Fujimaru Ritsuka, Deviating from the Normal Course / The Second Battle to Save Humanity Begins...

Fujimaru Ritsuka, Deviating from Normal Development

The two had more or less made up—at least, Roman thought they had.

Roman simply could not understand the way they got along, but he had to admire Akuta Hinako's audacity. Never mind that Beryl was already dead—even if Beryl had still been alive, saying a single word in front of Bai Ming would have been a mistake, followed by getting pinned to the ground and having his bones broken or being beaten half to death.

Roman had once thought that even breathing in front of Bai Ming was a mistake for Beryl. Unfortunately, Beryl had died too quickly for him to verify that theory.

Watching Akuta Hinako explode in front of Bai Ming three times in a row, splattering blood five paces away each time, Roman peacefully left the entrance to the training room.

There were still seven days until the next strategy meeting, and Bai Ming packed those seven days full without any intention of resting.

DAY 1: He dragged Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash into training, had the system erase all the consciousnesses of the gods from the Japanese Pantheon, then refined them into pure mental and soul power to nourish his own mind and soul while reinforcing Olga Marie's soul state.

DAY 2: In the morning, Bai Ming had Fujimaru Ritsuka command Mash as her Servant and Akuta Hinako command Bai Ming as hers in a simulated battle, in order to train their command abilities. Bai Ming fully witnessed what it meant for Akuta Hinako's command ability to be so terrible that she was beyond saving. Bai Ming had never lost since coming out into the world, but today, he lost.

Bai Ming stared at Akuta Hinako in astonishment, while Akuta Hinako guiltily looked toward an empty patch of ground.

The afternoon's planned training was canceled. Instead, Akuta Hinako was pinned down by Bai Ming in the training room for a full afternoon of sparring.

Neither Mash, Roman, nor Fujimaru Ritsuka knew the details. They only vaguely heard things like "trash," "no fighting spirit," and "hopeless Akuta Hinako." In the end, they saw Akuta Hinako walk out of the training room utterly exhausted. She did not even glance at the desserts before returning to her dorm and burying herself in sleep.

DAY 3: Akuta Hinako's mental state underwent a clear change. After Bai Ming arranged Fujimaru Ritsuka's training schedule for the next three days, along with one rest day, he personally trained Mash's combat abilities. Mash fought Setanta, Akuta Hinako, King Mu, and Bai Ming one-on-one, gaining a great deal from it. Meanwhile, Fujimaru Ritsuka began reading a small booklet written by Bai Ming titled What Do People Live For.

After reading it, Fujimaru Ritsuka was deeply moved. She had no choice but to agree with Bai Ming's idea that "all actions are simply because one does not want to die, because one wants one's restless heart to settle down."

Fujimaru Ritsuka thought, People live in order to feel at ease. Finding work, earning money, and all that—whatever it is, it is all for building a safe and comfortable environment for oneself. But when it comes to saving the world right now, I am far too weak. I cannot even stand on my own, and can only hold everyone back. Weak. Too weak. Weakness is the original sin. I cannot feel any peace of mind within this weakness. Every day, all I feel is fear and unease.

Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at Bai Ming, took his theories as sacred doctrine, regarded him as the goal of her life, and voluntarily joined Bai Ming's training.

For the remaining four days, Bai Ming did not add any training for anyone else. He merely increased the intensity of his own training.

Inside the training room, even the basic training Bai Ming had prepared for her was already torturous for Fujimaru Ritsuka. On top of that, Bai Ming trained like a madman beside her, putting enormous psychological pressure on her.

Even when distracted, Fujimaru Ritsuka did not dare stop training, simply because Bai Ming was working harder than she was right beside her.

Fujimaru Ritsuka's tight athletic outfit had been soaked through with sweat. Her delicate, curvaceous figure and toned, slender legs were accentuated beneath the clingy fabric.

The youthful softness and graceful beauty unique to a seventeen-year-old girl were exposed in this steel-and-fire-like training room. Yet as one of the only two humans there, Bai Ming had no interest in admiring the lovely body of a Japanese high school girl. He continuously released his mana, used it to impose pressure upon his body, and relentlessly scoured his flesh with mana.

His clothes had long since been drenched, so Bai Ming had already tossed them aside, revealing his sharply defined, powerful physique.

The immense pressure made sweat stream endlessly down Bai Ming's body, even twisting his expression slightly.

But Bai Ming had no intention of stopping his tempering of the flesh.

Seventeen-year-old Fujimaru Ritsuka felt deeply uneasy. She was certain Bai Ming was not some masochist, but did saving the world really require working this hard?

So she asked with some concern, "Senpai... are you really okay training like this?"

Bai Ming did not answer. He merely increased the force with which he tempered himself using mana, even diverting part of that mana to press down on Fujimaru Ritsuka.

The girl let out a muffled groan. The pressure bent her body, and waves of pain coursed through her. Fujimaru Ritsuka instinctively wanted to cry out in pain and flee from this mana tempering, but then she remembered What Do People Live For. If I cannot even endure this much, how can I pursue the strength that will bring me peace of mind, just like Senior Bai?

Then Fujimaru Ritsuka gritted her teeth and endured.

Though her legs trembled, though she could barely stand, though sweat poured from her like rain until her tight athletic outfit was completely soaked through, she did not leave Bai Ming's field of pressure.

Bai Ming was greatly surprised by Fujimaru Ritsuka's actions. He had never expected this novice Magus, who knew nothing, to stubbornly remain under such pressure.

Time passed bit by bit. Bai Ming withdrew the pressure, and Fujimaru Ritsuka's entire body went limp as she collapsed straight onto him.

"I can keep going..."

Fujimaru Ritsuka's voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz. Bai Ming merely stroked her hair, already clumped into strands from sweat, and spoke with unprecedented gentleness. "Too much is as bad as too little. You've already done very well to endure this long."

Seeing Bai Ming like this, Fujimaru Ritsuka had many things she wanted to say, but she was so exhausted that she did not even want to open her mouth.

Bai Ming carried the barely mobile Fujimaru Ritsuka from the training room. After taking her back to her dorm, he busied himself preparing salt water and various nutrients that should be replenished after training, feeding them to her. He also called Olga Marie out to cast healing magic on Fujimaru Ritsuka, only turning to leave after she had recovered.

Then he returned to the training room to continue his own training.

Olga Marie, who had been called out, sat nearby and quietly watched Bai Ming train.

"He really works hard..."

Olga Marie thought, Then what can I do?

Then Olga Marie remembered the healing magic she had cast on Fujimaru Ritsuka earlier. She might as well learn more varieties of healing magic so she could provide Bai Ming with timely treatment during battle.

With that thought, Olga Marie greeted Bai Ming and headed off to find Roman for some relevant medical books.

The Second Human Restoration Battle Officially Began

Seven days passed quickly.

Akuta Hinako's feelings remained impossible to ease.

Aside from the burning shame she felt whenever she remembered the title "Future Crimson Moon's Ferocious Divine Roaring Chick Poppy, Supreme Consort Yu," what troubled her even more was Bai Ming's utterly impersonal hellish training.

Bai Ming's training for Akuta Hinako was on a completely different level from his training for Fujimaru Ritsuka.

Whether it was command training, tactical thinking, or actual combat sparring, Bai Ming put his full effort into beating Akuta Hinako within an inch of her life.

Fortunately, Akuta Hinako possessed the mindset of a shut-in woman with over two thousand years of experience. Otherwise, her Dao heart would have shattered into dust during that training.

What truly made Akuta Hinako feel psychologically unbalanced was Bai Ming's attitude toward Fujimaru Ritsuka—she had never seen that man be so gentle.

They both knew nothing. They both trained until they were completely exhausted every day. They were both poor at speaking and occasionally liked to snap at people. So why was he so gentle with Fujimaru Ritsuka, yet so awful to her?

After every training session, he would carry the exhausted girl back, then prepare the appropriate nutrients for immediate replenishment. And what about her? As long as she could still move, it meant she had not trained enough. Even when she could not move, he simply made her lie there on the spot while King Mu, who was cultivating quietly nearby, watched her. Where was the gentleness? Where had it gone?

Thus, on the eighth day after conquering the First Singularity, during the strategy meeting, Akuta Hinako took the initiative to propose conquering a Singularity alone. Bai Ming agreed without hesitation. Yet when Fujimaru Ritsuka asked to conquer a Singularity alone, Bai Ming rejected her without even thinking.

Akuta Hinako immediately slammed the table and demanded, "Why is it fine for me to go alone, but not for her?"

Her angry voice startled Roman and Da Vinci, who were attending the meeting. Bai Ming glanced at Akuta Hinako. "You're over two thousand years old, and you're competing with a seventeen-year-old? You've been on the battlefield before. At worst, you're just worse than the other members of Team A. Your command ability is nearly nonexistent, but you're still far stronger than ordinary people and most Servants. What problem is there with you handling a Singularity alone?"

"Fuck."

Akuta Hinako cursed and turned to leave the control room.

It was not that Akuta Hinako did not want to argue. It was simply because Bai Ming had stated the objective facts. After all, she had endured her way from China's Qin-Han Era step by step until now. Though she usually acted like a comic performer, like useless trash, if they truly fought, she was still much stronger than the others.

"You two... still haven't made up?"

Only after Akuta Hinako left did Roman break the awkward atmosphere.

"It's about the same. We just can't see eye to eye." Bai Ming brought the topic back to the main point. "The Roman Singularity can be used for Ritsuka to gain experience. I'll observe from the side. There's also the matter of Fujimaru Ritsuka's ability to protect herself. The Holy Grail is ultimately an external object. As they say, mountains collapse when you rely on mountains, and people run when you rely on people. Roman, leave Ritsuka's hand-to-hand combat training to you."

"Understood..." Roman paused, then complained, "Wasn't I the acting director personally appointed by Director Olga Marie? Why are you always the one calling the shots at every meeting?"

The moment he finished speaking, Olga Marie burst from Bai Ming's body as a streak of light. "What Bai Ming says is the same as what I say. My body may be dead, but my spirit and soul are not."

Roman let out an annoyed cry, but the delight in his eyes could not be concealed—he now had more time to hang around with Magic★Merli.

"My, my, isn't that a good thing? Doesn't Roman always complain about being 'worked to death'?" Da Vinci smiled as she took over the conversation. "Bai Ming seems to have plenty of Magic Material, right? He spends every day training and has barely had a chance to use it, so why not..."

Bai Ming lowered his head, his tone firmer than ever. "Profiteer Da Vinci, no deal. I'll only provide you with the materials I collect on a regular basis. Even if I do not use the excess, I will store it away."

Mash could not help commenting, "Is Senpai some kind of hamster?"

Akuta Hinako, whose emotions had calmed, returned to the control room carrying a handful of sunflower seeds and resumed the meeting. "He's from the Southern School of the Golden Elixir Sect, but he's a genuine northerner. He has a habit of hoarding things."

"He really is a hamster!" Fujimaru Ritsuka paused, then asked, "So just how much stuff has Senpai hoarded?"

Akuta Hinako and Mash exchanged a glance, then both looked at Bai Ming.

When this man had nothing better to do, he had directly cut off Japan's Age of Gods. He must have hoarded an absurd amount of things.

"Not much."

Bai Ming waved his hand. "This has nothing to do with the current operation. With everyone's help, we have already investigated the two Singularities we need to conquer. One is the era of Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, while the other is Okeanos. Neither is a particularly difficult Singularity."

"Wait, I can't fight naval battles."

This big Hebei girl had absolutely no idea how to fight on water. Sending her to conquer that Singularity might as well have been sending her to her death. "I'd better assist Fujimaru Ritsuka in Rome. Bai Ming, you go to Okeanos."

Seeing Akuta Hinako's panicked expression, Bai Ming sighed. "Either is fine with me. Then it's settled. I'll handle the resource issue. Since it's Okeanos, I'll bring back a huge pile of seafood. Mash will accompany me to the sea. My side only needs to maintain the existence of Mash and me. Give the summoning circle's formula and all related supplies to Ritsuka."

Roman asked worriedly, "What if something happens on your side?"

For Roman, anyone could run into trouble, but Bai Ming absolutely could not.

This was not merely concern for a friend. It was also tied to Roman's grand plan of whether Romani Archaman would have to become King Solomon again and retire by blowing himself up.

"Nothing will happen to me. Never."

Bai Ming stood up, preparing to end the meeting. "Also, Akuta Hinako's Greater Command Spell is prohibited under all circumstances."

"Why?"

"There's no reason why. There's an old saying: 'Unsolicited kindness is either treachery or theft.' Would Marisbury give you a Greater Command Spell capable of overturning the world at the cost of the caster's life just because he had nothing better to do? Even you, you foolish girl, should have some idea what that old bastard was plotting. Also, Ritsuka can use her Command Spells whenever she wants. One mark restores each day, so there's no reason not to use them."

Bai Ming turned around and spread his hands. "That concludes the meeting. Inform all departments to make preparations for the simultaneous conquest of two Singularities after a brief rest. Da Vinci, you can go prepare supplies for Ritsuka's side. The second battle to restore humanity begins now."

Tomorrow's Premium Release Note, and a Request for First-Day Subscriptions

How should I put this... I have no idea how this book ended up on the view rankings.

The day before a friend told me it had made the rankings, another friend's Type-Moon fic with forum-style manual controls had already shattered my Dao heart. I had originally planned to drop this one, but once it suddenly started getting results, I could not just cut it off. After all, quite a lot of people are reading my book, and dropping it would let everyone down.

(To be honest, I do not even know when I started writing a Type-Moon story. I just muddled through and somehow wrote up to this point.)

As for plans for the rest of the book, I definitely have them, so do not worry.

Now, a little survey.

As everyone knows, Type-Moon's core audience—whether for novels, anime, or games—has always centered on things happening on Earth.

And at its core, it mostly cannot escape the central elements of urban settings, fantasy, and romance. Things like FSN, fsf, and fa all contain romantic elements to some extent, while Lord El-Melloi II Case Files and Lord El-Melloi II Adventures are just too boring. As for things like GOA, which are incomprehensible and somewhat melodramatic, let's not even mention them.

In short, Type-Moon's base is too small, so after discovering that I had made the rankings, I came up with two plans.

1. Write only Type-Moon content itself.

2. Transition into a multi-anime crossover later on.

While asking everyone for first-day subscriptions, I would also like to gather your opinions.

That is everything I wanted to say. Please subscribe! Please subscribe! Whether this author can survive, pay off the medical debts from past treatment, and replace this five- or six-year-old computer depends on this book!

Okeanos and a Collapsing Rome

Strip Off His Pants and Use His ** to Feed the Fish!

A.D. 1573

Bai Ming and Mash transferred together onto a pirate ship.

They were thrown straight into actual combat.

Mash finally got to use the shield-back bashing technique she had been longing for. At the same time, she inwardly complained, The little yellow duck rubber swim ring Da Vinci gave us before departure was completely useless—no, perhaps it was useful after all. Senior used Reinforcement Magic to strengthen the swim ring, put it around one pirate's body, and kicked him aside.

Because Bai Ming had instructed him beforehand, Roman was responsible for liaising with them this time. Roman only handled conversation, transfers, and monitoring the two of them, while most of the remaining personnel worked with Da Vinci to support Akuta Hinako and Fujimaru Ritsuka.

After receiving a severe beating from Bai Ming and Mash, the pirates on the ship finally behaved themselves.

Bai Ming held a mug of beer offered to him by the pirates and drank from it as he said, "Honestly, wouldn't it have been better if you'd behaved like this from the start?"

"W-We're terribly sorry!"

The pirate spoke tremblingly, while Mash wore a cold expression beside him. "Although I am not skilled at conflict, given the circumstances, with Senpai drinking and Doctor Roman watching Magic★Merli, I chose to use force to interrogate you!"

Though she felt somewhat uncomfortable about her Senpai beating them up and then demanding alcohol, Mash believed Bai Ming must have had some deeper reason for doing so. Therefore, she said nothing and focused only on dealing with the situation at hand.

"Can someone explain what sea this is? And what exactly is happening right now?"

"Ah!" A pirate beside them cried out. "We'd like to tell you where we are too, but the truth is, even we have no idea what sea we're in! We drifted here without any clue, and then we encountered you!"

Another pirate shouted, "Even the maps and compass have stopped working! So we might as well live one day at a time and attack the prey right in front of us! Because that's what pirates do!"

Then Bai Ming's voice rang out. "Anyway, I'm your captain now! What should you call me?"

The pirates cheered together. "Captain Bai Ming! Long live! The Chaldea Pirate Crew is founded!"

Watching Bai Ming start fooling around, Mash froze on the spot before shouting, "Senpai! Please be serious!"