( 3rd POV )
The cold night air of Los Angeles greeted Ken as he walked through the nearly empty parking lot, his arms weighed down by bags filled with neatly wrapped gifts. A light snowfall had begun to descend from the sky, dusting the asphalt and cars with a delicate, shimmering white layer. He exhaled slowly, his breath forming a misty cloud that dissipated in the chilly atmosphere.
As Ken neared the Shadow Border disguised as an ordinary, nondescript vehicle, he caught the sound of voices drifting from another entrance to the lot.
His keen senses recognized them immediately, it was Kadoc and his Servant, Anastasia. Their banter carried through the crisp night air, laced with familiar exasperation and mirth.
"We could've been at the restaurant with the others eating right now," Kadoc complained, adjusting his grip on several shopping bags. His tone, while carrying a hint of annoyance, yet lacked any real bite. "But no, you had to take your time picking out dresses."
Anastasia rolled her eyes with a huff. The Russian princess' delicate features were as regal as ever, framed by flowing silvery hair. She adjusted the hem of her coat as she walked beside her Master. "Hmph. You have only yourself to blame, Master. I asked for your opinion, and all you ever said was 'they all look beautiful.' How was I supposed to choose?"
Kadoc sighed heavily. "That's because they all did look good on you. Like I said, why don't you just buy all of them?"
"Hmph, you don't understand, do you?"
The pair of master and servant keep bantering with each other until they arrived at the back of the Shadow Border.
Ken, having overheard their entire exchange, stood silently with a deadpan expression as they walked closer. He remained still, watching their lighthearted argument with a mix of mild amusement and secondhand embarrassment.
Noticing his gaze, Kadoc halted mid-step and furrowed his brows. "What are you looking at?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Ken blinked, considering whether to respond with an equally sarcastic remark but ultimately shrugged instead. "Nothing." Without another word, he reached into one of his bags and tossed a pair of neatly wrapped gifts toward them.
Both Kadoc and Anastasia instinctively caught the presents. They exchanged brief glances before examining the red-and-green wrapping paper adorned with miniature reindeer and snowflakes.
"Merry Christmas," Ken muttered nonchalantly. "Try not to freeze each other before morning."
With that, he turned on his heel and entered the Shadow Border without looking back, leaving the pair standing in stunned silence.
Anastasia held her gift delicately, her deep blue eyes softened as she traced the edges of the wrapping paper with her fingers. "Is he always like this?"
Kadoc, still staring at his own package, let out a long sigh before shaking his head. "As much I don't want to admit it, he is one of the most considerate people in our group. Acts all tough and makes fun of people, but deep down… he is just a softie." He scoffed lightly, a small smirk playing at the edge of his lips. "Doesn't make it any less annoying, though."
"I see..." Anastasia nodded, "You have a great friend, my master." She said as Kadoc staring at her with the 'are you for real' look.
Inside the Shadow Border, the warmth of the interior provided a stark contrast to the cold night outside. The hum of the machinery within the vehicle was a familiar. Ken walked down the narrow corridors, before arriving in the cockpit room. Noticing that the place was eerily quiet—no doubt the others were still at the restaurant, enjoying their dinner.
Upon reaching his room, Ken wasted no time dumping his bags onto the table beside his bed before flopping onto the mattress with a tired sigh. Staring at the ceiling, his thoughts drifted back to the unfortunate outcome of his gacha pulls earlier that night.
With a flick of his wrist, he raised his right hand, opening his palm. In an instant, a peculiar object appeared—an acorn-like seed, pitch-black with tiny roots pulsating from its base. It clung to his skin unnaturally, as though it had fused with him. His brows furrowed as he inspected the strange phenomenon.
A translucent system panel hovered before his eyes:
[ Noble Phantasm:
Knight Arm: -
Rank: ?
Type: ?
Range: ?
Maximum Targets: ?
Devours any type of energy that exists in the world to grow (Growthable). Can only be used upon reaching its maturity stage. ]
Ken exhaled through his nose. "Is this a jackpot or a dud?" he muttered, narrowing his eyes at the pulsating seed.
The object in his palm was none other than one of the items he had obtained from the last gacha pull. Besides a golden apple that could cure and heal any disease or injury, it was the only valuable thing he had received.
This thing was an enigma. The system classified it as a Noble Phantasm, yet its details were almost completely obscured. No rank, no type, no information on its abilities—just a cryptic note about energy absorption and growth.
Ken lips curled in mild frustration as he remembered the gacha disaster from earlier. "Thirty-plus Saint Quartz down the drain, and this is what I get…" He shook his head. "Not even a single new Servant. Fuck..."
It seems lady luck is not on his favor tonight. Golden apples are good, he even has a few of them in his inventory. But still...
His thumb brushed over the seed's surface, feeling the faint warmth radiating from it. Ever since it had latched onto him, it had been steadily siphoning his mana, though not at an alarming rate. If anything, it was much gentler compared to when Anna had drained his mana last time.
Thankfully, his mana reserve is inexhaustible, if not he'll be sucked dry by it.
Despite his best efforts, he couldn't remove it. He had tried everything—cutting, prying, sealing spells—but it stubbornly remained attached. The only relief was that he could make it disappear and reappear at will, meaning it wouldn't interfere with his day-to-day activities. Still, the lack of knowledge about its origins gnawed at the back of his mind.
"The hell is this thing?"
"And whose Noble Phantasm is this?"
Ken sifted through his memories, trying to recall every Noble Phantasm he had ever encountered. Unfortunately, none of them matched the seed-like object in his possession, nor had he ever heard of a "Knight Arm" in any of the Fate series he had seen so far.
"Sigh, you know what? Whatever." he murmured, shifting under the covers. "I'll deal with it later. Right now, I just want to sleep."
With a thought, the system panel vanished, and the pulsing seed in his hand disappeared along with it. Yet, the faint sensation of it siphoning his mana lingered.
Ken shook his head, deciding to set aside his complex thoughts and foul mood. He needed rest, and that was his priority now. With a weary sigh, he laid down and allowed himself to drift off to sleep.
.....
After everyone returned, The Shadow Border once again rumbled across the lonely highway, its reinforced wheels gliding smoothly over the asphalt as it made its way out of town.
The night sky was a deep, endless black, pinpricked with distant stars that barely flickered over the vast American landscape. Dim streetlights lined the road, casting brief flashes of light onto the Border's sleek metallic body as it sped through the empty terrain.
Inside the cockpit, Da Vinci-chan sat comfortably in the driver's seat, her elegant fingers dancing over the dashboard's controls with practiced ease. She maintained a relaxed posture, her gaze fixed forward as the endless stretch of road disappeared beneath them.
A faint clinking of porcelain caught her attention, and she turned slightly to see Ushiwakamaru approaching her, a warm cup of coffee carefully balanced in her hands. The Rider-class Servant was dressed in her casual attire, her dark hair was tied back in its usual manner, but a few loose strands framed her face, softening her sharp eyes.
"Da Vinci-dono," Ushiwakamaru said with a small smile, extending the cup forward. "I thought you might appreciate something warm to keep you alert."
Da Vinci chuckled, accepting the drink with a graceful nod. "Oh, how thoughtful! Even a genius needs a little pick-me-up now and then. Thank you, my dear rider."
Ushiwakamaru crossed her arms and leaned slightly against the edge of the control panel. "Speaking of which, where is our next destination?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
Da Vinci took a sip of the coffee, savoring its rich aroma before exhaling softly. "Good question. Given our current trajectory, I'd say we'll be reaching the Midwest soon. Open roads, deserted highways—perfect for a smooth journey." She grinned. "A road trip in style!"
Ushiwakamaru nodded, gazing at the scenery outside. "The land here is vast. It reminds me of the open plains of my homeland… though much colder."
Before Da Vinci could respond, the entire Shadow Border lurched violently, the metal frame groaning in protest as a sudden impact sent a jarring vibration through the vehicle. The dashboard flickered, alarms blaring in warning.
"What the—?!" Da Vinci's hands flew across the controls, stabilizing the Border as it rocked from side to side. The windshield display adjusted, revealing a nightmarish sight behind them.
A flaming black muscle car—its body charred and cracked as if it had driven straight out of hell—roared down the highway with impossible speed. Perched atop its hood stood a skeletal figure wreathed in fire, a hollow laugh echoing through the night as it lashed out with chains dripping with molten embers. The vehicle's trunk suddenly burst open, spewing forth more fire-forged chains that snaked through the air like living serpents.
"It's that all you've got, old timer? HAHAHAHAHA! "
And just behind it, another hellish entity emerged. A second motorcycle, engulfed in spectral flames, raced in pursuit. At its helm was another flaming skull-headed rider, its hollow sockets burning with an unnatural light. With a flick of its wrist, it brandished its own smoldering chain, twirling it before lashing it forward toward the charger.
"Amateur..."
The two supernatural figures clashed at breakneck speeds, their vehicles leaving trails of melted asphalt and streaks of fire in their wake.
Inside the cockpit, Da Vinci and Ushiwakamaru stared at the bizarre scene in stunned silence.
"... Is this what I think it is?" Da Vinci muttered.
Ushiwakamaru gnashed her teeth, "A Hellspawn..."
At that moment, the cockpit doors burst open, and Ken stormed in, followed closely by Mash and the other. They were dressed casually, clearly having been in their quarters before the sudden turbulence threw them into alert mode.
"What the hell was that?! I was woken up so suddenly because of the shaki–" Ken demanded, gripping the back of Da Vinci's seat. His eyes darted between her and Ushiwakamaru before locking onto the chaotic scene displayed on the windshield.
Mash, wide-eyed, clutched her palm instinctively. "Senpai… is that…?"
Da Vinci exhaled sharply, nodding toward the display. "Yep. As you can see, a burning muscle car and a flaming motorcycle just decided to drag us into their little skirmish. No big deal."
"Whistle, that was one hell of a car. Could we take it for ourselves, Master?" Mordred asked, her eyes fixed on the speeding flaming charger with a visible glint of greed.
"That should be The Ghost Rider mention in your file, right?" Kadoc asked while staring at Ken, demanding an answer.
Ken's eyes narrowed as he watched the two spectral figures exchange attacks, their weapons striking against each other with explosive bursts of hellfire. The sheer force of their battle sent shockwaves through the air, causing the Shadow Border to tremble again.
He clenched his fist. "Da Vinci, can we catch up to them?"
Da Vinci quirked an eyebrow. "Oh? You want to get involved in their little roadside dispute?"
"Oh, please. Spare me that look," Ken remarked, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "I know The Rider is also on our recruitment list, especially for you and Sion. Both of you seems to have a particular interest in their power."
As Ken spoke, his eyes shifted back to the chaotic scene displayed on the windshield. "And besides, something is wrong. Both of them shouldn't be fighting... There's more to it, I believe."
Ken's mind raced with possibilities, trying to piece together the puzzle that lay before him. The chaotic scene displayed on the windshield seemed to hold more significance than met the eye. In his previous lives, Ken had been a fervent fan of The Ghost Rider, particularly the badass Johnny Blaze.
Even though he had never read their comics, he could guess a little bit about what might be going on. But first, he needed to have a conversation with either of the two combatants.
Da Vinci studied him for a moment before smirking. "Alright then, Master. Everyone, please buckle up."
She shifted the Shadow Border's gears, the engine humming with newfound energy as she pushed the accelerator. The reinforced vehicle surged forward, weaving through the trail of scorched pavement left behind by the supernatural combatants.
.....
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A/N: Please donate your power stones and leave more reviews for my story, I appreciate it and thank you for your support!