An Uninvited Servant-Ryougi Shiki / Kindling the First Flame and Ryougi Shiki's Apology

If the "nothingness" judgment on Romani is not resolved, then even if he summons him as a heroic spirit with his great strength, the other party's existence will be erased, as if he never existed.

Although he had no clue yet, Gwen's intuition told him that he could solve this problem, and the solution was right at his fingertips, though he hadn't realized it.

So... what exactly do we do?

After staring at Romani's consciousness and soul for a long time, Gwen still couldn't find the right angle to swing his sword and had to put down the holy sword he was holding.

At that moment, the spell to summon heroic spirits suddenly surged with a torrent of magic and began to summon them.

However, this time, the medium for summoning was not Fujimaru Ritsuka or Mash, but... Gwen!

Chapter 605 The Uninvited Servant— Ryougi Shiki

Unlike the enduring radiance of the spiritual light surrounding the struggling Romani during childbirth, the light symbolizing the summoning of heroic spirits quickly dimmed, revealing the one being summoned within—

A gorgeous kimono, an elegant and composed demeanor, and a black-haired woman with a youthful face yet an inexplicable sense of compassion emerged from the summoning ritual, her black eyes fixed directly on Gwen.

"?"

Because his attention was focused on Romani, who was causing the bug, Gwen wasn't particularly concerned about the summoning of the Heroic Spirit that had just occurred.

The Counter Force can't possibly send down a Grand Servant; sending down an ordinary Servant is at best better than nothing, and might even be specifically there to monitor him...

Gwen didn't believe the Counter Force would be so kind as to send someone to help him.

However, upon meeting this first Servant he had summoned in the Type-Moon World, Gwen realized he had overlooked one thing—

Some people are impossible to summon, but they can choose to accept the summons or come to life on their own initiative.

For example, the person in front of us—

"Ryougi Shiki, a Saber Class Servant, has answered the call..."

After exchanging a glance with Gwen, the pure white-clad girl revealed a kind smile, blinking her clear eyes as if she were an ordinary heroic spirit, and introduced herself.

"..."

Although he had a guess the moment he saw it, Gwen's eyes still couldn't help but flicker for a moment when he actually heard Ryougi Shiki's self-introduction—he had only been separated from Sayo Aika for less than 24 hours, and now he had another True Root Shiki, right?

Seemingly sensing Gwen's emotional fluctuation, Ryougi Shiki tilted her head slightly—

"Is there anything else to say?"

"Not needed for now."

Gwen shook his head, quickly suppressing his emotions and revealing a gentle smile—

"Although it's unexpected, welcome, Shiki."

With that, Gwen extended his hand to Ryougi Shiki—

"I am Gwen, as you can see, an unlucky fellow who got tricked into coming here."

"?"

Slightly surprised by Gwen Ryougi Shiki... unlike Gwen, who Gwyn remembered as being called the True Root Shiki, didn't get Ryougi Shiki. Instead, she smiled and shook hands with Gwen—

"You're joking. These questions shouldn't be too difficult for you."

"The main thing is that you're living a good life, and then suddenly you're thrown into this kind of world. It's bound to make you a little annoyed, isn't it?"

Gwen retorted.

With Arcueid in his left hand and Altrouge in his right, he could enjoy the company of beautiful women while accomplishing great things, and occasionally banter with Sayo Aika. His life was easy and comfortable, unlike the hard work and effort he was putting in here.

"But judging from your expression... you seem to be enjoying it?"

Ryougi Shiki blinked her bright eyes slightly, her gaze falling on the figure on the other side who was still being summoned.

"However, it didn't."

Gwen sighed, but without letting go of Ryougi Shiki's hand, he simply pulled her along and walked in the other direction.

"I just wanted to do it, and also to get revenge on the guy who threw me into this world, so I did it, but it just led to trouble—"

Now that you're here, please help me figure out how to solve this...

"Oh?"

Gwen raised a Ryougi Shiki slightly as Gwyn pulled her before the summoning ritual, whose spiritual light was growing ever stronger.

"You seem to know me very well?"

"I only know a little bit, probably limited to your existence."

Gwen casually answered Ryougi Shiki, whose innocent gaze seemed to be asking what a father and Ryougi Shiki were, and asked her to help him check the summoning that had a bug in front of him.

Whether it was because of his special status as an outsider or because he had noticed this bug, since Ryougi Shiki, who was connected to the Root, had taken the initiative to descend, Gwen believed that the other party must have a way.

"That's certainly an answer that makes one curious."

Ryougi Shiki chuckled softly, stared at the summon before her for a moment, and then slowly spoke—

Two methods—

Firstly, I will take action to completely sever those connections that you hadn't severed before, breaking the deadlock with force.

Secondly, you can utilize your hidden abilities to bring him back from the brink of nothingness and solve the problem head-on.

"Um?"

Upon hearing Ryougi Shiki Gwen couldn't help but raise a question.

Ryougi Shiki could sever the connection directly, leaving Romani as just Romani, a belief Gwen held.

After all, the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception can only unleash the full power of the famous line, "I'll kill even a god," when paired with Ryougi Shiki.

But...

"How can I unleash that power?"

After gaining an understanding of the power levels of the Counter Force and even the Root through the Six Royalties of the Dark Night, Gwen no longer insisted on controlling his own information.

Therefore, upon hearing Ryougi Shiki's words, Gwen's first reaction was to consider how to develop that power that even he himself was unaware of, rather than the risk of exposing his secrets.

"Huh?"

With a soft "Eh?", Ryougi Shiki put down the Kuji Kanesada had just conjured and looked at Gwen with a puzzled expression—

"As far as I know, you seem to be very careful about protecting your information."

"So you're a voyeur too..."

While inwardly complaining, Gwen maintained a beaming smile on his face.

"If it's a style, then there's naturally nothing to worry about."

"Hehe..."

Ryougi Shiki raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing this, then covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

"Then I'll take it as if I'm really here to listen..."

As she spoke, Ryougi Shiki Gwen's hand again, the hand that had just been released from her.

"Next, I will guide you there—to a place where you can unleash this power."

However, please note that if you fail to utilize that power, all three of us will perish in the empty Garan no Dou.

"I won't let anything happen to you."

Seeing the serious expression on Wen Wan's pretty face, which had been smiling since she appeared, Gwen nodded solemnly.

"Gwen / Gwen, what on earth has happened?"

"It seems an accident has been triggered?"

As Holy Relic Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash had been disturbed by the commotion and left their original positions, looking at Gwen with puzzled expressions as he seemed to be preparing for a life-or-death battle.

"There was indeed a slight mishap."

Gwen nodded and smiled.

"I'm sorry, Ritsuka, Mash, it might take a little longer. Please wait a moment."

With that, Gwen nodded to Ryougi Shiki.

"Please come with me..."

After Gwen finished giving his instructions, Ryougi Shiki smiled slightly and closed her eyes with Gwen.

A strange fluctuation rose from Ryougi Shiki's body, drawing Gwen's consciousness into the light of the spirit particles. Using the unique nature of the entity within, which existed between existence and nothingness, they entered an unknowable realm...

Chapter 606 Igniting the First Flame and Ryougi Shiki's Apology

"?"

Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash exchanged a glance, both seeing the confusion and helplessness in each other's eyes after receiving only a vague and incomplete sentence.

What should we do if our own leader seems to have messed up?

Their gazes swept around the room, lingering briefly on the only unfamiliar hooded figure, but neither of them approached the other.

Since Gwen has tacitly approved of the other party's existence, and it seems that the other party is also helping, then we should not disturb them.

After taking one last Ryougi Shiki at Gwen's hand, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash found Adele, who looked worried, and asked her about the current situation.

After learning the general situation from Adele, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash exchanged bewildered glances.

Having traveled this far, the two had seen quite a bit, but this situation—where something completely unexpected had come to them on its own—was still quite something...

Sure enough, Gwen must have pulled some amazing stunt to prepare that gift for them.

For a moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash looked at Gwen with a complex mix of emotions.

Even though they had encountered many kind-hearted people along the way who warmed their hearts, none were as unreservedly generous as Gwen, who had done something so significant without Gwyn's knowledge...

While Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash were experiencing mixed feelings, Goetia had just steadied her hand on the other side.

If it weren't for the concern that prematurely exposing herself to Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash would trigger unpredictable future events, Goetia would probably have already turned her head to look over there—

Even though he was preoccupied with the Solomon... Romanian affair and hadn't paid much attention to his surroundings, and hadn't immediately noticed Ryougi Shiki's unusual behavior, the aura she exuded when she Ryougi Shiki Gwen away from here still alerted Goetia to her anomaly.

Damn it, how could there be someone in this world who has that kind of connection to the source?

While Goetia was still in disbelief, Gwen, Ryougi Shiki already arrived at an unknowable place, a place without beginning or end, without heaven or earth—

Even though Gwen could confirm that Ryougi Shiki was with him at that moment, he still couldn't detect it at all.

All that can be felt is that empty void of "nothingness".

"It seems this is the place. I need to use some kind of power of my own to escape from here..."

Gwen remained calm and analyzed the situation rationally.

"According to what Ryougi Shiki said before, this should be the 'nothingness' that Romani will reach after losing everything when he uses the first Noble Phantasm as Solomon... which is the source of the strange power that previously denied its existence and prevented Romani from being summoned."

And what I need to do...

It is about leaving from this 'nothingness'...

This is truly a challenging task...

While mentally listing and eliminating his many powers, Gwen quietly activated the system.

Gwen was certain that only his consciousness, not even his soul, had been drawn here by Ryougi Shiki.

Gwen wanted to test whether he could summon the system under these circumstances and see how it existed within him.

The thought flashed through Gwen's mind, and a familiar page appeared in his field of vision, unexpected yet somehow expected—

The system that could once be manually shattered by Gwen in his spirit form within the mental space is now attached to Gwen in a much deeper state than it was back then.

"It does provide an extra layer of insurance. If things really don't work out, we can directly contact someone else through the system to get the money out of the mess."

Gwen silently shut down the system and began to test his abilities that might be effective here.

The first one is—

Boom!

A faint but bright flame suddenly ignited, illuminating the empty void.

Although he had no clue, Gwen's intuition told him that this was the right answer.

Moreover, from a rational perspective, this is indeed the most likely scenario.

When the Light of the Mind was awakened, there were traces of the First Flame that ignited the Dark Souls world. Theoretically, it is possible to carve out a path from "nothingness".