(Titus's (Ferdiad's) POV)
[Cu Chulainn has been added to your Summon Servant panel in Prime.]
[Aoife (Caster) has been added to your Summon Servant panel in Others.]
[Connla (Saber) has been added to your Summon Servant panel in Others.]
I glanced at my Summon Servant panel and noticed three new notifications I had overlooked. "Wait, where is Shishou?" Confusion swept over me. Scathach should have been added to my list, yet she was nowhere to be found. The realization struck me. "Is she alive?"
The deduction was clear: if she hadn't appeared in the system panel, she must be alive at this moment.
"I need to find her." Those words left my lips as I attempted a teleportation spell to Scotland, yet nothing happened. Not even a trace near the gate where the Land of Shadows was supposed to exist. The changing train of lands over 2000 years must have caused this obstruction.
Adorning my coat, I hurried to the dining hall where the trio were enjoying their dinner.
"Guys, change of plans. We're heading to Scotland!" I announced, capturing the attention of the Japanese trio.
For a moment, Shirou, Rin, and Sakura stared at me, their expressions briefly reflecting surprise, before they resumed eating as if nothing had been said.
"Dinner's getting cold, Titus. You should grab a bite," Shirou suggested, gesturing for me to join them.
After hearing the titans' rumbling in my belly, I decided to join. I settled beside Rin, whose face bore a veil of curiosity. She probably had a clue that I had just experienced another dreamshift.
"Oh, a chicken leg!" I muttered, swiftly snatching it from Rin's plate and taking a big bite.
"Hey! I was saving that for last!" Rin protested, but I just shrugged and polished off the piece in seconds.
"It's rude to keep a chicken leg waiting," I smirked, then leaned in to whisper, "By the way, bears suit you."
Rin's initial confusion melted into a deep blush. "Ha!"
Chuckling, I carried on with my meal, stealing glances at Sakura, who smiled warmly at me. There was something off, though. For a brief moment, I sensed a hint of bloodlust from her. I felt like I was forgetting something important here.
Whatever, I finally get to eat something other than potatoes.
---
Shirou, Rin, and I stood on the plains near the land of Skye in Scotland. Just a few days ago, this very place had been a desolate wasteland overrun by the undead. Now, it had transformed into a breathtaking landscape.
"Is this the right place?" Shirou inquired, scanning the surroundings. I had brought them along, not wanting to make the journey alone. Plus, who knew if Scathach could impart some valuable lessons to them. Sakura, however, had declined the invitation.
"Yup," I confirmed, producing a handful of stones adorned with runes. Tossing them onto the ground, I chanted a spell.
In seconds, the stones expanded and lifted into the air, forming a door that swung open to reveal an entirely new reality.
Stepping through, a wave of nostalgia hit me. It felt like coming home, the place where I had spent 12 years with Scathach.
I led Shirou and Rin towards the spot where Scathach should be. Although I could have summoned her with a spell, I opted for the element of surprise. Along the way, I boasted to Shirou and Rin about the warrior queen, emphasizing her formidable fighting skills.
"Man, I'm getting nervous after hearing so much about such a legend!" Shirou exclaimed, his excitement tinged with apprehension.
"I'm excited though. I can't believe I'm walking in a phantasmal place and about to meet a real-life hero," Rin chimed in, sharing Shirou's anticipation.
"Yeah, she's a real badass," I added, reminiscing about my time with Scathach. The lessons I'd learned from her left me in constant awe of my mentor and, yes, my wife.
"And so, I present to you the greatest warrior woman in the world, my teacher and wife, Scathach!" I declared, swinging the door open.
What unfolded before our eyes defied all expectations.
"KA-MEEE-HAAAA-MEEE-HAAAAAA!" A woman clad in an orange martial arts gi, blond hair tied up, struck a pose reminiscent of Goku.
"…."
Silence enveloped us, an absolute stillness, until our gazes locked with the peculiarly dressed woman's.
---
The four of us sat there in an uncomfortable silence, not sure how to break it. Scathach and I kept our heads down, feeling utterly embarrassed. I had hyped up this legendary figure, only to be faced with a grown woman behaving like she was stuck with 8th grade syndrome. I could tell she was embarrassed too, her ears turning red.
Finally, unable to bear the awkwardness any longer, I sighed and decided to speak up. "Shirou, Rin, meet Scathach. She's my teacher and the person I admire the most... except for her tendency to act like a kid sometimes," I introduced her, motioning towards Scathach.
"As Titus mentioned, I'm Scathach, Queen of the Land of Shadows and the Witch of Dún Scáith," Scathach said with a gentle smile. But then, her smile turned wicked. "And about what you just witnessed. Forget about it unless you both want to join the ranks of the undead in this wasteland."
Shirou and Rin immediately nodded in agreement. I could only shake my head. It was a better outcome than Scathach going on a rampage and turning Rin or Shirou into mincemeat, given her temper.
"By the way, I'm also this little brat's wife," Scathach added, flashing a ring on her finger, her eyes fixed on Rin.
Rin was at a loss for words, so she just nodded, unsure of what else to do.
"Shishou, go easy on my friends," I interjected, trying to ease the tension.
"Sure thing~!" Scathach beamed a gentle smile, her mood shifting instantly.
"You... seem different, shishou," I remarked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Her demeanor, personality, and aura were entirely changed from the last time I saw her. She was displaying multiple expressions, and unlike before, they seemed genuine.
"But before we discuss that, let's get going," Scathach declared, pulling me out of the room and toward the battleground.
Scathach then conjured my Gungnir and casually tossed it in my direction.
"I've taken good care of the weapon. It might be a year or two old, but it'll work just fine," she assured.
"Yeah, I can see that," I replied, relieved to see my beloved spear in good condition. It was my signature weapon, and without it, I felt incomplete.
Scathach proceeded to materialize two more weapons, both resembling Gae Bolg.
"I crafted these from the bones of a demonic boar that appeared a few times recently. They're pretty much similar to the OG," Scathach explained, spinning the twin spears with ease.
I sensed a considerable increase in her strength. If she was a three-star ordinary servant before, now she seemed like a first-class SSR five-star Lostbelt king.
"Let's see how they perform against a god's weapon," I said, getting into a ready stance.
"More than the weapons, today I'll show you the true king of martial arts," Scathach declared, darting toward me with lightning speed. "Here I come!"
As our weapons collided, the air around us ruptured, and the entire Land of Shadows bore witness to the greatest battle of the time.
----
(3rd Person's POV)
"How the heck Titus become so strong?" As Shirou observed the intense battle unfolding between Titus and the legendary warrior Scathach, sweat dripped down his forehead. The clash of their weapons created a blur of motion, their movements so swift that Shirou struggled to keep track of them.
Merely a few months prior, Titus had struggled to wield a sword properly. Now, he fought like a seasoned warrior. Every aspect of his combat, from his footwork to his mastery of the spear, was a mesmerizing spectacle. The sheer intensity of the battle sent shivers down Shirou's spine.
"So, that's how he became stronger. I shouldn't have doubted him," Shirou mused to himself. When Titus had recounted stories about traveling to the past and encountering gender-bent versions of Nero Claudius or Tamamo-no-Mae, Shirou hadn't given much credence to it. Anomalies were commonplace in the age of magecraft, so he focused on honing his own skills. But now, standing in a fantastical realm, witnessing a clash between a mentor of heroes and his friend, Shirou finally acknowledged the truth in Titus's stories. More than that, he aspired to become stronger like Titus.
'Hm?' Shirou noticed Rin watching the intense battle, her expression filled with complexity. At first, he couldn't comprehend it, but soon he grasped the source of Rin's inner turmoil.
"You should have made a move on him, you know," Shirou suggested. "You should have approached him a long time ago."
Shirou was well aware of Rin's significant crush on his friend Titus. Even Titus seemed to sense it, attempting to express his feelings to Rin, but the raven-haired girl consistently rebuffed his advances. At first, Shirou thought it was okay given Rin's tsundere personality but now she was getting childish.
In Shirou's view, Rin needed to make a clear choice—either reject Titus or accept his feelings. Moreover, he couldn't determine if Rin was aware of Titus's harem plan, but considering Titus's close bond with Rin, it seemed likely that she knew.
"Shut up," Rin retorted, leaning against the window. "I... I don't know..."
Shirou hit the nail on the head; she should either embrace Titus's feelings or step out of his life. Titus, with his genuinely kind nature, would forever be Rin's friend. Yet, friendship wasn't what she craved. She yearned for more.
Similar to Sakura, she desired to be held in Titus's arms, kissed by her love, and eventually have sex with Titus.
However, she harbored a secret, one concealed from everyone. The fear of her secret unraveling haunted her, worried that revealing it would lead to rejection and isolation.
In the meantime, she resolved to seek a cure. She knew that Titus was morally upright and orthodox person. He won't be putting his dick in chicks and making girlfriends. This perception led her to think she had time to resolve her issues. Even if he was going back in time and having marriages, his women won't be going to come to this era.
Little did she anticipate that one of those women would survive for 2000 years. What's more, Scathach emerged as a prime beauty, wielding formidable skills and earning Titus's utmost respect.
With Scathach in the picture, she felt her chances diminish. Add to that Titus's harem plans, and the challenge seemed even greater.
Rin suddenly felt a comforting palm on her shoulder; turning around, it was Shirou.
"Rin, don't throw in the towel. I may not know the specifics, but if you've got something on your mind or need time, just talk to Titus," Shirou said with a reassuring smile. "Titus loves you, and if you open up to him, he'll understand."
"Huh?!" Rin blushed at the revelation of Titus's feelings. "Are you serious? Since when?"
"Since the day I met you two. Like you, he was quite stubborn, but he's become a better person," Shirou replied.
"Is that so..." Rin felt genuine happiness hearing this. She trusted Shirou; after all, she had sensed Titus's feelings herself.
"Don't give up. If the opportunity comes, seize it," Shirou advised, then added with a smirk, "Just don't overthink. Your brain might overheat, and you'll go back to acting like an idiot."
"Asshole," Rin's lips twitched, but she couldn't help but smile. "Thanks anyway. I'll give it my best shot."
Shirou's words filled her with newfound encouragement. With that, she was determined to explore what she could do now.
===
Lets continue the legacy with higher goals.
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