The sky was a bright blue, the sun radiant, and the occasional clouds drifted by in just the right measure.
The air was fresh, likely due to the surrounding seas, and carried a strong hint of moisture on the breeze.
Suddenly, the sky darkened.
It wasn't the darkness of approaching night but the gathering gloom of heavy storm clouds, punctuated by faint rumbles of thunder.
In the sky, a violet eye slowly opened. Three swirling tomoe marks, symbols of divinity, rotated within the stormy, lightning-filled pupil.
The eye, formed entirely of lightning, hovered ominously above, scanning the world below for something—or someone. Yet, failing to find its target, the divine presence withdrew, and the lightning eye vanished from the sky.
The foreboding storm clouds dissolved as if they had never been, returning the sky to its previous state of blue skies, white clouds, and a gentle breeze.
"Ga-ga-ga! What the heck was that? Way over the top! Could it be some restless god lingering in the mortal world?"
A strange laugh echoed through the forest below, directly beneath where the lightning eye had been moments ago.
The forest was empty save for one figure perched on a tree branch, unnoticed by anyone.
It was a woman with long, snow-white hair and golden eyes. She wore lightweight red armor adorned with flowing cloud patterns, leaving a small portion of her stomach exposed to the open air. Atop her head were wing-like horns, a clear mark of her inhuman nature.
"Seriously, this world is so unfriendly to outsiders. I've only just arrived, and I was almost discovered. Scared me half to death."
Though she claimed to be frightened, her expression and tone were laced with excitement. She seemed more entertained by the encounter than genuinely concerned.
Hopping down from the branch, a few pure white feathers fell alongside her.
"So, what kind of world have I stumbled into this time? Is this a world still in its Age of Gods?"
Landing gracefully, she pinched her chin in thought. "Still, the magical energy in the atmosphere is incredibly dense. The ambient spiritual energy is rich, too. Reminds me of the days I lived deep in the mountains—peaceful but dreadfully boring. Especially after meeting humans, I can't imagine how I endured those long years of solitude."
She closed her eyes to better sense the surroundings, but soon furrowed her brow.
"Something's odd about this magical energy. It's dense, sure, but... why does it feel artificial? Like humans trying to create snow in a laboratory to mimic a natural winter scene."
To her, the magic of this world felt limited—high in concentration but lacking the fluid efficiency of other worlds, as though it were some flawed substitute created to imitate true magic.
"Is the entire world like this, or is it just this particular area?"
After pondering briefly, she waved a dismissive hand.
"Whatever. A few tweaks here and there... hmm... this should do the trick. My abilities are unaffected!"
"For other Servants, maybe this would cause some trouble, but not for me! Born of mountains, winds, skies, and flames, I am of the spirit race! Add to that my title as a great onmyōji—I only need a few adjustments to flawlessly utilize the magic here! Ga-ga-ga!"
Her raucous laughter echoed through the forest once more.
At that moment, a glowing screen appeared before her, drawing her attention immediately.
"Oh! Isn't this Da Vinci?"
"Ah, so the Spirit Origin fused with Master this time is... Kiichi?"
"Ga-ga-ga! I bet that brat Shanaō will be furious! I beat her to it." With one hand on her hip, Kiichi—or rather, Kiichi Hōgen—laughed triumphantly. "Handing over her Spirit Origin to protect a Master in a dangerous world probably felt like a noble act to her. After all, offering her strength to the Master is akin to rushing to the Master's aid in times of peril. That girl may be dumb and inflexible, but loyalty is one of her few virtues. Probably."
"And yet, here I am, one step ahead. To her, it must feel like failing to protect her lord in time. Ga-ga-ga! I'd love to see her face when she hears about this—ashen with rage! Maybe she's already preparing to commit seppuku, hahaha!"
Plenty of Servants had vied to lend their Spirit Origins to the Master, especially the likes of Kiyohime.
The "Shanaō" Kiichi mentioned was none other than Ushiwakamaru—more famously known as Minamoto no Yoshitsune, her childhood name.
Kiichi's guess wasn't far off; Ushiwakamaru was indeed among those most eager to assist the Master.
As for why Kiichi seemed to delight in Ushiwakamaru's frustration... well, their relationship was complicated.
Kiichi had been Ushiwakamaru's teacher, imparting many of the skills that would later make her one of Japan's most renowned generals. Another factor in Yoshitsune's fame was her unauthorized reading of the "Six Secret Teachings" scrolls, which Kiichi had safeguarded.
In the legend, Kiichi explicitly forbade Ushiwakamaru from reading those scrolls. Yet, before leaving, Ushiwakamaru tricked Kiichi's daughter into helping her sneak a look.
The consequence? Ushiwakamaru was relentlessly hunted by her furious teacher, fleeing for her life.
Had Ushiwakamaru been caught, Kiichi likely wouldn't have spared her despite their student-teacher bond. As a being not bound by human morality, Kiichi's perspective differed from ordinary people's.
"Ha! To think I once considered making 'me' my wife. And now, we're literally one and the same. Even for me, this is a first! What a fascinating feeling~~~!"
"The influence on your personality is rather pronounced," Da Vinci interjected with a sigh before continuing, "but given that it's Kiichi, we probably don't need to worry about the Master's safety."
"Of course not! As her teacher, it's my duty to ensure my disciple's well-being. Unlike that brat Shanaō, I'm very fond of 'me.' Both as a person and as a being."
Da Vinci couldn't help but feel slightly uneasy about Kiichi's behavior.
"So... Master, do you remember your first objective?"
"Hmm? Of course I do."
Kiichi blinked innocently before grinning mischievously.
"First things first... I need to find a disciple!"
"No! You're supposed to gather information about this world!"
---
Oh, hey there, Traveler! 🍃 My friend here is the one bringing these stories to you—quite the talent, wouldn't you agree? If anything feels off, just give them a nudge—they're always happy to make things even better.
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Here's to more adventures and endless inspiration~ 🎵