Ding-dong...

  That evening, the doorbell suddenly rang.

  "Who could it be?"

  Chihiro went to open the door and found Tohsaka Rin and Ishtar standing outside. The moment he looked at them, his True Name Reition skill automatically activated.

  [Name: Ishtar; Css: Archer; Gender: Female; Alig: Lawful Good.]

  [Strength: B; Endurance: B; Agility: B; Mana: EX; Luck: A; Noble Phantasm: A++.]

  [Css Skills: Magic Resistance A; Indepe A A; Divine Core of the Goddess B.]

  [Personal Skills: Maion of Beauty B; Shining Great A; Mana Burst (Gem) A+.]

  [Noble Phantasms: Guganna Strike (Rank A+, Anti-Army, Range: 1-99, Max Targets: 400); An Gal Ta Ki Gal ?è (EX Rank, Anti-Mountain).]

  Well, so much for thinking this skill was under trol, it had activated automatically.

  Chihiro raised an eyebrow. "What brings you two here?"

  "What's with that attitude?" Rin replied, sounding a bit annoyed. "Aren't we allies?"

  "Alright, alright, my bad. e on in."

  Chihiro stepped aside, inviting them into the house.

  "So, you came all this way on your own. Where are your mother and Sakura?"

  Rin replied, "It's almost nightfall, so they're staying at the hotel."

  "And what was sent that you had to see me right now?"

  "Here, take a look."

  Rin handed him a card, which Chihiro took and examined. It turned out to be a Holy Grail War Servant Summoning Card.

  Ishtar grinned proudly. "I got this from the treasure chest reward today."

  "Then why give it to me? You two could use it yourselves."

  Chihiro looked at them in surprise.

  "Are you dense?" Ishtar rolled her eyes. "Rin's still young. Summoning me already strains her mana reserves. Trying to maintain another Servant on top of that? Not happening."

  Chihiro sighed. "But I already have two Servants myself."

  "Doesn't matter. We're not using it, so it's yours now," Ishtar said with a dismissive wave. "Think of it as a sign of our cooperation. Don't fet you promised to help us deal with Goldie."

  Rin nodded firmly. "Exactly. Don't go ba your word."

  Chihiro chuckled. "You two really 't stand Gilgamesh, huh?"

  Rin and Ishtar, in unison: "That's right."

  "Alright, alright."

  Chihiro accepted the card, figuring he could mah a third Servant given his ample mana reserves. Plus, the system store had mana-replenishing potions—only 1 Saint Quartz for the cheapest option.

  Worst case sario, he'd just rely on those.

  "Alright the's use it."

  Holding the card, Chihiro decided to summon the Servant immediately. The summoning circle activated, and he selected a random summon this time.

  But just as he began, he sensed a presence requesting to desd willingly from the Throne of Heroes.

  Oh? A Heroic Spirit wanting to ahe call of their own accord?

  Intrigued, Chihiro accepted the request. Moments ter, the summoning circle fshed, revealing a handsome man with silver hair and gsses.

  "Servant, Saber. My name is Sigurd."

  The man gave a courteous bow, his demeanor calm and posed. "Are you my Master? Thank you for responding to my request."

  "Please, give me your orders. I'll carry them out without fail."

  [Name: Sigurd; Css: Saber; Gender: Male; Alig: ral Good.]

  [Strength: A+; Endurance: A+; Agility: B; Mana: C; Luck: E; Noble Phantasm: A++.]

  [Css Skills: Magic Resistance A; Riding A; Divinity B.]

  [Personal Skills: Primordial Rune (Warrior) B; Dragonkind Modification EX; Crystallized Wisdom A.]

  [Noble Phantasms: Gram: Sword of the Sun (Rank A, Anti-Unit, Range: 1, Max Targets: 1); B?lverk Gram (Rank A+, Anti-Fotress, Range: 1-50, Max Targets: 1-900).]

  Chihiro: "...Thank you for joining us, Sigurd."

  So it was him. Chihiro had wondered which Heroic Spirit would answer willingly, it turned out to be Sigurd, the tragic warrior from Norse legend.

  Sigurd and Brynhildr were a fated pair, their love story marred by betrayal and tragedy, ultimately leading to both of their deaths. As Heroic Spirits, their only wish was to be reunited, much like Rama and Sita.

  However, their tale was bitterly ironic. Though they found each other after death, Brynhildr's lingering hatred from life led her, in her madness, to try to kill Sigurd each time they met. Truly a love twisted by fate.

  Rin stared at Sigurd with wide eyes. "Sigurd... Isn't he supposed to be the legendary dragon-syer, Siegfried?"

  She'd heard the tales of Siegfried sying the dragon Fafnir and gaining an immortal body.

  "Siegfried?"

  Sigurd chuckled. "Sorry to disappoint, but we're not the same person, strictly speaking."

  Rin tilted her head, curious. "Huh? What's the difference?"

  "It's because they're two distinct legends."

  Chihiro expined, "Sigurd es from the Volsunga Saga, where he's portrayed as a warrior king. Siegfried, oher hand, is from the Nibelungenlied, a more widely-known version of the story in the West."

  "Though they're based on the same figure, the differences in their legends have essentially made them separate identities."

  "In simple terms, Sigurd is more divine in nature, while Siegfried is mrounded in humanity."

  Rin looked thoughtful. "I... think I get it, kind of."

  Chihiro tried another example. "Think of Master Xuanzang. Do you know him?"

  Rin nodded. "Of course! I've read Jouro the West."

  Chihiro tinued, "And do you know about the historical Xuanzang, the real monk who jouro India?"

  Riated. "I know he existed, but I don't know much about him."

  "It's the same idea," Chihiro expined. "Sigurd and Siegfried are like the historical Xuanzang versus the Xuanzang from Jouro the West. Two people with simir ins, but different identities."

  Finally uanding, Rin gasped. "So because of these different stories, Heroic Spirits end up with different identities?"

  "Exactly." Chihiro nodded with a smile.

  ****

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