Please Play FGO With Me

The next morning, Shirou walked his sister to school. Komachi headed to the classroom where the examinees were gathering, while Shirou made his way to the Kyudo Club.

He had intended to unlock the door with his key, but found it slightly ajar, already open.

Pushing the door open and stepping inside, he saw the familiar pink-haired girl. She was now dressed in a black and white kyudo uniform, aiming at the target. Five arrows were already stuck in the target: three hit the bullseye, while two were far off.

The pink-haired girl drew her bowstring taut with focused intent. The arrow sliced through the air, finally landing just below the character for 'target' in the bullseye.

"A shame, so close," Shirou said regretfully.

"Good morning, Shirou-senpai," Mash said, lowering her drawn bow upon hearing his voice. She smiled and greeted him.

It had been nearly four months since the girl joined the Kyudo Club. She had started by learning the proper etiquette of archery and now could shoot with a semblance of skill. Her progress was quite rapid, but she still lacked the polish needed to compete.

For sports that aimed to hit a target, whether it was basketball, golf, or archery, even beginners could hit the mark sometimes. Enthusiasts with some experience would often have streaks of consecutive successful shots when they were in the flow.

However, at a professional level, the key to victory wasn't just how many bullseyes you hit, but how to consistently achieve the best score when your feel wasn't quite right.

In an archery competition, for instance, it was better to score 9 points on all six shots, for a total of 54 points, than to hit the bullseye five times for 50 points and miss once.

Professionals needed to be steady and consistent, able to perform under any pressure without missing the target or scoring low. The girl was not yet stable enough in this regard.

If it weren't for the instability caused by her current body's connection to the Heroic Spirit Galahad, she would likely be much better.

After her revival, much of her Sub-Servant abilities had faded, and her Magic Circuits were like rusted shut. Without the Holy Grail from the FGO system on her phone, she couldn't transform. In her daily life, she was almost a normal person.

Shirou felt a bit of pity for the pink-haired girl who always put her heart and soul into everything. However, thinking that she enjoyed her school life, finding joy in classes and club activities, he figured it wasn't so bad after all.

Chapter 56: International Kyudo Competition

"Good morning, Mash, you're here early today," Shirou said with a smile.

Mash nodded. "Yes, the International Youth Competition is about to start, so the other seniors will be coming today too."

"It would be wonderful if you could be selected to compete too," Shirou said.

Mash blushed slightly, then clenched her fist and promised, "I still have a long way to go, but I'll be here to cheer for you on the day of the competition, Shirou-senpai!"

"Thank you," Shirou said, relieved to see his junior wasn't discouraged.

Since dealing with Perseus, this world had temporarily returned to normal, at least on the surface. Although there were Demonic Beasts rampaging in otherworlds and occasional news reports of sudden earthquakes and shaking buildings, no one had been injured so far.

Following Da Vinci's advice, Shirou and the girls had chosen to stay put for now, focusing on eliminating the monsters in the nearby otherworlds. After all, there were still six Heroic Spirits like Perseus who had been corrupted by the black mud and could attack this world at any time, or perhaps had already infiltrated some otherworld undetected.

They could only act once Da Vinci had thoroughly investigated the situation and formulated a comprehensive plan; otherwise, they would face utter ruin.

So, for the time being, they focused on clearing out all the Demonic Beasts within a one to two-hour travel radius of the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. They would venture further out on holidays.

This left Shirou and Mash with free time for club activities at school. The national-level sports competitions were fast approaching, and as the captain of the Kyudo Club, Shirou was naturally expected to participate.

It was said that the organizers had invited representative teams from China, Korea, Singapore, and other countries to compete, effectively upgrading the national-level event into a small-scale international competition.

Even those who usually slacked off were showing up at the Kyudo Club for practice these days.

Once Komachi finished her exams in the next two days, Shirou would be heading to Tokyo in another two days to participate in this international competition. By the time he returned from his competition, the school should have announced the admission results.

"Yo, Shirou, Mash is here too. You two together again today?" A tall, thin male classmate, Nasu no Yoichi, the captain of the Kyudo Club and one of Shirou's teammates for the upcoming team competition, walked in with a laugh. He was very tall but also very thin; despite being nearly 1.9 meters tall, his arms and legs were thinner than many girls'.

"Yo, Nasu," Shirou replied with a nod. Although Nasu was the captain, it was largely an honorary title, and he didn't usually show up much.

"Good morning, Nasu-senpai," Mash greeted him.

"Hey, hey, that reaction is a bit too subdued," the Kyudo Club captain said. He had intended to tease the two of them but found himself unable to proceed when met with such a flat response.

"Morning! Morning! Everyone!" Another short, stout male classmate, Taira no Kyohei, the vice-captain of the Kyudo Club and another teammate for Shirou's team competition, walked in with a laugh. He was the opposite of Nasu no Yoichi in appearance; he wasn't tall but was very sturdy. From a distance, he looked like a door panel, but up close, his muscles were solid, giving him a rather imposing presence.

"Good morning, Taira no Kyohei. Since all three members of the men's team are here, let's start practicing," Shirou said.

"Yes, yes. Please, lead the way, Ace. If you're serious, you can hit the bullseye every time, right?" Taira no Kyohei said with a laugh.

"I'll do my best not to hold you back. Our goal is to be in the top five, aiming for the top three," Director Nasu said with a relaxed smile.

"...Senpai, please do your best," Mash said, blinking in confusion. She couldn't understand why, with a teammate who could hit the bullseye every time, their goal was only the top five. For a moment, the girl wasn't sure if her club was strong or not.

But no matter what, she would cheer them on.

"Alright, let's change and practice," Shirou said, leading the way into the locker room.

"Got it! Please take care of us, ACE!" Vice-captain Taira no Kyohei said with a laugh.

While Shirou could understand Mash's feelings, this was just how the school operated. They had brought in a special recruit to save face and didn't bother with much else. As captain and vice-captain, these two men were currently the strongest archers the club could find.

So there was nothing more to say. Let's practice! A suddenly good state could disappear just as quickly. Results could fluctuate wildly, so practice was essential! Only through constant practice would you not be deceived.

"Yo, Mash, everyone's already practicing," a teacher with long black hair, wearing a white lab coat, walked in. Seeing the boys and girls practicing inside, she nodded with satisfaction.

"Good morning, Teacher Hiratsuka. You're surprisingly early today," Mash said, looking curiously at the teacher who usually arrived just in time for class.

Teacher Hiratsuka looked at the girl and said indignantly, "Mash... do you have something against me? It's only natural for me to be here as the advisor for the Kyudo Club! I usually come to school around this time... on the way (muttering)..."

"Is that so?" Mash felt that the teacher in front of her was similar to the adults at Chaldea who liked to slack off.

"Of... of course! Shirou, come here!" Shizuka Hiratsuka, feeling the need to end the conversation quickly, called out to the boy inside.

"Teacher Hiratsuka? You're surprisingly early today," Shirou said, placing his bow back on the rack and walking over.

"Don't be so loud! Stop nagging me! Are you my mother or something!" Shizuka Hiratsuka shouted angrily.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Shirou looked at his junior in confusion. Why is she suddenly angry and saying things like that? I have no intention of becoming anyone's mother.

"..." Mash shook her head. This teacher was certainly different from the adults at Chaldea, much more childish.

Shizuka Hiratsuka said, "Forget it. I came to ask how your preparations are going. I told you about the change in the competition content last time, right? It's the recurve bow competition. We can't count on the team event, but the school hopes you can participate in the recurve bow competition."

Shirou nodded, "That's no problem. It doesn't make much difference to me which one it is."

Because this national competition had been changed into an international one, seemingly for commercial reasons, even the competition arrangements would be altered. The traditional kyudo competition was moved to a small indoor venue, while the recurve bow competition would be held on a lawn, on a much larger scale.

Of course, for the pragmatic Shirou, it was enough to hit the bullseye with any bow. Naturally, he would also properly attend to the etiquette and posture aspects of the kyudo competition, in addition to the shooting skills.

"Really? That's great! It's reassuring to have you here. Ahaha, bring back a few more medals for me! Go back and practice." Teacher Hiratsuka said, laughing and patting the young man's back.

Shirou felt his back burning as he was pushed back to the archery range.

"Oh right, Mash, since I'm at school so early today, let's play some FGO together," Teacher Hiratsuka said.

"Eh? But the senpais are practicing here. It wouldn't be good to disturb them," Mash said, looking a little tempted as she glanced at Shirou.

"Then let's go play outside," Teacher Hiratsuka said, pulling Mash towards the door.

"Oh, speaking of which, Teacher, did you manage to draw Saber last time?" Mash asked.

"Don't talk about that. We can still have fun," Teacher Hiratsuka said, her head drooping in disappointment.

"It's okay! Teacher! Saber in C class will be implemented soon too! This Saber has a younger feel. A beauty like you will definitely be able to draw her," Mash said, clenching her fists to encourage the teacher.

Teacher Hiratsuka's spirits immediately lifted, and she burst into laughter, "Ahaha, really? Really? That's true. I'll spend a few more packs then. No! Maybe I'll get her with just one Summon Ticket!"

"Actually, I've been feeling like my luck has been pretty good lately. Maybe I'll draw a gold card next time."

The two of them left the Kyudo Club, chatting and laughing.

"..." Shirou picked up his bow and continued practicing, the only sounds left being the whistling of arrows through the air and their impact on the targets.

Chapter 57: Heading to the Tokyo Venue

During lunch break, Shirou went to the Service Club as usual to have lunch with everyone.

"Eh? Shirou, are you having onigiri today?"

"Yeah, because my sister Komachi is taking her entrance exams today. Even if I brought her a bento, she probably wouldn't be able to eat it, so I just made onigiri for her as a snack."

Shirou's lunchbox currently contained six onigiri, three on each side. One side had plain white rice wrapped in nori, filled with different ingredients: cod, pork floss, and braised egg. The rice was seasoned with vinegar, making it sweeter when eaten cold.

The other side was golden brown, consisting of grilled onigiri, filled with spices and minced meat. These were crispy and fragrant.

"Eh? The entrance exam is today? Shouldn't it start on the weekend? It's only Monday?" Yuihama asked in confusion.

"Yuihama, don't you know? It's not like that. The International High School conducts its entrance exams early every year to accommodate exchange students from other countries," Yukino explained.

"Because I'm not familiar with the students in the international class. I haven't even spoken a few words with any exchange students yet," Yuihama said with a smile.

"That's not right. We have a foreigner here, don't we?" Shirou quipped.

"Eh? Who?" Yuihama blinked in confusion. Was there a foreigner next to her? Who had she said 'so crowded and crowded' to?

"Hmm??" The pink-haired girl also tilted her head in confusion. She looked at Asuna senpai. Although her nickname sounded like a foreign name, her real surname was a traditional Japanese one, like Yuuki Rito, Yuuki Mikoto, Yuuki Yuuna, and so on, which wasn't uncommon.

She then looked at Yukino senpai. Although she had heard that this senpai had studied abroad, she was still Japanese.

"Even if you pretend to be foolish so hard, no one will comment on it," Shirou said to Mash, his voice calm.

"Ah! Mash!" Yuihama finally realized.

"Don't say it out loud," Yukino pulled Yuihama back, gesturing for her to sit down.

"Ugh..." Mash puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction. Why weren't these senpais more cooperative? Even if it was a bad joke, they should laugh; that was social etiquette.

"Hehehe, I see," Yuihama said with an embarrassed smile, adjusting the twin buns on her head. Because they interacted so naturally in their daily conversations, she had completely mistaken Mash for a Japanese person.

"Speaking of which, why didn't you let your sister come to have lunch with us?" Asuna asked.

"Ah, Komachi said she had a classmate who knew a lot about food and would take her to eat ramen," Shirou replied.

"I see. That's a little disappointing. I haven't met Shirou's sister yet," Asuna said.

Shirou thought to himself, 'No, it might be better if you two don't meet.'

"By the way, what day are you going to Tokyo for the competition?" Yukino asked, looking at the young man.

"I'll be heading over on Thursday afternoon. The competition starts on Friday. The Kyudo Club competition is on the first day, and the recurve bow competition is on the second day," Shirou said.

"Eh? Then we won't be able to cheer for you in time?" Yuihama exclaimed in surprise.

"No, Yuihama senpai, it's forbidden to make noise during the kyudo competition," Mash reminded her.

"Do you guys want to come? It's actually quite boring," Shirou said.

"Shirou, what are you talking about? Just watching the competition is boring, of course, but watching the participants is another matter entirely! Yukino, will you accompany me to the mall after school? I need to prepare a small trumpet and maracas!" Yuihama said.

"Yes, I can. Shouting would be too embarrassing, but I can use maracas," Yukino agreed.

"Then I'll go too," Asuna said.

"We don't need those things. I'm not participating in boxing or fighting. Even if you come, please watch quietly," Shirou reminded them.

"What's wrong with people cheering for you?" Yuihama said, displeased.

"I know. We'll cheer for you without disturbing the competition," Yukino said, looking over at him.

"Go, Shirou-senpai! You can do it!" Mash cheered him on.

"Ah, um... Thanks, everyone," Shirou replied, though he felt there was really no need to watch such a competition.

After school, back home, Komachi, who had already finished her exams for the day, had changed into her loungewear and was relaxing at home.

"My friend took me to a bunch of shops, and the ramen we finally found was super delicious! I think I'm getting addicted!" Komachi said with a laugh.

"Ramen that you can get addicted to sounds dangerous. By the way, is she a classmate?"

"No, she's someone I met during the open house event. At first, I thought she was a bit aloof, but we surprisingly get along really well. So, I'm going to ask her to take me to eat more delicious food tomorrow!" Komachi said with anticipation.

"You're the one taking the exams, right? It's good to relax, but don't forget about your tests," Shirou teased.

"I know! After eating delicious food, I feel so energized for my exams. Komachi is definitely going to ace this one!" Komachi said confidently.

"Is that so? Well, that's good then," Shirou agreed.

"Brother, speaking of which, my friend seems to like cooking. Maybe you two would hit it off. I'll call you out next time, and we can all meet up," Komachi said, not forgetting to try and help her brother with his love life even during her middle school exams.

"Komachi, what do you feel like eating today? Mom and Dad are also coming home early," Shirou said as he walked towards the kitchen.

After that, Komachi successfully finished her exams. The results wouldn't be announced until next week. Then, on Thursday, Shirou packed his bag and prepared to head to Tokyo for the competition.

"Good luck, Brother! Mom and Dad are busy, but Komachi will be going to cheer on my friend on Saturday, so I'll cheer for you then too!" Komachi had told him that morning as she left for school.

Tonight, they would be staying at a hotel owned by the International High School's board of trustees, and tomorrow morning, they would report to the gymnasium.

Shirou met up with his teammates at the Kyudo Club and boarded the school's luxurious bus together. After storing their luggage and archery equipment in the first-floor storage room, they climbed the stairs to the second floor.

As soon as he reached the top of the stairs, he heard a cheerful voice.

"Yo, Shirou, you finally made it! Come sit over here," Teacher Hiratsuka, one of the team leaders, waved at him.