Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Chapter 1227 - Ritual

Though there were a few small changes in how he spent his free time, Vahn still found the time to talk about the matter of summoning new allies. In total, counting the natural summoning, he had six additional slots to fill, three of which were dedicated to Heracles' wife and his two sons. As for the other four candidates, it was decided that he would summon Karna, Gawain, Galahad, and Gareth.

There were undoubtedly better candidates to summon but, with Da Vinci on his side, it wouldn't be long before the current system became even easier to use. Since she had been provided with the data from Chaldea's experiments, she had already made several breakthroughs, the least of which was a prototype compression system that could produce particulates of crystallized Divine Energy. This would have been impossible without the assistance of Vahn, Lakshmibai, and Kenshin but, even then, Da Vinci would have eventually made the impossible into a reality.

---

Currently, Vahn was standing at the core of the summoning circle as Merlin, Artoria, and, of course, Da Vinci waited in the periphery. Though Merlin had stated previously that this chamber would curse anyone but Vahn and those of his direct lineage, there were a few obvious exceptions to this. After all, if that were truly the case, Merlin himself wouldn't be able to enter, regardless of his association with the Welsh Dragon and Artoria.

These exceptions included anyone who had received a vessel from him, as the curse simply couldn't affect their bodies for very long, and, as could be expected, those he summoned. As they were linked to him, the curse had no influence on them, so long as they were not hostile. This didn't stop it from manifesting, of course, but the only effect was to place a seal that prevented them from using their power. As even Vahn had trouble using any of his strength inside of the sealed chamber, this wasn't that much of a surprise.

What did come as a surprise, however, to him and Merlin both, was that Da Vinci was completely immune to the curse's influence. She supposed that it was the result of her body being a conceptual vessel, albeit after playfully remarking, "As an Omnipotent Genius, what else would you expect~?" After that, she had Vahn help her set up monitoring equipment that had been stored in his Inventory as, despite her own immunity, this didn't apply to Da Vinci's storage rings and other artifacts. The space within the chamber was completely locked down, to the point not even Vahn could teleport out, but he was still able to remove items from his Inventory.

While Da Vinci was busy conducting monitoring her equipment, at the least the functioning ones, Vahn was patiently waiting for the energy within the system to reach the necessary threshold. Then, a little more than four minutes after the time Da Vinci had calculated, the summoning formation began to glow with vibrant light. Immediately after that, Vahn's consciousness was transported to the Throne of Heroes once again, finding a familiar face awaiting him.

Though it had been quite some time since he saw Akasha, Vahn imagined it was little more than a blink from her perspective. She had seen the history of the entire universe play out from start to finish an incomprehensible number of times. It was this realization that allowed Vahn to interact with her, not fearing she would take action unless he instigated it. As they were content to just observe him, potentially for billions of years, Vahn had decided to not mind them too much. After all, even if he was cautious against them, it would literally amount to nothing at his current level...

This time around, Vahn produced a complete thigh bone for Alaya, informing her that it would last longer than any storage methods they might have come up with. She accepted this without a word before handing him another [Divine Energy Cube], bringing his total count to two. Then, in the blink of an eye, Vahn was alone within the void, the only other existence being the Throne of Heroes and its interface. At this point, he was very familiar with its usage so, after scrolling through the displays, he quickly found his timeline's Karna.

Vahn was a little surprised by the parameters and Skills associated with Karna, especially since his Noble Phantasm even reached the EX-Rank. He also met the qualifications for every Servant Class, the only exceptions being the peculiar Beast, Savior, Anima, Watcher, and MoonCancer Classes. These didn't appear in the history of the Holy Grail Wars but, as there were also Classes like Shielder, Gatekeeper, Foreigner, Faker, and Alter Ego, Vahn wasn't that surprised. He was a little curious about each of the Classes, especially after his discussion with Scáthach, but that was a matter for the future, not the present.

After giving Karna the [Transmigrator] perk, each of the Class Skills vanished as his Status showed the Lancer designation by default. Since he kept his personal skills and Noble Phantasms, he would be one of the strongest Trump Cards of the Empire, even if Vahn was admittedly more interested in just having a new friend.

With his selection made, Vahn immediately found himself back at the center of the summoning circle as the light gathered to form a lanky figure with pale white skin, windswept white hair, and almost comically designed golden armor. He even had two shoulder ornaments that completely ignored physics, complete with a flaming red mantle that gave Vahn a feeling like looking into the vast night sky above. It gave the impression of being 'unreachable', even though he could see it right in front of him.

What stood out the most on Karna's figure was the large red gemstone located on his solar plexus, emanating a phenomenal amount of energy, the golden necklace that seemed to be fused with his flesh, and the two large earrings dangling from his ears. He also had a very handsome face but, with a skin-tight black bodysuit and a golden codpiece, he looked distinctly 'alien' at a glance. Since he also radiated an aura of inviolable dignity, combined with his otherworldly appearance, it was clear at a glance that he was no mortal man.

Unlike the majority of people he had summoned, Da Vinci the sole exception, Karna was fully upright and, after a few seconds of silence, opened his eyes without any confusion visible in his gaze. Vahn was momentarily taken aback by his sun-light pupils but, when Karna suddenly took a knee, his mind completely blanked until the pale-haired Demigod stated, "I know not why you have summoned me. However, so long as it does not tarnish my pride, I swear to abide by your will, my Master."

Though Merlin had told him about Karna's nature in the past, Vahn was stunned by the conviction contained in the man's words. It made him feel the pressure of his own responsibility once again, causing his expression to turn just as serious as he said, "Rise, Karna." In response to this, the golden armored man immediately rose to his feet, his eyes clear as he awaited further instruction. Seeing this, Vahn gave an appreciative nod before explaining, "You will come to understand this more later, but I do not need another Servant. Though I will still be your Emperor, I would much prefer that we can become friends."

Karna blinked in mild surprise upon hearing his new Master's words but, if that was his sincere wish, he would do his best to abide. With that in mind, Karna gave a courteous bow before asking, "May I ask how I should address you then, Your Majesty?" To this, Vahn adopted a casual smile, answering, "In private, you can simply call me Vahn. During more formal occasions, Majesty would suffice. Now, I'm certain you have numerous questions, each of which will be answered by my Magus of the Court, Merlin."

Hearing his name mentioned, Merlin gave a playful wave, catching Karna's attention before the latter gave an understanding nod. Then, passing his eyes over Da Vinci and Artoria, his expression became one of momentary shock as, despite seeming frail at a glance, he had the distinct impression both of them were his match. Artoria even gave off the impression of an insurmountable wall, awakening his urge to challenge fate and overcome the impossible.

The moment Karna looked at her, Artoria had also met his gaze and, with her Quest still incomplete, her desire for battle was no less than his. Before they could challenge each other, however, Vahn shook his head and, with a wry smile on his face, introduced, "This is my Empress, Artoria Pendragon, and my Minister of Progress, Leonardo Da Vinci. I do not mind if the two of you wish to do battle but, now is neither the time nor the place..."

With Vahn's remark, Artoria felt more than a little embarrassed but, as they were in front of others, she remained a perfect example of stoicism as she gave a polite curtsy and said, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Son of Suryadev." In response to this, Karna bowed even lower than he had for Vahn, a respectful and apologetic look on his face as he said, "The pleasure is mine, Your Majesty, Empress Pendragon. Though it may be seen as a lack of decorum, I look forward to our battle with earnest anticipation."

Vahn realized he had summoned a battle junky but, with people like Kenshin and Artoria around, it shouldn't be much of an issue. Karna didn't seem like the type that was even interested in the fairer s.e.x and, as none of the girls had the type of character that would betray him, the only result of their battles should be the polishing of their skills. Besides, he knew about Artoria's Quest so, with a few obvious exceptions, she would probably challenge each of the people he summoned at some point.

---

With Karna leaving alongside Merlin, both to get caught up to speed and experience the memory link, Vahn used one of his [Divine Energy Cube]s to power the summoning formation once again. As before, Akasha was waiting for his arrival and, all the same, Vahn traded one of the constituent parts of his body for yet another cube. This time around, he intended to summon Gawain as, with his an Artoria's presence, it would make matters simpler when his summoned Galahad and Gareth next.

Having completely his Knight training and serving as the proxy for Artoria in his life, Gawain had the qualifications for the Saber, Rider, and Avenger Classes. The last one practically screamed 'red flag' but, as his Status defaulted to 'Saber' after the [Transmigrator] perk was selected, Vahn didn't have to worry about him seek vengeance against others. What caught his attention after that was the fact that Gawain had two EX-Ranked Skills and an A+ Ranked Noble Phantasm. Though it wasn't difficult to believe that each of the Knights of the Round Table were monsters in their own right, Vahn was still a little surprised.

After deciding to look up each of the Knights of the Round Table before summoning Galahad, Vahn confirmed Gawain's summoning. As was always the case, he found himself back in the summoning circle once again, just as a robust and handsome man formed before him. He had wavy, grey-blond hair and, after opening his eyes, Vahn was somewhat surprised to find a pair of aquamarine irises staring back at him. What stood out the most, however, was the gaping hole in his severely battered armor, showing just how serious the battle preceding his death had been.

Like Karna, Gawain had the basic information provided by the summoning system hardcoded into his head. This included the information that the man before him was his Master but, having sworn to serve only one person, Gawain's face formed into a momentary frown. Before he could offer any kind of protest, however, his eyes caught a familiar figure in the periphery though, when he looked over, a powerful incongruity rose up in his heart as he asked, "My King...?"

Since Gawain's current memories were only up until his death during the Battle of Camlann, which included watching Artoria die, he was quite shaken to see the latter present. What caused him an almost overwhelming amount of confusion, however, was the fact that Artoria was currently wearing a palatial gown, befitting of her status as an Empress. Having never known the truth about his King's gender, even at the end of his life, Gawain was at a complete loss for words until Artoria nodded her head and said, "Indeed. I am no longer your King, however, but your Empress. I understand you have many questions, Gawain. Trust that they will all be answered, in time. Before that, there is something you ought to do, is there not?"

Since Artoria gave off the same presence as his King, Gawain's conditioned response was to listen to her words without question. His greatest regret in life was placing his pride before his duty, causing the deaths of himself and his King. Thus, when Artoria mentioned the fact she was now an Empress, Gawain was able to piece together a few pieces of the puzzle. After all, he wasn't chosen as Artoria's proxy for his handsome looks, but more so due to his discernment, stoicism, and intelligence.

Turning his attention back to Vahn, Gawain bent the knee in much the same way as Karna, except he also gave a proper Knight's salute as he said, "Forgive my imprudence for keeping you waiting, Your Majesty. Please allow me the honor of serving as your Knight. I vow to serve dutifully as the sword and shield of the Empire."

Having already discussed the matter with Artoria, Vahn gave a solemn nod in response to Gawain's request, not towards the kneeling Knight, but his Empress. In response, she walked over to his side and, despite the restrictions of the chamber, produced the sheathed Excalibur and Avalon. This had obviously caught Gawain's attention, answering several questions for him all at once. Unfortunately, his mind was plagued with several more when, against all logic, his new Master pulled Excalibur free from its sheath, an impossible feat.

Just as Vahn had been able to wield the [Arrow of the Orion] and [Blade of Evil's Bane], despite not being their true owners, he was also capable of using Artoria's [Excalibur] and Siegfried's [Balmung]. Though he couldn't bring out their full potential, even if transforming into the two, this didn't really matter in the end since just wielding the Noble Phantasms of others was a big deal. He had even been able to 'borrow' Gilgamesh's [Key of the King's Law, Bab-ilu] to summon his [Gate of Babylon], a Noble Phantasm that, theoretically, held all treasures, including every other Noble Phantasm.

After lightly tapping [Excalibur] on Gawain's shoulders, Vahn stated in a commanding tone, "Rise, Sir Gawain, Knight of the Aldrnari Empire. Henceforth, you will serve as both Knight Commander of the Interior and Grand Marshall. This is my, Sage Emperor Vahn Aldrnari Mason's, decree."

As commanded, Gawain rose to his feet and, though he put on a prideful expression, it was clear for all to see that he was very confused. Fortunately, this was the reason for Artoria's presence today as, not just Gawain, but Galahad and Gareth would undoubtedly have questions. With this in mind, Vahn returned [Excalibur] to its rightful owner before giving the two leave to step off to the side. Since he didn't want to force her to repeat herself, Vahn quickly pulled out another [Divine Energy Cube], this time intending to summon Gareth.

One of Gawain's greatest traumas was related to the death of his younger sister so, by summoning her, Vahn was intending to earn the man's trust, not just his fealty. This would make things easier on Artoria as well as, despite how calm she appeared, Vahn could sense her distress. After all, she was appearing as a woman before her former subordinates for the first time, many of which had stayed at her side for decades. She felt as if she had betrayed them somehow, despite understanding the necessity of her past actions.

After the [Divine Energy Cube] melted into the formation below, Vahn entered the Throne for the third time, completing his exchange with Akasha quickly before approaching the three pedestals. Though he intended to summon Gareth, he first cycled through the names of every Knight of the Round Table, curious how strong each of them was.

Unsurprisingly, Gawain had the highest Parameters and, with two EX-Ranked Skills, he was ahead of the other Knights of the Round Table by a fair margin. Despite this, Vahn felt that Lancelot was the strongest, even if he ignored Artoria herself claiming this was the case. This was due to the fact that he had a number of powerful Skills, the lowest ranking being A-Rank.

According to Artoria, he was someone who could pick up any weapon, turning even a simple stick into a pseud-Noble Phantasm. He could also learn any Skill with great ease, to the point of being able to master even his enemy's abilities to a higher degree over the course of a single duel. If not for the 'history' Lancelot had with Artoria and the other Knights of the Round, Vahn felt he would have been a powerful ally...

After Gawain and Lancelot, the strongest, by a large margin, was Mordred. She not only had much higher Parameters than the other nine members of the Round Table, but her potential and ferocity had even allowed her to defeat Gawain during the Battle of Camlann. Since he obviously wasn't going to summon a Heroic Spirit version of his daughter, Vahn just fiddled around to see how her Parameters changed between Servant Classes before checking on Gareth's. He had saved her for last since she was the one he would be summoning but, after seeing her Parameters, Vahn couldn't help but smile wryly.

Though Artoria had spoken highly of Gareth's potential, saying she would have one day become one of her most powerful Knights, her short life resulted in this potential having been wasted. Compared to the other Knights of the Round Table, her Parameters were quite a bit weaker. The only exception to this was her Agility, which was an impressive 48A. She also had rather unique Skills and, though the highest was only B-Rank, the fact she was only 20 years old, nearly half the age of her fellow Round Table members, indicated she had a lot of room for growth.

What Vahn found most curious was her [Transformation Ring] Skill, as it seemed more like an item than an actual ability. Though it wouldn't be the first time he had seen something similar, as even Gawain had such a Skill, anything related to transforming interested him. When he clicked on this, however, Vahn momentarily considered delaying Gareth's summoning. He also understood why Artoria had been 'worried' about her niece as, according to the Skill, it allowed her to transform into a large wolf. At the same time, the SKill seemed to affect her nature, making her extremely loyal and affectionate to whoever she grew attached to.

In the past, despite the fact she had several family members among the Round Table, she was apparently more loyal towards Lancelot, even becoming his attendant after gaining the status of Knight. Though she would have imprinted on Artoria in most cases, Gareth rarely ever got to talk with her 'Uncle' and, as Artoria was often very busy, the opportunity never presented itself. This wouldn't be the case when he summoned her, however, as there would be a very clear impression in her mind that he was her Master. Since the memory of Lancelot's betrayal was fresh on her mind, Vahn knew she would probably imprint on him like a small puppy in the near future...

Releasing a profound sigh, Vahn ignored his inhibitions and, as he wasn't the type to go back on his promises, he ultimately confirmed his selection. In the next moment, he found himself watching as the energy from the summoning system coalesced into a young woman, standing around 154cm in height. She had a boyish hairstyle but, even with her pristine white armor, tinged with gold, it was easy to see that she was, in fact, a woman.

What stood out the most to him were the tufts of brown sticking out of her otherwise blond hair, giving the appearance of sharp yet droopy dog's ears. Then, just as it seemed like she was about to open her eyes, Gareth collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Da Vinci is a cheat','RIP Gawain's mind','A woman perpetually plagued with puppy love!?')

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