FGO: Everyday Life in Chaldea

FUYUKI — 5

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“Ha… Ha… Ha… Ha…”

Toshino panted tiredly as he slumped to the ground, coughing and chocking on the harsh hot air around him.

“Hey, stand up! We need to keep moving!”

The Director scolded the final Master who took it without any argument. He knew that they have to keep on moving, the longer Saber generates Od from the infinite source that is the Holy Grail, the lower their likelihood of surviving this Singularity.

But they have been walking for 3 hours now without any breaks, and he was hungry and thirsty. The Mystic Code that he was wearing on his wrists could only give so much to feed him with energy… shots…

Wait a second, something was amiss…

His head tilts slightly as his walking speed slows down, ignoring the words of the Director as he places his palm on his chin, in thought. He just reviewed what he just thought, and he is missing something in that sentence…

“ — And you! Why are you looking depressed?! Your performance is degrading, Kyrielight!”

She suddenly turns her fangs towards Mash, to which Dr. Roman tried to pacify.

“Now, now, no need to berate her, after all she’s — ”

“I agree. She has been deep in though, even during combat. That is not good when we are battling in attrition. Master had to heal her a times too much.”

Sasaki notes with Caster nodding, as Mash raised her head, showing a complicated expression.

“… I… It’s that — I have amassed enough experience during these two days, and yet… I still can’t use my Noble Phantasm.”

“Ah, you were worried about that? Well, you always have had a strong sense of responsibility… But I doubt that’s something you can pull off in just a few days. I mean, we’re talking about a Noble Phantasm!

If you could use a Heroic Spirit’s own crystallization of their legend in a day or two, that will then make Servants lose face in a way, you know?”

Dr. Roman consulted Mash who had a pitiful look on her face when Caster looked at the two in confusion.

“Huh? Can’t use your Noble Phantasm — Listen, such things obviously can use instantly. Heroic Spirits and Noble Phantasms are the same side of a coin, their concept which are their legends, are totally the same thing.

If the Missy can fight as a Servant, then at that point she can use a Noble Phantasm.”

The Magecraft specialist explained as Toshino asked with interest.

“Shishou! Then what is the reason for her not being able to use it?”

Caster shivered as the Director smacks him on the head.

“Ow!”

“Consider Mash’s feelings!”

“But you didn’t earlier…”

“Ahem! One, don’t call me that, it’s giving me bad feelings as if Shishou is currently watching… And two, the reason that she can’t use it just means that there must be a clog that’s stopping her.

What’s the word… Motivation? No… Energy? Eh, regardless, there’s something missing mentally when she wants to use it.”

Toshino looks at Sasaki who answered the unspoken question without even hearing it.

“It’s more in the instinctive side of things. I just know that I can use it and how to do it. Maybe it would be different since Miss Mash is a demi-Servant.”

“That is a good argument regarding her status as a demi-Servant , but simply put, Noble Phantasms are one with a Heroic Spirit, meaning you definitely have one without question.”

Walking towards the Director, everyone could feel a small focal point of Prana flowing to Caster’s fingertip.

“Hey, Master, you don’t mind a detour, right?”

“A detour?”

Toshino frowned. This was giving him a bad feeling…

“Oh, just something that my Shishou always does when I’m not improving much, it’ll finish quickly. And don’t worry about healing, the me now is a Caster, healing runes are easy with this class…”

He starts drawing a few symbols of runes on the Director’s coat, with Toshino barely saw the narrowed eyes of Caster when he applied it. Before he could ask what was on his mind…

“Eh, w-what are you doing?!”

“Just a simple misfortune warding rune, elementary with my skills.”

“You what?!”

There it is, his bad feeling!

A second later, roars erupted nearby.

“Grrroaa!”

“Ahhhhh!”

“You damn Servant!”

“Assassin, don’t fight in this unless the Master’s life is in danger. Missy here has to learn that unleashing a Noble Phantasm are based on her heart.”

“… Ah, I see. The higher the stakes, the less she thinks accordingly. Reason would make it harder to pull it off. Very well.”

As much as he would like to order the two around to help, he knew that Mash has to do this alone. So, he simply placed his hand over the Demi-Servant’s shoulder.

“I’ll support you with as much Prana. Let’s do this.”

Mash looked at him before she nods, her eyes now clear with determination.

“Yes, Mash Kyrielight, entering combat!”

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*SHATTER!*

The sound of bones shattering sounded, indicating the end of the battle as Toshino pulled his fist out of the crushed skull of a skeleton, his body heaving heavily while steam was smoking from his entire body. 

Biting the inside of his gum, he sat down and winced in pain as he did his best to turn off his overworked Magic Circuits that are currently overheating, but it is a slow and painful process. Once a Magic Circuit overworks itself, turning one off would equate to solving a complex maze with tricks and traps. And he had a total of 42 of them.

"Oh, crap — Romani, activate the built-in cooling system, his Circuits — !"

The Master had been relentlessly using his Od which had already run out since day 1. Furthermore, he had to sustain for 3 Servants plus his own spells. He had reached his breaking point.

"Y-Yes! On it!"

A groan came out from the final Master's throat as the sound of a piping hot steel cooling down with cold water sounded, with the Director running towards Toshino after pulling on her collar, revealing her own set of Magic Circuits on her neck.

Pressing on his forehead, the Director started chanting a freeze spell to try and lower the burning temperatures of the Master while Dr. Roman did all he could at the current moment, which was to activate the emergency cooling weaved in the Mystic Code for these types of scenarios.

"That's enough! Any more of this continuous combat is — I'm sorry, Caster — "

Mash begged Caster as she used her large shield to help fan her steaming (Literally) Master.

"Please give me some lessons with some proper reason in it, please not just with willpower like this — "

"— You really don't get it do ya. Was I wrong in my hopes for this missy?"

Caster's tone of disappointment stabbed the Shielder in the heart as he kicked up his wooden staff that was standing upright on the ground. 

"Well whatever. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Well then, the next opponent'll be me."

"What??!"

"I knew it, you damn Servant — !"

"?????"

"Just because I'm an ally, doesn't mean you have to hold back. I'll be out to kill Toshino with all I've got too after all."

"What are you saying? You crazy!? This training's got nothing to do with Toshino does it!?"

The Director tried to argue only to back down at the Servant's intense stare.

"A Servant's problems are also the Master's problems. Did I not say they're a collective bound together by fate? That's the case for you too right, Toshino? When the missy can't stand no more'll be your death."

"!!! Master... Please, stand back! I will — I won't pull you down!"

The Shielder positioned in between the now rampant Caster Servant and her Master as she brandishes her shield in its full glory, protecting the convulsing Master who was struggling from overusing his Magic Circuits.

"What's how it should be. Well then, let's get straight to this fight with a proper Servant!"

Prana expels from the Caster Servant, the amount of Od surging from the magus was shocking, but Mash simply grips her shield tighter. 

She will... She will not! 

She would not falter anymore!