How does it feel to see someone who looks just like you?
Naoki couldn't explain it, because he had never experienced such a situation before, but when the Corpse King, who wasn't far from him, removed her mask, his zero experience instantly turned into experience.
It was as if someone was pinching their face, the Corpse King's face changed at a speed visible to the naked eye, from one that was almost identical to Artoria, quickly transforming into...
"It's like looking in a mirror."
Naoki laughed as he saw the Corpse King transform into himself.
"But your imitation isn't accurate, at least in terms of height, I'm not as tall as you."
[Simulation, imperfect. You are not the perfect King Arthur.]
There was something blocking her.
There was something obscuring her essence.
Although not very clear, the Corpse King could feel that the Naoki in her eyes now was like his entire body was blurred, with only the top of his head clearly visible.
[Incomplete data input]
Corpse King, aka Logos React – essentially a re-enactment device, which generates a limited observation space through input conditions and conducts hypothetical experiments, capable of simulating something equivalent to reality.
This is its basic function. The reason it could simulate the soul of King Arthur was because it was given the data input of King Arthur's soul. And if the data input is incomplete, the simulation cannot be fully replicated. No matter how advanced the device is, it cannot operate under unknown conditions.
"—!"
A wild wind suddenly blew through the underground tunnel, black polar light quietly gathered in the Corpse King's hand, as if she was holding something. The Corpse King reached out to grasp the polar light.
The strong wind instantly disappeared, and the black polar light melted like snow.
At that moment, Naoki and Bersac could finally clearly see the true form of the object the Corpse King was holding.
It was a spear, wrapped in dark and powerful Mana, with several fang-like thorns protruding from its ornamentation. Although its appearance was very different, it was undoubtedly a holy weapon Naoki recognized.
"The Holy Spear, Rhongomyniad." Naoki took a deep breath, "Even though I knew this situation would happen, I'm still a little shocked and anxious when facing reality. Can I, a half-hearted Magus, really fight against the Holy Spear that guards the surface layer of this world?"
Anyone would know it's impossible.
[Show me your true self, the other King]
The Corpse King raised the Holy Spear, her emotionless eyes staring directly into Naoki's Mystic Eyes.
[Your true self, the form of your soul, will be revealed under this spear, then tell me about the soul of the other King]
Like a video tape played halfway and then paused, the Corpse King's voice suddenly stopped, the power in her entire body leaking out like a deflating balloon, the Holy Spear slipping helplessly from her hand.
The Corpse King knelt heavily on the ground, gasping for breath.
[What is this... this feeling is...]
"You stared into my eyes for too long, machine." Naoki's voice entered the Corpse King's ears, "The ability of my Mystic Eyes is to erode the soul. Although it's rated as a monster's ability, to me, it's nothing. It's only effective against souls. For a machine like you, which has no soul, it's practically useless."
"But machines like you have one weakness, which is that you analyze everything in front of you, especially now that you have the task of simulating King Arthur's soul. You will undoubtedly analyze me."
"How do you feel now? After analyzing my Mystic Eyes, after coming into contact with the being inside my body, how do you feel?"
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"The person who input the data into Logos React was you."
After brewing flower tea for Morgan, Merlin sat across from her with a smile.
"No matter how powerful its performance is, it's just a machine. It needs new commands to act. Even if it can be explained as 'The arrival of someone fused with King Arthur's soul caused it to react,' it's too forced."
"So, the person who truly caused Logos React to change was actually you, Morgan."
Glancing at the cup of tea, Morgan nodded with a smile: "This tea tastes good, unlike you being here. Your skills are excellent."
"Thank you for the compliment."
Putting down the teacup, Morgan looked out the window, specifically toward the Blackmore cemetery: "It's true that I was the one who did it."
Merlin frowned slightly: "Then, the reason? You gave that village the mission to revive King Arthur, but now you're doing something that ultimately makes their efforts futile. Even though it's not the same world, I don't think you're the type to give up halfway."
"The reason, I think you've already guessed it. Otherwise, you wouldn't have actively helped me, right?" Morgan laughed, "Creating a magic item full of holes, deliberately guiding it there. You and the you here are the same, you're very good at meddling in interesting things. But I'm actually curious too, what's your purpose in doing this?"
"Because it's very interesting."
Merlin answered quickly, then continued with a laugh: "I, by classification, should be considered a villain. Although I do carry the mission of guiding the King, and I basically do that, sometimes I also have thoughts like 'The general situation is important, but the interesting aspects are more important.' I used to cause chaos because of that. Camelot ending up like that, I might have had a small hand in it."
"To me, the King's mission, or even the destruction of Camelot, doesn't really matter. As long as I find it interesting, even if people's lives are thrown into chaos because of it, it's even better for me."
"And now, it's the same."
Merlin's words were very blunt, and Morgan smiled faintly: "So that's how it is. I thought you were helping me with the goal of restoring the King's rule, but in reality, you just want to have fun with that kid?"
"In that case, in terms of results, we could be considered enemies, but in terms of process, we're very much in sync."
"Seems like it." Merlin laughed, "By the way, what do you think? Naoki in Blackmore, can he win now? Will your plan fail because of my reckless actions?"
"If I say yes, you'd be happy, right?"
"Fufufu~!" Merlin proudly puffed out her chest.
Morgan glared at her: "Too bad, no. That kid's victory is certain. Logos React never had a chance to win from the beginning. It will only become food for that kid. And after that, that village has no reason to continue existing."
"Like a wicked mother abandoning her former children, then doting on her new children with great care – you really are that kind of person."
"Then you're the suspicious caretaker sneaking into the house with immoral thoughts."
"This is truly an absurd storyline." Merlin said while looking at the object beside Morgan, "Also, may I ask, that thing beside you, it's not a hallucination from my perception, right?"
"What do you plan to do with Avalon?"