Shirou tore open the wrapper, broke the fragrant ham into pieces, and fed them to the white dog.
The white dog ate with great relish. It seemed that even after being transported to another world, things did not spoil.
"Woof, woof." After finishing the food, the white dog sniffed Shirou's scent and affectionately rubbed against his legs, its tail wagging even more happily.
"Ooh, it's good, isn't it?" Shirou stroked the white dog beneath its chin.
The white dog thoroughly enjoyed Shirou's petting. It narrowed its eyes with a comfortable expression and grew even closer to him.
"Let's go, Shirou, Gudako." Artoria urged, "Now that you've eaten, stop wandering around outside and follow me, Ca-vall II!"
"That's a wonderful name, Ca-vall II. Ca-vall I was a famous hound who hunted the King of Demonic Boars alongside the Knights of the Round Table." Shirou
"Woof!" The white dog happily stuck out its tongue.
"Um... have you already named it?" Gudako asked in surprise.
"Ca-vall II is Ca-vall II." Artoria Alter answered righteously. As a king, she possessed the first right to name things.
"When did you start raising it?" Shirou stood and followed the blonde girl.
"Raising what? It just insisted on following me. It annoyed me so much that I had no choice but to feed it some leftovers." Artoria turned her head away and spoke with tsundere pride.
"I see..." Gudako exchanged a glance with Shirou, then secretly smiled and followed.
Shinjuku Archer Uncle
"All right, come in!" Artoria led the boy and girl into a building.
It had once been an abandoned hamburger restaurant. Inside, behind a concealed inner door, was another door leading down to the basement.
The moment she entered, Artoria started scolding the white dog.
"You've been naughty! I told you not to run around! How many times do I have to say it before you understand?"
"Whine..." Ca-vall II lowered its tail and hung its head, begging for forgiveness.
"Mm, it's good that you're reflecting on it. I'll give you some extra dog food, then. That little bit of ham probably wasn't enough. Stay properly in the corner, Ca-vall II." Artoria poured some dog food into a bowl and placed it in the corner.
"Woof, woof!" The white dog obediently agreed.
"She's completely raising it as a house dog now..." Shirou remarked.
"Mm." Gudako nodded.
"Now, let's discuss Shinjuku." Artoria told Gudako and Shirou, as well as Da Vinci and Mash in Chaldea, what she knew. A Phantom Demon Alliance composed of four Servants was plotting to destroy this world.
Its leader was Shinjuku Archer, who possessed extraordinary magical power. Cold-blooded, ruthless, and deeply calculating, he had planned everything down to perfect execution and commanded from behind the scenes. He was completely different from the middle-aged man Gudako had met, the one who had risked his life for her.
"In any case, the man I know would never risk his life for someone else. Could it be that you were played?" Artoria asked Gudako.
"Impossible!" Gudako retorted. As a Master, she was at least somewhat confident when it came to connecting with Servants. Shinjuku Archer had sincerely helped her—there was absolutely no mistake about that.
"All right, enough of that. Shinjuku still has many unsolved mysteries. In fact, I sought you out because I received a request from a Servant."
"King of the Cavern! Has he come to this world?" Mash said in surprise.
"Edmond Dantès...?" Gudako tilted her head in confusion.
"Mm, that's what he called himself. Anyway, if we want to defeat the Phantom Demon Alliance, we need to gather more fighting power. First, let's meet up with Shinjuku Archer. We'll decide after meeting him whether he becomes an ally or gets cut down." Artoria said.
"It'll be fine." Gudako smiled with complete confidence.
"You seem to trust others very easily. Shinjuku has already become a demonic realm. Family members may slaughter each other at any time, while enemies can support one another. Everything is just for survival. I can't guarantee he won't betray you." Artoria warned.
"Yeah, that uncle is definitely suspicious." Shirou nodded in agreement. In his impression, every Servant was far too distinctive. Aside from Artoria, they all seemed like the sort who could suddenly betray their Master without it being surprising. Though, their Masters were all pretty awful too.
"I think he's definitely a good person!" Gudako argued.
"Did he say where to meet?" Artoria asked.
"He said Shinjuku Station." Gudako replied.
Artoria frowned at the answer. "Shinjuku Station... that's another troublesome place. Forget it. It's already late today, so Gudako and Shirou, get some rest first. We'll go tomorrow."
"Yes. Sleeping in a basement directly on the floor would be far too damp; our bodies wouldn't be able to take it. We'll just have to make do with these." As Shirou spoke, he projected blankets, pillows, and mats onto the floor.
"Ooh, as expected of Shirou-senpai! It's so wonderful that you came along." Gudako hugged a pillow and spoke happily.
"Sometimes, I feel like Shirou-senpai might be a little too all-powerful when it comes to taking care of people." Mash, back in Chaldea, praised him as well.
"Soft pillows, warm blankets... so comfortable..." Not long after lying down, Gudako fell asleep. After all the trouble she had gone through that night, she must have truly been exhausted.
Artoria and Shirou exchanged a look and said nothing more, allowing the girl to rest properly.
The next morning, after Shirou woke up, he patrolled the area and brought all the food he could find back to the hamburger restaurant. Though the place was like the end of the world, the water and electricity had not been cut off.
There were no factories supplying food anymore, so food was scarce. But in truth, most of the people here were already dead. With his sharp eyes, Shirou still found quite a bit of hidden food in various shops.
"Although I can't make a proper breakfast, with an induction cooker and rice cooker, I can at least make something nutritious enough."
Using some long-lasting canned fruit, canned dried vegetables, canned meat, oil, and unopened rice he had scavenged, Shirou borrowed the restaurant kitchen. He cut vegetables with Kanshou, tossed the wok with Bakuya, and prepared breakfast. The rich aroma drifted through the door and into the basement.
"Shirou, what are you making?" Artoria approached after catching the scent.
"Artoria, do you want some too? There's plenty." Shirou invited her.
"Mm, then I won't hold back. Though hamburgers would definitely suit my tastes better." Artoria agreed and sat down at the small table.
Shirou served the finished dishes onto cleaned tableware and gave her a bowl piled high with rice.
"What is this?! It's incredibly delicious! And it somehow feels nostalgic. Could this be a mother's flavor? Mother?" After taking a bite, Artoria looked delighted. She picked up meat and stuffed it into her mouth, while the mountain of rice in her bowl steadily shrank.
"Hamburger steak. Though I made it directly from canned meat. With olive vegetables and spinach, it should go well with rice." Shirou said.
"Shirou, you really are an amazing Master. After eating your cooking, I feel like if I can't have a breakfast like this every day from now on, my fighting spirit will drop by half." Artoria looked at Shirou and praised him.
"Is that so...? But I can't exactly infiltrate the enemy's ranks. Still, I can do my best to make sure you eat less junk food and pay some attention to health and nutrition." Shirou said.
"Shirou, what nonsense are you talking about?! Junk food is justice! Hamburgers, cola, potato chips, and fried chicken—those are the supreme pleasures a king should enjoy!" Artoria declared.
"No, I think Artoria's tastes have become a little strange." Shirou muttered. "Forget it. I'll go wake Gudako."
Meeting at Shinjuku Station
At that moment in the basement, the red-haired girl was wrapped in a blanket and sprawled across a mat, sleeping in an utterly terrible position.
"Hey, Gudako, it's time to get up." Shirou called to her.
"Good morning... Shirou-senpai. My body is sore after all, and my neck is so stiff." Gudako rubbed her eyes and sat up.
"It's already much better than sleeping on the floor." Shirou said.
"How about it... Shirou-senpai, give me a massage~" Gudako lay back down on the mat, striking what she thought was a seductive pose. She lifted one foot, and since she had taken off her stockings to sleep, the tip of her pale foot was raised in the air.
"Get up, or Artoria will eat all the breakfast." Shirou irritably smacked her raised foot back down.
"Cheapskate... If Rin-senpai did this to you, you'd agree!" Gudako pouted indignantly.
"Wait, what exactly has Tohsaka been telling children?! That crazy girl!" Shirou said in embarrassment and irritation.
Still sulking, Gudako ignored Shirou, put on her socks, changed clothes, stuck out her tongue at him, and ran upstairs to eat breakfast.
"Down."
"Woof." The white dog lowered itself.
"Shake."
"Woof." A white paw rested in the girl's palm.
"Very good! Ca-vall II is in excellent condition today as well!" Artoria contentedly patted the white dog's head, then stood.
"Good morning, Shirou-senpai."
"Good morning, Mash. Did you rest well in Chaldea?" Shirou asked the pink-haired girl in the hologram.
"Yes. Once the data stabilized yesterday, I went to rest." Mash answered.
"I see, that's good. Resting is also preparation for battle." Shirou nodded in satisfaction.
"Then, Shirou, Gudako, let's head for Shinjuku Station." Artoria said.
The moment they stepped outside, Gudako cried out. "Whoa, it's still pitch-black out here!"
"Yes. It was the same last night and when I went out this morning. Nothing has changed even now." Shirou said.
"There hasn't been a sun in Shinjuku for a long time. It is always night. The residents here have probably already forgotten what daytime looks like."
"Ca-vall II, stay here and guard the house properly." Artoria turned and instructed the white dog, which wanted to follow them.
"Woof." The white dog answered its owner, then looked at Shirou, wagged its tail, and barked as if saying goodbye.
Perhaps because he had brought back several boxes of dog food for it that morning, it had grown even more affectionate toward Shirou.
The three of them arrived at Shinjuku Station together, only to discover it had been altered beyond recognition. The pathways inside had been remodeled into something like a maze, and several exits seemed to have vanished.
"No, the Shinjuku Station I remember definitely wasn't like this. This layout is way too hostile to humans." Shirou complained.
"Let's go inside and take a look first." Artoria changed into black armor, held a black holy sword streaked with red patterns, and led the way inside.
A burst of gunfire echoed from within.
"Ha ha ha ha! Eat my coffin! Ah, such a noisy battle should get their attention, right? Master, hurry over! This gentleman uncle is in a terrible crisis!" The Bearded Uncle in flamboyant clothing held up a white coffin, from which various machine guns and cannons fired, blocking the pursuers one after another.
Trying to escape through this Shinjuku was making things far too difficult for him. Either there were Demonic Beasts, magical puppets, or Mages dressed as Bōsōzoku punks with blond Mohawks. Even the firearm weapons of the mercenary group Sparrowbee were specialized against Servants.
"Fire! Don't let him escape!" The well-trained Sparrowbee mercenaries fired back at Shinjuku Archer with machine guns, steadily closing in under the cover of their firepower.
"Excalibur Morgan!" The black magical cannon became a gigantic pillar of light, instantly engulfing the station passageway and blasting through the pursuing mercenaries.
The knightly girl clad in black armor swung her holy sword and charged forward, cutting down the remaining mercenaries.
Behind her, Shirou projected a longbow. He shattered the helmets of the mercenaries trying to attack Artoria and shot each one through the forehead.
"Shinjuku Archer! Are you all right?!" Gudako shouted.
"Ooh, Master, we've been apart for twelve hours. What a touching reunion. The knight from yesterday, hmm, and the mysterious Youth who suddenly appeared and carried Master away are here too. I'm deeply grateful for your assistance." The Bearded Uncle gave a gentleman's bow.
"You really do look like you're meeting us for the first time." Shirou said.
"Who are you? What is your true name? What is your Noble Phantasm? Every action of yours is suspicious, yet you have also shown genuine emotion. I acknowledge your heroic deed in stepping forward to protect Gudako yesterday. We are not beings who have formally contracted with the Master here, nor do we need to rely on a Master's magical energy. We can move freely through this demonic realm alone. Tell me why you saved Gudako!" Artoria demanded, leveling her sword at Shinjuku Archer.
"Sigh, to be honest, I didn't understand it at the time either. I just got carried away and rushed in. This uncle hates risking his life more than anything, so what was that all about?" The Bearded Uncle said troubledly.
"Because you're an Ally of Justice?" Gudako tilted her head.
"Ha ha ha ha ha!" Upon hearing Gudako's words, the uncle burst into laughter.
"Ha ha ha ha ha!!" Gudako also put her hands on her hips and laughed.
Then the uncle revealed a shocked expression. "Eh? Is that really it?"
"Ha ha ha ha ha!!!" Gudako laughed even harder.
Artoria tugged at Shirou's sleeve and pointed at Gudako, who was still standing to one side with her hands on her hips, laughing.
"Shirou, is this little girl really Chaldea's last Master, the strongest Master who crossed seven Singularities alone, resolved the Incineration of Humanity, defeated Demon God King Goetia by herself, and has remained mentally sound to this day?"
"Yes. Although she differs somewhat from the image I got through my phone, Mash is a little different too." Shirou answered while wiping away sweat. According to what Da Vinci had said, although FGO recorded the events the girl had experienced with up to ninety percent accuracy, these things must have been hidden within the remaining ten percent.
The naked king of Uruk, the Knights of the Round Table's mature-woman fetishist, big-breast fetishist, lolicon, Charlemagne's twelve perversions, and Heracles the great stallion with a double-ended plug... the dark histories of these popular characters who would eventually be used to trick people into spending money had all been cleverly concealed.
"Shirou, what's wrong?" Artoria asked as she watched Shirou suddenly clutch his head.
"Nothing, my head suddenly hurts..." Shirou waved a hand.
Black-Haired, Silver-Haired Girl
"Mm, then let me ask one more question. What is your relationship with the leader in that building under construction?" Artoria asked.
"If I had to say... I'm his split-off self, or perhaps discarded waste. Even though I look exactly like him, my true name was taken from me, and more than half of my power was stripped away."
"You say your true name was stolen. It's like the Saint Graph was split into good and evil halves, and the great villain here completely separated out his good side. That would explain why your Saint Graph is damaged. If you recover your true name, perhaps your Saint Graph can be restored as well." Da Vinci said after a moment of surprise.
"Is that so? But would I be the good side?" The uncle himself did not sound convinced.
Shirou opened his Magic Eye and observed the Servant whose identity remained unknown.
The other party's Saint Graph was indeed damaged, and his state as a Heroic Spirit was also unusual. It was more like two spiritual bodies fused together. One was this primary body that dominated his mind; the other was more ambiguous, almost like a conceptual existence... Its weakness was...
"Wait! Youth, could you stop staring at me with those eyes that seem able to see through everything? This uncle feels like if you keep looking, you'll see everything, from my measurements to my size." The uncle held the coffin in front of himself and spoke shyly.
Before you continue