'This... isn't this the standard background noise for summoning an Outer God?'
Wayland didn't remember the Servant summoning ritual having this kind of ominous, chattering static.
["It's just those other candidates trying to crowd the line!"]
Irigal let out a huff of annoyance. ["Master, you know that even without a catalyst, you can summon a Servant based on your compatibility. But what if there are dozens of Heroic Spirits who are all compatible with you at the same time?"]
Wayland blinked. 'Wait... is that what it means to be 'blessed by destiny'? While everyone else is struggling to find even one catalyst, I have a line of Heroic Spirits practically begging for a chance? But given my luck... besides Ereshkigal, who else would even bother?'
["Is summoning Eresh-chan not enough luck for you?"]
"Fair point. She is the Goddess of the Underworld, after all."
Wayland offered a wry smile. "Maybe I saved the world in my past life, and this is my reward."
["You might be more right than you know."]
Irigal's voice was unreadable for a moment before she snapped back to attention. ["Anyway, repeat after me! Let's get this started!"]
"Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill."
"Repeat five times."
"But when each is filled, destroy them."
"I hereby declare."
"Your body shall serve under me."
"My fate shall be with your spear."
"Submit to the call of the Holy Grail."
"If you will submit to this will and this reason... then answer!"
"An oath shall be sworn here!"
"I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven."
"I shall have dominion over all evils of all of the Underworld!"
"From the Seventh Heaven, clad in the three great words of power..."
"Come forth from the Ring of Deterrence, O Keeper of the Balance!"
The mental switch was flipped.
A burst of invisible prana surged from his fingertips, flowing through the intricate magic circuits of his arm and into the summoning circle.
The room flared with a cold, blinding light.
A vibrant, dark-red energy surged upward, swirling around Wayland in a violent vortex.
The nerves within his body felt as though they were being rewired, his magic circuits flaring in the shape of the Lance Cage. High-density mana from the atmosphere flooded into him, merging with his own internal energy to complete the circuit of the ritual.
Heat.
Starting from his right arm, it felt as though he were being exposed to a desert sun without a single shred of protection. Sweat poured from him, his skin glistening in the red light. Every inch of his being was filled to the brim, his mana pouring out of him like a floodgate had been smashed open.
The crimson circles of the array began to spin, creating ripples of energy that distorted the air.
His vision faded into a blur of white, but his hearing was suddenly amplified to a nearly supernatural degree.
He could hear the rhythmic ticking of the clock in Asuka's room.
He could hear the wind howling around the eaves of the storehouse.
And deeper still... he could hear voices. Whispering.
",,Master."
Voices of men, women, the elderly, and the young... a cacophony of overlapping tones, all of them vibrating with a sudden, desperate excitement.
'What is happening?'
Bound by the ritual, Wayland tried to open his eyes, but the intensity of the summoning circle held them shut.
The whispering grew louder. A chaotic clamor of voices.
It sounded as though a fight was about to break out right there in the void.
'Am I really that popular?'
For the first time in his life, Wayland felt like he might actually have 'Main Character' luck. But the goal was Ereshkigal. If he let these other voices through...
"Irigal!"
He called out instinctively, but there was no response.
"IRIGAL!"
He raised his voice, the shout echoing through the storehouse.
Instantly, the other voices vanished. The silence was absolute, as if they had realized that his choice was already made.
The ritual stabilized.
"Irigal?"
Still no reply.
'What is she doing? She didn't even say goodbye...'
Wayland felt a sudden, sharp pang of loss. He looked at the empty task list in his mind, feeling a strange void where the 'system' had been for so long. She'd really just... left.
'You stupid system... I'm actually going to miss you.'
His vision began to clear.
["Hmph!"]
It was Irigal's voice,sounding very much annoyed.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]