"I… agree… but… I want to… tell you… something," Arthur rasped through shallow, pained breaths.
"Oh! Then speak, speak! What words shall my favorite little fool gift to me?" sang the shadow, voice ringing like a jester's bell, all delight and derision.
"You… are… annoying."
The words left his lips like a final arrow, and then exhaustion pulled him under. His body went limp.
"..."
The shadow froze. Then...
"Annoying? Annoying?! Aha is… embarrassed! So embarrassed! Aha calls you Aha's favorite little fool, and you, you! call Aha annoying!" The words tumbled out in shrill mock offense, a clown tripping across its own stage. "How cruel! How heartless! How utterly rude!"
A pause. Silence. Then its pitch wavered.
"Wait… why aren't you answering? …Why is the little fool not answering? …Ah. Ahahaha. Oh no. Oh no! He's not ignoring Aha, he's dying!"
The laughter turned sharp, hurried. Aha's voice rattled between panic and delight.
"No, no, no! You can't die yet! Not before the curtain call! Not before you've made Aha laugh again! Tch, fine, fine! Aha will save you! Consider this… an encore!"
Power burst like confetti from the void, shadows wrapping Arthur's broken body.
Moments later, Aha sighed in exaggerated relief.
"There, there, all patched up! Oh-ho? What's this? The scent of another blessing clings to you… it's my dear friend Akivili's, no less. Interesting! The little fool grows stranger by the moment."
The laughter returned, softer now, almost fond.
"Well then! Off to the stage you go. Sleep, bleed, stumble… and when you wake, entertain Aha again!"
And with a flick, Arthur was hurled back into the mortal world.
............................….............................................
Back on the roof of the Lord's Mansion
"Master! Avicebron, any healing spells you know, now! I'll try to stabilize him!"
Hohenheim's voice cracked through the night, edged with urgency that betrayed his usual composure. He pressed trembling hands against Arthur's bloodied form, magicraft already flowing from his fingertips.
"…Compose yourself, Hohenheim." Avicebron's tone was flat, unhurried. He crouched beside Arthur, his golem-like eyes narrowing. "Look again. Does he truly appear as wounded as you believe?"
"What…?! This isn't the time for riddles!" Hohenheim snapped, but his breath caught as he noticed it, Arthur's torn flesh had knit over, the bleeding slowed to nothing. "…But that's… impossible. I saw him. He was on the verge of death."
"Indeed. Yet now, he is not." Avicebron's gaze lingered on Arthur, voice calm to the point of disdain. "Some external factor has already intervened. Whatever it was, it preserved his life. For the moment, rest is all he requires. Though, I must ask…" His lips curved faintly in something too thin to be called a smile. "What could possess him to attempt something so far beyond the limits of that fragile body? Was it arrogance? Desperation? Or perhaps… simply the foolishness of a child who fears stepping beyond his nursery walls."
"Enough." Hohenheim's words cut sharper than before, though his relief betrayed him as his shoulders eased. He resumed his careful healing, gentler now, as if handling something fragile. "We'll question him when he wakes. Right now, he needs rest. And don't pretend you're indifferent, you're here because you care."
For a moment, silence. Then…
"…Think what you like," Avicebron murmured, turning away, cloak trailing behind as he followed Hohenheim.
...............................….....................................
After three days (Arthur's room)
As Arthur opened his eyes he could feel the light burning them so closed them until he got used to it and finally opened them
As he looked around he saw his room it seems that thing really did save him or was it Hohenheim he really couldn't bring himself to care as the pain assaulted every nerve in his body
Then, a chime rang. Not the neutral tone of the system, but a mocking trill.
Ding…!
Skill: [The Fool's Delight] Rank Increased
[The Fool's Masquerade] (Rank: B)
Description: "What is life without a joke? What is sanity without a crack? Laughter is a coin that never loses value, so spend it freely! To trip, to bleed, to fail, these are not tragedies, but stages upon which the Fool struts. When all else collapses, the mask remains, and behind it, the world itself is mocked into motion. …Heehee. What a splendid fool."
Effects:
Retains previous effects: Resistance to despair, fear, and mental interference. Failure and humiliation no longer weaken the mind, but instead fuel recovery.
Special Effects:
"Punchline of Pain": When Arthur suffers self-inflicted damage, overexerts himself, or fails spectacularly, his combat stats (strength, speed, endurance) receive a temporary boost proportional to the severity of the setback.
"Encore": Upon falling in battle, Arthur has a chance to revive once with partial strength, accompanied by uncontrollable laughter.
"Shared Joke": Allies within range gain minor resistance to despair and fear when Arthur is laughing in battle.
Ding…!
Skill gained through deed!
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Skill Unlocked: [Battle Continuation: D]
"The will to keep moving, even when death has already laid claim."
............................................................................
"…to fire beyond one's limits, even if the body shatters in return… that is not courage, but a refusal. A stubborn cry against the inevitable… And so, he rises, even when he should fall."
...............................................................................
Effect: Grants the ability to remain conscious and act for a brief period even after receiving fatal wounds. Pain and shock are dulled. Death delayed, not denied.
.........................................................................
The message flickered once, then vanished.
Arthur let out a cracked, humorless chuckle. "Figures… even near death, I end up as the Joke but at least I got a new skill out of it."
But somewhere deep in the marrow of his bones, he could feel it, new strength, sharp and ridiculous, coiling in his body like a spring, a gift from the shadow that had mocked him. A joke he had no choice but to play along with.
As Arthur's thoughts drifted back toward the shadow, the creak of the door pulled him to the present. It opened slowly, and in stepped Cecilia, pale, exhausted, clutching a tray of potion bottles with trembling hands.
The moment her eyes met his, she froze. Then, without hesitation, she dropped the tray onto the nearest table and threw herself at him, burying him in a desperate embrace.
"You're awake…! You're finally awake…! Please, hic, please don't do that again! You're the only one I have here… please don't leave me…"
Her voice cracked her tears warm flowed into him.
Arthur, for once, felt guilt crawl under his skin. He liked to call himself a bastard, but this time… yes, this time he had gone a bit too far. Was Cecilia this worn down because she had cared for him since that day? Just how long had he been unconscious? Judging by her hollow eyes and shaking frame, it must have been longer than he wished to admit.
"…Cecilia. I'm sorry. I won't do something like that again. But… how long was I out?" He waited. "…Cecilia?"
Her only reply was the faint rhythm of her breath. She had fallen asleep against him, clinging even in dreams. Arthur let out a small sigh.
'Guess I'm stuck like this for a while… Breathing's impossible with Cecilia's chest smothering me; it's too damn big…Shit! And of course this armor decides to tighten now. God, I'm injured. I'm injured! Stop tightening! ... I hate my life.'
His eyes drifted down to the familiar, suffocating weight of armor strapped across his chest.
'…And who the hell put this back on me while I was still in bed? Hohenheim and Avicebron, no doubt, probably their idea of punishment, they had to know the second I woke up, and yet they sent Cecilia instead. Tch. Fine, I'll let it slide, for now. But I'll get back at them.'
He smirked weakly, mind already wandering to petty revenge.
'Maybe I'll show Avicebron one of those ruined statues from the raid, tell him it's the last one left, then crush it right in front of him. He'll probably blast me on the spot… but it'll be worth it, As for Hohenheim… I'll think of something later, for now… maybe it's better to just lie here. Maybe even fall asleep again.'
Arthur closed his eyes; Cecilia's steady breathing anchoring him in the silence.
.............................................................................
Arthur woke the next day to find himself alone in bed.
Pushing off the sheets, he staggered at first, his legs wobbling beneath him, before steadying his balance and heading for the door. Just as his hand brushed the handle, it creaked open from the other side.
"Litt…Lord Arthur…!" Cecilia's voice slipped out in a rush before she composed herself, straightening with unusual firmness. "You should still be resting. Getting up so suddenly is dangerous for your health. Work can wait. Master Hohenheim can manage the paperwork for another day."
(Hohenheim, somewhere in the mansion: No! Please no! I just want to go back to my research!)
Arthur blinked. A serious tone from Cecilia was rare enough to make him hesitate. Still, he replied evenly:
"No, I'm fine, Cecilia. I'll go to the office. …But tell me, how long was I out?"
Her face faltered. "…Three weeks, my lord. Master Hohenheim carried you back here. I… came running as soon as I heard how gravely you were injured."
Her voice wavered, guilt bleeding in at the edges.
Arthur's eye twitched. 'So she was watching me again… lurking somewhere she shouldn't have been. She must've seen everything the moment I fired that arrow. By the time Hohenheim finished patching me up, I'd have looked far better than 'gravely injured.' And that guilty little dodge of her gaze? Sealed it.'
"I see." He exhaled slowly. "Did anything important happen while I was unconscious?"
"Yes, lord. It seems Master Hohenheim and his companion… finally succeeded in finding a way to create a small rift in the barrier you three spoke of. They insisted on waiting for you to awaken, so they could present the results and ask how to proceed. At least… that's the message they asked me to deliver."
Arthur froze mid-step. His expression didn't shift, but his thoughts soured immediately.
'Wonderful, I fail the mission, can't even summon a Servant, and now this. An unwelcome surprise if ever there was one.'
The sound arrived then...!
A crystalline chime, sharp and echoed in his head.
Ding.
...................................................................
[Servant Quest: The Trial of the Distant Horizon]
Goal One: Fire an arrow to a distance of 50 km (scaled to current parameters). (Completed)
Goal Two: Place a symbol of fertile soil within the circle.
.....................................................................
New Quest Generated!
(Main Quest) [Past the Wall of Fog to the Lands Beyond the Veil]
"A bounded field has been found. By the unrelenting efforts of Sir Hohenheim and Sir Avicebron, they found a way tear open a small rift in it. The decision of how to proceed now falls to you, leader."
Choices:
1- Strike First. Whoever lies behind the bounded field is no ally. Attack while the element of surprise is ours.
(Reward: Calculated by the scale of enemy defeat.)
2- Remain Within. What is known is safer than what is not. Don't open the rift and endure.
(Rewards: 4 Random Skill Upgrades + Pet: [Tortoise of eternal slumber] + 2 chosen relics)
3- Reciprocate. We open the door and greet the unknown, be it in peace… or war.
(Rewards: Two new B-rank Skills + Two chosen Skill Upgrades + One chosen Relic + Bonus rewards based on actions toward the world beyond.)
.......................................................................
When Arthur glanced through the new quests, surprise flickered across his face, but what startled him more was the notification of a completed goal in the Servant Quest.
'How…?' He remembered his arrow falling far short of fifty kilometers. He had seen it falter with his own eyes. Did something happen in the instant he looked away? Was it the shadow? Or something else entirely?
…Well. Perhaps Hohenheim had noticed something. He would ask him later.
Arthur's attention shifted back to the glowing text. This quest was different. It bore a title he had never seen before, Main Quest. The words alone carried weight, as though this was the very reason for his arrival in this world. That meant every choice here mattered.
The system presented him with three paths. At first they seemed broad, generous in their scope, but the moment he tested them, stretched his thoughts beyond their boundaries, he felt it, A pressure, faint yet undeniable, like invisible chains tugging him back into place. The second option, especially, carried with it the chill of permanence. To choose it would mean safety, yes, and tempting rewards: solidified skills, a foundation that would not crumble. But it also meant being caged, to remain here forever. Stagnation disguised as comfort.
Arthur scoffed inwardly. Stability was no choice at all. Even the promise of power was a hollow thing if it demanded stillness. The third option was hardly ideal either; new skills only meant more training, more disciplines vying for his time. He knew his limits. His swordsmanship, his archery, his tentative grasp of magicraft, these alone demanded all his focus. To scatter himself further would only weaken what he already held.
The first option tempted him with the promise of preemptive action. Strike first, crush the unknown. But… Arthur was not foolish. He didn't know the strength of this land's natives. Even the half-dead dragon he had faced could have ended him had it fought seriously. If there were others like it, other titans, whole and unbroken, then plunging headlong into battle was suicide. Still, if they attacked, he would not shy from it. Even if it cost him his life, he would take a piece of the enemy with him.
Which left only one true choice.
Reciprocate. Meet the unknown with open hands, or weapons, if it came to that. The rewards were strong, the task achievable, and the course clear.
Arthur exhaled, resolve firming.
'…Then I'll need the new Servant. The time's right.'
He turned toward Cecilia.
"Go to Hohenheim. Tell him I need golden wheat and a lily flower brought to Valhalla. At once."
"Yes, lord." Cecilia bowed sharply, her tone unusually serious, before hurrying off with urgent steps.
........................................................................…..
As Hohenheim sent Cecilia with the wheat and the lily Arthur had already drawn the magic circle as he put the plants in the circle and moved back
The summoning circle came alive with a steady glow, prana flowing not in a storm of chaos but in long, measured arcs, like the drawing of a bowstring. Arthur didn't flinch. He already knew who would answer.
The light parted, and the figure stepped forth.
Lean, sun-browned, hair tied back, bow in hand. His garb was simple, unpretentious, but the air around him stretched wide, like a horizon without end.
The man offered a small smile, calm and warm.
"Servant Archer Arash, a bowman from Persia." His voice was clear, almost conversational. "No crown, no conquest, just an arrow meant to carry farther than any other. I've come because you called. That's enough, isn't it?"
Arthur nodded once, not with surprise but with certainty.
"…Yes. That's exactly enough."
Their gazes met, two men who understood what it meant to shoulder impossible burdens. Arthur saw no arrogance in him, only steadiness. The kind of man who would walk beside him, not behind.
The system text unfolded in his vision, words bending slightly as if touched by the horizon Arash carried within himself:
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[Servant Acquired: Archer - Arash]
Noble Phantasm: [Stella] -The Arrow That Carves the Horizon.
(Capable of releasing a tempered form of [Stella] without forfeiting his life, Full release remains a final act of sacrifice.)
...........................................................................
Arash rested his bow on his shoulders with a casual ease, smiling as though they were already comrades.
"Well then," he said. "You choose the direction. I'll make sure the arrow lands true. That's my role, after all."
Arthur allowed himself a thin smile in return.
"…Then let's walk this path together, Archer."