"Emotions are a lot like this whole 'recharge' thing," Ren murmured to himself."It seems like if I want to get stronger, I'll have to rely on hunting monsters to earn summoning crystals."
That was one way forward. Nothing in this world came without a cost.There was always risk involved—but as long as you were willing to pay the price, rewards would follow.
"I've still got one summoning charm left... I should save it."
Ren had always been a resource hoarder back when he played gacha games.His card draws were always calculated. Whenever a character he liked was announced, he would start stockpiling months—or even years—in advance.
Thanks to the "Clairvoyance" offered by the national server, he'd not only managed to collect all his favorite support characters but had also completed every class set for his beloved Saber.
The mark of a true free-to-play Saber loyalist.
"Speaking of Clairvoyance… let's take a look at what all these gift cards do."
They weren't just fluff items.
For example, one of them—[Projection Magic]—granted its user the basic abilities of projection magic the moment it was activated.
As soon as Ren tapped on the card, a shiver ran down his spine.
The next moment, he not only gained the skills of projection magic but also acquired the same magical circuits and physical constitution as Emiya Shirou.
The rest of the cards had equally diverse and powerful uses.
[Ritual Outfit: Reed Sea] granted the wearer an automatic one-time dodge and boosted their resistance to debuffs by 5%. While the resistance wasn't much, the 100% passive evasion made it a great tool for emergencies.
[Ritual Outfit: Magic Meter] allowed the user to detect magical and supernatural energy above a certain level, pinpointing its direction.
[Motorcycle: Armored Cavalry] transformed into a sleek silver bike that could move far faster than any regular vehicle.
Ren's inventory still held:
1x Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid
2x Green Black Keys
1x Red Black Key
1x Blue Black Key
He had already witnessed the Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid's power in action.
Originally used by Director Kenneth, the Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid could auto-target, defend, and attack. But back then, Ren hadn't had the magical energy needed to control it properly. It had barely fended off the spider spirit's attack.
Now that he had the vast magical energy granted by both Emiya Shirou and the Old Saber, the true power of this item became clear: it was a bottomless magic sink.
Even Kenneth, a genius from a long-established magical family, found the Marrow Fluid too costly to use in drawn-out fights.
"If I had more knowledge of alchemy… I might be able to convert it into a combat doll."
In the Fate universe, Kenneth's adopted sister, Lanis, had created a tactical battle doll from the Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid, guided by advice from Waver Velvet.
By assigning it a semi-personalized AI and restricting its functions, the doll could reduce its magical consumption to a minimum—creating a kind of mercury maid capable of independent combat.
That would be far more efficient than operating it manually.
"Let's start upgrading."
Ren took out two of the glittering five-star outfit cards and merged them. A flash of radiant white light burst forth as the two cards fused into one.
After the second enhancement, the Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid was faster, more energy-efficient, and significantly more effective.
"Now let's upgrade the Green Black Keys."
Ren focused on one of the [Green Black Key] cards. As soon as the [Use] option appeared, he tapped it.
The moment it dissolved into energy, a strange stream of information surged into his brain.
"Ugh…"
He rubbed his temples, frowning at the sudden headache. After a few seconds, the discomfort eased.
The card didn't teach him how to craft black keys—but it did bestow knowledge on how to use them, including the associated spell seals.
In the Type-Moon universe, black keys were the primary weapons of church exorcists.
In one of the original battles, a priest had used a red black key to fight off the magician-killer, Kiritsugu Emiya.
The weapons themselves had almost no raw destructive power—but their true strength came from the blessing runes imbued within.
There were three types:
Red Seal: Enhanced physical penetration.
Green Seal: Powerful against spiritual entities—ideal for cursed spirits like the spider ghost.
Blue Seal: Enhanced throwing speed—like a magically accelerated javelin.
None of them were absurdly overpowered individually, but in the right situation, they could be game-changers.
Chapter 4: The Senpai's Shock – Charm: MAX
The sudden appearance of spider spirits confirmed one terrifying truth:The world was no longer peaceful.
Kurosawa Ren needed power—real power—to protect not just himself, but also the people he loved.
The timing of the FGO summoning system felt like a divine intervention.
"Ren-kun, I forgot my towel! Can you bring me one?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha's soft, playful voice drifted from the bathroom.
Ren snapped back to the moment.
He grabbed a clean, dry towel and walked over to the door.
"Thanks~"
A delicate white hand reached through the door's narrow opening, taking the towel.But the door didn't close.
The scent of floral body wash mingled with warm steam, curling out into the room.
Ren instinctively held his breath.
Then came the teasing voice:
"Hehe, Ren-kun... want to come in? The door's not locked~"
Holy crap!
She's really going for it!
Ren's heart pounded. The recently awakened Red Dragon Heart inside him thumped wildly in response.
He was just about to open the door when he heard a playful giggle behind it.
Utaha stepped out casually, wearing nothing but a white bath towel.
Her slender, pale legs glistened from the steam, and her face wore a knowing smirk.
"Junior... you're being very naughty," she teased, hands on hips.
Ren frowned and huffed. "You're the one who's messing with me!"
"Come blow-dry my hair."
Without waiting for a reply, Utaha padded barefoot across the floor, her towel leaving soft footprints in its wake.
Ren sat down on the bed, and she nestled into his lap with ease.
Utaha's figure was elegant and alluring—slim yet curvy, graceful yet full of vitality.Even without her signature black stockings, her legs were breathtakingly smooth.
Ren switched on the hair dryer.
Bzzzz…
As he gently dried her long, jet-black hair, Utaha tilted her head slightly to look at him.
Something's… changed.
It had only been half an hour, yet Ren felt completely different—calmer, stronger, more confident.
This was one of the subtle effects of the Heroic Spirit transformation.
The old sword's spiritual essence didn't just boost Ren's strength. It reshaped his body and spirit—imbuing him with charisma and presence.
Arthur Pendragon had always been beloved in the original story for his quiet radiance.He was known as the "ideal knight," and even powerful mages like Sajo Ayaka had been drawn to him.
Ren, now infused with that very essence, naturally exuded that same magnetic aura.
"Well… senpai? Want me to keep going?"
Ren turned off the dryer, brushing a few strands of hair from Utaha's face.
Her cheeks were rosy.
"N-No need! It's already dry…"
She turned away shyly, hiding her embarrassment. What is wrong with me?! she scolded herself.Why is his smile making my heart race?
Something was definitely different about her boyfriend.And she was going to find out what.
Snuggling into his warm chest, her voice turned soft and serious.
"Ren-kun…"She looked up with hazy, wine-colored eyes."What was that spider thing earlier? And what was that silver liquid that protected us?"