"Servant, Caster. I have answered your summons. Please, do become friends with me, Paracelsus-"
"Servant, Assassin. I have come in answer to your summons. With our legion of shadows at your side, victory is assured. Rest easy, Master."
Two unfamiliar figures stepped out of the summoning circle and bowed solemnly to Ye Uchiha as they spoke.
Seeing that neither Heroic Spirit attacked him, Ye Uchiha figured they were not the erratic sort. He relaxed his guard a little and studied them.
On the left stood a refined young man in white robes, his long hair covering his left eye, with a lock hanging down over his chest. On the right stood a blue-haired woman in a black bodysuit and a bone mask, her hair tied in a long ponytail.
Ye Uchiha remembered Hassan of the Hundred Faces fairly well. Summoned by Kirei Kotomine, she had manifested in the Present World as the Assassin Servant of the Fourth Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City.
Hassan of the Hundred Faces was one of the successive Hassans known as the Old Man of the Mountain, the nineteenth leader of the Assassin Order to inherit the name "Hassan-i Sabbah." Her diverse skills, extensive knowledge, and peculiar mentality, which made her actions utterly unpredictable, had earned her the reverential title "Hundred Faces." In truth, she suffered from a mental disorder known in modern times as multiple personality disorder.
In the anime "Fate/Zero," Tokiomi Tohsaka and Kirei Kotomine had used Hassan of the Hundred Faces as a disposable pawn, leaving Ye Uchiha unable to judge her actual strength.
One thing was certain, though: as an Assassin, Hassan of the Hundred Faces surpassed most ninja in the Naruto World when it came to stealth, concealment, and assassination. At least, that was what Ye Uchiha believed.
Even with her standing right before him, Ye Uchiha could barely detect her presence. That meant that, as long as she remained undetected, she could easily take his life while he slept.
The thought sent a chill down Ye Uchiha's back. No matter how powerful a ninja became, they were still flesh and blood, and a fatal wound would inevitably kill them. In the original story's Battle of the Valley of the End, even someone as strong as Madara Uchiha had nearly been stabbed to death by a single thrust from Hashirama Senju behind him. If Madara Uchiha had not set up Izanagi beforehand to reverse the fact of his death, he probably would have been done for.
As for Paracelsus beside her, Ye Uchiha was not very familiar with him, though most people who had played "Fate/Grand Order" knew at least something about him.
Paracelsus von Hohenheim was a legendary physician and alchemist, widely known as a figure of the sixteenth-century Renaissance. He had left behind numerous achievements and books, including the "rediscovery of the four elements (five elements)" and the "rediscovery of the three principles." He was one of the rare individuals to have made a name for himself in both human history and the history of magecraft.
Ye Uchiha remembered Paracelsus's characterization: learned, rational, levelheaded, and gentle, with a dislike of combat and an intense hatred of betrayal. From that, he concluded that this was a Heroic Spirit a Master could trust.
Since Paracelsus disliked fighting, his manifestation as a Caster made him a perfect fit for support and research. After all, researchers were welcome wherever they went.
To make sure nothing went wrong, Ye Uchiha asked tentatively, "Do you know what state you're in right now?"
Glancing at the three people beside Ye Uchiha, Paracelsus said, "Hmm, has some irregularity occurred in this Holy Grail War? Although you possess Command Spells, Master, they cannot bind me. And both the Greater Grail and the Lesser Grail are here as well. This is an unprecedented development."
Hassan of the Hundred Faces stood silently in place, waiting for Ye Uchiha's orders like a killing machine.
Ye Uchiha told them frankly, "There is no Holy Grail War in this world. I used their abilities to connect to the Throne of Heroes and summon you. I need your strength, so would you be willing to enter into Servant contracts with me?"
"I see. I understand. Whether or not Command Spells bind me, I will obey your orders. This body is a tool for you to use. Unfortunately, my combat abilities are poor, and I cannot offer you much help in battle. If you do not mind that, please ask anything of me."
Studying Ye Uchiha's face, Paracelsus gave a slight, solemn bow as he spoke.
"Our legion of shadows is a blade concealed in darkness. You need not concern yourself with our opinions. Command us as you please. How our skills are used, whom we kill or cut down, is entirely for our Master to decide," Hassan of the Hundred Faces said evenly when Ye Uchiha turned his gaze toward her.
After receiving their firm answers, Ye Uchiha said to Irisviel, "In that case, Irisviel, sorry for the trouble, but please establish our contracts."
"Please do not resist. Simply follow your heart."
A golden Holy Grail emerged from her chest as Irisviel spoke in a low voice.
The Holy Grail, engraved with ornate patterns, radiated dazzling light and resonated with the crimson Command Spells on the back of Ye Uchiha's hand. Two golden streaks shot from its opening straight toward the hearts of the two Servants.
Feeling a faint burning sensation on the back of his hand as the patterns of his Command Spells glowed softly, Ye Uchiha could clearly sense a bridge forming between himself and the two Servants. He could expend the Command Spells on his hand to issue orders to them or enhance their strength.
Two blue notification boxes appeared on the interface, indicating that a relationship of allegiance had been established among the three:
[Servant contract successfully established: Paracelsus von Hohenheim. Class: Caster. Level: LV1.] [Servant contract successfully established: Hassan of the Hundred Faces. Class: Assassin. Level: LV1.]
Masters and Servants could converse through telepathy, though there was a limit to its range. For instance, Ye Uchiha could now issue orders to them mentally without speaking. All in all, it was quite a convenient ability.
Moreover, levels in this world were not tied to the strength someone originally possessed, which meant they could grow stronger by grinding levels. The process, however, took far too long. Raising himself from LV1 to LV59 alone had taken Ye Uchiha over a month. The higher his level rose, the more the required experience multiplied, until he was sick of grinding.
Ye Uchiha made a rough calculation. To raise his strength from Kage Level to the level beyond Kage occupied by Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, he would need to reach at least level three hundred and something. As for reaching the Sage of Six Paths' level, he could forget about it without a thousand levels or so.
By that calculation, even if he went without food, drink, sleep, or rest, he would have to grind for decades, perhaps a century, before reaching Six Paths level.
Now that Ye Uchiha knew he could travel to other worlds, he had no intention of wasting his time grinding monsters. It would be faster to visit other worlds and analyze and acquire their power systems, such as the Bleach world Gin Ichimaru came from or his own Naruto World.
Zanpakutō, Hollowfication, the Hōgyoku...
The Rinnegan, a sage body, the Tenseigan, Sage Mode...
Any one of those abilities could bring a qualitative leap in Ye Uchiha's strength, allowing him to surpass Kage Level with ease.
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