Chapter 53: Projection

The training was different from Haruki's predictions. Archer simply asked him to do normal pushups. Medea almost materialized to scold Archer for wasting his time on a trivial workout. Haruki could do pushups for a very long time with his current endurance, so she wasn't wrong.

Seeing the doubt on Haruki's face, Archer smirked. "Want to make it difficult?"

Archer conjured a pair of swords in his hands. Black and white, each with the symbol of Yin and Yang near the bottom of their blades.

"A better way to train is carving the experience in your muscle memories."

"Projection trace version," Haruki muttered the name of Archer's specialized magecraft. The normal projection used one's imagination to materialize objects through the use of magical energy, but Archer's version reproduced an object's history as well as its skills through his Reality Marble 'Unlimited Blade Works.'

'Doesn't hurt to try.'

A simple spear or a legendary Noble Phantasm?

'I want Gae Bolg or Rhongomyniad.'

It was impossible to project something without seeing it beforehand. Of course, Haruki had seen both of the weapons on his computer screen before.

"It still counts," Arch said. "Can you do it though?"

'Don't disturb me.'

He didn't pick Rhongomyniad due to its mysteries and the fact it was a seal protecting the world from the Reverse Side of the World. So he picked Gae Bolg instead and closed his eyes, imagining the crimson spear whose only purpose was bestowing deaths upon its foes. A design simple yet ominous for its great power. Carved from Curruid's skill, a great sea monster of the distant past, it was Scáthach's weapon of choice in every battlefield.

His magical energy whirled, bringing forth a blurry shaft before him. Medea came out of her spiritual form and scrutinized the intricate mysteries forming before her eyes. "Gradation Air Magecraft."

'He said he didn't know any magecraft. Was he lying?'

Medea shook her head. Lies or truth didn't matter anymore.

"This guy…" Archer stared at him in a trance. The fact that someone other than him could use this version greatly surprised him.

Haruki had already drilled the concept of creation into the object, imagined the basic structure, and realized the materials behind the creation.

'Next one is tougher.'

Haruki didn't pay any attention to the onlookers as he poured all of his imagination into bringing the spear to life.

'How was Gae Bolg made exactly?'

"Like any weapon," Arch whispered. "By a blacksmith."

'Huh.'

The shaft before him took on a crimson color, appearing synonymous with the real thing. Without any actual substance, it was hollow inside. The next steps were a piece of cake for him. He knew what Gae Bolg experienced in Scáthach's hands.

Complete slaughter of spirits and gods alike.

Haruki opened his eyes and caught the crimson spear.

'Twenty pounds or more? It's freaking heavy for a spear.'

He performed a few moves without breaking a sweat.

"Incomplete," Archer said with a chuckle. "A commendable endeavor nonetheless."

Some people were born with greater talents than others, he admitted. Some worked harder to make up for this natural talent. Haruki belonged to the former category, Archer could say it without a doubt.

Haruki sighed. The reality was as Archer said. He couldn't reproduce the mysteries behind Gae Bolg. He lacked information. But it didn't completely fail though. The spear was tougher than the fully reinforced Mystic Code created by Medea. In the end, he had mostly replicated the materials used for Gae Bolg.

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"You'll get better," Arch consoled him. "It was your first try, remember?"

Haruki could never understand this dragon goddess. He glanced at Archer with a smirk. The perfect teacher to teach him the craft of projection.

"Teach me your projection."

Archer suddenly regretted his decision to teach Haruki. As he tried to throw a snarky comment at Haruki, he felt a presence behind him. He quickly turned around and assumed a stance.

"Come out."

"It seems I'm found."

A voice came from behind a tree. The owner revealed himself as a man with deep crimson eyes and a white earring hanging from each ear. He had short, spiky blue hair with four bangs on his forehead and a thin rat tail swinging along with the breeze. He put his crimson spear over his shoulder and strolled toward the group with leisure.

"Lancer." Haruki turned to Medea. "Make bounded fields when we train."

"...I'm sorry."

She never took in the possibility of a servant following them outside the city.

"Don't fret over it."

"Yo. Servants are having a party here," Lancer said and spun his spear before he put it back on his shoulder. Closing his right eye, he glanced at Haruki's spear. "What are you doing with a fake, kid?"

The death aura had lured him from the city. Kirei hadn't given him an order to reconnaissance, so he had to check out what might be another servant. Never in his right mind did he expect to see a half-baked copy of his Shishou's spear here.

"You aren't original as well," Haruki replied. "A copy from the Throne of Heroes."

Lancer simply chuckled at Haruki's remark. He gave a half-hearted glance at the blade in Archer's hands. "Assassin?"

Archer shrugged. "You're from the Lancer-class."

"Cu Chulainn, the son of Lugh," Haruki added. "Thanks for revealing your identity."

"Fucked up, didn't I?" Lancer laughed at his blunder. He was at an immediate disadvantage in a fight against the two servants whose origins were unknown. He hadn't given any order to engage in a fight in the first place.

"Your master will be angry," Haruki said. "He doesn't care about you in the first place."

Lancer's carefree aura faded as a killing intent filled the air. It was an unconscious reaction against those he deemed enemies.

"How do you know my master?"

Haruki was unfazed against Lancer's hostility. "Don't you want to avenge your real master?"

Lancer's face took on a cold look. He despised Kirei, and his cowardly tactics. The priest had killed his master before his own eyes and used her Command Spells to force his allegiance. A warrior like him was bent to become a hound for information gathering against his own will. This shouldn't be known to anyone other than Kirei and him.

"What are you getting at, kid?" He pointed his spear at Haruki, neither confirming nor denying his words. "Come clean."

"Caster." Haruki stretched his hand. Medea created a bounded field before she placed her Noble Phantasm in his hand. "This will free you from your contract with the priest."

Archer immediately recognized the ceremonial dagger of Medea from his hazy memories, but he stayed silent and watched Haruki's next action.

'He is far more than he lets on.'

Haruki wasn't going to let Medea fight more than necessary now, so exposing her true name wasn't that crucial. Seeing Lancer's thoughtful expression, Haruki's face broke into a grin. Cu Chulainn may appear fierce, but he was a believer of justice, especially against women. He had used this fact against him. Lancer's rejection was a risk he willingly took.

"What do you say?" Haruki asked once again. "Will you remain his hound or be your own man and avenge your fallen master?"

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