The King of the Grail's Fate (Fate/Nasuverse)

Chapter LXXVIII: Growth

Let me start off by saying oh boy has it been a run so far, and I hope to keep it going. Regardless this is going to serve as a little bit of a recap but also an explanatory chapter, so if you are not into that stuff feel free to skip this part.

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What Harrison didn't expect when he proposed such an idea was that everyone would gather around to hear what they had to say. Harrison was still seated on the couch, Jalter and Salter were on opposite sides of him, however, everyone else was behind them in a large circle observing with watchful eyes as if Harrison was about to pull the holy grail out of thin air. There was a long moment of silence as they all looked at each other in either anticipation or confusion. "cough, alright I guess since I suggested the idea maybe I should go first," Harrison started with an awkward smile.

"The round before last Shiki Rougi helped me realize I have Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, similar to her own. Though it has taken me a long time to get a full conscious grasp of their activation. From what I remember The Mystic Eyes of Death Perception can be called a circuit that opens up in the brain and eyes to allow the user to "perceive death," the conceptual "Death of an Existence," as visual signals in the form of Lines of Death and Points of Death. I know that "Death" is invisible to normal people, only accessed through perceiving the natural flaws with overly strong spiritual sight by looking through channels that normal people cannot perceive. By perceiving death, I think it isn't too far off to say I can see the Root itself. 

Furthermore, the use of the ability depends on how one thinks of death, and for that fact, I think I am limiting myself pretty heavily. The brain and the Mystic Eyes work as a set, so having different "specs" allows for great differences in the users' abilities to perceive death. They show the death of things, the weak points where everything is most easily broken, and the imperfection in everything that will break down one day. However, I think what I am most scared of is the fact that every time I use them it seems I lose more and more of the ability to block the sight, as it invades my vision occasionally." Harrison had gotten so wrapped up in his talk that he had totally lost sense of himself so as his words faded out he gazed upon a mixture of expressions from admiration to sorrow. Salter offered a supportive squeeze of his shoulder letting him know she was there, though she was blushing too hard to look him in the eye as she did it. 

"Right however there is more, though I am not really sure how it works. Ad Astra, I used in a fight a long time ago when I first summoned Salter, and it seemed to operate just as strengthening magic does for me. However, the last time I used it time grounded to a halt for me as if frozen entirely. As for the after-effects, it seemed my magic circuits were quite unresponsive and that carries up until now though I am starting to regain my feeling in them," Harrison comments more on what he himself has learned about his techniques. This is where Zerik cuts in, however. "Well I for one think that is awesome, it is very rare for a mage to have as many options nevertheless good ones as you do, so consider that a blessing though I would certainly work to understand your Ad Astra form better."

Salter then pipes up, "I for one think I should go next." As soon as she spoke it was if the tension in the room skyrocketed. Harrison did have an estimate as to why, a servant growing or developing new skills during a holy grail war was unheard of, so both masters and servants alike were all ears to hear about the developments. "An ability of mine I have been unsure of since the dawn of this grail war is my Flames of Dread as I so called it. First I used them to snuff out the holy blade Excalibur and small burst attacks, but I never truly understood what it was. That is until the last time I had fought I realized the flames weren't actual flames but were nearly an entryway into a reality marble within the Alter grail itself that I had yet to define myself. So I decided that it should take on the shape of my Avalon.

That leads me to my next point of a second noble phantasm of the Gates of Avalon or what I call my reality marble. I molded it after... past experiences regardless it serves as a paradise that through the grail exists outside of space and time. Furthermore, I can pull true forms of noble phantasms through the gate, for example, I used Caliburn in my fight against Avenger, and not an imitation of the authentic sword of selection." It is at this point that the tension reaches its pinnacle as the servants gaze upon Salter as if she is speaking some sort of unholy curse. It is one thing to gain a second noble phantasm, but to use weapons from another hero parallel to yourself altogether is something only Gilgamesh could do. However, Salter is wrapped up in her explanation and doesn't seem to notice. 

"I need to do more testing but I believe I may be able to summon the weapons to myself through my Flames of Dread giving me access to a powerful arsenal but again I have no idea if I or Righter is capable of sustaining that," Salter ends with a deep inhale of breath.

"LAAAAAAAAME!" Jalter exclaims from across the couch as she glares at Salter. "So what you just got more... uhh knight stuff. I have actually done something completely new as I promised you, Righter," Jalter says sticking her tongue out at Salter. "I love manga and Righter you just so happened to have some, so I started reading One Piece, and let me say I love Zoro, everything about him is awesome. So I thought to myself what is the point of having three swords if you don't use them. So in my last fight, I started to use techniques I saw Zoro use in the manga, and let me say. I do them better." She whispered the last part to Harrison.

"AH HA but not only that like Salter I have flames of my own, but instead of taking me to some paradise or whatever, mine won't let me die. For whatever reason Assassin had the same eyes that you described Harrison I think, and she thought she killed me a couple of times. I even believed her one of the times as the world went black around me instantly, however just as it did I could feel a purple flame ignite within my heart, and I sprung back to my feet as if nothing had happened, maybe I should call it something like Dragon Heart."