"Waaahhh!" Gudako felt her body grow light, followed by the weightless sensation of plunging down on a roller coaster.
Youth directly scooped Gudako up and jumped out of the building. Seconds later, the building came crashing down.
When the boy and girl landed on the ground, aside from several Servants, only a staggering passerby had escaped.
The Spear Body rang out, and a magic bullet passed through the passerby's body, delivering a fatal blow.
"Since Holmes and I often rely on disguises when handling cases, we can tell within ten seconds whether someone is truly badly wounded and on the verge of death."
The passerby clutched his wound and returned to his original form. It was the injured Yan Qing. His Spirit Core had already been destroyed, and there was no saving him now.
"Ah... is it over...? I'm one of Liangshan Marsh's iron-boned heroes! Even dying here wouldn't make me frown, ah, no... I lost that backbone long ago. Ever since the Doppelganger Phantom Spirit fused into my body, whenever I transformed into someone else, their memories would flood in too.
"The memories of hoodlums who deserved to die, nouveau riche, people who fought desperately only to be killed by me... My mind became such a mess that I couldn't tell which memories were mine and which belonged to others."
This chivalrous wanderer who followed his heart had long since lost his way. That was why he had been summoned into this kind of world. In the moment before he vanished, Yan Qing suddenly remembered certain things from when he was alive—things he regretted...
He should have stopped his master. Even if he had needed to kill him, he should have stopped him. His master had been deceived by the chief who had gone mad with his dream of becoming an official. Otherwise, how could the Jade Qilin, fellow disciples with Yue Fei, seated second at Liangshan Marsh, who had campaigned against Fang La, repelled the Liao State, and stood first in military achievements throughout his heroic life...
Who could have expected that his life would end so disgracefully, poisoned until he could no longer ride, then falling into the water after getting drunk aboard a boat?
They said that when a lord was humiliated, his retainers should die. Yet he chose to leave his master, taking gold, silver, and treasures with him as he departed alone.
"Looks like retribution fell upon me long ago. The pride and dignity of a hero... when did I lose them, and where did they disappear to?"
Yan Qing revealed a sorrowful smile, then turned into fluorescent light and vanished.
The 108 Heroes of Liangshan Marsh, the legendary reincarnations of Demon Stars—among them were righteous warriors with chivalrous hearts who served their country and people, as well as monstrous cannibals steeped in evil and treacherous villains. When their nation faced disaster, they accepted amnesty. They gathered their strength, shed blood, made sacrifices, quelled Fang La's rebellion, and campaigned against the Liao State. They earned glorious achievements, yet few of them met a good end.
"..." Shirou pondered silently. By now, he had encountered quite a few heroes. As Servants, they were incomparably powerful, but how many of their lives had not ended in tragedy? Heroes were often such tragic and magnificent beings. They were embodiments of ideals, and their endings were all the more regrettable. Perhaps that was why they remained remembered by the world even after thousands of years.
Like the King of Knights, who gave everything for the happiness of her people, only to watch the kingdom she had spent ten years building be destroyed in the flames of war during the Battle of Camlann, left alone to lean against her sword and weep;
Like Cú Chulainn, who had been targeted by his enemies and killed through schemes exploiting the oath he had once made;
Like Heracles, who could no longer endure the torment of poisoned blood and burned himself to death;
"Backbone, pride... if people lose those things, can they still live properly...?" Moriarty murmured to himself.
"Hmph, I'm a fake. Don't ask me whether I'm living or not. Backbone? You might as well feed it to Ca-vall II!" Jeanne d'Arc snorted.
"Heh, that really is something a shameless panda would say." Artoria sneered from the side.
"Shameless, or sorry... Mm? Panda?" Jeanne d'Arc had been about to retort when she suddenly caught on and asked in confusion.
"Mm, black and white..." Holmes said.
"And it hugs bamboo while swaying around..." Gudako nodded as well.
"Pandas are super cute and super popular! Their ability to make money and win fans is number one in the industry." Shirou said.
"That's a flag!! I'll burn all of you!" Jeanne d'Arc shouted in rebuttal.
Image: "I'll burn you all to death!", Location: "Images/1524799031-100062415-101862773.jpg"
The Final Battle Begins
Within this abandoned, desolate Shinjuku, there was only one newly constructed building: a tower located in the heart of the northern district. It was also the Spear Body through which the evil Moriarty intended to destroy this world. He planned to draw down a meteor from beyond the heavens, have it fall into the Spear Body, then strike Earth's core and achieve his goal of destroying the world.
What schemes lay behind it all was still unknown to the boy and girls.
After their grueling battle with Assassin Yan Qing, Shirou and the girls decided to return to their base and rest first.
"The final battle is tomorrow." Holmes said.
"Let's take him down in one go!" Bearded Uncle said.
"Anyway, please let the seniors rest today. Let's do our best tomorrow!" Mash of Chaldea suggested.
"That's true. Then, Holmes, how about joining me for a drink?" uncle invited him.
"If there's a fine vintage..." Holmes said with a soft laugh.
The two left together as they talked.
"Come on, I've already made your bed. Go get some proper sleep first." Shirou said to Gudako.
"Okay... yawn." Gudako yawned and obediently climbed into bed. After a day of tense fighting, she truly was exhausted.
Meanwhile, Artoria was crouching nearby, stroking Ca-vall II and smoothing his fur.
Seeing this, Shirou walked over and crouched beside the blonde girl.
"Tomorrow is the decisive battle. As a special treat tonight, I'll fill your bowl to the brim with food." Artoria said.
"Woof." The white dog understood the girl's words. Happily, he rubbed against Artoria before licking Shirou's hand.
Jeanne d'Arc watched and said, "Hmph, why not just let that dog fend for itself? No one will be around to take care of it afterward anyway."
"Jeanne d'Arc, come pet him too. He's fluffy, and he's really friendly." Shirou said with a smile.
"Huh?" Jeanne d'Arc hesitated at the boy's words and started to reach out.
"Woof." Ca-vall II looked at the girl with his watery black eyes, as though inviting her expectantly.
"...What nonsense. I'm going to sleep too!" The silver-haired girl pulled back the hand she had nearly extended, turned her head away, and left.
"Hmph, what an unappreciative fool. This is the direct descendant of Ca-vall, the hunting hound who earned military merit for me and was granted a title! Even if I acknowledged his right to inherit that title now, there would be nothing wrong with it." Artoria said.
"Huh? So that's how it is? I see." Shirou scratched the big white dog beneath the chin and asked with a smile. It was hard to connect a Samoyed sled dog from the Siberian plains with a hunting hound that chased boars in ancient Britain, but since the girl said so, he would accept it.
After all, if the white cat in the legends of King Arthur was Fou, then the dog in those legends probably was not an ordinary breed either.
"That's right. So... if Shirou doesn't perform well, your status will be below Ca-vall II's." Artoria said with a soft laugh.
"Then I'll have to work hard. But, King, if I perform great deeds, what position do you plan to grant me?" Shirou casually asked as he petted the white dog.
Artoria's face reddened slightly as she said in a low voice, "Mm... first, join the Knights of the Round Table, stay close to me... something like that."
Unfortunately, Shirou did not hear her. At that moment, he was stroking the white dog and praising him. "You're amazing, Ca-vall II. You're an English nobleman now."
"Woof..." The white dog comfortably narrowed his eyes and affectionately stuck out his tongue at Shirou.
"...Enough!! I'm going outside for a walk. You're not allowed to follow me!" Artoria frowned and stomped upstairs in a huff.
"Huh? Is she a little angry?"
"Woof?"
Shirou and the white dog looked at the departing girl in confusion.
The blonde girl walked out of the basement. Outside remained shrouded in darkness. Ever since the changes began, this place had never seen the sun again.
However, it truly was time for humans to rest. The city had fallen silent. The lights in the high-rises of the wealthy district had gone out, and the Bōsōzoku who prowled the streets had each gone home to rest.
Looking at the lights outside the Spear Body tower, this absurd, cruel, sinful district would soon reach its end. As outsiders to this place, they too would return to where they originally belonged.
A cold wind swept past, and an involuntary sense of loneliness and desolation rose in her heart.
The blonde girl suddenly spoke.
"Is Da Vinci there?"
"Yes, yes, I've been here the whole time." A holographic screen descended, and the black-haired woman spoke with a smile.
"There's something I'd like to ask you." Artoria looked at Da Vinci seriously.
The next morning, Gudako smelled the fragrance of food and climbed out of bed, squinting as she pulled on her stockings and got dressed.
"Good morning, Gudako-senpai." Mash of Chaldea greeted her with a smile.
"Good morning, Mash."
"Please wash up. Shirou-senpai has already made breakfast and is waiting for you." Mash said.
"Okay..." Gudako replied, rubbing her eyes as she headed upstairs from the basement.
Shirou had temporarily switched back to his ordinary state and was busy in the kitchen. A large pot of meat porridge steamed warmly beside him.
At the table nearest the kitchen, the silver-haired girl and blonde girl were already arguing fiercely.
"So your tongue has gone bad, then? As expected, the English simply don't know how to appreciate good food." Jeanne d'Arc sneered at the blonde girl.
"A hamburger is enough for breakfast. Or do you want to eat snails? You insect-eating Assault Girl, it suits you perfectly." Artoria sneered back.
"There's plenty of canned meat and mushroom porridge left. Would you like another bowl?" Shirou came over and asked.
"Shirou! I want more!" Jeanne d'Arc held out her bowl.
"Sure." Shirou took the bowl from the silver-haired girl and filled it to the brim again. Smiling somewhat regretfully, he said,
"I'm really glad you like it. If only we had more ingredients here, I could make a proper meal for all of you.
"This is already delicious. I'm a Servant, so it doesn't really matter whether I eat or not. But if you really want to make something tasty for me, I suppose I wouldn't mind trying it." Jeanne d'Arc said awkwardly.
"I understand. If I get the chance, I'll definitely invite you over for a meal." Shirou promised with a soft laugh.
"I'll remember what you said. If you dare lie to me, I'll definitely burn you!" Jeanne d'Arc said, looking seriously at the boy.
"..." Artoria frowned unhappily as she watched from the side.
Phantom Demon Alliance
"Hmph..." Artoria looked at the boy and spoke as well. "Shirou, I'll have a bowl too."
Shirou agreed, went into the kitchen, filled a bowl for the girl, and handed it over with both hands.
"Here. It's hot, so be careful."
"Mm." The blonde girl reached out and took the steaming porridge from the boy. When her hand touched his, warmer than usual from cooking—
For some reason, the sensation felt familiar. A warmth like being at home rose in her heart.
The girl raised her head to look at the boy, and a different light appeared in her eyes.
Shirou looked into the girl's eyes and sensed something. In that instant, he remembered that long, long ago, he had indeed done the same thing.
Only, back then, it had been at a small wooden table on tatami mats. Now, it was at the counter of a hamburger shop.
In that Japanese-style house, at the living room table connected to the kitchen, whenever it was time to eat, he would fill a bowl with rice packed tightly to the brim for the blonde girl and hand it to her.
Does the girl have memories of that time? Shirou thought, then shook his head with a soft laugh, dismissing the idea.
After all, they were not even from the same world. Was the Saber he knew in his previous life really the girl before him?
"Shirou-senpai, everyone... good morning! It smells so good!" Gudako came over just then.
"Ah... good morning. Sit down first. I'll bring yours over." Shirou said.
"Okay! Shirou-mom is the best!" Gudako grinned as she found a comfortable seat and sat down.
"Why do I have a daughter like you?" Shirou knocked Gudako lightly on the head in annoyance.
"Oho, Youth, you really are an extraordinary man. Could you give uncle a serving too?" Moriarty walked over and said.
"Sure. Would you like some too?" Shirou agreed, then looked toward the man with the pipe in his mouth.
"Mushroom porridge with an Asian flavor? Then I'll have a serving too. Thank you, Shirou." Holmes said.
As Moriarty drank the hot porridge, he sighed. "Ah, once you reach fifty, being able to have something this hot in the morning really saves your life. But why am I just an uncle while Holmes appears in his younger form? Is this the difference between a protagonist and a supporting character? It's utterly unfair!"
"Moriarty, you've been very active along the way too." Gudako comforted him.
"Master, truly, you are my dearest friend of the soul!" Moriarty said emotionally.
"You helped us with a lot of things, but you still feel more like a villainous bad uncle." Gudako said with a smile.
"Uwah... uncle's heart hurts so much." Moriarty immediately collapsed onto the table.
"Gudako, now that was a critical hit." Holmes said with a smile.
Everyone laughed softly.
After breakfast, the refreshed group set out directly toward the tower in the north.
This time, their party included top-tier Servants Artoria and Jeanne d'Arc, along with Holmes and Moriarty. Shirou, whose Spirit Origin was infused with one made from the Holy Grail, was no weaker than any other Servant. Their group had effectively become the strongest force in all of Shinjuku.
Since there were no more Servants acting as leaders, the monsters and mercenary bees that obstructed Shirou's group along the way were all quite formidable, but before the combined strength of five Servants, they were easily cleared away one by one.
The Bōsōzoku thugs who bullied the weak and feared the strong took one look at them and immediately went around, not daring to come trouble them at all.
Before you continue