The magic circle on the floor burst into a blinding cascade of crimson light, scorched-earth heat, and the sharp smell of black powder. Sparks danced through the air as the radiance condensed into a single, imposing figure.
As the smoke cleared, I took in the sight.
Standing right before me was a small figure clad in a sharp black military uniform, heavy golden greaves, and a long, flowing crimson cape. A high-peaked military hat sat atop long dark hair, and a red-sheathed katana was casually held in one gloved hand. The air around her practically vibrated with an oppressive heat.
I stared at her for a solid second, took in that dark, tyrant aura, and internally went:
'...fuck.'
Before I could even take a step back, she threw her head back and burst into a booming, boisterous laugh.
"Gahahahaha! I have arrived! Archer, Oda Nobunaga!" She struck a dramatic pose, flashing a confident grin. "What's with that look on your face, Master? Kneel before my brilliance!"
"Ah... nice to meet you," I greeted her reflexively, completely stunned.
In my head, my brain was short-circuiting. Wait... Archer?! Are you serious?! Looking at her, I could have sworn on my life she was Avenger Nobunaga.
Confused, I focused my vision to inspect her status, invoking the natural mental link between Master and Servant. The spiritual information materialized directly in my mind:
[True Name: Oda Nobunaga]
[Class: Archer]
It was undeniably an Archer Saint Graph. I stared at the data in disbelief, swearing mentally that her physical appearance was 100% Avenger's, yet the graph right in front of my eyes stubbornly insisted otherwise.
Suddenly, the wooden door shattered into splinters.
Jeanne burst into the room like a holy missile, her divine energy flaring with lethal intent. She didn't say a single word. Her eyes locked onto Nobunaga's, and she went straight for the kill, thrusting her spears forward with terrifying speed.
Nobunaga's laugh cut off instantly. Her expression flipped from comedic arrogance to dead-serious sharpness in a fraction of a second. She didn't speak either—her hand flashed to her hilt, drawing her katana with absolute precision to block the incoming strike.
CLANG—!
Red flames and sacred light violently collided, throwing shockwaves across the room as steel locked against steel.
"WAIT!!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.
Jeanne's dual spears froze inches from Nobunaga's katana.
Her eyes widened in sudden realization, the dark aura around her weapons sputtering out as her gaze darted between the red-caped warlord and me. The instant her mana brushed against Nobunaga's presence, the shared contract line linking straight back to my soul snapped into clear focus.
She wasn't looking at an invading enemy Servant—she was looking at another Servant contracted directly to me.
Jeanne slowly lowered her twin spears, her cheeks immediately puffing out into an intense, furious pout. She turned her glare entirely on me, her eyes practically burning holes through my skull while Nobunaga casually sheathed her blade with a smug smirk.
"Wait... an enemy Servant...?" Jeanne muttered, her voice dropping into an accusatory glare. "No... why do I feel a contract connection between the two of you?! Master, what is the meaning of this?!"
"Ah, well... you see..." I rubbed the back of my neck, taking a cautious step away from her wrath. "She's... another Servant I summoned."
"Little brother?"
Arthur poked his head through the shattered doorframe, looking completely bewildered as his eyes traveled from me, to Jeanne, and then to Nobunaga.
"How did you manage to summon another Servant?" Arthur asked, his eyebrows knitting together in genuine concern. "More importantly... are you alright? Can your magical energy really sustain three Servants at once?"
"Look, I'm... just as confused as you guys are!" I put on my best bewildered face, trying to sound as innocent as possible. "I was just standing here, and then this... weird voice echoed in my head telling me I could perform another summoning. So I tried it, and... yeah."
It wasn't technically a lie. The System interface did inform me about my gacha roll privileges, but explaining multiversal gacha mechanics to two Legendary Heroic Spirits was a headache I wasn't ready for.
Before I could say another word, Jeanne marched right past Arthur and Nobunaga. Her face was bright red, a volatile mix of pure annoyance, jealousy, and embarrassment.
Without warning, her hand shot out and pinched my ear firm and tight.
"Ow! Ow, ow, ow! Jeanne, wait—!"
She didn't listen. She yanked me by the ear, completely ignoring my winces as she dragged me straight out of the bedroom, down the hallway, and shoved me into the bathroom before slamming the door shut and locking it with a sharp click.
"Sit!" she commanded.
'Yes ma'am'
She shoved my shoulders down, forcing me to plop right onto the closed toilet lid.
Jeanne stood over me with her arms tightly crossed, her chest heaving as she glared down at me with the ultimate pout.
"I'm sorry! I'm really, really sorry!" I apologized frantically, raising my hands in surrender.
Honestly, I couldn't blame her. We had literally just fucked this morning, sealing our bond... As i dont know what actually. To have me turn around two hours later and casually pull another servant no less a female on into my room was a massive blow to her mood.
"You 'heard a voice' and just decided to bring another woman into your room?!" Jeanne huffed, bending down so her face was only inches from mine. Her eyes flared with possessive frustration. "Do you have any idea how that makes me feel after what we just did?!"
"It was an accident! I didn't think it would actually work!" I pleaded, sweating under her intense stare.
Jeanne stared at me for a long moment, her blush deepening all the way to the tips of her ears. She leaned in closer, her warm breath brushing against my skin as she delivered a quiet, lethal threat:
"If you think you can just collect Servants and ignore me, you're dead wrong, Master... We are going to go at it right now, right here in this house, until you remember who your first Servant is!"
"You're bluffing," I said deadpan, raising an eyebrow at her. "Sakura is right downstairs."
Jeanne froze. Her intense glare melted away into a blank, wide-eyed blink. The threatening aura radiating off her instantly vanished into thin air.
"...Ah," she squeaked, a faint, embarrassed blush creeping across her nose. "I... forgot she was here."
I let out a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose.
Jeanne pouted, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "Well... then we can just go back to that love motel from this morning later!"
"I'm sorry, Jeanne," I apologized softly, giving her a helpless look. "Between the household, the new Servants, and everything going on right now, we really can't."
She fell silent, her lips pressed into a tight line as she tapped her chin, thinking deeply to figure out an acceptable compromise.
"How about this?" I offered. "When we go back out to the living room, I'll give you a lap pillow."
Jeanne puffed her cheeks out, trying her absolute best to sound aloof and uninterested. "Hmph! As if a simple lap pillow is enough to make up for—"
"Great, glad we agree," I cut her off with a grin, grabbing her hand and opening the bathroom door before she could protest further.
Five minutes later, we were all gathered back in the living room.
I was sitting on the couch, leaning back comfortably while Jeanne lay beside me, her head resting happily in my lap. I gently stroked her soft blond hair, which had completely pacified her into a quiet, purring state of absolute satisfaction.
Meanwhile, Nobunaga stood right in the center of the room, her long crimson cape billowing dramatically despite the complete lack of wind indoors. She had her hands on her hips, puffing her chest out and gloating under everyone's gaze.
"uwahahahaha! Feast your eyes, mortals! You are in the presence of the ultimate hero of Japan!" Nobu boasted, soaking in the attention like a sponge while I explained her sudden arrival to Arthur, Kariya, and the Faerie Knights.
Morgan narrowed her eyes, watching Jeanne smugly enjoying my lap pillow.
. Seeing the display, her cold, piercing gaze snapped over.
"I require a lap pillow as well," Morgan declared.
Before I could even process the request, Arthur stepped forward with a bright, chivalrous smile.
"If it is a lap pillow you seek, Lady Morgan, I would be honored to offer mine!" Arthur offered cheerfully.
Morgan didn't hesitate for a single millisecond. "Accepted."
She immediately sat down next to Arthur, resting her head on his lap, leaving Arthur blinking in mild shock at how fast she had agreed to sit with her brother.
Then, Barghest stepped forward, her towering frame casting a massive shadow over the couch. She looked down at me with slight hope.
"Kenji... if you are in need of comfort, I, too, offer my lap to you," Barghest stated respectfully.
I looked up at Barghest. My eyes briefly drifted to her tall, muscular, unbelievably soft-looking thighs. My brain instantly screamed:
'Yes. Absolutely yes.'
I opened my mouth, fully prepared to accept—
An ice-cold chill shot straight up my spine. I looked down, only to see Jeanne glaring up at me from my lap, her eyes staring at me.
"Er..." I cleared my throat, cold sweat breaking out across my forehead. "I... I'll have to respectfully pass, Barghest. But thank you!"
Barghest gave a polite, noble bow, completely unfazed. "I understand, Kenji."
Phew. Barely survived that one.
With the living room temporarily settled into a peaceful rhythm, I leaned back against the cushions, continuing to stroke Jeanne's hair while mentally opening up the Multiversal Group Chat interface.
I opened the member list, looking past Subaru and Saki's names, and my eyes widened as two new tags appeared on the screen:
[Subaru Natsuki]
[Saki Yoshida]
[Cosplaying Goddess]
[Spirit Of Time]
I swiped the air, pulling up the group chat interface. Might as well check in before dealing with whatever fresh chaos was brewing downstairs.
[Subaru: It's actually getting boring.]
[Cosplay Goddess: Wait, boring?! How is that boring?! You're basically a god now!]
[Subaru: I know, right?! But like, I got this sword that cuts concepts and this attack that bypasses reality itself. I one-shot the first guy I fought. Didn't even get to have fun.]
[Cosplay Goddess: ...That's so broken it's not even funny.]
[Subaru: I KNOW! It's kinda lonely honestly. No one can even challenge me. Like, what's the point of being OP if there's no one to fight?]
[Spirit of Time: A powerful warrior with no worthy opponent? How tragic~]
[Subaru: Yeah! Wait, who's this?]
[Spirit of Time: You can call me Spirit. I'm new here. Just a wandering Spirit passing through~]
[Subaru: A Spirit?]
[Spirit of Time: Mmm, something like that. I can control time a little. Speed it up, slow it down, reverse it for a moment. Just party tricks really~]
[Subaru: That's so cool! Wait, so you could like, rewind time if something bad happens?]
[Spirit of Time: Mmm, something like that. Why? Are you planning to do something reckless?~]
[Subaru: ...No. Maybe. Depends on how bored I get.]
[Cosplay Goddess: Okay, but Saki hasn't said anything yet! Saki, what did you get when you first joined?!]
[Saki: Hmm? Oh, I got a Digimon. His name is Terriermon. He's been with me since day one.]
[Cosplay Goddess: Wait wait wait. A Digimon?! Like from the anime?!]
[Saki: Anime? I mean, I know what anime is, but I've never heard of a Digimon before. Is that a show or something?]
[Cosplay Goddess: ...Wait. You know what anime is but you've never heard of Digimon?]
[Saki: Is it popular? I mostly watch slice-of-life stuff...]
I blinked at the screen. Marin had caught it immediately. Saki knew about anime in general but had never heard of Digimon. That meant Digimon didn't exist in Saki's world. Which meant Marin, who had Digimon in her world, was now silently processing that information.
[Cosplay Goddess: ...Oh. Uh. Yeah, it's a show. About digital monsters. Super niche. You probably wouldn't know it.]
[Saki: Oh, okay! That makes sense then!]
I could practically feel Marin's brain working overtime. 'Did she figure out something? If she knows digimon she might know some of the other characters that could appear...'
[Subaru: A Digimon? Like, an actual Digimon? That's wild.]
[Saki: He's really cute.]
[Cosplay Goddess: ...That's adorable. I'm not jealous at all. Not even a little bit.]
[Subaru: Yeah, totally. You're definitely not jealous.]
[Cosplay Goddess: SHUT UP SUBARU!]
I smirked and typed out a message.
[Kenji: Hey everyone. Sorry I've been quiet.]
[Subaru: KENJI! THERE YOU ARE! Man, I was just talking about you! How strong are you?!]
My eye twitched.
[Kenji: Not strong enough to fight you. You literally one-shot everything.]
[Subaru: Hahaha, don't sell yourself short, man! We should spar sometime! It'll be fun!]
[Kenji: ...Fun. For who?]
[Subaru: Both of us! Come on, it'll be great!]
[Kenji: I'll pass.]
[Subaru: CHICKEN!]
[Kenji: I'd rather be a chicken than a smear on the floor.]
[Spirit of Time: Oh my~ The famous Kenji. I've heard so much about you~]
[Kenji: ...Should I be worried?]
[Spirit of Time: Not at all~ I'm completely harmless~]
[Cosplay Goddess: Oh! A new person! Hi! I'm Marin!]
[Kenji: Kenji. Nice to meet you.]
[Cosplay Goddess: Saki told me about you! You helped her get a Digimon, right? That's so cool!]
[Kenji: To be fair, the system gave it to her. I just... exist... she helped me get a digimon]
[Cosplay Goddess: That's awesome!]
[Kenji: Hey, Spirit. You know you can turn off the nickname, right?]
[Spirit of Time: I know. But I like this one. It's mysterious~]
[Kenji: Suit yourself.]
[Spirit of Time: Oh I will~]
I closed the chat and let out a long breath. My head was already hurting.
—
I looked around the living room. Everyone was in their spots—Arthur and Morgan on the couch, Nobunaga still preening, Jeanne still purring in my lap.
"Where's Sakura?" I asked. "And Dorumon?"
Arthur looked up. "Ah, they're outside playing with Kariya. Melusine and Baobhan Sith are accompanying them."
"Oh. Okay." I paused. "Is it okay for them to wander off without you?"
Morgan waved dismissively. "He has two of my knights with him. They'll be fine. Besides, they're walking around the nearby park and should be back within the hour."
"Oh... uhh, okay?"
The conversation drifted, but a question had been nagging at me since last night. I turned to Arthur.
"Hey, Arthur. Did you find anything else about Angra Mainyu?"
Arthur's expression shifted. The warmth faded, replaced by something serious.
"...Actually, yes. I did find something."
The room went quiet. Even Jeanne stopped purring.
I leaned forward. "What?"
Arthur sat up, moving Morgan's head from his lap. "I was scouting the western district last night. There was a ley line intersection with a masked magical signature. I found another pool. Smaller than the one in the Matou basement, but significant."
"Who put it there?"
"I don't know. But it's not the only one. I sensed traces of Angra Mainyu in two other locations. Small pockets of corruption, scattered across the city."
"So someone's been planting these."
"Exactly."
Nobunaga crossed her arms. "So we're dealing with multiple players. A war within a war."
"Precisely."
I stood up, gently moving Jeanne from my lap. "We need to investigate."
Arthur nodded. "I was planning to go today. I wanted to wait until everyone was ready."
"Then let's go."
"I'll come with you," Jeanne said, rising.
"Same," Nobunaga declared. "Didn't get summoned just to sit around."
I turned to Arthur. "When do you want to leave?"
"We can leave now. Kariya and the others are still out, but they'll be fine. Morgan can hold down the fort."
I nodded. "Sounds good."
Then I turned to Morgan. "You'll stay here? Watch over Sakura when she gets back?"
Morgan's eyes narrowed. "You're leaving me behind?"
"Someone needs to protect the base with sakura here."
"...Fine. I will stay. But only because the girl is innocent."
I smiled. "Thanks, Morgan. I knew I could count on you."
She sniffed, turning her head away. "Of course you can. I am your big sister, after all."
"Yeah, you are."
A slight blush crept onto her cheeks. She covered her face with one hand.
——
We walked out the front door, the cool afternoon air washing over us. Arthur led the way, Jeanne at my side, Nobunaga striding confidently behind. The city hummed with its usual noise—cars, distant chatter, dogs barking. It felt peaceful.
After a few minutes of walking, I realized something.
"Hey, Arthur."
He turned back. "Yes?"
"Where exactly are we going?"
Arthur froze mid-step. His green eyes went wide.
"...I forgot."
I blinked. "What?"
"I forgot, sorry." His voice was sheepish. Incredibly sheepish.
I stared at him.
The King of Knights. The greatest hero of Britain. The man who had fought dragons and beasts and armies. The big brother I was supposed to rely on.
"ARTHUR!!!"
I lunged forward, my hands wrapping around his neck. His eyes went wide as I began to strangle him right there on the sidewalk. Pedestrians stared.
"HOW?! HOW DO YOU FORGET SOMETHING LIKE THAT?! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE RELIABLE ONE!"
"ACK—KENJI—PLEASE—!"
"WE WERE ABOUT TO GO ON A MISSION! A DANGEROUS MISSION! AND YOU FORGOT THE ADDRESS?!"
"I'M SORRY—I'LL REMEMBER—JUST GIVE ME A MOMENT—!"
Arthur's face was turning a shade of red. "KENJI—I—CAN'T—BREATHE—!"
"GOOD!"
I squeezed harder.
——
[(Author: yeah as I said in my other work I had recently posted a digimon like Solo Leveling world with a gc of which tricks I will not name after playing and still am playing digimon time strangers on my recently bought switch 2... make sure to leave some feedback on the digimon one to let me know how it is right now but im gonna sleep so I'll probably post a chapter of the ruby one tomorrow when im not busy)]