After crafting the most critical component... the relic imbued with Morpheus's blood... the cross behind him slowly faded, and his wounds began to heal.
Though the effect might not match the power of Jesus, the lance and sword body, now infused with Morpheus's blood, undeniably bore a holy attribute.
This was a ritual symbolizing Jesus pierced by the lance, bearing the weight of original sin.
Under this symbolism, the relic was imbued with the significance of a holy artifact.
Morpheus first restored his body, ensuring his wounds fully healed, before beginning the sword's assembly.
The blade, the crossguard, the hilt... and, most crucially, the lance model.
The lance model was fitted into the gap between the blade and hilt, perfectly secured within the hollow structure. Though invisible from the outside, the lance... and the blood Morpheus had infused into the blade... was the sword's true core.
The sword itself carried profound meaning. Morpheus had nearly replicated the Durandal from his memory, recreating its mythic legend and structure to trigger a unique magic.
It was to infuse the power of France itself into the sword.
The holy relic played a role, but the power of France was equally vital, for it signified that whoever wielded this sword was a hero of France, a saint of France!
The moment Durandal was completed, a vast power began to gather from the surroundings... from every person in the land. This was a unique national-level magic. All of France seemed to transform into a sacred temple, lacking defensive or offensive capabilities but channeling its power under the banner of France into the sword in Morpheus's hand.
A sword unlike the Durandal or Joyeuse of the Nasuverse... a supremely powerful mystic code, its energy flowing into Morpheus's body.
"Such immense power…" Morpheus murmured.
With the strength granted by this sword, even without magical formulas, he could now engage in supersonic combat!
The sword's internal power was staggering. After a brief assessment, Morpheus confirmed its destructive force surpassed all the Noble Phantasms he possessed!
Even Artoria's fully unleashed Excalibur paled in comparison.
This was the power of the Durandal in Morpheus's hands.
Eager to test his new weapon, Morpheus itched to find an opponent. Unfortunately, no one came knocking, so he left the forge, signaling the blacksmith could return.
At the same time, he pondered how to draw out the hidden Jeanne.
…
"Alert! Alert! The monsters are back!"
"Wyverns! A horde of wyverns is heading this way! Everyone, prepare!"
Soldiers shouted, quickly readying themselves. Mash and Ritsuka rushed outside the city, spotting the approaching draconic creatures. With Morpheus absent, this battle was theirs to fight.
A soldier, brandishing a sword and clad in armor, roared at the wyverns. One spat a fireball, striking him and knocking him to the ground.
As Mash prepared to charge, a steady voice rang out nearby.
"Warriors, douse yourselves with water! It'll only help for a moment, but it can fend off their flames!"
A woman bearing a lance-adorned flag appeared nearby, shouting commands. Her presence stunned the group.
"The witch?!"
"Isn't that the witch?"
Regardless of whether she was a witch, it didn't matter now... they had to face the wyverns diving from the sky!
But just as the wyverns were about to strike, they vanished, as if they were an illusion.
At the same time, the soldier hit by the fireball leapt up, landing firmly on both feet and removing his helmet.
Seeing his face, Mash and Ritsuka froze.
"Huh? Isn't that Morpheus?"
"How is it Morpheus-senpai?!"
"Of course it's me. Who else could withstand a fireball? It was fake, but I didn't trust their acting skills. If it wasn't convincing, she might not have shown up," Morpheus said, his armor vanishing... clearly an illusion.
He turned to the woman who had appeared, smiling. "Nice to meet you, Miss Jeanne."
"Jeanne?!"
"That's Jeanne?"
Ritsuka and Mash exclaimed again, while Jeanne regarded the man who had lured her out. After a moment's hesitation, she said, "Let's talk over there. I don't want to cause a misunderstanding."
Morpheus glanced at the wary soldiers, shrugged, and said, "Alright, your call."
Mash, Ritsuka, and Morpheus followed Jeanne to a secluded grove, shaded by trees. There, Jeanne introduced herself.
"I am indeed Jeanne, but I remember dying. Then I suddenly appeared here, as a Servant… Oh, right, I'm a Ruler. I was summoned as a Ruler. The Holy Grail explained things to me, but…"
Jeanne hesitated, looking embarrassed.
"I don't know if I'm up to this. Just days ago, I was an ordinary girl. How did I become a Heroic Spirit? And my abilities are so weak."
Using his Servant senses, Morpheus examined her and confirmed her words... her stats were pitifully low.
"Likely because you lack a Master, making you essentially a Masterless Servant, with all your stats reduced. With your fame, you should be a top-tier Servant otherwise," Morpheus said.
His words made Jeanne even more embarrassed.
"I'm not that great. I just led soldiers in battle and got captured. That's why I died."
"You're known as a saint, the Saint of France. Your legend's renown boosts your power. It's normal for a Heroic Spirit to be far stronger than in life. Don't worry about it."
Morpheus rubbed his chin, then drew the sword he had just crafted and handed it to her.
"Try it."
"What's this?"
"Durandal. I made it!" Morpheus said with a radiant grin.
Jeanne's eyes widened in shock.
"Durandal?! Isn't that the sword of the knight Roland? How do you have it? No, wait, that's a weapon from centuries ago. How could you have made it? Are you over seven hundred years old?"
Ritsuka gazed curiously at the sword, admiring the legendary blade.
Mash, however, let out a puzzled "Eh?"
"This isn't Durandal, is it? I thought Durandal didn't look like this."
"Don't worry about that. I say it is, so it is!" Morpheus said, gripping the blade and extending the hilt to Jeanne with a hint of anticipation. "Go on, try it!"
Jeanne, the Saint of France, held a uniquely significant status. What would happen if she wielded this Durandal, the embodiment of France itself?
The mere thought of the potential chain reaction thrilled Morpheus.
Unable to resist his insistence, Jeanne tentatively grasped the hilt. The moment she did, a golden light erupted from her, a holy radiance accompanied by divine power. The sight inspired an urge to kneel... not out of fear, but out of awe and reverence.
Jeanne, stunned, felt the changes within her. Her mana surged wildly, her physical strength skyrocketed, and even her body's resilience grew exponentially!
"What's happening?! I feel my power increasing... not just a little, but a tremendous amount!"
Morpheus, watching Durandal, was equally surprised. He had crafted a replica, yet it seemed to be transforming into the true Durandal, as if blessed by the Lord himself.
After a moment of silence, he muttered, "Holy Spirit?"
It was as if Jeanne were becoming an angel. Fundamentally, she was shifting beyond a mere Servant, closer to a divine being as defined by this world.
It was as if she weren't a summoned Servant but a true Heroic Spirit in her complete form.
Perhaps even stronger than a complete Heroic Spirit!
"What's going on? Why did Jeanne change so much after taking the Durandal Morpheus-senpai gave her?" Mash asked.
"Her stats have shifted dramatically. She's no longer an ordinary Servant... even top-tier Servants would struggle to compare…" Romani's voice came through the communicator, filled with disbelief.
"So, what's happening? Morpheus, care to explain?" Olga Marie's voice cut in, indicating she had returned to her Director post, though Romani hadn't left either.
"No need for me there, so helping out here is fine, right?" Romani added.
"She's received the power of God... or rather, the power of Jesus…" Morpheus's explanation was simple, leaving everyone staring in confusion, unsure what he meant.
Morpheus himself was puzzled. To mimic the original as closely as possible, he had essentially cosplayed Jesus, but his mastery of the magic was imperfect. Could such a flawed creation produce this effect?
Or was it because of Jeanne's unique nature, resonating with his specially crafted Durandal, drawing the projection of angel's power?
After a moment's thought, Morpheus concluded this was highly likely. Jeanne's unique status, combined with her summoning as a Heroic Spirit... a saint recognized by the world... on French soil, had aligned multiple factors to produce this result, forging a complete Heroic Spirit.
Looking at Jeanne, Morpheus recalled the sword's power in his own hands and took a deep breath.
He was jealous!
"I think I understand how to use this sword," Jeanne said softly, gazing at the blade called Durandal.
As if instinctively, she grasped its unique nature. As for swordsmanship, having fought on battlefields, she was no stranger to it.
She gently swung the sword, feeling its internal power, a smile spreading across her face.
"It feels familiar, yet I don't know why…"
"Because this is the power of France, gathered from the people of France and infused into the blade," Morpheus explained. "In other words, this is the power of King of France."
"But I'm not a king. That should be Charles VII!"
"He's dead," Morpheus said casually. "If you don't mind, you could let England's Henry VI perform the ceremony. He's got the title to be King of France too."
Jeanne hesitated.
"Come on, why overthink it? Charlemagne gave the sword to Roland. Now I'm giving it to you. Your status as France's saint is undeniable... no one can object. If Charles VII were alive and had complaints, just beat him until he shuts up."
Mash desperately tried to cover Morpheus's mouth, but she was too slow. Ritsuka covered her eyes... could he really say that?
On the other end of the communicator, Romani and Olga Marie winced. Wouldn't talking like that get him punched?
Morpheus, unfazed, continued, "This power gathering in you proves something... the people's recognition of you. It has nothing to do with who's king."
Jeanne fell silent for a moment, then tightened her grip on the hilt and nodded gently. "I understand. I'll use this sword to save everyone and set history back on track... for France and for all of humanity's future!"
***
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