"These... are all Noble Phantasm? Real Noble Phantasm?"
"Yes."
Sajyou Manaka sat back down in her chair.
"Moreover, they have one thing in common."
She extended her index finger and gently tapped the blade of the Fish Intestine Sword.
The metal made a crisp sound.
"They are all purely man-made Noble Phantasm."
"Man-made..." Sajyou Ayaka mused.
"It has no Divinity," Sajyou Manaka. "It has no divine blessing. It's just a weapon purely crafted by human artisans."
Her gaze swept over everyone present.
"You should have noticed by now. That silver-haired Archer's defensive abilities are completely ineffective against any attack imbued with Divinity concepts."
Ishtar's golden rays, Enkidu's chains, Hippolyta's battle axe were all unconsciously neutralized.
"But what about man-made objects without Divinity?"
Sajyou Ayaka's voice sounded somewhat urgent.
"Correct."
Sajyou Manaka laughed even more heartily.
"Pure, non- Divinity man-made objects are outside the scope of Atheism's defenses."
Because Atheism itself is a concept that 'denies all Divinity,' it is actually more vulnerable to attacks that do not contain Divinity than in a normal state.
So these...
"Yes. If we can make the most of these Noble Phantasm, there is a chance we can defeat that Miss Satan."
The living room was silent for a few seconds.
Then Richard suddenly stood up.
"Then what are we waiting for!"
His eyes Gilgamesh, like a child seeing a new toy.
Give me that bow and that sword! I want to try them out right now!
"Sit down first."
Sajyou Manaka raised her hand.
"You haven't finished yet."
Sajyou Manaka's gaze shifted to Sigma and Tsubaki in the corner.
"Oh, right, there's one more thing."
She stood up from her chair and walked over to Sigma.
Squat down.
Eye level with Chun.
Chun instinctively shrank back.
Don't be afraid.
Sajyou Manaka's voice suddenly became very gentle.
"I'll help you get treatment."
Chun blinked.
"Cure... disease?"
"Your body has been implanted with germs from South America. It was your parents who did it."
That bacterium enhanced your Magecraft abilities, but at the cost of turning you into a vegetable.
Chun's expression froze.
"I have no idea..."
You don't need to know.
Sajyou Manaka stretched out one hand, palm up.
"I'll get rid of that thing for you now. It might feel a little uncomfortable, just bear with it."
Chun hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Sigma beside her.
Sigma nodded.
Tsubaki placed her hand in Sajyou Manaka's palm.
Sajyou Manaka gently closed her fingers and grasped Tsubaki's small hand.
A faint light emanated from her palm.
A warm, pale golden light enveloped Chun's entire body.
Chun's body trembled slightly, and her brows furrowed.
"Hold on."
Sajyou Manaka's voice remained gentle, but her tone carried an undeniable firmness.
The light lasted for about ten seconds.
Then the light faded.
Chun's body stopped trembling.
She blinked and wiggled her fingers.
Then I wiggled my toes a little.
"..."
Chun looked down at her body, her expression somewhat blank.
"How are you feeling?" Sigma asked with concern.
"I..." Tsubaki's voice was very soft, "I feel... light."
Her eyes welled up with tears.
She hadn't felt "light" in a very long time.
Ever since her parents implanted those bacteria, her body has felt as heavy as if it were filled with lead.
Every day felt like a blur, as if I were looking at the world through frosted glass.
The frosted glass layer has now disappeared.
"Thanks..."
Chun whispered.
Sajyou Manaka stood up and dusted off her knees.
Then she turned to the other people.
"Alright, let's get down to business."
Her tone returned to its usual light and airy quality, but everyone could hear the seriousness in her words.
"Although the Pale Rider's Spirit Origin collapsed in last night's battle, it doesn't mean the Pale Rider is truly finished."
Sigma frowned.
"What's the meaning?"
" The Pale Rider's true nature is not that of the Servant's Spirit Origin."
Sajyou Manaka raised one finger.
"The white-robed knight's body was merely a temporary, constructed device."
The Spirit Origin collapsed, but some of its power remained within Tsubaki's body.
Chun suddenly looked up.
" Mr. Black... is he still there?"
"Here I am."
Sajyou Manaka smiled at her.
"Furthermore, if Tsubaki Kuruoka's life is threatened, the Pale Rider will protect you with all his might, even if he descends in his true form."
"The main body...?"
Chun tilted her head.
Instead of answering directly, Sajyou Manaka continued:
"Even more so, if the situation is bad enough, three more Horsemen of the Apocalypse might descend."
The temperature in the living room seemed to have dropped a few degrees.
Richard's expression turned serious.
"You mean... the Four Horsemen of the Book of Revelation? War, Famine, plague, and death?"
A moment of silence followed.
"Alright, let's begin the tactical assignments."
Sajyou Manaka clapped her hands, breaking the silence.
She walked to the table and pointed to the Noble Phantasm on it.
" Hassan of the Zealot."
The Hassan of the Zealot leaning against the wall slightly raised her head.
" The Fish Intestine Sword and Gan Jiang & Mo Xie are yours. The Fish Intestine Sword is for assassination; use it in conjunction with your Presence Concealment to find opportunities for close-range ambushes. Gan Jiang & Mo Xie are a pair of swords, used in close combat."
Hassan of the Zealot didn't speak, but simply nodded silently, walked to the table, and took the black short sword and a pair of Yin-Yang swords.
Richard.
"Exist."
" The Crimson Heaven Sword and the Jeweled Eagle Bow are yours. Use the Crimson Heaven Sword as a melee weapon. Use the Jeweled Eagle Bow for ranged control."
Richard walked to the table, picked up the Crimson Heaven Sword, and swung it twice.
"Hmm, the portion size is good."
Then he picked up the Jeweled Eagle Bow and pulled back the bowstring.
The bowstring emitted a low "hum".
"A good bow."
Richard nodded in satisfaction.
Finally, Gugalanna took the lead in directly confronting Miss Satan, tasked with drawing enemy fire and wearing her down.
Sajyou Manaka pointed to the Bull of Heaven outside the French windows.
The cow seemed to hear it and mooed inside.
"And I..."
Sajyou Manaka's lips curled into a slight smile.
"I'm responsible for creating opportunities for you to defeat Miss Satan."
"How exactly do we do it?" Richard.
You'll find out then.
Sajyou Manaka blinked.
"Plans can't keep up with changes, and overly detailed plans can lead to disruptions. We just need to determine a general direction."
She looked around at everyone.
Are there any other questions?
"Where should we fight the final battle?" Ayaka asked. "We can't keep fighting in the city center, can we? That's bad enough already."
"Don't worry, I've already chosen the location."
Sajyou Manaka walked to the French windows and pointed in a distant direction.
"West side of Snowfield City."
Everyone's eyes followed the direction she was pointing.
On the distant horizon, a reflective expanse of water can be seen.
"The large crater created by the previous clash of Noble Phantasm is still there."
Later, because Caster Gilgamesh used the Sword of the End to create a great flood, the crater was filled with water and turned into an artificial lake.
Sajyou Manaka turned around.
"Setting the battlefield there will minimize the impact on the residents of Snowfield City."
Furthermore, the open water surface is free of obstacles, making it suitable for large-scale battles.
"Today is a ceasefire daytime, everyone get some rest and get yourself into top shape. Tonight..."
A sharp glint flashed in her eyes.
"Let's go hunt down that Miss Satan."
After the meeting.
Everyone dispersed.
Hassan of the Zealot disappeared into a corner of the mansion with the three Noble Phantasm, probably to find a place to train alone.
Richard, carrying the Crimson Heaven Sword and the Jeweled Eagle Bow, ran into the courtyard and began to communicate with the Bull of Heaven.
Despite the language barrier, he seemed to be trying to build a good relationship with the cows through gestures and enthusiasm.
The Bull of Heaven gave Richard a look that said, "You're so noisy," but he didn't chase him away.
Ayaka and Sigma took Tsubaki upstairs and found her a room to rest in.
Sajyou Manaka stood alone on the balcony of the mansion, toying with the golden key in her hand.
King's Key.
There are many other things in the Gate of Babylon.
But she only took out these five items.
Because having too many makes them difficult to allocate.
Moreover, these are only the visible preparations.
Sajyou Manaka looked down at the key in her hand, then looked up at the distant sky.
The sun hasn't set yet. It's noon now.
There are still about seven hours until nightfall.
"Tonight... is going to be very interesting."