I'm back!
***
"Carina, you should leave now."
"Shiki is quite strong."
"Even after taking a hit from me earlier, his condition is still decent."
"With his current state, it's worth using 'that.'"
Arton handed the Nichirin Blade to Carina, smiling as he looked in Shiki's direction.
"Be careful, Arton."
Carina nodded emphatically without saying much.
After taking a deep look at Arton's back and Shiki's astonished face, she quickly dashed away, her body surrounded by lightning.
"She... you..."
Shiki pointed at Carina, then at Arton.
After a moment, he nodded as if understanding something, and said,
"I see, I understand now."
"The one who ate the Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit is that woman."
"And you must have eaten a Devil Fruit similar to the Jacket-Jacket Fruit."
Shiki, with his extensive experience, had seen someone use the Jacket-Jacket Fruit's power before.
It allowed the user to transform into a jacket and merge with another person, completely controlling them.
However, in Shiki's view, Arton's Devil Fruit seemed even more exceptional.
Arton's Devil Fruit appeared to allow him to completely merge with another person and use their Devil Fruit abilities.
"Jacket-Jacket Fruit?"
"Think whatever you want to think."
Arton twisted his neck and jumped in place a couple of times.
"Shiki, you managed to withstand so many of my attacks just now," he said. "And you still maintain a relatively good condition."
"So, you qualify."
"Now, I'm going to use some other powers."
Arton spoke confidently.
"Use other powers?" Shiki echoed.
"I thought you handed the sword to that woman to surrender to me," he sneered. "So, you're planning to use what you mentioned earlier as 'that,' right?"
"Very well, then. I'll make you fully understand the gap between us," Shiki laughed maniacally.
He believed that if he could showcase his full strength, making Arton realize the difference between them, Arton would eventually join him.
Even though Arton wasn't a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit user, the displayed ability to use other users' powers made Shiki even more determined to recruit him.
"The gap, huh... Well, just watch closely," Arton smirked, activating his system panel with a thought.
"System, start the video recording mode and log the video into the diary."
"I need to review the process of using the 'Template Challenge Scroll' later."
[Video recording mode activated. The video will be synchronized to the host's diary.]
"Good, now activate the Challenge Template."
[As you wish.]
Suddenly, deep green magical circuits belonging to Emiya Shirou spread throughout Arton's body.
As these magical circuits spread across his body, Arton began to undergo some changes.
[Video (live recording): Battling Shiki Shiki using the Emiya Shirou Template Challenge Scroll!]
Charlotte Smoothie: "Is this it? Arton has already started fighting Shiki and plans to use the Challenge Scroll?"
Black Maria: "Perfect, we can see just how powerful this challenge scroll can make Arton."
Doll: "I didn't expect that we would see Arton's video before Hina and Tashigi sent theirs."
Gion: "With Emiya Shirou's origin being 'sword,' will we get to see Arton replicate Shiki's sword and his slashes this time?"
The live-streamed video that suddenly appeared in the diary replicas made the holders, who were about to go about their business, stop in their tracks and focus all their attention on the diary.
Everyone, especially those interested in seeing if Arton could use projection magic to replicate swords, was glued to the screen.
They were curious to know if he could also replicate the moves used by the owners of those swords through projection magic.
Even those who didn't use swords were intrigued. After all, Arton had mentioned in the diary that Emiya Shirou could also project non-sword weapons and potentially replicate the skills of the owners of those weapons.
This meant that any weapon-based combatant's moves could possibly be mastered by Arton through projection magic.
Given these possibilities, it was no wonder they were keenly following Arton's upcoming battle.
From the women's perspective, they saw green stripes suddenly appear on Arton's exposed skin.
These stripes gradually changed Arton's appearance. His casual clothes transformed into a blue and white outfit, and his black hair turned auburn.
These were the iconic features of Emiya Shirou's high school attire.
"Indeed, even the outfit changes to this style."
"I wonder if performing a high jump right now would attract the ladies' attention?"
Arton mused to himself as he felt the new power within him.
"Are you saying your body is fused with another person?"
"Is this appearance due to the powers of another Devil Fruit user you fused with?"
Shiki's curious voice reached Arton's ears at this moment.
"Heh, if you think this look is due to another power user, then go ahead and believe that."
"Anyway, it's roughly as you described."
Shiki smiled and said, "Interesting, then I'll make sure to ask you properly after I defeat you."
"You handed your weapon to that woman. Are you planning to fight me with your bare hands and feet now?"
"Weapons?" Arton glanced at the famous swords Oto and Kogarashi under Shiki's feet. "Who said I don't have weapons?"
"Projection, begin!"
Arton muttered, and the projection magic quickly unfolded. In an instant, the structure, material, and every detail of the two famous swords at Shiki's feet became transparent in Arton's eyes.
"Creating a concept, analyzing!"
"Basic framework, assuming!"
"Material composition, duplicating!"
"Crafting technique, imitating!"
"Experience of growth, sharing!"
"Accumulated years, reproducing!"
Arton's lips curled up, and he raised his empty hands towards Shiki.
"Projection complete!"
Buzz!
The green glow of the magic circuits passed through Arton's arms. With a dull thud, blue and white magical particles bloomed in Arton's palms. In an instant, Shiki was astonished to see two blades appear in Arton's once-empty hands. What shocked him even more was that these blades looked so familiar, almost like...
"Oto, Kogarashi?"
Shiki looked at the projected versions of Oto and Kogarashi in Arton's hands and was momentarily stunned.
"That's right, they are your famous swords Oto and Kogarashi."
"Shiki, do you still think I am unarmed?" Arton tested the blades in his hands and smiled at Shiki.
He was pleasantly surprised. The projection magic worked in this world too. It wasn't just about projecting Oto and Kogarashi. Like Shirou Emiya in the Type-Moon world, Arton could also access Shiki's experience with these swords when he projected them.
As a result, he could wield Oto and Kogarashi quite skillfully. Although, due to not utilizing enough magic circuits, the skills he accessed were relatively superficial.
However, this was enough to make Arton feel delighted.
He thought that if he wanted, he might actually be able to project Shiki's slashes as well.
"If I were to use the slashes he used earlier right in front of him… his expression would definitely be amusing."
Arton's lips curled up as he thought to himself.
***
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