Caster's Factory

Karl quickly understood about the Assassin's surveillance.

No, he should say, he got inspiration from the manga Tsukahara Meiji brought.

There's no doubt the Assassin is a ninja.

However, as an important part of Japanese culture, how could a country that emphasizes cultural output neglect it? Karl, not understanding Japanese culture, had been disadvantaged by ninjutsu, so he naturally had to investigate thoroughly. But ninjutsu was simply too varied and troublesome to deal with.

However, while reviewing materials (manga), he unintentionally confirmed a plot point that allowed Karl to deduce the Assassin's identity.

Let's explain the questions one by one.

The Assassin's surveillance.

It was dogs.

The legendary Ninja Dogs.

When you mention ninjas, the two most famous schools are Iga Style and Koga Style.

And among them… Iga Style ninjas possess the peculiar ninjutsu known as Ninja Dog Technique.

However, rather than calling it ninjutsu, it's more appropriate to call it beast taming, isn't it? It's said that experienced ninja dogs can even perform actions equivalent to human intelligence, and they can easily accomplish tasks that humans cannot by using their animal appearance, which is truly terrifying and makes one doubt their own value of existence.

Incidentally, Karl doesn't know if Koga Style ninjas have the Ninja Dog Technique, but it's generally acknowledged that Koga Style ninjas have a special fondness for cats, making it hard to imagine a cat lover using dog-repelling ninjutsu…

Thinking about it, Karl and Tsukahara Meiji heard dogs barking from the moment they got off the plane.

This was obviously strange. Why would there be dogs in a closed environment like an airport?

After that, the two could hear dogs barking almost everywhere.

Thinking about it now, what if the barking was a "signal"?

It's like ancient beacon towers. Once a target is spotted, A starts howling, and B hears it and immediately starts howling too, then C and D hear B's howl and continue… This way, information about the enemy could be quickly spread.

Moreover, dogs are man's best friend, and many people keep dogs in the city. Dogs and people are mixed together, and while a few barks might be annoying and noisy, people wouldn't find it "strange."

So… he used this tactic.

If the mayor's own son was injured, and managing stray dogs is inherently a benevolent act, then it would naturally be easy to implement.

This way, from now on, dogs on the street would at least have leashes. If they saw a dog without a leash, it would likely be an enemy's ninja dog. This effectively neutralized the enemy's surveillance.

Once a spy is identified as a spy, they are worthless.

Thinking this, Karl turned his perception magic to its maximum efficiency, ensuring he wasn't being watched. He took several turns, slipping from a small path back into the shadows.

If… it really was an Iga Style ninja…

According to Tsukahara Meiji, while ninja culture is widespread, only three ninjas, revered as the Gods of Ninjutsu, are truly widely known: Hattori Hanzo, Sarutobi Sasuke, and Fuma Kotaro.

However, among the three, only Hattori Hanzo was Iga Style. The other two's schools – Koga Style – were said to use cats as their ninja beasts… Of course, this was something Tsukahara Meiji saw in a manga, and Karl didn't intend to believe it.

So… the Assassin's identity could probably be narrowed down to these three.

They were all quite formidable ninjas.

In the Holy Grail War, the worst hurdle is probably an excellent Assassin.

Especially for Masters who aren't as skilled as Karl and Tsukahara Meiji, a surprise attack from an Assassin would likely mean certain death.

For now, he could only try his best to ensure he wasn't being tracked.

Thinking this, Karl repeatedly confirmed no one was following him before yanking open a metal gate, his figure disappearing into the dark space within.

This was a factory.

Strictly speaking, it was an automobile maintenance plant, a place where the civilized world's horses – automobiles – were maintained and replaced. The more civilized a city, the more people preferred to use high technology to replace walking. As long as there were cars, there would definitely be car maintenance factories.

Otherwise, would people fix their cars themselves when they broke down? That was clearly impractical.

What was Karl doing here?

Breathing in the rich and mixed scents of various machine oils and metal parts, Karl navigated through a maze of large machinery. As this wasn't a main road, the only light came from the front space, making it very dark.

Karl deliberately avoided being seen, making his way towards his destination.

It was a warehouse.

With Da Vinci's help, Karl had constructed a small concealment ritual here, hiding this warehouse from everyone's sight. Da Vinci was inside.

This old man with white hair and beard wore a casual shirt and trousers, his slender arms exposed to the air.

Around him were machines of unknown purpose, all gleaming with cold metallic light. In a corner, there was a bed casually propped up with steel pipes. In this space devoid of any Magus's style, this Caster stood out, examining something in his hands.

These machines, clearly imbued with a scientific aura, were assembled by Da Vinci himself. This brilliant scholar had spent over an hour greedily absorbing knowledge called mana from Karl and had assembled his own Magic Workshop. Or rather, a Magic Factory.

Using this car repair shop as a cover, ordering various mechanical parts wouldn't seem too out of place. Furthermore, if necessary, he could directly take parts from other machines to equip himself.

"Oh, Master, welcome to my factory."

The elderly scholar looked up from his research, his spirit vigorous beneath his white hair. He bowed slightly, welcoming his Master.

"Mhm. So, any progress?"

Karl didn't stand on ceremony, casually sitting on Da Vinci's makeshift bed, and asked without much expectation.

This was Da Vinci's proposed plan for how to utilize himself in the Holy Grail War.

Da Vinci is the worst, whether as a Servant or a mage.

However, there are things only Da Vinci can do.

That would be "learning."

It's not just boasting; the name Da Vinci is synonymous with "all-rounder" in history. Yes, not a genius, but an all-rounder. This excellent learning ability is his only treasure he can boast about.

Therefore...

"Mhm, there's been progress. This is prepared for you, and that over there is for Archer."

Saying that, the old man with the white beard pointed to the rifle leaning against the wall. Like a child, he mischievousy pulled out a pair of gauntlets from beneath his messy beard. It was clear that compared to Archer's armament, these gauntlets were his most prized creation. Like a salesman, with the enthusiasm of a researcher, he took a step closer and held up the gauntlets so Karl could see them more clearly.

They were custom-made weapons fitted precisely to Karl's bones. Their clean and smooth appearance exuded the ferocious feeling unique to impact weapons. Karl imagined it, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that being hit in the nose with these would result in more than just pain.

"I tried optimizing the magic circuits inside, incorporated modern 'electrical science,' and created gauntlets driven by both science and magic. Master, you prefer close combat over magical battles, don't you?"

Listening to Da Vinci's calm voice, Karl felt like bomb after bomb was exploding in his ears.

(Combining magic and science?)

(Hey, hey, is my Servant okay?)

(Did his magic power become so scarce it short-circuited his brain?)

(This feels like ice cream hot pot – one extreme cold, one extreme hot... they can't possibly be compatible.)

(And even if it's possible, he did it in less than one night?!)

(Could it be...)

Karl cast an incredulous look at his Servant, utterly disbelieving. Karl, usually known for his composure, had experienced two major emotional swings in one night. In his sea-blue eyes, the waves of disbelief had formed a vortex...

(Could it be that I actually acquired a very powerful Servant?)

Incidentally, ice cream hot pot does exist in the world, Karl just hadn't eaten it.