Though that was also because he couldn't speak while berserk.
Kiritsugu Emiya looked at Fu Yuan in some surprise. He had assumed this fan was another one-use prop for showing off.
He hadn't expected it to have combat capabilities. It didn't even seem as powerful as his Origin Bullet.
Kariya Matou clearly needed some time to process this information, so he temporarily stepped down from his role as the eye-catching bystander.
"Oh, right, Master, who are we targeting this time?"
After finishing his display, Fu Yuan followed behind them with a baffled look. Even now, he didn't know who they were going after.
"...Kaineth and Waver."
Knowing this wasn't the time for snark, Kiritsugu Emiya unusually let go of an opportunity to mock Fu Yuan.
"They've formed an alliance!"
Kiritsugu Emiya's expression was clearly unpleasant as he said this. After all, the two most mobile classes had joined forces, completely ruling out their chances of going after other teams.
While they were still quite far from the hotel Kaineth used as his base, Kiritsugu Emiya stopped.
Using the scant magical knowledge he had learned, Kariya Matou successfully determined that the hotel was filled with magecraft he had never even seen before.
Lancelot tensed all over, ready to charge at any moment.
As for Fu Yuan... Fu Yuan watched Kiritsugu Emiya assembling something beside him with an expectant expression, utterly unconcerned.
As for why he could be certain the plot hadn't changed, it was probably because Fu Yuan had already seen those warheads when he arrived.
It's coming, it's coming!
This is a classic!
Kiritsugu Emiya lived up to everyone's—Fu Yuan's—expectations and assembled several RPGs, then shoved one into Kariya Matou's hands amid his stunned gaze.
The most conspicuous was Lancelot, Berserker. Once the weapon reached his hands, it was automatically elevated into a Noble Phantasm.
Noble Phantasm:
RPG (D)
Justice's judgment! Long live nuclear peace!
Then, amid Fu Yuan's excitement, Kariya Matou's confusion, Lancelot's interest, and Kiritsugu Emiya's calm, they pulled the triggers.
And congratulations to Professor Kaineth on acquiring a debt!
Explosion
Though it differed somewhat from the original, the tallest building in Fuyuki City was nevertheless destroyed amid a series of crashing sounds.
Fu Yuan looked somewhat surprised at the building, from which no screams came. He had to admit that Master had done a decent job in this regard.
Perhaps Master was afraid Fu Yuan wouldn't contribute if he hadn't?
Kaineth's caution was not enough to conceal his inborn arrogance. He hadn't even noticed that everyone in the entire building had been evacuated. He simply couldn't be bothered to observe ordinary people.
Panic began spreading through the surrounding area. Though there were no direct casualties, quite a few people had still been injured. But compared to the original, this was much better.
Soon, however, Fu Yuan shifted his attention away from the nearby civilians and stared at the collapsed building, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Ha, hahaha. So we were the fools."
Then he frowned slightly and used the folding fan in his hand to loosely cover his nose and mouth, only then realizing that it wasn't a feather fan now, but an iron fan.
Yet as he watched the panicked crowd around them, Fu Yuan felt that this development was becoming more and more interesting.
Their earlier act of evacuating the crowd had been noticed, and Kaineth was probably planning to turn the tables on them.
How generous of him! The magecraft set up there was something ordinary mediocrities could never learn in their lifetimes.
But in Kaineth's eyes, their actions amounted to nothing more than a perfectly straightforward ambush.
Yet they hadn't played by the rules and had simply blown up the building.
As for Kaineth and Waver, who always adhered to a magus's principles, though it was uncertain what they were thinking—
One could probably guess. They simply couldn't let ordinary people discover magecraft.
"Afraid of magecraft being exposed?"
Kiritsugu Emiya had clearly thought of all this as well. Though his expression was somewhat unpleasant, he didn't regret evacuating the crowd.
(The crowd had been evacuated by hired people. No one was dumb enough to think they did it personally, right?)
Fu Yuan not contributing was one reason, but the most important thing was peace of mind.
"Let's find somewhere secluded."
When Kiritsugu Emiya habitually reached for a cigarette, he remembered that Irisviel had confiscated his cigarettes long ago.
How nice. This feeling!
"Then let's go!"
Fu Yuan mercilessly interrupted the fantasy he was indulging in. This wasn't home, where they could mess around however they wanted.
Though Kariya Matou wasn't particularly clear on the theory of magecraft, he wasn't stupid, probably?
He quickly figured out what was going on as well, and his expression became noticeably helpless. After all, he had also imagined resolving this pair just like that.
"Where to?"
Kariya Matou looked confused. It felt as though the city had thoroughly awakened, so was there any need to continue tonight's operation?
"Ryudoji Temple." ×2
Fu Yuan looked in surprise at Kiritsugu Emiya, who had spoken at the same time as him, unable to understand.
He had suggested Ryudoji Temple because of the influence of his previous life—he wanted to test the hardness of its floorboards. But what about Kiritsugu?
"What about the monks there?"
Fu Yuan gave Kariya Matou an approving glance. He hadn't expected saving Sakura to bring an extra surprise!
Pulling gold got him purple.
What a shame! If Kariya Uncle had been a girl, it would have been pulling gold and getting gold!
"Monks? Heh!"
Kiritsugu Emiya looked distinctly disdainful, though it was unclear toward whom.
Under the curious gazes of Fu Yuan and Kariya Matou, Kiritsugu Emiya didn't keep them in suspense and directly revealed what he had investigated.
"They won't be living in that damned place!"
"And they're richer than you... actually, maybe not richer than you."
Kiritsugu Emiya had paid close attention to Ryudoji Temple. Rumor had it that one of the leyline nodes required for the Holy Grail War was there, and the Greater Grail's main body was also suspected to be there.
So he had investigated it thoroughly, only to discover that those monks were somehow richer than he was!
It was utterly ridiculous!
Ridiculous beyond belief!
Still, the Three Great Families might have had a hand in it. After all, if those monks were very responsible, that would indeed be troublesome.
After quite some time, they entered Ryudoji Temple. As for why they didn't drive? Well, they didn't dare. They had just done something reckless and feared retribution.
No thought leads to stillness; stillness connects to the divine; stillness cultivates life; stillness brings enlightenment; stillness generates wisdom; stillness illuminates the Way.
A calm mind is clear; a clear mind is bright; a bright mind is spirited; and a spirited mind is wise and alert.
A calm mind encompasses the universe; a peaceful heart understands reason. Only rational serenity can bring great wisdom, great insight, and great enlightenment.
Still Water, Clear Mirror, stainlessness, the Void. Sword Heart Illumination.
These had once been Fu Yuan's achievements. Seeing these words in a temple now always left him with complicated feelings.
But he quickly got over it. As a Herrscher, he no longer needed those things. His body's instincts, combined with a Herrscher's traits, were enough to make his Void Sword Qi stronger.
Fu Yuan suddenly flung the iron fan in his hand backward. Now was not the time for sentimentality.
Following his movement, Lancelot swiftly took up a combat stance. Of course, if Kariya Matou hadn't talked with him all night beforehand, he would probably have already charged in.
It wasn't that he had become obedient. It was simply that when a man lay in your bed and lectured you all night, even he would get annoyed.
The iron fan whipped up a gust of air. Only after the suddenly appearing Lancer used his spear to knock it to a halt did the faint sound of a sonic boom reach their ears.
"What astonishing strength."
Diarmuid had indeed been shocked by that strength. They both had B-ranked Strength, yet even after using skillful force, his arm still felt numb.
"Haha! Saber, even now, are you still hiding your True Name?"
Iskandar still wore that carefree expression, though he was also readying himself for battle.
"Jade Faced Wind Lord! Ximen Chuisha!"
Fu Yuan casually announced the name he had made up, though he still hadn't remembered who it was supposed to be.
"Of course, you may also call me True Lord Flowing Cloud Borrows Wind!"
Fu Yuan thought about it, then added another line to better fit his character setting as someone from an ancient Eastern nation.
But this time, Fu Yuan didn't use the methods that could only fool Kariya Matou. After all, he had only studied magecraft for a few days. No matter how outstanding his talent was, he definitely couldn't compare to Lemon Head over there.
"You're lying! I clearly heard that lady call you A Yuan earlier!"
Waver was briefly intimidated by the title, but he quickly recovered and said it with some embarrassed anger.
(What should one say about Waver in the original?)
"So what if that's my nickname? Is there a problem?"
Fu Yuan's expression didn't change. Looking at Kaineth, who had already begun pondering the title, he continued talking nonsense.
"Mary, are you resisting?!"
"Fly!"
As though cooperating with Fu Yuan, the iron fan flew up on its own, only for Diarmuid to seize it in his hand.
"Hmph!"
"Saber, do you intend to use the same trick a second time?"
Diarmuid was clearly angry. Did Fu Yuan take them for fools?
"Golden radiance circles the hall, heaven and earth are pure; at ease and free, supreme purity and supreme clarity, urgent as the law commands."
Fu Yuan's expression gradually turned serious, as though he were Caster.
That's right! Exactly.
"By decree!"
At Fu Yuan's words, the iron fan began shaking violently.
Diarmuid was startled as well, but he quickly gripped it tightly to stop Saber from pulling anything else.
Unfortunately, Mind's Eye (True) was not Instinct.
Fu Yuan suddenly laughed, then formed an O with his lips and silently mouthed, "Boom."
This Is a Herrscher! Battlefield Rose!
Fu Yuan looked at the deserted desert, the empty sky, and the many, many, many burly men before him, his expression gradually darkening.
People really couldn't be compared to one another. When Waver and Sola noticed something was wrong, fear hadn't even appeared on their faces yet.
Kaineth had at least summoned the Moon Cell Liquid, though only its head had emerged.
Diarmuid... Diarmuid was currently sprawled atop Kaineth, looking quite... suggestive.
And Rider, the one always laughing and joking at the front, had not only activated his Inherent Domain in the instant before the explosion, but had also enveloped everyone on his side within it.
A Noble Phantasm I spent three minutes creating! What a waste to blow it up for you!
As for why Rider hadn't only covered himself or his Master, he was probably confused at that moment too! Who would blow up a Noble Phantasm for no reason?
At present, rows upon rows of neatly arranged warriors filled the field. At the very front stood four people utterly out of place, facing four utterly bewildered boys.
Before you continue