Chapter 24: Shadow servant and Master
Ritsuka, Morgan, Mash, and Kadoc sat together in the dining room, with Kama present but invisible to everyone except Ritsuka and Morgan. Kadoc's curiosity was piqued as he gazed at Morgan.
Ritsuka broke the silence, addressing Kadoc. "Why are you so interested in my servant?"
Kadoc responded with genuine curiosity. "I'm just wondering what's behind that veil. If it's alright with both her and you, could I see her face?"
Ritsuka turned to Morgan, seeking her consent. "Morgan, if you're comfortable, could you remove your veil? Only if you're okay with it. I'm not insisting."
Morgan looked at Ritsuka with a reassuring smile. "It's alright, husband. I don't mind."
Morgan removed her veil, revealing her face. The effect was immediate: Kadoc and Ritsuka were both struck by her beauty. Kadoc's eyes widened in admiration. "You hit the jackpot with this summoning. Not only did you get an actual servant, but a Berserker who is not only powerful and mentally stable but also incredibly beautiful. Your luck is extraordinary."
Ritsuka chuckled, feeling a mix of pride and relief. "I guess I did get lucky. But I'm just glad to have Morgan by my side."
Morgan smiled softly, appreciating the compliment. "Thank you, Kadoc. I'm glad to be of service."
As the group continued their meal, the atmosphere was filled with a sense of camaraderie and curiosity about the new dynamics brought by Morgan's presence.
Kadoc looked at Ritsuka with a smirk. "So, did you notice that?"
Ritsuka sighed, speaking for both of them. "You mean how every female Master candidate looks at me with either 'be my boyfriend,' 'be my husband,' or 'continue my mage's bloodline' in their eyes? And how all the male Masters glare at me like they want me to die?"
Kadoc nodded, chuckling. "Yeah, it's quite the spectacle. You've definitely stirred things up."
Ritsuka shrugged. "It's all part of the job, I guess. Just another day in the life of a Master with a complicated harem and more attention than I ever wanted."
Morgan smiled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "As long as we handle it together, it's all manageable. We've faced worse challenges, after all."
Mash nodded in agreement, adding, "We'll navigate this together. It's just another layer to our complex situation."
The conversation lightened the mood, and the group continued to eat and talk, the unusual dynamics of their situation slowly becoming a part of their daily routine.
Kadoc looked at Ritsuka with a mix of concern and resignation. "There's another reason everyone's looking at you the way they are. It's not just about how some Masters are jealous or interested in you. A lot of them don't even have Shadow Servants."
Ritsuka's gaze shifted to Kadoc's Shadow Servant, a high-ranking Caster that stood out from the others. Unlike most Shadow Servants, this one was more visible, with distinct features and a clear presence. The figure held a doll and moved with an air of royalty, with long, flowing hair that seemed to be white or silver, although it was hard to be sure. The only thing they knew for certain was her Noble Phantasm, "Viy Viy Viy."
Ritsuka nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, what about it?"
Kadoc sighed. "When you summoned Morgan, you nearly drained all of Chaldea's leyline and Servant summoning energy. What was meant to be enough for every Master to summon their Servant got used up almost entirely by you. That means there wasn't even enough left for one more full summon. At least everyone who went before you managed to get their Shadow Servants."
Ritsuka blinked, realizing the gravity of the situation. "So, my summoning pretty much disrupted the whole process for everyone else."
Kadoc nodded grimly. "Exactly. The others are stuck without proper Servants, and some only have weak or incomplete Shadow Servants. It's why you're getting those looks—you're the one who got the jackpot, while everyone else got left with scraps."
Morgan then looked Kadoc shadow servant. "Husband how does a shadow servant ranking work"
Morgan listened intently as Ritsuka explained the ranking system of Shadow Servants. Her eyes were fixed on Kadoc's Shadow Servant, intrigued by its presence and the implications of its rank.
Ritsuka began, "As Olga once explained, the ranking of Shadow Servants is determined based on a system they developed after many 'tests.' The ranks are divided into four categories: Low, Middle, High, and Extra."
He continued, "Low-ranking Shadow Servants are pretty basic. They look like crude drawings of a human body, just filled in with black. You can't really tell what class they are, and their attacks are strange and hard to define. Then you have the Middle-ranking Shadow Servants. They start to have a bit more form and detail. You can see some clear features, and they even come with visible weapons, like swords, bows, lances—whatever fits their class."
Ritsuka glanced at Kadoc's Shadow Servant before turning back to Morgan. "High-ranking ones, like Kadoc's, are much more defined. You can see them almost as clearly as a regular Servant, with distinct features and abilities. Then there's the Extra rank, which is the rarest. I guess if you were a Shadow Servant, you'd be classified there, but you're a full Servant, Morgan, so that probably doesn't apply."
Morgan nodded, absorbing the information. "So, the higher the rank, the more powerful and defined the Shadow Servant is. Kadoc's Shadow Servant must be quite formidable, then."
Ritsuka agreed. "Exactly. The higher the rank, the closer they are to being like a true Servant. Kadoc's Shadow Servant isn't just a high rank, it's unique, almost like an actual Servant in its own right."
Kadoc then spoke again. "There is also theory made by Da Vinci, that after an unknown amount of time a High ranking Shadow servant can become real servant, some type of transformation, it is more a Theory then anything".
Ritsuka raised an eyebrow at Kadoc's statement. "A theory that a High-ranking Shadow Servant could become a real Servant? That's... interesting."
Kadoc nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, Da Vinci came up with the theory after analyzing the data we've gathered on Shadow Servants. She thinks that if a High-ranking Shadow Servant gathers enough experience and magical energy, it could undergo some sort of transformation. It's more like a hypothesis right now, but given the right conditions, it might actually be possible."
Ritsuka leaned back in his chair, processing the information. "That would be a game-changer. Imagine if Shadow Servants could evolve into real Servants. It would change how we approach summoning and training."
Kadoc continued, "The idea is that Shadow Servants, especially those at higher ranks, aren't just reflections of a Servant's power but are potentially Servants in a dormant state. The transformation would involve them crossing some threshold—maybe it's a matter of accumulating enough mana or achieving a certain level of autonomy. Da Vinci isn't sure about the specifics, but she's convinced that there's something more to them than we currently understand."
Morgan, who had been quietly observing the conversation, spoke up. "If that theory holds, then the implications are vast. Shadow Servants could be nurtured and grown, eventually becoming full-fledged allies rather than just shadows. But how would this affect the bond between a Master and their Servant? Would the Shadow Servant become independent, or would they still be bound to their Master?"
Kadoc considered her question. "Da Vinci mentioned that the bond might evolve as well. If a Shadow Servant were to become a real Servant, their connection to their Master could deepen, similar to a pact but on a more profound level. They might retain some of their previous characteristics, but with a new sense of identity and purpose."
Ritsuka mused aloud, "So, it's like a second summoning of sorts, but with the added history and experience of the Shadow Servant. If that's true, then the potential for these Shadow Servants is much greater than we've ever imagined. It could also mean that we need to be more mindful of how we treat them, especially those of higher ranks."
Kadoc nodded. "Exactly. It's something that could change the dynamics within Chaldea. Imagine if every Master could eventually have multiple fully realized Servants, not just Shadow Servants, but actual ones with their own personalities and powers. It could tip the scales in our favor in future battles."
Morgan looked thoughtful. "But it also raises ethical questions. What happens to the original Servant if their Shadow Servant becomes real? Will they be two separate entities, or will they merge into one being? And what about the Master's command over them? Will that command still hold, or will the newly transformed Servant be free to act on their own?"
Ritsuka sighed. "So many unknowns. But if Da Vinci is onto something, it's definitely worth exploring. We could be on the verge of discovering a new facet of summoning that could redefine everything we know about Servants."
Kadoc added, "Da Vinci's already started some experiments to see if she can replicate the conditions that might trigger this transformation. She's using data from past battles, particularly those involving Shadow Servants that have shown exceptional performance. If she succeeds, it could open up a whole new field of research within Chaldea."
Ritsuka smiled, a hint of excitement in his eyes. "I can't wait to see where this leads. If it works, we'll have an even stronger force to rely on. And who knows, maybe one day, these Shadow Servants will fight alongside us as equals."
Morgan nodded in agreement. "It's an intriguing possibility. But until then, we should keep an eye on Kadoc's Shadow Servant. It might be one of the first to undergo this transformation, given its unique characteristics."
Kadoc glanced at his Shadow Servant, who continued to stand quietly, holding the doll. "I'll definitely keep that in mind. If anything changes, you'll be the first to know."
The room fell into a thoughtful silence as they all contemplated the potential future of Shadow Servants and the impact it could have on their world.
Kadoc then looked at his shadow servant. "Either way I will wait and see my shadow servant to become a full servant, she already know the name of her Noble phatasam and can say it"
Mash nodded as she then spoke. "But then it comes the Question of what acute the extra rank"
Ritsuka leaned forward, intrigued by Mash's question. "Yeah, the Extra rank. We haven't seen much about it, have we? It's supposed to be the rarest, right? What do we actually know about it?"
Mash adjusted her glasses, her expression thoughtful. "The Extra rank is unique, different from the standard classes. It's not just about power but something more—perhaps a mix of rarity, uniqueness, and potential. There have been theories, but nothing concrete. It's said that the Extra rank could represent something beyond our usual understanding of Servants, possibly involving unusual abilities or circumstances that set them apart."
Kadoc glanced at his Shadow Servant again. "If my Shadow Servant were to reach the Extra rank, what would that even mean? Would it gain some unprecedented power or ability? Or would it become something entirely different from a traditional Servant?"
Morgan, who had been listening intently, spoke up. "The Extra rank might be linked to concepts or forces that don't fit within the usual framework of Heroic Spirits. Perhaps it's connected to entities that transcend the normal limits of time, space, or even reality itself. Such a rank could represent a Servant that embodies a concept or force so unique that it defies conventional classification."
Ritsuka nodded, deep in thought. "If that's the case, then the Extra rank could be reserved for Servants who break the mold, who are more than just Heroic Spirits. They could be anomalies, beings who carry powers or traits that don't belong in any of the traditional classes. But that also means they could be incredibly powerful or dangerous, depending on how they're handled."
Mash added, "And if a Shadow Servant were to evolve into an Extra-ranked Servant, it might not just be about gaining power. It could also involve a transformation in their very nature, becoming something new, something that challenges the rules we've come to know."
Kadoc looked back at Ritsuka, determination in his eyes. "I'll keep training with my Shadow Servant and see where it leads. If she's destined to become something more, something that could even touch the Extra rank, I want to be there to guide her through it. And who knows? Maybe we'll uncover more about what the Extra rank truly means along the way."
Ritsuka smiled, appreciating Kadoc's resolve. "Whatever happens, we'll be in this together. If your Shadow Servant does reach that level, we'll make sure it's for the benefit of everyone here in Chaldea."
Morgan, her gaze thoughtful, added, "And if the Extra rank indeed represents something beyond our understanding, then we must be prepared. It could bring new challenges, but also new opportunities."
Mash nodded in agreement. "We'll keep learning and growing. Who knows what secrets the Extra rank might hold, or how it could change the course of our battles. But whatever it is, we'll face it together."
With that, the group settled into a contemplative silence, each of them considering the possibilities and potential of the mysterious Extra rank and the future of Shadow Servants within Chaldea.
To be continued
Hope people like this Ch and give me power stones