Upon hearing the clinking of cutlery and plates in the sunroom, Sakatsuki's lips curled into a faint smile.
No one could resist good food, especially a breakfast personally prepared by Emiya, whose culinary skills were at an EX level.
Although it wouldn't boost Alice Kuonji's favorability to friendly, it at least shifted her from hostile to indifferent, allowing him to continue his travel in this holy land for a few more days.
With the favorability task completed, Sakatsuki casually closed the book and recalled last night's dream—the trial in the valley.
The body he inhabited during the trial was that of an ordinary person, devoid of any magic. After losing his sharp spearmanship, he had no choice but to rely on clumsy rolls to escape the onslaught of the heavy cavalry's halberd.
Yet, despite his efforts, he was eventually struck by the halberd's shaft due to exhaustion, followed by a merciless blow that ended his life on the spot.
"I shouldn't have initiated the attack. In such an intense battle, there was no time to reflect," Sakatsuki pondered the correct approach to the trial. "Although King Hassan's great sword is indeed misleading, the way of the Assassin is not about unleashing chaos... at least not initially."
A single, fatal strike is the creed of an assassin. Whether it's the Old Man of the Mountain or Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, they are the epitome of the assassin's path. For someone like Sakatsuki, who is just starting on this path, recklessly imitating them would be suicidal.
"Tonight, I'll focus on 'perception' and 'stealth,'" Sakatsuki decided on his strategy for the next trial.
"Even if I can't obtain the 'Mystic Eyes of Death Perception,' I must master the skills of an assassin."
The Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.
This heaven-defying, rainbow-grade mystic eye is not exclusive to Shiki Ryougi and Shiki Tohno. As a Grand Assassin, the first Old Man of the Mountain, King Hassan, once used the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception to bestow the concept of death upon the immortal mother goddess Tiamat in the seventh singularity.
However, this is not the reason Sakatsuki could obtain the 'Mystic Eyes of Death Perception' from the secret realm. His confidence stems more from himself.
Awakening the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception comes at a cost—to see the death of all things, one must first accept one's own destined death. As far as is known, Shiki Ryougi gained the mystic eyes after the sacrifice of her personality [SHIKI], while Shiki Tohno's cost was the loss of half his life force.
Sakatsuki, too, has faced death—he is, after all, a soul that replaced a vanished one to come to this world.
With this concept in place, he has the potential to awaken the 'Mystic Eyes of Death Perception,' especially since Shiki Ryougi has already hinted at the path to obtaining the mystic eyes.
"But this matter cannot be rushed. Rainbow-grade mystic eyes are not common. Before that, there's something important to complete."
Opening his imaginary pocket, Sakatsuki took out a treasure map.
This treasure map is the reason he is still lingering in this world, and now it is nearly complete. Most of the marked locations on the map have been crossed out, leaving only one spot in Misaki City that remains unclaimed.
Infusing the marked point with magical energy, Sakatsuki closed his eyes, sensing the precise latitude and longitude. After a moment, he opened his eyes and turned to the witch who had just emerged from the sunroom.
"The reason I came here is because there's something I need. I'm about to start searching. Would you like to supervise me?"
Perhaps because she had been softened by the meal, Alice showed no intention of driving him away. She simply nodded and silently followed Sakatsuki.
Under the guidance of the homeowner, Sakatsuki navigated through twists and turns until he finally found the last component in Alice's workshop.
Watching Sakatsuki holding a humanoid figure, Alice Kuonji fell into thought.
She remembered that this doll was brought back by Aoko, who was excited about it, claiming it was a 'bargain' from a magic auction. However, after Alice detected no magical reaction, Aoko, feeling deceived, discarded it here.
For Alice, this doll, aside from carrying a fond memory, held no value.
"Is that so? It's you..." The boy's whisper caught her attention. Alice looked up and met Sakatsuki's gaze.
"Name your price, Miss Witch."
***
Back in the empty room, Sakatsuki sat on the floor and laid out all the parts he had gathered so far based on the treasure map's clues.
A severed arm from the National Museum of Japan; a core from the Einzbern family; a thigh from the Clock Tower; a secret key from Touko's workshop; and finally, from Alice Kuonji's residence, a doll missing an arm and a leg.
Although the joints of the limbs bore the marks of time, the doll's face and torso remained intact. After wiping away years of dust with a damp cloth, a familiar face emerged.
Long black hair cascaded down to the waist. Lifting the eyelids, which resembled those of a real person, revealed golden pupils. The torso, though missing limbs, still exuded a sense of feminine grace and beauty.
Not to mention the kimono she was wearing, which accentuated her charm.
"Speaking of the early Edo period, I should have realized it sooner. Early Edo period, doll, wooden joints, damaged state—even using the process of elimination, I should have guessed..." Sakatsuki picked up the arm and leg he had scavenged from other places and fitted them perfectly into the doll's joints.
"However, it's quite remarkable that most of it has survived intact until now. Or perhaps the incomplete reward wouldn't have been handed over by the Fate Compendium? Katou Danzou."
Looking at the beautiful doll, now fully limbed and with closed eyes as if asleep, Sakatsuki smiled.
Katou Danzou.
Known by nicknames such as "Flying Katou" and "Kite Katou," this ninja is set in the Type-Moon universe as a mechanical doll created by the first Fuuma Kotarou and the monk Kashin, responsible for instructing successive generations of Fuuma Kotarou, bearing little resemblance to the historical figure.
She previously appeared in the Shimosa Province: The Stage of Rivers of Blood and Mountains of Corpses. In reality, she was being manipulated by Caster Limbo, having lost most of her memories.
When attacking Demonic Castle, he was forced into battle against the group under Caster Limbo's control. In the end, the heavily damaged Danzou was activated into self-destruction mode, causing a massive explosion.
After dispersing, the magical energy left behind by the First Generation Fuuma allowed Fuuma Kotarou, who had barely arrived in Shimosa, to undergo a Saint Graph Ascension.
And in Heian-kyo: Naraka Mandala, she also appears as a Servant protecting Ritsuka Fujimaru.
Although she doesn't have much screen time, given Sakatsuki's own formidable strength, an assassin specializing in intelligence and reconnaissance can still play a valuable role.
Absentmindedly thinking about something, Sakatsuki fused the Core with the Key and injected magical energy. As the sound of an ancient clockwork mechanism echoed, a magical screen suddenly appeared before him. At the same time, the Fate Compendium also sent out a message
[Detected brain records of individual 'Katou Danzou.' Proceed with interference and modification?]
Sakatsuki paused, suddenly recalling Katou Danzou's characteristics.
In the sub-species parallel world, "Shimosa Province: The Stage of Rivers of Blood and Mountains of Corpses," Danzou was manipulated by Caster Limbo because her memories had been tampered with by Ashiya Douman.
In other words, Sakatsuki could now do the same, much like how the bone king in "Overlord" modified Albedo's data to make her adore him... or something along those lines.
After a moment of contemplation, Sakatsuki spoke.
"Begin modification. Set underlying command."
***
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