'Mordred, huh? And a Saber?' Orion thought while staring at the system window.
Was he compatible with Mordred? Why?
What did it mean being 'compatible' with a Heroic Spirit?
It could not be that he was similar to Mordred, because, to his knowledge of Mordred from Fate, he certainly was not.
In addition, why did he get the Saber class first?
He did have a secret love for swords and did like melee combat in games the most, but he personally felt that a Caster would be a more suitable first choice for him, as he also had thirst for knowledge and in reality would prefer to destroy his enemies with overwhelming power rather than facing them up-close.
After thinking of all this for a moment, Orion shook his head.
'Anyway, Saber is often said to be the strongest Class. I'm glad I have the system in the first place.'
There were still many aspects of the system that he had not explored yet, so he focused on a notification at the front of his vision.
[Do you want to integrate with the Saber Class Heroic Spirit - Mordred Pendragon?]
[Yes] [No]
Since it was the only Heroic Spirit that he had unlocked, he might as well integrate with it.
As he selected 'yes', he felt his body being filled with energy and strength, making him feel quite comfortable.
This lasted for a few seconds, until a notification appeared.
[Congratulations! Integration complete!]
[Integrated Heroic Spirit No. 1 - Saber - Mordred Pendragon!]
[Integration Percentage: 10%.]
Moments later, the message faded.
Meanwhile Orion began coming to terms with the change that happened to his body.
Even though it was already late at night before he was summoned to this world, he now felt even lighter and more energetic than ever before.
'It really feels great! Aas if I was reborn.'
His face became quite excited at the feeling of power billowing from within him - Subaru glanced at him at this, but didn't pay any attention to this.
Just as Orion was expressing his joy at his transformation and the potential of the system, he heard people on the street beginning to shout in a panic.
"Aaah!"
"Aghhhh!"
"Hey, watch out!"
'Hm? What's wrong?' Orion frowned and quickly took a few steps from in between the buildings to assess the situation.
Looking in the same direction as Subaru, he then noticed a carriage that was about to run over and trample a kid.
Orion instinctively took a slow step toward the boy's direction, but he immediately realized that it would be too risky to try and save the kid in that situation- not from his location and with the distance between them.
The other onlookers on the other side of the street also looked at the scene with startled expression, but none of them showed any intention of doing anything.
However, next to him Subaru looked rather excited as he called out: "This is it! It's my turn!"
He then stretched out his hand and waved it around in a wide circle.
Orion watched this clown-like performance with a nonchalant face, since he could guess what Subaru was trying to do.
He was trying to cast magic.
At that time, Subaru kneeled down and then energetically shot out his palm to the front. "Ha!"
"..." Orion expressionlessly turned to look toward the street.
But ultimately, the scene was just as he expected.
Nothing happened.
The kid still laid on the ground, either with a sprained ankle or dazed. Meanwhile the carriage continued on its way without even bothering to slow down for some reason, about to run over the kid at the very next moment.
Orion felt a stab in his heart at seeing such a pitiful and potentially gruesome scene, but he feared that it would be too dangerous for him to run out before the carriage for a stranger and try to play a hero.
Fortunately, at the last moment a man in full-plate armor dashed toward the center of the street, intercepted the kid and then rolled over the street with the boy in his arms just in time to make both of them avoid the carriage.
At this, the onlookers began to loudly cheer toward the knight who saved the kid, while the knight raised up his fist in a pose of victory.
"Yeaaah!"
"Yaaah!"
"Great job!"
Seeing this, Orion also felt slightly relieved.
Meanwhile Subaru at his side remained kneeling on the ground with stretched out arms, his posture frozen in place.
As Orion looked down at him with some pity, Subaru showed an embarrassed and disappointed smile. "It doesn't seem like I'm ready to cast magic just yet, huh."
Orion smiled at him. "Yeah, not yet."
"Man, talk about disappointing. It totally felt like a random event," Subaru said lightly as he got up from the ground.
After looking at the scene for a while, the two resumed walking along the street.
And Orion returned to studying his system.
At that moment he felt a little sorry for Subaru, since he did have a system that could grant him powers, while Subaru did not.
'I just wonder how I would be affected by Return by Death…' Orion thought to himself.
If every time Subaru died and the world rebooted, Orion would lose his memories of it, it would just be too lame and frightening.
In addition, since he transmigrated and had the system, maybe he also had this ability. Maybe he was even 'the chosen one' rather than Subaru.
Not planning to waste his time on any pointless speculations, Orion opened his last unread message.
[Introduction to the world.]
[Congratulations! The Player came to a parallel world known by you as the 'World of Re:Zero'.]
[This world has been deemed especially suitable to the system's powers and with good prospects for the Player to grow.]
[During the process of being summoned to this world and while being in physical contact with
[Conclusion: Even if
[Good luck!]
'Huh, so it's like that…' Orion read the message and let out a breath of relief.
The System allowed him to be included in all failed loops, so that was certainly good.
It would be annoying that he might suddenly get sent back in time when Subaru randomly dies by something like tripping himself and bumping into a tip of someone's sword, but it was obviously better to be aware of the loops than having himself and the world around him being constantly reset without his knowledge.
As Orion had this thought and finished analyzing the message, he received another notification.
[All messages had been read.]
[
[Good Luck!]
As this was displayed, another window popped out below it as well.
[You received a Campaign Mission!]
[Mission name: A Tumultuous First Day
[Objective: Ensure Natsuki Subaru's and Emilia's safety during your first day in Lugnica.]
[Reward: 5-10 Integration Percentage Increase. Caster Class Card, Caster Class unlock.]
[Note: A bonus reward could be given depending on the Player's performance. (Bonus reward: Lesser Grail).]
Orion was lost in a daze for a moment after glancing at the 'mission' he just received, then raised his eyebrows in surprise.
His Integration increasing from 10% up to 20% was self-explanatory, but did receiving a Caster Class Card and Caster Class unlock mean that he would be able to integrate with a second Heroic Spirit already?
'And there is also a Bonus Reward. A Lesser Grail? That sounds really important.'
He could get these things long as he just passed this day successfully?
That was certainly rather easy!
He basically got the job of a bodyguard, almost like a real Servant.
To ensure Subaru's and Emilia's safety.
But no matter what the mission was, Orion still felt glad that he knew how he could increase his strength, and the rewards were also very appealing.
Since that's what the system wanted him to do, Orion didn't complain and thought about how to go about it. 'Basically, I have to ensure that Subaru and Emilia make it through the first day safely, right? But does it include the loops?'
As Subaru stepped out to approach one of the vendors, Orion remained at a distance - as he focused on the campaign mission, the mission details were displayed on the screen.
[Campaign Mission: A Tumultuous First Day
[Objective: Ensure Natsuki Subaru's and Emilia's safety during your first day in Lugnica.]
[Reward: 2.5-5 Integration Percentage Increase. Caster Class Card, Caster Class unlock.]
[Note: A bonus reward could be given depending on the Player's performance. (Bonus reward: Lesser Grail).]
[Note2: Your reward will be calculated depending on your performance, contribution and on how much you benefited during the Arc.]
Orion read it and slightly frowned.
There wasn't much more new info in regards to the mission itself.
'Also, the reward is based on my performance, contributions and the benefits I gain?'
'In other words… If I do nothing, stay on the sidelines, and Subaru simply makes it through the day struggling by himself, then I might only receive 5% Integration Points and no Lesser Grail. But if I stepped out and contributed a lot, I might receive the full reward?'
In addition, there was also the possibility that if Subaru died on the first loop and restarted, then Orion might also lose his chance of receiving the bonus reward and the full 10% Integration Points from the mission.
There was no indication in the system whether it was false or true.
Because of this Orion had the thoughts that he might need to get through this day on the first attempt.
'If I get involved, then I might mix up the plot and the act of Subaru starting his chase after Emilia. But the reward is more important,' Orion thought, not having to think much about it.
In normal circumstances perhaps he would separate and let Subaru bump into Emilia to test the effect of Return by Death and to let Subaru suffer a bit until he asks him for help, but with the rewards on the line, the choice was obvious.
By fulfilling the system's request he had a chance to become absurdly strong, so even if his future becomes a bit more complicated by his actions, he had to do his best and strive for a perfect score.
At this time, Orion faintly smirked when he heard the fruit vendor yelling at Subaru to not interfere in his business since he had no money.
Subaru returned to him with slouched down shoulders and said helplessly, "Our money won't work. The written language people use here is also different..."
"Hmm." Orion hummed indifferently.
Subaru looked at him, then raised his eyebrows. "You sure look relaxed."
Orion said nothing and only slightly shrugged in response with a small smile, proceeding to enjoy the atmosphere of the marketplace.
He had strength and meta knowledge, and even a system, so he did not need anything else.
For Orion, if he was really summoned to a fantasy world where he could grow stronger, then his dream would undoubtedly be to aim to become a supreme existence and to attain eternal life.
He was not interested in power or immortality because he had some kind of god complex, but simply because to him it seemed to be the most grand, meaningful goal to have in life and an interesting way to live.
Even if he did not have any kind of cheat, for seventeen years he had already nurtured in himself this seed of hope in his heart which was currently blooming.
He was ready to take any risks.
Right now, he only felt that he should stick around Subaru if he wanted to avoid true death, since his system did not seem to grant Immortality, even if it helped him to be included in the loops.
As long as he did this, he would be able to slowly walk on the path toward his goal of inheriting all of the system's power, all while having a rather interesting life.
On the other hand, for Subaru, his own enthusiasm about being summoned to another world had calmed down by several levels by now.
He had realized a few things.
He knew no one here, had zero money, no source of income, no place to stay, no op powers and could not even read.
Even the beauty that summoned them here had dumped them!
He slowly wanted to go back home. Fantasy was best left in the realm of fantasy. It was fun to imagine arriving in another world to obtain incredible power, but to actually end up in such a situation, what could he really do?
However, seeing Orion act so relaxed, caused Subaru to calm down at that moment. He shrugged. "Well, let's check our gear first."
As Subaru said this, he once again checked his belongings.
In a parallel world fantasy, starting gear was even more important than he'd imagined. They'd need everything they had, however little.
First, his cell phone, his wallet, the cup of ramen he bought at the convenience store, a pack of potato chips, his beloved gray jersey (unwashed), worn out sneakers (of two years) and…
"That's basically it. What about you?"
As Subaru looked at Orion questioningly, Orion also began to check the things he had on him in reality, being previously too re-occupied with the system.
First, his phone, together with bright orange earbuds.
It was the age of flip-phones in Japan, which Subaru had noted, but Orion continued using his good ol' trusted Walkman Sony Ericsson W800i released in 2005.
It had a battery that could last more than two weeks on standby and had never failed him before. Basically, his phone's battery expectancy put the classic Nokia 3310 to shame, outdoing it by almost double, even if it did not have the same damage multiplier.
Fortunately, it was around 90% charged at this time as well.
Next, a mechanical automatic Seiko watch that he received from his father from the previous world as a gift on his 15th birthday.
The time on the watch was not accurate at all, since it showed that it was 11 at night, but it could last him for years to help show the time as long as he adjusted it and manually wound it every 1-2 days.
"I guess we could sell it. It seems more valuable than most of my stuff. It might fetch a nice price on the market," Subaru commented as he looked at the watch with desire
"Go sell yourself," Orion replied as he pulled back his hand.
He did not plan to sell this unique relic from the outside world, especially since he was not desperate for money. In the future, when he becomes a legendary figure, it might become a priceless heirloom.
Subaru replied, "Fine, fine! No need to sell it. I'm just throwing around ideas,"
Orion didn't mind what he said anyway and continued rummaging through his pockets.
Apart from these two useful items, he had some (useless) money on hand, a credit card (also useless) and finally… a Swiss Army Knife.
"What kind of person carries around a swiss knife in this day and age?..." Subaru muttered as he looked at the knife.
"Well, I do. And now I have a knife. What about you?" Orion looked at Subaru semi-teasingly.
"Fair enough… Too bad you didn't carry a gun. Hey, how about this, I can give you cup ramen noodles and potato chips, the only ones in this world! Wanna make a trade?"
Orion ignored him, stored the knife, then patted his pockets and eventually said, "Well, I guess that's it for me."
Apart from his clothes and shoes, he did not have anything else.
"I see," said Subaru, nodding. "This kind of sucks, but it's better than nothing. If we need money, we can always sell the watch."
"Go sell yourself before selling my stuff, okay."
Subaru ignored it, sighed and said, "Anyway, there's no other way… We just have to go around gathering information first."