Chapter 102: Chapter 101: Rider Aslan Arrives!
A hot wind blew past, kicking up a cloud of yellow sand that completely obscured the view in all directions. If Aslan's constitution hadn't already been completely transformed into that of a Heroic Spirit, he would probably have needed to use Faerie Letters to cool himself down in the face of such temperatures.
Aslan wiped his forehead. After this descent, the armor on his body had become more ornate. It normally only covered his hands, legs, and heart, but during battle, he could infuse it with magical energy to make it cover his entire body. The two Noble Phantasm pendants on his neck and the holy sword at his waist were all with him, but his Forging Hammer could not have its True Name released.
It must be because of my class.
He and his dragon had been living a happy, lovey-dovey life in the Inner Sea of the Planet, visiting other Phantasmal Species from time to time, and occasionally selling the magic-based game consoles and communication devices he had successfully developed. Life was wonderful. But then he closed his eyes for a nap and was thrown into this place.
Could he be considered a Servant now? Strictly speaking, his main body was still in the Inner Sea of the Planet, but he had somehow been drafted by the Human Order. He hoped this so-called Human Order didn't have too much to do with Alaya; otherwise, sooner or later, he would find an opportunity to put that loli over his knee for a good spanking.
According to the information in his head, he could be summoned in four different classes. This mission was rather difficult, so he was summoned in a stronger class to deal with it. The True Name release of his Forging Hammer would probably only be unlocked if he descended as a Caster.
[Aslan Pendragon (Male)]
[Class: Rider][175cm / 70kg][Attribute: Lawful Neutral][Alignment: Earth]
[Strength: A][Endurance: A][Agility: B+][Mana: C++][Luck: B][NP: EX]
[Traits: Riding, Dragon, Heaven and Earth Servant, Beloved, Hominidae]
[Noble Phantasms: Sword of Glorious Victory (A++ Anti-Fortress), Supreme Masterpiece - Justice (EX Anti-Army), Spear of Destiny (A+ Anti-Fortress / Anti-Unit), Horizon Dragon - Melusine (EX ???), Avalon (EX Anti-Unit)]
[Class Skills: Magic Resistance (C), Riding - Dragon/Mecha (EX), Item Construction - Equipment (B~EX), Faerie Letters (D~A)]
[Personal Skills: White Dragon's Blood (A++ - Mana Burst & Mana Recovery Speed)]
[Instinct (A)]
[Dragon's Blood Rampage (B - Alter-ization & Stat Boost)]
[Triple Class (EX - When summoned as Rider, can also be considered Saber and Lancer)]
[Fair-Faced Youth (B - A countenance that can charm the Fae)]
Whether looking at his skills, Noble Phantasms, or his Servant stats, he had become a top-tier Servant. Melusine had also successfully been summoned with him. As one of his Noble Phantasms, Melusine could strictly be used as another Servant. If someone were lucky enough to summon him in a Holy Grail War, it would truly be a "buy one, get one free" deal.
"Hey~ Aslan, how much longer do we have to walk?"
Melusine looked at her hair, which had been tinged a dusky yellow by the sand, and sighed. To be honest, this desert environment was truly a headache. Although it didn't do much harm to them, the humiliation was extreme.
"Trust me, my instinct tells me we're about to get out of this desert. The Human Order... didn't tell me at all that I'd be landing in a desert. Not only that, but it didn't even tell me the content of the mission..."
Aslan ruffled his hair. It was precisely because he didn't know the specific details of this mission that he didn't dare to summon his Supreme Masterpiece directly. If it was a mission that required them to act stealthily, his masterpiece would be far too conspicuous.
"If I had known, I wouldn't have killed those few magical beasts we ran into. If I'd put muzzles on them, combined with the Faerie Letters I can use now, they could have served as makeshift transportation." Because he wasn't summoned as a Caster, his Item Construction and Faerie Letters abilities were limited to their lowest level. It was just like how Medea possessed the Golden Fleece, which could summon dragons, but couldn't fully utilize it. Fortunately, he now had the Triple Class skill; otherwise, the Sword of Brilliant Victory and the Spear of Destiny probably couldn't have their True Names fully released either and could only be used as high-level weapons.
However, although he said he shouldn't have killed the magical beasts they encountered, Aslan knew it was necessary. After manifesting in this world without the support of a Holy Grail or a Master, recovering magical energy was very slow. Killing those magical beasts to eat and store their mana was key to their ability to fight for long periods of time later on.
Letting out a soft sigh, Aslan quickened his pace again. This barren place was truly unbearable. The endless yellow sand covered the sky, making it impossible to even use the stars to navigate. If it weren't for his highly accurate instinct, he probably would have had to cause a major commotion just to get out of the desert.
On the outskirts of a town just beyond the desert, a young female knight, wounded and wearing silver armor, holding a uniquely shaped knight's spear, quickly ducked into the town. A wave of panic and commotion spread through the town. However, this commotion was not one of fear, but rather of concern, as if someone they cherished had been harmed. Then, the town's main gate was quickly closed, and many human soldiers appeared on the walls. These soldiers, holding simple weapons, had set up a defensive formation. They were clearly militia. Their faces showed a mixture of seriousness and fear; they obviously understood how difficult the enemy they were about to face was.
In a residence within the town, the wounded knight took off her helmet. Her short, chestnut-colored hair, styled with a pair of "rabbit ear-like" tufts, added a touch of cuteness to her appearance. Her dark green eyes were filled with caution.
"I'm so sorry. I couldn't bring back the food I promised. But don't worry, as soon as my injuries recover a bit, I'll go look again. No matter what, we'll get through these days. I'm a knight, and I keep my word."
A resident applying medicine nearby had red eyes. The young knight's body was covered in many wounds that looked like they had been made by cutting threads—the signature attack method of that red-haired devil. Had this knight run into that demonic knight order just to find them a few meals' worth of food?
"Sir Gareth... you really don't have to push yourself so hard for us. We can figure something out too. You're right, we can always overcome hardships. But if you fall before that happens, even if we do get through it, we won't be happy."
The young girl's lips curled into a smile, and she patted her chest. "That's right! No matter what, we can get through this! In the name of me, the Fair-Handed Gareth!"
That's right, this young girl was none other than Gareth of the Round Table Knights, and also Gawain's sister. As for why she was acting alone at this moment, that was a rather long story. In short, she had temporarily withdrawn from the Round Table Knights for now, and she would not go back until the order returned to normal!