"Your body is under my command, my fate rests upon your sword."
"If you heed the call of the Holy Grail, if you accept this will and reason, then answer me!"
"Here, I swear."
"I am one who accomplishes all good deeds, I am one who delivers all evils."
"Let your eyes be clouded by madness, your heart consumed by frenzy."
"You, prisoner bound by the cage of madness."
"I am the master who wields your chains."
"Clad in the three great words of seven heavens, come forth from the Wheel of Restraint, Guardian of the Balance!"
In a dim basement, Matou Kariya, after a week's preparation, began summoning his miracle.
As before, he added something to the summoning incantation.
Though it grated him, he had to admit Matou Zouken was right.
With his half-baked skills, winning the Holy Grail War through a normal summoning was a pipe dream.
Without victory, he couldn't exact revenge on Tohsaka Tokiomi or ensure Sakura's happiness.
He knew, in the original timeline, Sakura had been consumed by worms, her every fiber corrupted.
He needed the Grail, the legendary wish-granting machine, to save her completely.
He also refused to let Sakura remain in the Matou residence, prompting this rushed summoning.
Theoretically, with careful preparation, a summoning a year later would yield a stronger Servant.
But he had no time to wait!
A week of endurance was his limit. He had to act!
"ARRRRHHH!"
The magic circle blazed blood-red, a beastly roar echoing from its center. Black mist formed a figure, crimson eyes glinting within.
"Go, Berserker! Bring Sakura back to me!"
…
"No Magi☆Mari-chan in this era? Ugh, so boring!"
Roman fiddled with a computer. The "Magi☆Mari" he mentioned was a virtual streamer, but in this nascent internet age, she didn't exist.
"Roman-sensei… how do I do this Reinforcement Magecraft?"
Sakura held a book on basic magecraft, pointing to a section and asking Roman.
Since being summoned, Roman had taken on the role of Sakura's mentor.
"Oh, Reinforcement Magecraft! It channels mana to temporarily boost an object's capabilities. For items, it enhances their function—like a weapon's durability or a blade's sharpness. On yourself, it amplifies physical functions: senses, strength, speed. It's versatile, applicable in many ways."
"At high levels, Reinforcement elevates an object's existential rank. Basic Reinforcement turns an 'ordinary blade' into a 'masterwork blade.' Advanced Reinforcement makes it a 'legendary blade.' Beyond that, it enters the realm of 'magic,' which is unclear."
"It's one of the most common magecrafts after Suggestion, with the broadest applications."
"But it has clear weaknesses—its effect specificity."
"Reinforcement enhances an object's existence, but objects have multiple uses. You must choose what to enhance. For a sword, you pick sharpness or durability—Reinforcement can't do both."
"Another trait is non-stackability. Once an aspect is reinforced, its properties are fixed. Further Reinforcement is useless, and enhancing other aspects is impossible."
"Huh?"
Sakura's eyes swirled like mosquito coils, overwhelmed by Roman's lecture.
"Uh…"
Roman stopped, realizing he'd been teaching as if Sakura were Samuel—a prodigy.
"Let's try this. I'll demonstrate, then we'll practice slowly. Watch!"
Roman picked up a pen, mana surging, infusing it with mystery. The ordinary ballpoint became a "sturdy pen" capable of surviving a nuclear blast's epicenter.
This wasn't Reinforcement's power but Roman's profound magecraft skill.
As a "leader of people," Roman made the intricacies of Reinforcement vivid for Sakura.
"Oh…"
Sakura nodded, catching some key points. To know if she understood, she'd have to try.
She grabbed a cup, mimicking Roman's mana flow.
Her half-dormant Magic Circuits stirred, mana flowing through her body, reaching her fingertips, resonating with the world's "mystery."
Purple circuit-like patterns appeared on the cup's surface—or rather, its material.
These visible patterns stemmed from Sakura's novice mana control, observable by mages.
"Not bad talent!"
Even Roman, once Solomon, marveled at Sakura's aptitude—rare even across his divine and human lives.
Of course, he'd seen better. A bit of Versailles—he himself was naturally attuned to mystery, effortlessly wielding mana.
But just as success loomed…
Bang!
The cup shattered. A purple-black "sphere" appeared, bursting like a sea urchin.
Its spines extended, tearing space itself—displacing and cutting reality, theoretically unstoppable.
This indiscriminate force surged toward Sakura.
A hand appeared, briefly blocking her view. When her sight cleared, everything was normal.
"Whoa! The Imaginary Number concept is that strong? A miracle! Looks like we need to awaken your attribute and stabilize your Magic Circuits first. Wait… maybe my shady Master has a better idea!"
Sakura's attribute had resonated with Imaginary Number Space, causing a runaway effect.
For a former Solomon, such a trifle was easily dispelled.
***
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