So the question arises—if Shinji's learning ability is so strong, why did he only gain this much power after studying with Scáthach for so long?
There are two reasons.
First, his time with Scáthach was spent building a foundation. Basic training might not show significant immediate improvement in power, but it is crucial for future development.
Second, back then, Shinji was human, but now he is a Servant. Teaching skills to a human requires direct instruction while teaching skills to a Servant is much simpler.
The skills "Wisdom of Divine Gift" and "Wisdom of Dún Scáith" are considered cheat skills partly because they allow one to bestow their skills to other Servants—note the word "bestow."
This means that as long as Chiron or Scáthach is willing, and you want to learn, you can acquire the desired skills from them in a short time. Although these skills do not include the user's mastery and experience, and their level is not as high as the original, they are still enough to significantly boost a Servant's power.
However, most Servants are Heroic Spirits who possess their pride and generally will not seek instruction from other Servants—neither of these legendary teachers can beg you to learn. Therefore, these two bug-like skills have never been fully utilized—until Shinji appeared.
By becoming a Servant through backdoor means, he was not a hero and lacked a hero's pride. As long as Chiron was willing to teach, Shinji was eager to learn as many skills as possible, believing that one can never have too many skills.
In these two days, Shinji absorbed everything Chiron taught like a sponge, and his power increased rapidly. Now, even without relying on his Noble Phantasm, he would not be defeated so quickly when facing Achilles.
Using his already healed left hand, Shinji took the final item from the "Assassin's Triple Set"—a hand crossbow—and loaded a bolt with his right hand, aiming at the rooftop.
He had learned far more than just "Pankration." There were many other miraculous skills lost in the river of history, including Chiron's famed archery.
Mana continuously flowed into the bolt, a combination of mana release and archery—powerful shooting.
The moment Mordred peeked over the rooftop, the bolt shot out harmoniously.
◇◇◇
Black Assassin and Red Saber fought back and forth in a thrilling battle, while their Masters continued to confront each other.
It wasn't that they didn't want to fight or were afraid; they were comparing the information in their minds with the enemy before them, trying to ensure victory.
Fiore knew that Kairi Sisigou was a freelance magus with more combat experience than herself.
Sisigou also knew that Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillennia was the genius chosen to be the next head of the Yggdmillennia family.
—This person uses necromancy. However, it's not just a simple method of turning the dead into ghouls. For example, the firearm in his hand...
—This young lady uses spirit summoning and ergokinesis... something about a connection-enhanced magical device.
The sound of Mordred crashing into the wall shattered the tense atmosphere between them. The sound of armor hitting the wall was particularly clear in the quiet night, intensifying the tension.
Sisigou skillfully drew his sawed-off shotgun, while Fiore decisively levitated.
He pulled the trigger—bullets made from the fingers of severed magi, capable of tracking a magus's aura, targeted her forehead.
"—Jupiter: Tin arm of Protection, intercept!"
The deadly bullets, aimed unerringly at her head, were intercepted by the arms extending from her back without hesitation.
Sisigou's surprise lasted only a moment. He retreated with unexpected agility for his large frame, taking cover in a nearby abandoned building.
Meanwhile, the two metal arms extending from Fiore's back split along the centerline. She now controlled four arms instead of two. Two of them replaced her legs, embedding into the stone floor, while the other two stretched towards Sisigou, opening like serpents about to strike.
"——Mars: Iron arm of War, fire at will."
With a sound reminiscent of bullet fire, "light projectiles" shot out from the openings of the arms. These "light projectiles," no less powerful than real bullets, instantly shattered the ground near Sisigou's feet.
"Ah, damn it. Those arms can do anything...!"
Hiding behind the stairs, Sisigou grumbled, selecting new bullets from his waist pouch and reloading his shotgun.
Curse bullets are highly effective against humans but lack significant penetration power against objects, unable to pierce through cover several centimeters thick in a short time.
After firing a shot to suppress the enemy, Sisigou retrieved a modified owl's eye from his pouch and tossed it through a gap in the car. Once connected to his right eye, he began observing his opponent. First, he reassessed her Mystic Code.
According to the personal data Sisigou had obtained beforehand, Fiore was supposed to be unable to move her legs due to the deterioration of her magic circuits.
However, with this kind of equipment, that defect was hardly an issue. To her, the Mystic Code was like an incredibly proficient pair of hands and legs. Although only subsonic, the fact that it could easily catch his fired curse bullets indicated an unparalleled advantage in precise movements.
—Its autonomous defensive response speed is nearly perfect, probably comparable to the maid-type homunculus Mystic Code, Moon Spirit Marrow, carried by the "Princess" of the El-Melloi family.
Even so, one is mercury, and the other is metal arms. It would likely be quite challenging to counter-attacks like claymore mines that do not attack a single point but rather an area.
"So, this should do."
Sisigou pulled a magi's heart from the inner pocket of his coat. This organ, embedded with the magi's teeth and nails, was the perfect weapon against magi. The scattered teeth and nails contained curse-like mana, and once they invaded the body, they would have an effect similar to Gandr. However, probably due to the magi's death, the effect was several times stronger.
Simply put, once the teeth and nails invaded the skin, they would rot and dissolve the flesh.
After pulling out the muscle fiber acting as a safety mechanism, the previously inert heart began to pulse instantly. Through the owl's eye, Sisigou had already pinpointed Fiore's location. Still hiding behind the stairs, he used a sudden burst of air to throw the heart grenade into a perfect position.
"Ugh—!!"
If Sisigou made any mistake, it was that he had used this trick once in a minor skirmish with homunculi, allowing Fiore to see it. Thoroughly examining the recovered homunculus corpses, she deduced their power and effect from their rotting state, recognizing it as a lethal attack method.
"——Saturn: Lead arm of Roaring, crush it!"
The metal arm that replaced her right leg and supported her body suddenly transformed into a flat, shovel-like shape, instantly crushing the rolling heart from above. The teeth and nails, which should have scattered in the explosion's shockwave, were pressed beneath, unable to harm Fiore's body.
However, for Sisigou, gaining even a moment was more important. He rushed to the landing between the first and second floors as quickly as possible and directly shot out the window.
The finger bullets attacking from a different angle still couldn't break through the protection of the "Jupiter: Tin arm of Protection," and the "Mars: Iron arm of War" simultaneously adjusted its firing angle. Throughout, Fiore made no manual adjustments, relying entirely on the arms' automatic responses.
This showcased the strength of the Bronze-Link Manipulators: Coupled Reinforcement Mystic Codes.
Fiore, due to her mobility issues, wanted to design a Mystic Code that could both replace her legs and automatically protect its user according to the situation. Inspired by Kayneth's "Volumen Hydrargyrum: Marrow of the Moon Spirit," she forged four prosthetic limbs from a special alloy that conducted mana more efficiently, each limb imbued with the spirit of an animal.
Unlike the "Volumen Hydrargyrum: Marrow of the Moon Spirit," the "Bronze-Link Manipulators: Coupled Reinforcement Mystic Codes" only memorizes the minimum necessary action patterns. After all, it contains animal spirits, which cannot engage in overly complex thinking. Therefore, it falls slightly short of the Volumen Hydrargyrum in terms of attack power. On the other hand, when it comes to protecting its master, the animal's reflexes are fully utilized, making it nearly impossible for ordinary Mystic Codes to penetrate the defensive circle formed by the four prosthetic limbs.
Similar to the Volumen Hydrargyrum, the "Bronze-Link Manipulators" can be operated in two modes: active and passive. The former is more flexible and versatile but places a significant burden on mana consumption. The latter reduces mana consumption.
Incidentally, Fiore treats the four prosthetic arms as pets and has named them Asta, Blanca, Komet, and Wolf. However, this secret is known only to Caules—well, and now also to Shinji, who has read the setting documents.
Ahem, getting a bit sidetracked. In any case, with just the Mystic Code designed by Sisigou based on modern weaponry, it's impossible to harm Fiore.
At first, Sisigou could retaliate using "finger bullets" and "heart grenades," but before long, he was forced to rely on the building's corridors for cover, constantly dodging—whether because Fiore's suppression was too intense or Sisigou's ammunition was running low.
Seeing that the enemy wouldn't come out no matter what, Fiore frowned. After hesitating for a moment, she began to approach the corridor.