Arriving in Type-Moon, Now Out of Contact

"These things are truly disgusting," Li Zihan casually tossed a white phosphorus grenade, incinerating a Sea Monster along with the surrounding ground and trees.

White phosphorus grenades were once considered one of the most foolish inventions. The substance produced after white phosphorus burns is a strong dehydrating agent, easily forming smoke in the air. This smoke is toxic and highly corrosive. White phosphorus shells have a large kill radius, and grenades made with it have a kill radius of 35 meters, while the average person's throwing distance is only 30 meters. This means that if operated improperly, the thrower could also be "burned by their own fire." Furthermore, white phosphorus does not burn quickly, so its effectiveness at close range is not significant.

However, this was not a problem for Mages who were eager to modify these inferior weapons. The reinforcement magic taught to everyone at the Clock Tower could allow someone as weak as Waver to throw a grenade a hundred meters, and accelerating the burning of white phosphorus only required learning the most basic Rune Glyphs, then carving them onto the grenade's casing.

"You still prefer to use these unsophisticated little tricks." Kaineth looked at Li Zihan pulling a grenade from Imaginary Space and sending the target and its surroundings to salvation, his expression somewhat complicated.

Kaineth had to admit that this method of attack, combining magic and technology, was very powerful. If he were to achieve such an effect with magic, he would need considerable chanting time, and those with weaker magic skills would have to use quite precious magical materials.

But such methods offered no possibility of reaching the Root. Li Zihan's path had completely deviated from orthodoxy. Kaineth looked at his former disciple, his tone turning cold, "The power is decent, but there's no research value. Spending effort on this kind of thing is simply a waste of time."

Li Zihan shrugged, offering no explanation. In reality, he had little interest in magic. Its practical combat ability was mediocre, not to mention its difficulty was comparable to advanced mathematics. He believed that most students who had taken advanced mathematics classes wouldn't like math problems, even if they could solve them. To use learning as an analogy, Li Zihan was like a straight-A student who excelled but didn't enjoy it, while Kirei Kotomine was a god-tier student who both enjoyed and excelled. That was the difference between the two.

"Um, Li-kun, could you give me a gas mask?" Waver's expression stiffened as he watched white smoke drift from the explosion site. His magic level was insufficient to deal with the damage caused by the white phosphorus rounds. It proved that Waver liked to study but was a poor student. (Suddenly felt pity for the overworked dead, despite having first-class theory, his magic level was like floor tiles in the Record of the Celestial Tear. How poor was his talent?)

"Here." Li Zihan pulled a gas mask from Imaginary Space and threw it to Waver. Waver hastily caught it and put it on. He was nowhere near as composed as his teacher and classmates. The fact that Li Zihan dared to casually throw white phosphorus grenades proved he had corresponding spellcraft to filter the poisonous gas. Kaineth's Moon Marrow Spirit Fluid had been modified dozens of times after his encounter with Li Zihan; mere poisonous gas was no problem.

Lancer and Rider had already gone to the front lines to fight, accompanied by Berserker, who hadn't appeared until now – a giant whose height and stats were suffocatingly high.

"Hey, do you guys feel something's off?" After clearing the obstructing Sea Monsters one by one, Li Zihan put his Grimoire back into Imaginary Space and clapped his hands, drawing the attention of the other two. "Don't you think this journey has been too strange? There are three of us. If someone attacked us and succeeded, they could directly eliminate Lancer, Rider, and Berserker. But all we've encountered are small fries, not even a single mythical beast. Don't you find it too peaceful?"

Looking at the still-wriggling corpses that were already dead and the flames emitting poisonous gas, and surveying the surroundings, all that met his eyes was devastation and ruin, as if the Mythical Beast Huodou had settled there again. Waver felt Li Zihan had a misunderstanding of the word "peaceful."

"Indeed, it seems your plan to lure the enemy deep failed." Kaineth's azure eyes also held a hint of confusion. There were still six Masters in the Holy Grail War. Now there was an opportunity to catch three of them red-handed, yet Caster hadn't made a move, and Saber and Archer hadn't been deployed either.

This was Li Zihan's plan. He proposed sending out all the Servants, then luring others to attack. Once someone attacked, one of the three would recall a Heroic Spirit, and then the three of them would buff the recalled Heroic Spirit and take down the 250 who wanted to pick off the weak.

As compensation for expending a Command Spell, the person who recalled the Heroic Spirit would be eligible to seize all of the attacker's Master's Command Spells. As for how many Command Spells could be snatched, it depended on luck. After all, no one knew how many Command Spells the attacker's Master possessed.

However, this plan seemed to have failed. Let alone other Masters, even Caster hadn't appeared.

"It seems some special circumstances have arisen." Li Zihan smiled, then said to Kaineth and Waver, "Since no foolish rabbits are running into the stump, let's go deal with Caster. It will be troublesome if more witnesses appear."

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ps: My mind was hazy yesterday, and I accidentally deleted a 4k chapter while writing. ?_?

What is this?!

Chapter Fourteen: Warm-up Match

An alien shadow towering in the darkness, its form grotesque and exuding immense pressure.

Even the whale, the overlord of the deep sea, and the king squid did not possess such a colossal form. This aquatic behemoth, which reigned over all the seas of the world, a nightmarish figure, was truly worthy of the title "Sea Monster."

"Hey, Lancer, is that our enemy this time?" the red-haired, robust man said from atop the war chariot pulled by the Divine Bull, sounding both amazed and mocking. "It looks like it will be a formidable opponent, no less than Darius. Caster has summoned a truly formidable fellow."

Indeed, a formidable opponent. If ordinary soldiers were sent to encircle and suppress it, hundreds of thousands wouldn't be enough. This was a terrible enemy for a king who had spent his life leading soldiers and fighting in bloody battles.

"No, this isn't summoning, Rider." The crow perched on Lancer's shoulder suddenly opened its beak, and Kaineth's voice emerged. "Summoning is when someone or something forcibly moves and calls someone or something to their side through some ritual or method and makes them their servant. This, however, is merely being confined to a certain area and not obeying the summoner's commands..."

"No matter how powerful a Servant is, there are limits to the 'rank' of the familiars they summon and control—but if you don't consider 'control,' then this limit doesn't exist." A white owl spoke human words, finishing what the crow had left unsaid. "Without a doubt, this is a familiar that contains the will of another Mage."

"Caster has caused great trouble." Lancer's expression was exceptionally grim.

He clenched his twin pistols in anger. If Caster appeared before him, he might die again within five minutes.

Casually summoning monsters from another world without restraint, such a fellow deserves death.