The dazzling golden light was so intense that Aki Hayakawa couldn't open her eyes. She had to raise her arm to shield herself. Gradually, the golden radiance faded, and as her eyes adjusted, she was finally able to see the back of the person before her.
A tall and graceful figure stood clad in a suit of silver-white armor that shone with a divine luster. The armor gleamed magnificently, and the blue skirt-like cloth beneath it fluttered gently in the breeze...
[Ding~ Roleplay Transformation System activated.]
[Current role: Fate — Saber: Artoria Pendragon (3-minute trial card).]
[Weapon: Excalibur (3-day trial card).]
[Skills: Magic Resistance A, Riding B, Instinct A, Radiant Journey EX, Mana Burst A, Charisma B, Monster Slayer A (3-day trial card).]
[Noble Phantasms:]
Anti-Fortress: Excalibur
Anti-Unit: Invisible Air
Barrier-Type: Avalon (3-day trial card)**
"Incredible... I really turned into Artoria Pendragon..."
Arthur clenched his fists, feeling the drastic change in his physical capabilities.
When activated, the Roleplay Transformation System grants the user the abilities of the character selected, scaled according to their system points (beginner gift pack excluded).
The system doesn't drastically alter the user's body—at most, it changes eye color, hair color, or length to better match the concept of "roleplay transformation."
"Wh-Who are you…?"
Arthur turned to face Aki Hayakawa. Their eyes met—and Aki froze on the spot.
What a handsome person... Those emerald green eyes were as clear and deep as a tranquil lake. His face was both beautiful and refined, yet… there was an indescribable allure about him...
To Aki Hayakawa—and indeed, to all women in this world—Arthur was naturally assumed to be female.
This otherworld was entirely populated by women. The absence of men was common knowledge—something taught in primary school textbooks.
But now, that universal belief had been shattered.
Arthur was the only man in this world—the only male. And by nature, he exuded a charm unfamiliar to all the women here.
Aki couldn't describe it, but it was the unmistakable power of male pheromones—the unique scent of a man.
She didn't understand what male hormones were. All she knew was that her heart was racing, as though some strange force was drawing her in, refusing to let her look away.
Arthur was about to reply when suddenly, his instinct triggered. He snapped his gaze to the side.
"KUH-WUUH! KUH-WUUH!!"
The Bat Devil had recovered from its earlier shock. Roaring furiously, it flapped its massive wings among the rubble, sending debris flying as it charged toward Arthur.
Reacting instantly, Arthur assumed a combat stance.
Aki noticed something strange—though his hands were poised as if gripping a weapon, they were clearly empty.
"Hey! What are you doing?! The Bat Devil's coming! Dodge, now!"
"It's fine. If it's charging at me, then that saves me the trouble of running to it."
Of course, Arthur did have a weapon—Aki just couldn't see it.
Invisible Air, one of his Noble Phantasms, concealed his weapon through wind-based refraction, making the blade impossible to see. It also obscured his attack range and trajectory, making it deadly and unpredictable.
The Bat Devil lunged forward, massive fangs dripping with saliva.
Arthur crouched slightly, both hands gripping tightly, his figure vanishing into a blur of blue light. He glided lightly past the devil's throat and appeared cleanly behind it, flinging blood off his invisible blade.
The Bat Devil froze in midair.
A thin black line emerged across its thick neck. A second later, blood gushed from the wound like a waterfall.
Its head, no longer supported, detached from its body and rolled along the ground—coming to a stop with Aki's stunned face reflected in its glassy eyes.
"Phew... That was easier than I thought. Looks like 'Monster Slayer' really does offer bonus damage. So what if I was made to hunt giant boars? I just took down a giant bat too."
Arthur nudged the corpse with his foot to confirm it was dead, then returned to help Aki to her feet, supporting her toward safety.
Aki was still in shock, unable to find the words to speak.
Out of the corner of his eye, Arthur noticed that Aki's uniform had torn at some point—right around the chest area.
From his angle, he could just barely see down into the rip.
Expression calm, Arthur didn't flinch. Instead, he silently pulled her clothing into place, shielding the view.
Aki only then realized the tear. Her cheeks turned bright red, burning with embarrassment. She turned her head away, completely flustered—adorable.
[Ding~ Detected Aki Hayakawa's shy emotional state. +15 points.]
"This transformation system... it can detect and reward based on emotional reactions?" Arthur wondered.
"Hey! Aki-senpai! Are you okay?!"
Voices called from up ahead—it was her squad, the Devil Extermination Division, rushing over to help.
Aki answered from afar, then turned to Arthur with a blush. "This is far enough. I'm okay now. Thank you."
"Oh, alright."
Arthur helped her sit on a collapsed pillar. "I'll take my leave, then."
Just as he turned to go, Aki blurted out, "W-Wait! Can I at least know your name? I've never seen you in Public Safety before... Are you with a private devil-hunting organization? I'll make sure to repay you somehow!"
"Hmm..."
Arthur stroked his chin, then said:
"My name's Arthur. As for my affiliation... let's just say I'm neither with Public Safety nor any civilian devil-hunting group. I'm a mercenary. That's enough. Take care of yourself."
[Ding~ Detected Aki Hayakawa's shy emotional state. +15 points.]
Seeing her face shift from pink to deep crimson, Arthur couldn't help but smile. With a light leap, he disappeared from the scene.
"Arthur…"
Aki stared in the direction he vanished, murmuring to herself.
"Aki-senpai, are you alright? The ambulance is on its way! Where's the Bat Devil?! Everyone, stay alert for a surprise attack!"
"It's fine. The Bat Devil's been dealt with."
She pointed toward the corpse in the distance.
"Aki-senpai, your face is all red..."
"Cough, cough! It's nothing—just a health issue. Mind your duties and don't worry about this."
…
…
Meanwhile, Arthur timed everything just right. With the strength of Artoria Pendragon's abilities, he effortlessly landed atop a tall building.
As the system countdown in his mind ticked to zero, another burst of golden light surged around him, and he returned to his original form.
[Ding~ 3-minute Artoria Pendragon trial card has ended.]
"Man… having a system is really something."
Arthur exhaled deeply, then coughed twice and straightened his posture. He began chanting the system's name silently in his heart.
Sure enough, a digital interface appeared before his inner mind...