Hi3rd: Achievement Hunter

"Hm…"

Aleph had just left Mobius' office. The serious talk was enough to offset most of his previous frustrations, though it wasn't enough.

"What should I do…"

He thought for a while and opened his prompts.

[Cursed Energy (Converted): 6999 → 15,450]

[Rank: Special Grade]

It wasn't an exaggeration that the evolution process brought him the biggest surge of strength so far. His energy reserves doubled, his physical strength was increased to a terrible degree, and he could use the three-second "god mode" from Albion.

Aleph also unlocked the use of No Second Strike due to its striking similarities to Albion's power. On top of all that, he could now apply the Ratio Technique to any of the ratio lines—it was no longer limited to the seventh division.

Moreover…

Hum.

The sheathed eastern blade appeared in his grasp.

"So it's this." He muttered. "It pushed that deadweight into gaining his Devil Trigger."

In the world where Yamato came from, it was wielded by a certain deadbeat dad before being passed onto his deadweight son.

Yamato, as one of the two mythical blades, had the power to 'split' anything. Be it two egos or two worlds, it could be used to split them apart.

Aside from that, Yamato also held the power to awaken one's latent potential, allowing Nero to gain his Devil Trigger.

"Since it's converted… hm, that's right. The equivalent should be the Active Honkai Reaction."

Turns out, Yamato also lent a hand during the evolution process. It was the reason why Aleph unlocked some of Albion's "to be unlocked" powers such as the three-second god field he demonstrated earlier.

"That's right. I can test this out somewhere."

He was out to stir troubles once again.

*****

Under the night sky, an uncommon spectacle was happening.

Hum.

Crack-!

Shatter-!

With purely his physical strength, the magecraft barrier shattered right in front of Aleph.

{Results: The current ICHOR has been fully altered into a semi-conceptual state. It grants the power of anti-magic as a passive function…}

Great Sage's analysis rang in Aleph's ears.

"Like a built-in simple domain but for all attacks… This will help against the Cocoon."

Thinking of all sorts of authorities in Finality's hands, a chill went through his spine. All of humanity's power at that point, along with Selene and the remaining Flamechasers, were only able to bring the Herrscher of the End into a temporary coma.

If Aleph was asked how he would fare now…

'It's still not enough.'

He placed his hand atop his chest. A fragmented crystal was laying inside him silently.

The Sephira Crystal was built as a holder of the First Spirit's authority. It was a container that increased its holder's power the more power was stored inside it.

Upon completion, Aleph would theoretically become a Spirit, a being far beyond that of humans.

They no longer needed to eat and sleep. They would no longer age and gain extreme resistances to harsh environments. There was a reason why Spirits could exist in Outer Space alone.

All of that, added with Albion's complete power…

'I need to find that final fragment.'

"You seem to be in a haste."

Sasaki walked over him with his laundry pole sheathed on his back.

"Yeah. My power still isn't enough."

"...It does sound like you are facing someone formidable." Sasaki commented as he crossed his arms. "Going by my memories, it was indeed a tiresome thing."

Although Sasaki was a 'fake', he possessed fractions of memories that people made of the real 'Sasaki Kojiro'. His 'battles' against Miyamoto Musashi was the event with the greatest impact.

The two did not pay much attention to the broken magecraft barrier.

"Can I summon you to my end?"

Aleph asked Sasaki a question. The latter seemed surprised by it.

"You already defeated me. Could it be…"

"Yes. It's for my friend."

Sakura expressed numerous times how regrettable it was that she could not fight against Aleph's 'swordsman friend'. The notes that the latter gave was enough for her to see Sasaki's level—far beyond any people she had ever met.

"Alright. Feel free to do so. I know how bad it was to miss such a rival."

"Thanks."

Half of Aleph's objectives inside the Training Space were completed.

Soon, Aleph left from the temple gate as he arrived in front of a cavern.

"Mount Enzou. It's already my second visit…"

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Only his footsteps were the sound present. It didn't take long before he arrived in front of a huge spherical statue.

"The Greater Grail."

It was none other than the Greater Grail, the focal point of the struggles within the Fate Series.

Unfortunately for Aleph, he could not bring it back to reality. The training space copies the radius of half a city. It wasn't surprising he managed to find this Greater Grail sitting inside the Ryuudou Cavern.

His fingertips met the metal's cold touch.

It looked holy at first glance.

'As expected…'

A single opening of his elemental sight was enough to reveal what was hidden beneath its normal appearance—a pure black mud.

'Angra Mainyu…'

The evils of the world.

That was what the Einzbern Family summoned.

When Aleph saw it for the first time, he had an interesting thought:

What would happen if cursed energy interacts with Angra Mainyu?

He did not choose to touch it before. He felt that he was still somewhat lacking against it.

Things are different now.

Dum.

Dum.

Dum.

Aleph's previous frustrations stemmed from how he was always interrupted by Klein at such a crucial moment. That, and the lack of a strong enemy that could take a good beating from him.

If he truly guessed the right thing—that this Angra Mainyu is an exception to the training space's rules—the problems above would be solved.

Hum.

Yamato appeared in his grasp. He placed his thumb above the handguard, barely touching the sheathe. All the force began to converge at one point. A ratio line appeared horizontally on the said statue.

Then—

Hum-!

Sou-!

—an invisible arc headed straight into the greater grail. Yamato's blade shone dimly as it swung at an unbelievable speed.

Crack-!

Rumble-!

The cut went straight to the greater grail. The rocks behind it began to collapse. The pristine greater grail was broken in one slash.

Aleph calmly looked at the collapsing cavern. His eyes were still stuck at the broken greater grail.

As expected…

"Tsk, tsk. I'm right."

A black mud emerged from its cracks.