Cú Chulainn and Gae Bulg

Returning to the space of Unlimited Blade Works, Uchiha Iori felt a strange sense of control.

Upon careful examination, he discovered he possessed partial administrative rights over the space.

This realization stirred something within him, and he immediately attempted to activate his Projection magic.

However, the chakra consumption was no different from the outside world, dashing his hopes of exploiting a loophole.

He sighed in resignation, muttering inwardly, "It seems it's not that easy."

He raised his hand and waved it gently, and the gate to the Hall of Heroes opened with a resounding boom.

The moment Iori stepped inside, the world spun, and he felt a wave of dizziness, as if he were being thrown into a giant vortex.

He struggled to steady himself, clutching his head, and let out a wry smile, "God, it feels like I drank fake liquor all night and then threw up all morning before waking up."

As his vision gradually cleared, the sight before him stole his breath.

A magnificent palace, resplendent and golden, like a mythical fairyland.

Outside lay a vast plain, with lush vegetation, where every leaf seemed to sway gently in the breeze.

In the center of the palace, a long table was laden with a variety of delicacies, their aroma filling the air and making one's mouth water.

Iori's gaze was drawn to a man standing by the table, the only person in the palace at that moment.

"Yo, newcomer, welcome to the Hall of Heroes," the man said, looking up with a smile.

He had short blue hair tied back in a long ponytail, and wore a pair of green earrings.

His eyes were crimson, his eyebrows blue, and he was clad in a form-fitting blue outfit that extended to his wrists like vambraces. Silver pauldrons adorned his shoulders, and a crimson spear lay beside him.

"I am Cú Chulainn, a knight of the Red Branch Knights, son of Lugh," Cú Chulainn introduced himself.

Iori's heart skipped a beat. This was the legendary Setanta from Ireland, son of the sun god Lugh.

After accidentally killing Culann's guard dog in his youth, he vowed to take on the dog's duties, earning him the name "Hound of Culann," or Cú Chulainn.

Upon reaching adulthood, he studied under Scáthach, the queen of the Shadow Realm, and obtained the divine spear Gáe Bolg. During the Cattle Raid of Cooley in Celtic mythology, he single-handedly repelled the armies sent by Medb, the queen of Connacht, multiple times.

Ultimately, due to Medb's machinations, his two geasa (taboos)—"cannot eat dog meat" and "cannot refuse a gift"—came into conflict, causing him to lose his left hand. Later, at the request of a bard, he was forced to relinquish his divine spear, only to be impaled by it himself, and in his final moments, he tied himself to a stone pillar.

In Europe, his fame was no less than that of the ancient Greek hero Heracles.

"My name is Uchiha Iori. Can you tell me about the Hall of Heroes? And how can I get permission to copy Noble Phantasms?"

Iori asked Cú Chulainn with a mix of anticipation and curiosity.

A wave of joy washed over him; after all, seeing a "familiar face" from the past in the allied camp always lifted one's spirits.

Cú Chulainn chuckled, a hint of teasing in his eyes, "The Hall of Heroes has no concept of time, so it's normal to meet Servants from any era."

"Our Hall of Heroes is a specialized version, and sometimes we have visitors from other worlds, so don't be too surprised if you see characters who shouldn't exist."

He paused, implying something.

"The food and drinks here are free to use; they'll all be replenished after one day and night cycle."

"As for Noble Phantasms, it depends on how they view you. If they like you, they'll let you copy their Noble Phantasm; if they don't, they won't even bother with you. It all comes down to compatibility."

"And what's your standard? Do you find me somewhat agreeable?" Uchiha Iori asked with a smile.

Cú Chulainn nodded gently, a flicker of admiration in his eyes, "Not bad. At least you have the courage to ask."

Iori understood what he needed to do. Everyone here was a hero who had left their mark on history; his task was to showcase himself and win over like-minded friends.

Sunlight streamed through the high windows of the palace, casting a golden halo around Cú Chulainn's silhouette.

His eyes gleamed with an endless desire and fervor for battle.

"Does that even need to be asked!" His voice boomed like a war horn, echoing through the vast palace. "Let's get to know each other through battle! Unleash your Noble Phantasms to your heart's content, give me a good fight, and you can take whatever Noble Phantasms you want!"

He strode out of the palace, his hands skillfully wielding the spear, its tip carving dazzling patterns in the air.

Then, he lowered his body, spear tip pointing down, gripping the front with his left hand and the rear with his right. The spear body began to glow with crimson magical energy, a flame burning with Cú Chulainn's fighting spirit.

"Show me your strength and resolve, and entertain me with your battle!" Cú Chulainn's voice thundered like a clap of thunder.

Iori also smiled, his mind clear. Here, there was no need for overthinking; he just needed to act according to his heart and give it his all.

"Then let us fight to the death, Child of Light of Ireland."

Uchiha Iori's previous life was an unremarkable painting, each stroke meticulously placed, devoid of any turbulence.

He went to school as expected, worked as expected, living a monotonous life for over 20 years.

He had few friends, no notable hobbies, and nothing worth mentioning. Even at the moment of his death, his existence remained meaningless, with perhaps only his family remembering him.

Even after reincarnating into the world of Naruto, Iori's life seemed unchanged.

In this chaotic era, he was like a speck of dust, liable to disappear without a trace at any moment, just like his parents in this life, their names forgotten.

It wasn't until his fierce battle with Heroic Spirit Emiya and his life-or-death struggle against the Stone Ninja that Iori finally found the meaning of his existence.

He felt the joy of constantly growing stronger, the tension and thrill of life hanging by a thread.

Each battle was a challenge to his limits, and each victory was an affirmation of his self-worth.

"Trace on."

Uchiha Iori activated his Sharingan, three tomoe emerging within his eyes to rotate slowly as twin swords manifested in his hands.

Perhaps because he understood the history of Gan Jiang and Mo Ye better than Emiya Shirou, Iori's versions were more complete, more powerful, and required less energy to maintain.

The inscriptions on the blades were clearly visible, every line imbued with ancient and formidable power.

Swish!

Cú Chulainn kicked off with his rear foot, his spear thrusting toward Uchiha Iori's chest like a bolt of lightning. Iori parried the spearhead with one sword while the other slashed rapidly toward Cú Chulainn's abdomen.

Cú Chulainn pressed down on the butt of his spear, blocking Iori's strike.

Both parties leaped backward to create distance; Cú Chulainn jumped high and brought his spear down in a heavy strike, which Iori caught by bracing his twin swords against the shaft.

Cú Chulainn used the leverage to vault behind Iori, thrusting his spear backward in a sudden counter-attack.

Iori tilted his head, the gale stirred by the demonic spear slicing across his cheek.

He poured mana into Gan Jiang and Mo Ye and brought his hands together; the twin swords suddenly elongated, sweeping across Cú Chulainn's midsection.

After several exchanges, Uchiha Iori remarked in admiration:

"As expected of the great hero of Ireland; to be able to exert force and dodge my attack even in such a situation."

Even though he had acquired the combat memories of Heroic Spirit Emiya, there was only so much he could truly internalize in such a short time.

These ancient heroes possessed incredibly rich combat experience and exceptionally sharp intuition; they were truly worthy of the names they had carved into history.

The spear and the twin swords crossed repeatedly, the sound of metal clashing echoing through the air as Gan Jiang and Mo Ye were shattered several times, only to be projected again by Iori.

Iori showed no mercy to his own body, continuously squeezing chakra from within.

If this continued, even if Iori did not lose through technique, he would die from the collapse of his own body.

After separating once more, Cú Chulainn laughed heartily.

He was a bold and magnanimous man; once he found someone he resonated with, he cared little for the details.

"Kid, although your strength isn't quite there yet, I acknowledge your fighting spirit. Now, I shall take your heart."

Cú Chulainn slid one leg back as crimson mana gathered on his spear; the violent energy whipped up a storm, tearing at the sky and earth, staining the very heavens red.

"Then let us decide the outcome with one final strike."

Uchiha Iori frantically squeezed every drop of his remaining chakra.

He tossed his twin swords aside and mimicked Cú Chulainn's stance, a crimson demonic spear appearing in his own hands as well.

"Gáe Bolg!"

Both sides shouted simultaneously, their spears crossing paths.

Iori's heart was pierced by the spear, leaving a gaping hole.

Although Cú Chulainn had avoided a fatal blow to his heart, his shoulder was still run through.

"Hey, kid, you knew exactly how I died in life, yet you still chose to stab me with my own spear?"

Cú Chulainn sounded somewhat annoyed; according to legend, he had been pierced by his own demonic spear before meeting his end.

"Haha, haven't you already finished me off?"

Iori lay on the ground, answering with a smile.

He had finally found his own joy: fighting, growing stronger, and then pursuing even more exhilarating battles.

"If there's a chance next time, let's have a feast together. A guy like you would probably get along with quite a few people."

Cú Chulainn said this as he turned to leave.

He rested his demonic spear on his shoulder and waved goodbye to Uchiha Iori.

Uchiha Iori lay on the ground, offering no reply as he gazed up at the sky, his body dissolving into motes of light.