Rayish
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Chapter 150
🕑 Added 2025-07-03 06:58:21 +0000 UTCThe morning air on the 25th floor felt damp, carrying the faint scent of wet earth mingling with the remnants of the previous night's thin m
The morning air on the 25th floor felt damp, carrying the faint scent of wet earth mingling with the remnants of the previous night's thin mist. The bluish light from the ceiling crystals of the Dungeon grew brighter, signaling the passage of time underground.
Around their small campsite, Aiz and Shirou slowly emerged from their tents after being called by Lefiya, who had just finished her last watch shift. The elf girl stood near the now-extinguished campfire, her Forest's Teardrop staff resting casually in her hand.
Shirou let out a small yawn, stretching his shoulders before walking toward his supporter's bag. With practiced movements, he opened it and pulled out a small wooden box containing the leftovers from last night's meal.
"Alright, eight pieces left from yesterday," he said, lifting the lid. The aroma of cold but still appetizing grilled fish filled the air. "Let's split them evenly."
Lefiya quickly sat cross-legged on the thin grass near the pond, accepting her portion with a cheerful smile. "Thanks, Shirou."
Aiz, sitting not far from Lefiya, took three pieces unhesitatingly. Her hungry gaze made Shirou smile faintly—he was already used to the golden-eyed swordswoman's appetite.
"Do you still remember the taste from last night, Aiz?" Shirou teased.
Aiz nodded quickly, her mouth already full. "Good..." she answered shortly between chews.
Lefiya ate her share more gracefully but occasionally glanced at Shirou, pleased that the morning had begun with such a familiar atmosphere.
Around them, the pond where the piranha incident had occurred the day before now looked calmer... though the water still shimmered faintly under the reflected light of the ceiling crystals.
They sat in comfortable silence, enjoying breakfast by the pond with the gentle sound of water trickling from cracks in the rocks. The leftover grilled fish tasted even more savory this morning—perhaps due to the fresh air of the 25th floor or the peaceful moment they could finally savor after last night's events.
Lefiya gazed at the pond while fiddling with a fishbone. "Hopefully... your lightning arrows yesterday were enough to wipe out all the water monsters in this pond," she said, half-hopeful.
Aiz gave a small nod as she sipped from her water bottle. "And hopefully... they won't respawn anytime soon."
Shirou, still holding half of his skewered fish, turned toward the pond. "Speaking of which... monsters usually spawn from the Dungeon walls, right?" He glanced at the two girls. "But for water monsters... where do they come from?"
Lefiya chewed slowly before answering after swallowing. "From the bottom of the pond or the pond walls. The water here—from floors 25 to 27—is connected to an underground stream that flows all the way to Melen."
Shirou narrowed his eyes slightly, processing the information. "So... that's why water monsters from the Dungeon sometimes appear in Melen's sea?"
"Exactly!" Lefiya replied quickly, pleased that Shirou followed her logic. "But that pathway... has long been sealed. It's called the Leviathan Seal, sealed by the Poseidon Familia. The name comes from one of the Three Great Quests."
"Great Quests?" Shirou leaned back, intrigued. "What are they?"
"Behemoth," Lefiya answered, raising a finger, "was defeated by Zeus and Hera Familias. Then Leviathan, a massive sea monster, they defeated too with the help of Poseidon Familia."
Lefiya lifted the last piece of her fish and wiggled it like a swimming fish. "And the last one..."
"One-Eyed Black Dragon," Aiz murmured, her voice soft and heavy. Her gaze was downcast, fixed on nothing.
Unaware of Aiz's change in expression, Lefiya continued cheerfully, "Yes, that's the strongest one. Even... the two greatest Familias of that era were slaughtered by that creature."
Shirou fell silent. The words hung in the morning air, which suddenly felt colder. His eyes turned to Aiz, who remained fixated on the remnants of her breakfast. She said nothing, but Shirou knew... that name held a far deeper meaning for her.
One-Eyed Black Dragon... Shirou thought. That's not just the last monster of the Great Quest. That's the dragon that killed Aiz's parents... the same dragon that has existed since ancient times.
He then remembered Ryuu's story about Zald and Alfia. Two legendary adventurers from the past, powerful and tragic... Did they also take part in the quest against those three great monsters? Did they face the dragon's wrath?
The fish in his hand suddenly lost its flavor.
Quietly, Shirou stored those questions in his heart. Someday, he knew, the answers would lead him to a greater destiny. And perhaps... to the reason why he, Shirou Emiya, was in this world.
After the last of the grilled fish was eaten and the smoky morning aroma faded with the gentle breeze, the three of them slowly rose from their seats around the campfire, now reduced to ashes.
Lefiya brushed crumbs off her outer dress, then turned to Aiz with sparkling eyes. "Come on, Aiz! Time for a swim! Let's change first in the tent," she chirped, pointing toward their gray tent.
But Aiz only stared blankly, her expression unreadable. "You go first. I'll catch up later," she replied curtly.
"Okay~" Lefiya answered casually before turning and walking away, her steps light as if eager to return to the water.
Shirou watched Aiz, who remained standing still. Her gaze was fixed on the pond's surface, but her mind was clearly elsewhere. Her face wasn't as calm as usual; a shadow lingered in her golden eyes.
He walked over slowly, keeping a respectful distance but close enough to speak warmly. "You're remembering it, aren't you? That black dragon."
Aiz didn't answer, only lowering her head slightly, her blonde hair cascading over her cheeks. But Shirou knew she heard him.
He took a breath, then spoke in a firm yet gentle voice, "Back then, on the manor's balcony, remember? That night, I promised... that someday, together, we'd defeat the One-Eyed Black Dragon."
Aiz's golden eyes lifted, meeting Shirou's gaze briefly... then softening slightly, as if the weight in her chest had lightened a little. "I remember your promise that night," she murmured, yet clearly.
Shirou smiled faintly and continued, "And just as I promised to defeat that dragon... I also promised to help you defeat another enemy standing in front of you right now."
Aiz blinked, momentarily confused.
"Water," Shirou said, tilting his chin toward the pond. "So cheer up."
A pause, then a small, rare smile curved Aiz's lips. Sweet and fleeting.
"Alright... Thank you, Shirou," she whispered softly but meaningfully.
Then she turned and walked after Lefiya toward their tent. Her blonde hair swayed in the wind, and her steps were lighter. Shirou watched her go, glad to have lifted some of the clouds in her heart.
"Alright. Time to fulfill my promises, one by one," he whispered to himself before turning back toward the extinguished campfire.
Shirou finally moved, heading toward the back of his blue tent. There, his swim trunks, which he had hung to dry the day before, were now dry in the warm, humid underground air. He grabbed them with one hand and stepped back inside the tent.
Calmly, he let his fabric tunic and brown pants fade away. The prana forming their structure dissipated in a smooth flow, leaving him in just his underwear. He quickly pulled on his now-dry swim trunks.
When he stepped out, his timing almost matched the emergence of the two girls from their gray tent. Aiz was back in her white swimsuit with golden star details, while Lefiya wore her bright red dress with a large golden ribbon at the waist and chest. Their dried clothes looked far more comfortable now.
Lefiya was brimming with energy. She strode quickly toward the pond, almost as if she wanted to jump right in. But at the edge, she suddenly froze, her face tensing.
Aiz, standing beside her, asked bluntly, "Why'd you stop?"
Lefiya clutched the hem of her skirt and complained, "I'm traumatized... getting bitten by piranhas yesterday. It hurt, you know..."
Shirou, who had just approached, joined them. "You'd make great fish bait, Lefiya," he said with a mischievous grin.
Instantly, Lefiya's face turned red. "Hah?!"
Without another word, she quickly stepped behind Shirou, who didn't notice her intent. With both small hands, she pushed his back toward the pond.
"Eh—eh, what are you doing, Lefiya—" Shirou exclaimed in surprise, but he didn't resist, letting himself be pushed forward as if surrendering to fate.
"Now it's your turn to be fish bait!!" Lefiya shouted, shoving with all her might.
Splash!!
Water sprayed everywhere as Shirou landed with a loud splash, drenching Lefiya's and Aiz's legs. Bubbles surfaced briefly before Shirou's head reappeared, shaking his wet red hair.
"Wow, it's cold this early in the morning," he muttered, wiping water from his eyes. "But at least... no one's biting me yet, so it seems safe!"
Lefiya stood at the pond's edge, hands on her hips, a satisfied smile on her face. Aiz simply nodded slowly, then turned to the pond, preparing to follow...
Lefiya and Aiz stood at the water's edge, the clear surface rippling gently after the big splash from Shirou, who now floated leisurely, his hair wet as he occasionally wiped his face.
Aiz stepped forward, intending to descend into the pond, but suddenly Lefiya's hand shot out, blocking her chest. "Wait a second!"
Aiz paused, turning slowly to her friend. "What's wrong, Lefiya?" she asked, confused.
Narrowing her eyes, Lefiya pointed toward the middle of the pond with her chin. "Look at Shirou. He's just staying near the edge. Thinking about it... what if monsters like yesterday are still lurking in the middle? Maybe they're just hiding..."
Then, with a slightly sly tone, she pointed at Shirou. "Shirou, go check the middle first, see if it's safe."
Shirou, who had been trying to enjoy the morning tranquility, raised an eyebrow and sighed deeply. "Sigh... I'm really being used as bait, huh?" he grumbled, but resignedly began paddling slowly toward the center. "Fine, if it'll put your minds at ease."
Once he reached the middle, he floated and closed his eyes. His breathing slowed, his body almost merging with the water. He focused entirely on his skill, Mind's Eye, trying to detect any monster vibrations, movements, or hostile intent around him.
Several seconds passed.
Silence.
Time crawled by slowly. But there were no vibrations, no sudden currents below, and most importantly, no piranha ambushes like yesterday.
Shirou opened his eyes and waved. "All clear! So far, I don't feel anything."
"Yatta!" Lefiya cheered, then, without hesitation, she jumped—splash!—creating small waves around Shirou. She resurfaced with a bright laugh, her ponytail clinging to her cheeks. "Finally, a peaceful swim without piranhas!"
Meanwhile, Aiz remained calm, descending the small natural stone steps at the pond's edge. She entered slowly, letting her body adjust to the water's temperature.
With all three of them safely in the pond—no disturbances, no monsters, just light laughter and splashing—the long-delayed swimming practice could finally begin.
Lefiya glided gently toward Aiz, the water rippling softly around her slender elf frame, stopping near Aiz, who still clung tightly to the pond's stone edge.
"Aiz," Lefiya called softly but eagerly, "show us how much your swimming has improved since Shirou taught you in Melen."
Aiz turned slowly, her golden eyes meeting her friend's bright gaze. She nodded faintly, saying nothing. Then, she closed her eyes. She took a deep breath.
Lefiya, watching, furrowed her brows in confusion. "Huh? Isn't she going to swim? Why is she just standing there? Shirou, what's she doing?" she whispered, turning to Shirou, who was now floating beside her.
Shirou smirked slightly. "Aiz hasn't fully mastered natural swimming yet. But... she has her own way."
"Her own way?"
"Yeah. She uses her wind magic... Little Ariel."
Lefiya narrowed her eyes, repeating the spell's name softly. "Little Ariel... oh! That's the magic she used to inflate the tires on my pink bike that one time, right?" Her face lit up as she recalled the funny incident from weeks ago.
Shirou nodded. "Right. That spell isn't just for enhancing Aiz's movements—it can also act as a 'support' in water. So she floats, even if she hasn't fully mastered swimming techniques yet."
Lefiya sighed in awe, then turned back to Aiz, who was now gradually releasing her grip on the pond's edge. Around her body, an almost invisible breeze formed, creating tiny bubbles rising from the water.
"Fuuuh..." A soft exhale escaped Aiz's lips, and her body began moving forward smoothly across the water's surface. Her movements were calm, deliberate, though still slightly stiff—but she didn't sink or panic.
"Wow..." Lefiya gasped.
"Don't distract her yet," Shirou murmured. "Let her focus. If she gets interrupted, the spell might slip, and she'll panic again."
Lefiya quickly covered her mouth with both hands, though she couldn't hide her delighted smile. Watching Aiz—her idol, the flawless sword princess in her eyes—strive so hard to conquer her own weakness was truly inspiring.
And Shirou... just watched from the side, quietly proud of his student's progress.
