Chapter 46 - Ataraxia

"I'm going to perform the sealing now. The rest is your job."

I'll be in your care.

........................…..

Kuroka smiled when she saw that her sister was starting to use Senjutsu without any problems. She had high hopes for her sister's talent and wanted to see how far could reach her strength.

Since Kuroka had suffered the experiments over and over again, her potential had been limited. She can continue to improve, but she has little hope of reaching the pinnacle.

It is a pity, but it is the price to pay for her sister's safety. Kuroka's only regret was that she didn't meet Drako sooner, but that was impossible.

Now Kuroka only had to support Shirone and Drako in any way she could, at least until the day they both surpassed her, and that day was not far off. After that, it was enough for her to accompany them and have Drako's children.

Kuroka fixed her gaze upon Drako. He was looking at Shirone and seemed to be in awe of the phenomenon little Nekoshou was creating.

Soon after, Drako closed his eyes and tried to meditate.

"Is this Senjutsu so impressive?"

Kuroka turned and saw Mordred leaning against the tree.

"Actually, it's just another kind of magic. It is neither superior nor inferior to any other kind of power used in this world." Kuroka responded calmly.

"I do not understand, why would my Master want to train this kind of energy? He already knows how to use magic, why would he bother to practice this Senjutsu when he needs other things more?"

Mordred was incapable of understanding it. Her Master had told her nothing, but she was able to recognise that his Master's bow was a Noble Phantasm. Mordred didn't understand how a Master could get a Noble Phantasm, but surely it had to do with that system he had told her about before.

That system was capable of taking away Ayala and Gaia's control over a Heroic Spirit, so getting a Noble Phantasm wouldn't be too hard to do.

The only thing her Master lacks is precision. She was secretly watching him while training, and could only be described as pitiful.

He should continue to train his accuracy, why was he wasting his time with this Senjutsu?

"I believe Drako has a goal in training Senjutsu. If I'm not mistaken, he wants to learn how to use the Touki." Kuroka answered Mordred.

"Touki?" Mordred was curious when she heard this name.

Since she had been summoned by her Master, she had not stopped learning new things. Mordred would rather be fighting in the Holy Grail against other Servants, but learning new things could at least satisfy her boredom.

She had a goal to achieve, and that was to win the Holy Grail so she could get her wish.

To pass the test her father passed in his youth. The sword stuck in the stone.

If she had to wait a few years to achieve that goal, she didn't care.

Mordred is a person who uses any means to achieve his goal.

Victory, glory and honour were the only things that mattered to her.

"Touki is a technique that can be used by those who have trained in Senjutsu, through control of their life base, in other words, creating an aura of life force around their bodies. As such, it results in a tremendous increase in attack, defense, and speed. This even allows the user to counteract magical attacks by punching them or hitting them in some other way."

"How effective is this technique?"

"Well, it all depends on the person. Sun Wukong is a Yokai who has reached the level of a god, and is said to be able to fight and defeat the Ultimate Class Devils and High-Class Devils with ease, without even showing the true extent of his strength."

"Is he stronger than that old hag?"

That's what Mordred wanted to know. She didn't know the levels of power in this world, but she knew Tiamat was very powerful. Mordred didn't realise how powerful Tiamat was, but she was at least more powerful than a Servant like her.

"I wouldn't know. Tiamat is the most powerful dragon among the so-called Great Dragon Kings. She hasn't been heard from since Ddraig and Albion were sealed in the Sacred Gears. Has she reached the level of the gods? Personally, I think so."

Sacred Gears? Ddraig and Albion? That's the first I've heard of it. Seems there's more to this world than I thought. What's more, do the gods still exist here?

Mordred was about to keep asking Kuroka when the latter shook and ran to Drako. Mordred was surprised and approached to see what was happening.

"What's going on?" She asked the cat girl.

"Look around."

Mordred did that. She had already noticed that nature seemed to gather around the little white-haired cat.

No, it was different now. Nature no longer gathered around the little girl, now it was making her way to Drako.

You could see stems of plants climbing up Drako's legs. The plants were surrounding Drako.

"And believe that he has been able to reach this state," Kuroka muttered.

"What state? What's going on with Master?"

Mordred didn't understand anything.

"Ataraxia."

Another voice sounded behind them.

"Tiamat"

"Old hag."

Tiamat returned the greeting to Kuroka and ignored Mordred. She approached Drako, who was sitting in the lotus position next to Shirone and crouched down in front of him.

"There is a condition where there is no land, no water, no air, no light, no space, no limits, no limitless time, no being, no ideas, no lack of ideas, no this world, no that world, no sun, no moon. A condition where nothing exists, only the existence of the individual himself. A state of maximum concentration where for the person who reaches it nothing exists but him and his soul, which are perfectly united with nature."

Tiamat strokes Drako's forehead.

"That's the state Drako's in right now, a state of absolute perfection."