Several years later, Eichi returned to the long-sealed basement once more.
After cleaning away the dust, he began a new round of summoning.
"Declare."
A solemn chant echoed as blue-white light flared from the summoning circle.
"Let your body be entrusted to my command, and let my fate be bound to your sword."
Storms and thunder formed from magical energy flashed throughout the basement.
"Transcend the wheel of inhibition and appear, Guardian of the Scales."
As the final incantation fell, a figure holding a long katana appeared at the center of the circle.
"Assassin-class Servant, Sasaki Kojiro. I answer your summon."
Sasaki Kojiro possessed a strikingly handsome appearance.
His long dark blue hair was tied into a ponytail behind him, with two strands falling to his collarbone. He wore a purple kimono with a sleeveless haori over it. In his hand, he held a five-foot-long clothes-drying pole.
Sasaki Kojiro had a rather cool nickname.
Dragon Slayer Swordsman Sasaki.
When the mobile game first launched, the early chapters featured many Rider-class Dragon enemies.
These enemies were perfectly countered by Sasaki, an easily obtainable Assassin-class Servant.
As a result, many players trained Sasaki specifically to slay Dragons.
Thus, he earned the title Dragon Slayer Swordsman Sasaki.
In truth, Sasaki Kojiro was not a confirmed historical figure.
Or rather, a swordsman named Sasaki Kojiro wielding a clothes-drying pole might have existed.
But he was not the legendary swordsman created to serve as the rival of another sword master.
In other words, the widely known Sasaki Kojiro was largely fictional.
The one summoned as a Heroic Spirit was not the historical individual.
Instead, he was a nameless swordsman who coincidentally mastered Sasaki Kojiro's ultimate technique.
Because he could reproduce that technique, he was given the name Sasaki Kojiro and recorded as a Heroic Spirit.
Eichi raised his hand, revealing the Command Seals on the back of it.
"Then this sword shall act under my command."
The contract was established.
Eichi began the next summoning.
"Declare."
Another burst of dazzling light erupted, and a tall figure with long purple hair appeared.
"If you desire a living sacrifice, please use me as you wish."
"Use me as I wish..." Eichi looked at the tall, elegant Medusa with her eye covering, and his thoughts immediately wandered.
He quickly shook off the inappropriate thoughts and completed the contract.
Medusa could truly be called a tragic existence.
Among the three sisters, only she did not inherit a divine body.
Her two sisters retained their original small forms and did not grow.
Medusa, however, gradually grew from a tiny being into a tall and mature woman.
Ironically, she developed an inferiority complex because of her figure.
Medusa adored small and cute things, even becoming charmed by petite and adorable beings.
In her own perception, her tall and mature body did not meet the standard of beauty.
This kind of contrast was undeniably charming.
Originally, Medusa served as a priestess in Athena's temple.
After maturing, her perfect figure attracted the attention of Poseidon as he passed by.
Poseidon assaulted her within Athena's temple.
When Athena learned of this, the virgin goddess was enraged.
Instead of punishing Poseidon, she exiled and cursed Medusa for failing to preserve her chastity.
Medusa was banished to the Island of No Form.
Fortunately, her two sisters, worried about her, followed and lived with her there.
Later, due to the schemes of the gods, Medusa, who should have been a Mother Goddess, became labeled a monster in heroic tales, hunted by countless heroes.
To protect her sisters, she continued fighting.
Hatred eventually consumed her, and she transformed into the Demonic Beast Gorgon.
However, the Medusa summoned as a Rider was her form before she became a monster.
She was still the Medusa who belonged to the goddesses.
Moreover, Medusa was extremely loyal to her Master.
Especially toward Matou Sakura.
Her devotion to that abandoned and humiliated girl reached the level of self-sacrifice.
She even devised outrageous methods to protect Sakura from Matou Shinji.
Summoning Medusa often meant gaining a dependable and loyal older sister Servant.
Next came the final Servant of this round.
"Declare."
As wind and thunder swirled within the circle, a cheerful voice rang out.
"Yo. Lancer, responding to the summon. Let's get along well, Master."
"You can rest assured about that. I think we'll get along very well."
Eichi was confident in this.
There were plenty of places here for Cú Chulainn to fish, and no shortage of strong opponents to fight.
"Haha. That's great to hear."
Cú Chulainn laughed and planted his spear against the ground.
A Heroic Spirit who frequently appeared in various Type-Moon works and across multiple classes.
He wore a blue and gold battle suit that highlighted his muscular build.
The crimson spear in his hand made it obvious at a glance that he was dangerous.
Though often cast in supporting roles, he created countless memorable scenes and famous lines.
For example, the infamous phrase, "Lancers have E-rank luck."
Even so, no one could deny Cú Chulainn's strength or his heroism.
In Type-Moon works, his romantic popularity was downplayed in favor of emphasizing his identity as a hero.
Because of that, he was loved by many.
At this point, Eichi's Fuyuki Holy Grail War lineup had reached six Heroic Spirits.
Only two more remained.
You might ask, why are there eight when a Holy Grail War has seven?
Isn't it common knowledge that there are five Heavenly Kings?
Besides the unofficial member of the Fifth Holy Grail War, the oldest King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, Eichi now only lacked Berserker Heracles.
It was not that he could not summon him.
He was simply concerned about accidentally leveling half of Tokyo.
After all, the memory of Berserker nearly demolishing half of Fuyuki while buying batteries for Illya was unforgettable.
He even unleashed his spinning, charging Noble Phantasm inside a shopping mall.
It was a Noble Phantasm powerful enough that even Emiya found it difficult to counter.
Eichi, who was not a loli, decided to postpone Heracles' summoning.
When Kenjaku finally surfaced to cause trouble, that would be the perfect time to release Berserker.
By then, if Tokyo was demolished, the blame could be pinned on Kenjaku.
This time, Tokiomi would not have to take the fall.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)