Even Asuna, a net-addicted girl, knew that title was Toyotomi Hideyoshi's former name.
She hadn't expected there to be people from their own country who didn't know such common knowledge.
That was Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the peerless general known as one of the Three Great Unifiers of the Warring States period, who separated soldiers from farmers, ended the chaos of the Warring States, and reunified Japan!
"Shouldn't the real question be why Kojirou knew Toyotomi Hideyoshi?"
Kisaragi Hanamizuki complained.
Tachibana Marika also pondered, "Kojirou was a legendary Sword Saint from folklore, while Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a renowned Warring States general recorded in history. The two of them had nothing to do with each other~."
"No. Though it may seem unbelievable, they really did live in the same era."
Oregai Houtarou said flatly, "Toyotomi Hideyoshi was born in 1536 and died on September 18, 1598. His activities were concentrated in the late Warring States period."
"Though records of Sasaki Kojiro were unclear, his age could be determined through the time of his battle with Musashi. Musashi was born in 1584, near the end of the Warring States period..."
"But when he dueled the young Musashi, Kojirou was already over sixty."
"In other words, Sasaki must have been born roughly forty years before Musashi, around 1544—exactly eight years after Hideyoshi's birth."
"They were both extraordinary figures from Japan, both from the same era. It was perfectly normal for them to know each other."
"I see."
Everyone suddenly understood.
So that was why Kinoshita Hideyoshi had prepared Miyamoto Musashi's Holy Relic, yet summoned Sasaki Kojiro?
With their surnames and appearances nearly identical, it wasn't strange for her to summon his friend instead.
"Wait, does that mean the peerless general Toyotomi Hideyoshi was also a trap?!"
Someone suddenly raised their head and shouted in shock.
For an instant.
All the noisy voices fell silent, and everyone stared in that direction without a word.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a beautiful trap?
The image was too beautiful. They didn't even dare imagine it...
"What trap? That's my wife!!"
The foolish pretty boy Akihisa Yoshii shouted, breaking the deathly silence.
"Not a trap! Hideyoshi's gender is Hideyoshi!!" Yuji Sakamoto, another fool, loudly retorted.
"Terrifying... They're futanari lovers."
At the mutter of a little green-haired girl, everyone shuddered and exchanged looks before tacitly moving farther away from the two.
The tranquil, desolate BGM drowned out their conversation.
Only when the brown-haired girl suddenly understood did sound return to the scene.
"So that's how it was... What happened afterward?"
"After that, I went deep into the mountains to seek the end of the sword, and lost contact with Tōkichirō."
Hearing that, Kinoshita Hideyoshi said regretfully, "What a pity."
"I do not see it that way."
Kojirou shook his head freely and smiled with abandon. "A swordsman, too, has only a limited lifespan. Severing worldly ties and pursuing the infinity of the sword with the finite years of one's life—training is the daily routine of our kind, until the very instant the ultimate blade is finally achieved."
"If I had Lord Sasaki's perseverance, I might have had a chance to challenge the Pride rank by now..."
Hideyoshi sighed, looking at the Blue-Clad Swordsman with greater respect.
"Just call me Kojirou, Master."
Kojirou smiled calmly, neither confirming nor denying it.
"Damn it, at least finish the story!"
"What exactly happened between Sasaki Kojiro and Toyotomi Hideyoshi?!"
"I hate it most when people only tell half a story..."
"You're playing riddles again, aren't you?"
"We still don't know what the pangolin said that day..."
"So what exactly did the pangolin say?"
"Doesn't matter. The doujin will provide the answer."
Amid the complaints of people around the world, the scene continued.
"Kojirou, can you let me see your strength?"
"Since Master wishes to see it, why not let me demonstrate?"
The Blue-Clad Swordsman smiled faintly. To Hideyoshi's surprise, her Servant's status panel appeared.
Height / Weight: 176 cm · 63 kg Origin: Historical fact Region: Japan Alignment: Neutral Evil Gender: Male "Anyone who has ever killed is evil." Strength: C Endurance: D Agility: A+ Mana: E Luck: A Noble Phantasm: None Class Skill—Presence Concealment: D Personal Skill—Mind's Eye (False): A A combat instinct close to a sixth sense, allowing one to easily make the most advantageous judgments. Clairvoyance: B+ His heart was like a still, clear mirror, pure and serene, immune to interference from mental influence abilities. Munenori's Teaching: B No matter how many times he fought an opponent, they could never see through his attacks. To them, every clash felt like their first. Swallow Reversal (Tsubame Gaeshi) Rank: - Type: Anti-Personnel Demonic Sword Maximum Targets: 1 person An unavoidable demonic sword that had reached the realm of True Magic's Second Magic. It could not be blocked in close combat; no matter which direction one dodged, one would be struck by a blade.
"So strong... As expected of a Sword Saint!"
Hideyoshi exclaimed, then a confident smile bloomed across her lovely face. "Kojirou, we've definitely won."
Kojirou's expression turned solemn. "I shall certainly give it my all."
The scene gradually darkened, and amid the leisurely BGM, shifted to the next group of Servants.
"Don't set flags so carelessly!"
In the Heavenly Curtain World, Kinoshita Hideyoshi covered her face and complained sorrowfully.
She could already picture herself confidently charging in, only to get her face slapped swollen afterward.
Hound of Ulster, the Sharp Detective!
Two days earlier.
Fuyuki City, the tourist destination Iwai Beach.
It was bustling and lively, packed with alluring bikini-clad beauties with curvy backsides.
On the shore, a man in a blue bodysuit held a fishing rod and complained, "Hey, Master, there are tons of beautiful women over there. Isn't it stupid for us to hide here and fish? What beach has fish to catch anyway?!"
"Isn't it because you flirted with all the women that I couldn't even get a sip of the soup?"
Not far away, a middle-aged detective with a small mustache grumbled resentfully. "Ever since I summoned you, I've had terrible luck. I haven't picked up a single girl, and I haven't caught a single fish..."
"Huh? How is that my fault? What woman would like a greasy old man?!"
The Servant who had descended as a Lancer Class was stunned.
Having lived so long, it was his first time seeing such a shameless man.
"If you weren't such an eyesore in front of the great detective Kogoro Mori, those beauties would definitely line up to come take pictures with me!"
Facing the contemptuous gaze, the middle-aged man with the figure-eight mustache spoke with confident disdain.
It was obvious that the two truly were an exceptionally unfortunate pair of partners.
At that moment, as scene after scene flashed past, people all over the world were nearly laughing themselves crazy.
"This is too absurd. A valiant hero paired with a narcissistic, greasy old man—the image is just too beautiful."
"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! They're even more 'in sync' than the Archer duo!"
"Holy Grail War? More like a Sucker War!"
"Who would've thought that a Servant of the Three Knight Classes would be treated like this!"
"This detective looks familiar. I think I've seen him in Beika Town!"
"I've seen him too. His name's Kogoro Mori, I think. He's usually pretty unreliable."
"The Lancer is really handsome. That face would make him a national heartthrob even today."
"My evaluation is that he doesn't compare to Luo-kun."
"They each have their own strengths. Compared to Luo-kun's calm, aristocratic young-master demeanor, as if everything were under his control, I prefer this kind of wild and valiant hero."
"I haven't watched Observer Net. Can someone introduce this Servant?"
"His name is Cú Chulainn, the legendary Irish Child of Light and one of the most valiant heroes in Celtic Mythology."
"In Irish, Cú Chulainn also means hound."
"His father was the sun god and his mother was human, so he was a demigod."
"Damn? That's awesome?"
"There's more. In the novel Táin Bó Cúailnge, Cú Chulainn was invincible on the battlefield. Whenever he began fighting, his entire body would mutate into a monstrous creature with a bloody maw and a mouth split all the way to his ears. Many people were scared to death just by seeing his appearance..."
"Damn, isn't that the ultimate tough guy?!"
"Handsome guy in his rational form, hound in his berserk form—I love it!"
"No. A Servant is merely one aspect of a Heroic Spirit. The monstrous Cú Chulainn described above only appears when he descends as a Berserker Class. As a Lancer Class, he always remains rational."
"Isn't that even better?"
"Seriously, just how did you summon me..."
Cú Chulainn curled his lip and couldn't help grumbling, "Your tongue practically sticks out whenever you see a woman. How can a loser like you be my Master~?"
"How was I supposed to know this damn Holy Grail War was actually real?!"
Before you continue