declared confidently, completely unaware of her own attire.

Shirou covered his face. Sure enough, this girl had also been influenced by the other side's personality. As the shadow Disciplinary Committee Chair, she went around enforcing order everywhere due to her Mad Enhancement, yet completely overlooked the fact that she herself was the worst offender.

The youth had no choice but to try a different approach.

"Yuuki-san, anyway, it's about time you changed back, or someone will be coming here soon."

"Asuna!" The girl lightly brushed the hair behind her ear and smiled at the youth.

"Huh?" Shirou blinked in surprise.