After Merlin Gets Dumped

The two men warily stared at the spot where Li Shuwen was standing, where billowing gray smoke was rising. A figure stood up from within the smoke, and then... sat down on the ground.

"Hahaha! I lost! Brilliant! Really interesting! Kid, your potential hasn't been fully unleashed yet—the potential of your body, the potential of your eyes. I really want to fight you in your prime." Li Shuwen's Black Mud combat suit cracked little by little, like charred charcoal, with tiny fragments falling off.

Shirou, exhausted, sat down on the floor and said, "Well, if next time I'm Servant Spirit instead of being corrupted by the Black Mud, I'd like to learn Baji Quan from you."

"Hmph, don't talk nonsense. No matter what state you're in, or what attitude you take in life, as long as you stay true to your original aspirations, you are still yourself." Li Shuwen gave an ambiguous look and continued, "You are the same. Even if you are just an embodiment of Shirou Emiya's yearning for happiness, you are still you."

"You can tell me now, right? What exactly happened? Why did you come looking for me?" Shirou asked Li Shuwen.

"Killing you would be a pointless act of revenge. I've only heard of the other guys; I don't know their thoughts, but they're all eccentric individuals. I just want to challenge the strong. However, there are indeed monsters whose very existence is questionable—they can hardly be called 'Servant' anymore. I'm helpless against that type."

"But you'll inevitably have to confront it sooner or later, so let me give you some advice: only by staying true to your original aspirations can you become stronger." After saying his last words, Li Shuwen emitted a fluorescent glow and returned to his seat.

The body, enveloped in Black Mud, gradually melted away, turning into a soft, limp pile of mud that slowly flowed onto the ground.

"I won... I finally won! When I was sent flying, I was lucky I grabbed the roof, otherwise I would have really fallen." Shizuka Hiratsuka said, slumped on the ground.

"Are you alright, teacher?" Shirou asked worriedly.

"It's alright, it's alright." Shizuka Hiratsuka waved her hand.

It turned out that Shizuka Hiratsuka had used her elbow to protect her body at the crucial moment, blocking Li Shuwen's crushing fist. Although she was still knocked away, at least she didn't suffer the fate of having all her internal organs shattered.

After crashing through the wall and falling out, she managed to steady herself and, with Da Vinci's guidance, seized the opportunity to deliver the crucial punch.

"As expected of Shizuka-chan, you're full of backbone, a true hot-blooded female teacher! Even though your hand bones were already broken, you still held on to the eaves with your teeth to keep from falling, thinking that Shirou was still up there. I think there's no better tough girl in the world than that," Da Vinci praised.

"Shut up, Da Vinci!" Shizuka Hiratsuka snapped angrily, finding it a rare opportunity to show off her cool side.

"Teacher... thank you, you are indeed both handsome and adorable!" Shirou said, looking at his teacher with respect and admiration.

"Shirou, you shut up too!"

Just then, a hot wind blew in from outside, and the building trembled slightly, creaking and groaning as if it were about to collapse.

"An earthquake?" Shizuka Hiratsuka asked, puzzled.

"Is this building about to collapse?" Utaha Kasumigaoka exclaimed in surprise.

"No! Logically speaking, this building shouldn't be collapsing so quickly," Shirou said, puzzled.

"There's a magical reaction in the sky, it's Noble Phantasm attack, be careful!" Da Vinci, who was at Chaldea, exclaimed upon seeing the detection data.

The surrounding space changed color, and several flaming boulders appeared in the sky, hurtling towards them like falling meteors. The buildings, already unstable due to the loss of magical power, would be instantly smashed to pieces and collapse if hit by them.

"Run! There are so many big rocks, even if you hold up Tarasque and use your shell to block them, you can't stop them!" Shizuka Hiratsuka shouted as she saw the scene outside the window.

"This way, senior." Shirou quickly pulled Utaha Kasumigaoka towards the window.

"Shirou-kun, what should we do?" Utaha Kasumigaoka asked anxiously.

"Bite your teeth and don't say a word!" Shirou ordered, nodding to Shizuka Hiratsuka on the other side.

"Huh?... Whoa!" Utaha Kasumigaoka exclaimed, looking puzzled.

But the next moment, he was picked up, the boy stepped onto the windowsill, and with all his might, jumped out.

Unbeknownst to anyone, the moment the three jumped out, a Black Shadow appeared on the floor, grabbed the golden cup revealed by the fading Black Mud on the ground where Li Shuwen had left, and then left through another window.

The moment they left, several boulders, each two or three meters in diameter, crashed down onto the fake building, instantly creating several large holes from the roof to the ground floor. The impact of the enormous force produced a deafening roar, and wooden planks and eaves shattered, flying everywhere.

Utaha Kasumigaoka leaned against the boy's chest, closed her eyes tightly, and felt herself floating up, then being pulled down by gravity like in an elevator.

Two thuds were heard, the body trembled slightly, and then there was no more movement.

Just then, the boy's gentle voice sounded in her ear, "It's ready now, senior."

Utaha Kasumigaoka, who had been keeping her eyes closed, opened them and took in the scene on the ground. She blinked in surprise and looked at the boy holding her. He had long silver hair and eyes that shimmered with purple light in his amber eyes. He seemed even more handsome now.

"Thank you..." Utaha Kasumigaoka slightly flushed.

"Don't mention it. For you, I would rush over even if it meant going through fire and water to save you." Long, silvery-white bangs fell across half of the boy's face, and his eyes shone with a tender, purple light, as if trying to melt away the girl's defenses.

"N-nothing... it's nothing." Utaha Kasumigaoka's heart was pounding.

"Is that so? Then I'm relieved." The boy spoke in a low voice, so he was very close to the girl, looking down at her until their noses were almost touching.

"Shirou! Put Kasumigaoka down! How long are you going to keep holding her like that?!" Shizuka Hiratsuka shouted.

"Oh... oh." Merlin Shirou only then snapped out of his daze. In his current state, he felt that he could easily be led astray by Merlin's personality.

"No, no, Shirou, you've always been in control of the body." In his Inner World, Merlin shrugged, indicating his innocence.

"I feel like Shirou-kun these days is surprisingly manly, so proactive." Utaha Kasumigaoka blushed slightly as she was put down.

"Thank you, teacher. Thank you, Shirou." Utaha Kasumigaoka bowed to the two people who came to her rescue.

"No, rather, I'd like to say I'm sorry! It's my fault for dragging you into this, senior." Shirou bowed to his senior in return.

"What was that stone all about? Was it Li Shuwen's backup plan? Was he trying to take everyone down with him? That doesn't seem like something he would do," Shizuka Hiratsuka said, frowning in confusion.

"Yes, anyone who has fought him should know that he's Martial Arts Enthusiast. Nothing exhilarates him more than a battle fought with all his might," Shirou said.

Utaha Kasumigaoka shook her head and said, "No, Master Li said I was brought here by Servant. He knew that I was from the same school as Shirou-kun, so he took me upstairs."

"What exactly happened? Are there other guys hiding?" Shizuka Hiratsuka asked.

"No, the magical reaction of the black mud Heroic Spirit has indeed disappeared. This world is also beginning to dissolve, and apart from the Servant detected earlier, there are no other anomalies." Da Vinci shook his head.

At this moment, a thunderous roar resounded from the sky, and cracks began to appear in the sky of the small world, as if it were about to shatter. The forest on one side of the valley began to collapse continuously, and the land merged together and arched high. In other places, it suddenly sank, breaking open a huge, dark pit.

"Shirou! Shizuka-chan, the space here is collapsing rapidly, retreat quickly!" Da Vinci warned in the holographic image.

"Ugh! One troublesome thing after another is happening," Shizuka Hiratsuka complained.

"Let's get Kasumigaoka- senpai out of here first!" Shirou said.

With that, Shirou picked up Utaha Kasumigaoka again, ran quickly, and jumped onto the doorway connecting to the other dimension.

"Ah! The reaction to losing the Holy Grail... I was planning to wait a bit to retrieve it... Did it disappear with that little world?!" Da Vinci exclaimed regretfully.

"Since it disappeared in another dimension, it's probably fine. After all, in this world without any mystical elements, even if someone found it, no one would use it; it would just be an ordinary cup," Shirou said, seemingly unconcerned.

"The Holy Grail? My two Marta are already level 100, so that thing isn't that useful anymore." Shizuka Hiratsuka waved her hand dismissively.

Da Vinci cautioned, "That's the real Holy Grail! If you possess it, it's not impossible to wish for a hundred handsome, rich, and considerate boyfriends!"

"What! Quickly find a way to retrieve it!" Shizuka Hiratsuka shouted, her eyes lighting up, and was about to crawl into the opening of the alternate dimension.

Shirou quickly reached out and grabbed her.

Chapter 133 After Merlin was dumped

At this time, Mount Lu was still pitch black, with only the stars twinkling in the sky. Looking down, only the dim streetlights were still on, and most of the lights in the residents' homes had been turned off, indicating that it was already late at night.

"Handsome guy...money...warm man..." Shizuka Hiratsuka, who was being dragged out by Shirou, looked at the shrinking entrance to the alternate dimension with a pained expression and waved her hands.

"Shizuka-chan, don't be misled by such vulgar things. You have a heart full of justice and kindness, and you have great potential to become nun. So let's dedicate our lives to the cause of saving the world!" The selfless Saintess Marta seemed to think highly of Shizuka Hiratsuka, and said with Holy Light shining from behind her.

"No way!!!" Shizuka Hiratsuka cried out in despair, looking so heartbroken that it would make anyone who heard it weep.

Unable to bear it any longer, Marta left her body without even mentioning her wish as the price for the summoning.

"Shirou, you see! If the Holy Grail is left to roam freely, it could be very dangerous if it falls into the hands of someone with impure motives," Da Vinci warned.

"Well, the entrance to the cave has disappeared anyway. As long as it's not picked up by someone like the teacher, I'll probably be fine," Shirou said with a dry laugh.

"No, every year during holidays like Christmas and Halloween, Chaldea always falls into chaos for various reasons. For example, there's a Dragon Girl who always manages to retrieve some inexplicable things and cause strange incidents. Especially the concerts, they're a real disaster." Da Vinci covered his face in sorrow.

Shirou then looked at the girl standing beside him and said, "Ah, Kasumigaoka- senpai, I'm sorry, we were just talking about things you wouldn't understand."

Utaha Kasumigaoka shook her head and said, "No, I'm glad you came to save me. Besides, what you're talking about seems somewhat similar to a mobile game I play, so I can surprisingly understand some of it."

"Ahaha, is that so..." Shirou chuckled dryly. Since the girl had never performed a possession summon, she had no concept of it. Even if he wanted to explain Chaldea to her, he didn't know where to begin.

Utaha Kasumigaoka said, "But it still feels incredible. I'm encountering all sorts of strange things lately, like something out of a novel. I thought I'd only ever see these kinds of things in my own novels."

"Haha, let's go back first anyway, and we can explain in detail later," Shirou said.

"That's true. If they find out we're not there, everyone will be in chaos." Utaha Kasumigaoka nodded in agreement.

"Alright, teacher, how long are you going to stay so down? It's time to go." Shirou helped Shizuka Hiratsuka up from the ground and said irritably.

"Shirou, it seems Marta has prophesied that I'll become nun," Shizuka Hiratsuka said, sounding hurt.

"So why are you so insecure, teacher? You're very beautiful and outstanding; it's just that those people are blind to your beauty," Shirou said sincerely, genuinely believing that Shizuka Hiratsuka was a woman worthy of respect.

"Really?" Shizuka Hiratsuka's eyes gleamed with expectation.

"Of course!" Shirou replied earnestly.

"Well, the teacher is just a little stronger than other men. Childish, willful, and persistent; competitive, more boisterous than men when it comes to eating and drinking, and when it comes to fighting... there are probably very few people in this world who can beat you..."

"Just change those bad habits a little, like not speeding, smoking less, drinking less, spending less money on in-game purchases..." Shirou gave examples, his voice growing softer and softer until he finally lowered his head and fell silent.

"Shirou...?" Shizuka Hiratsuka asked, puzzled.

Shirou turned around and placed his hands on Shizuka Hiratsuka's shoulders, saying loudly, "Yeah! It's definitely okay if it's you!"

"What do you mean 'no problem'?! Why is Shirou suddenly looking at me with the exact same loving gaze as my mom, and saying the same things? Why do you seem to have given up thinking and just blurted out the result?!"

Shirou turned his head away and changed the subject, saying, "Alright, alright, let's go down the mountain."

"Shirou-kun, how are we going to get down?" Utaha Kasumigaoka asked.

"It's alright, just close your eyes and leave everything to me," the boy said gently.

"Eh...?" Utaha Kasumigaoka was stunned for a moment, then Shirou wrapped one arm around her waist and the other around Shizuka Hiratsuka, who had already broken free from her Heroic Servant possession. With one arm around each of them, he leaped high into the air and jumped down the mountain.

"I knew it! Wow!"

Meanwhile, on a mountain peak on the other side of Mount Lu, the attendant dressed as Servant stood atop a tall tree, watching Shirou and his companions depart from afar.

"That was wonderful!" Applause came from behind the woods, followed by a Black Shadow emerging and speaking in a sweet, childlike voice.

"You flatter me. I never expected Her Majesty the Your Majesty to propose such a plan, to personally risk her life to snatch food from the jaws of death," the general said.

"Haha, of course, if it's something you want, you have to take it with your own hands. I never expected that General Zhang Qing's Noble Phantasm would be so powerful. Everyone says you're good at throwing stones, but I never imagined it would be a catapult-level weapon. And the timing was so precise. Thanks to you, I was able to obtain the Holy Grail smoothly."

As he spoke, the mist on the Black Shadow instantly dissipated, revealing a petite girl with blue hair in pigtails, dressed in ancient court attire. Her face was exactly the same as Chou Meimei's, but at this moment, the Servant Wu Zetian was in control of the body.

Zhang Qing said nonchalantly, "You're too kind. My stone-throwing technique is all about flexibility and convenience; it's inexhaustible. Just find a place to pick up a few and you can use them as weapons. Right now, as Noble Phantasm, it's just for throwing larger stones. Rather, why are you, as Emperor Wu of Zhou, an assassin skilled in stealth? How did you manage to infiltrate that place undetected after Instructor Li was defeated?"

"Haha, I am a genius, and when I first entered the palace, I was just a lowly concubine. Naturally, I had to know how to minimize my presence and avoid being noticed by others. No, it's more accurate to say that it's an essential skill for living in the harem. Of course, the ability to showcase one's strengths in front of the emperor when necessary is even more important," Wu Zetian said with a smile.

"It seems that even the imperial harem is just as treacherous as the imperial court," Zhang Qing sighed.

"It seems you don't mind being an empress like me?" Wu Zetian said with some surprise.

"No, looking at this era, it's no longer important whether a man or woman is a leader. My Liangshan is not without female leaders. Compared to female emperors, I can't stand incompetent rulers and treacherous officials even more."

"Emperors are human too, and every emperor has his moments of incompetence. Everything an emperor does is merely to maintain his power, so he always makes choices and checks and balances, striving for what is beneficial to him and suppressing what is harmful. Fortunately, this time, my interests are aligned with yours. I thank you for joining my side, and I swear I will share the spoils of war with you," Wu Zetian said with a smile.

"Thank you then. As long as you keep your promise to me, I'm fine with staying by your side as a bodyguard or henchman. Leave the brains to you, Your Majesty, I'll handle the fighting," Zhang Qing said.

"Rest assured, although I am ruthless to the enemy, I have never mistreated capable and meritorious officials. Let's go! The others have started to move as well, and I need to make my own arrangements first." With that, Wu Zetian took the Holy Grail and left the collapsing little world, with Zhang Qing following behind.

Wearing the Projection flying Noble Phantasm, Winged Sandals, Shirou quickly returned to the inn in the mountain Small Town with Shizuka Hiratsuka and Utaha Kasumigaoka. He quietly turned the window and climbed inside.

The three of them then went to Shirou's room, where Da Vinci began to explain the situation to Utaha Kasumigaoka. Shirou also indicated that he would no longer involve her.

After explaining everything, Shirou felt it was time to clear up the misunderstanding.

"Teacher, let's talk alone," Shirou asked Shizuka Hiratsuka.

"Well, I'm not worried about Shirou. No, I'm more worried that Kasumigaoka might do something outrageous. I'll just stand at the door and wait for you," Shizuka Hiratsuka said hesitantly.

"Teacher Hiratsuka, please don't say such unromantic things, okay? Shirou-kun has already said he wants to talk to me~ alone~." Utaha Kasumigaoka said in a deliberately ambiguous tone.

"Don't worry, teacher. I'll talk to Kasumigaoka- senpai and then take her back to her room," Shirou assured his teacher.

"Since you put it that way, I understand. Oh, by the way, we're going to watch the sunrise early tomorrow morning, so get some rest." Shizuka Hiratsuka nodded, walked outside, and went back to her room.

"So, Shirou-kun, what do you want to talk to me about?" Utaha Kasumigaoka then reverted to her usual self, revealing a somewhat indifferent yet complex expression as she spoke.

"Yes, I believe you understand who Magical Merlin is now, right?" Shirou said.

"I had more or less guessed it. Merlin was the one who helped me online, but in reality..." Utaha Kasumigaoka nodded, her feelings somewhat complicated. Wasn't this like she had fallen for two people at the same time?

The thoughtful help he showed her online, and the gentleness he showed her in real life, had long been intertwined in her heart. She loved the prince who understood her online and was willing to listen to her inner thoughts; she also loved the prince in real life who was still gentle and considerate to her even when she was being unreasonable. These feelings had long since transformed into her sweet memories of first love, and her heart would still flutter whenever she thought of them.

But now she's being told that it's actually two people, that her first love was two different people?! Although she appears calm on the surface, the girl's heart is in turmoil, filled with incredibly complex emotions.

I don't know how to face the boy in front of me anymore. Is he fickle? Is this emotional infidelity?

No, if the girl has long silver hair like she does now, then the person she likes is definitely someone special, right?