In the evening, the spell buried at the head of the bed forced Shinji to wake up from his sleep and dispelled his remaining sleepiness in a few seconds.
"Time is up."
With a voice so calm that even he was surprised, he uttered these words with special meaning. After overworked and then sleeping soundly for a whole day, this man stretched his muscles and bones while materializing a pure white battle robe woven with the third magic.
There was the expected knock on the door, along with little Jack's voice.
"Dad, it's time to get up."
"I'm here." After fixing his hair in front of the mirror, Shinji opened the door.
"dad."
Little Jack pounced on him as usual, and Shinji caught him skillfully, and the two rubbed their foreheads against each other.
"Keep working hard."
"ah!"
"Come on, Shinji."
Lingxia also opened her arms and hugged both father and daughter.
"Jack and I will be waiting for you to come back."
Shinji said nothing. He silently hugged Jack and Reika for a while, then turned to the last person outside the door, the knight who would go to the battlefield with him no matter what happened, the king among knights.
The master and servant, who were getting more and more in sync with each other, didn't need to say much. Just a glance was enough for them to understand each other's meaning.
Set off!
Yes, master!
The detailed battle plan had been issued in the morning. At this time, everyone should gather at the square in Mirenia City, first take a bus to the capital Bucharest, and then transfer to the large transport golem prepared by Avisbronn, and head straight to the sky garden hovering in the open sea.
When Shinji arrived at the parking lot, many people had already arrived.
"Listen carefully, your mission is to drive the car to Bucharest and then return here. Don't do anything unnecessary."
Gold was giving instructions to the two androids who were doing odd jobs.
"If the magicians of the association see you, you will never be able to come back. Although they are just low-quality products, it will also affect my reputation if they are wasted like this."
"Hmph, you've lost all your reputation a long time ago." The accompanying leader Dur said bluntly.
"Please don't say that, Ms. Durr." Siegfried, who was standing on the other side, said, "The Master is worried about you too."
"What, why would I worry about them?"
Gold went crazy for a while, and then the bickering show that everyone is familiar with began.
Not far from them, beside the flower bed, Shizijie was squatting and puffing away, smoking one cigarette after another, as if he was trying to finish the whole pack of cigarettes in one breath.
Before long, there were only two cigarettes left in the box. Shizijie lit the cigarettes with the lighter that he had hidden in his arms very carefully, and the smoke that had just dissipated spread again.
"Master... "
"Take it."
Noticing Mordred's interested gaze, Lion took out a cigarette and handed it over.
"Oh, I've wanted to try this for a long time."
Still dressed in hot clothes, the rebellious knight pinched the cigarette between his fingers and then put it in his mouth, imitating the other.
Lion Jie lit it for her.
As he took a deep breath of smoke, Mordred revealed an indescribable expression.
"Ahem, what is this?"
This was the expression that Shizi Jie was waiting for. He laughed unscrupulously:
"It tastes terrible, doesn't it?"
"Master, do you think this tastes good?"
"Of course it's terrible the first time you smoke, but you get used to it."
"Why do you have to get used to this kind of thing?"
"Stupid, I forgot about this kind of thing a long time ago."
"It's terrible, just like this."
Mordred coughed a few more times, but did not throw away the annoying cigarette in his hand. Instead, he became more and more cautious.
"After all, isn't this just like our lives?"
"That's right."
They both understood what the other was talking about. He had seen her dreams, and she had seen his past.
The more you desire, the less you will get. In the end, it will all be in vain and you will have to swallow the bitter fruit alone, just like this extremely choking cigarette.
"Master, I no longer dream of the Sword of the Chosen, because my dream has come true, but you..."
"It's okay with me, because I've already found what I want to do."
"Want to do something? What is that?"
"secret."
"Tell me, master."
Mordred habitually patted Lionel Messi's shoulder, but Lionel Messi had been prepared for this move, so he dodged it and ran away.
"I can't say it, I can't say it."
"Don't even think about running away."
Mordred was not willing to let go, and chased after him with his teeth and claws bared. But before he could take a few steps, he saw Altria standing quietly beside him in military uniform. He was like a mouse seeing a cat, and stood there at a loss.
"Well, that, Father... I..."
"You can relax a little before the battle, but don't go too far."
"I see, eh?"
I thought my serious father would scold me, but I didn't expect him to just give me a mild reminder.
"And cigarettes..."
"I'll pinch it off right away."
"Forget it. Even though it's not a good thing, there's no need to waste it. I only have this one."
Altria's reaction once again exceeded Mordred's expectations. He couldn't help but show his joy and nodded repeatedly.
"Yeah, yeah, father is the best, eh hehehehe..."
Seeing Mordred with a silly smile on his face like a child, Lion Jie took two puffs of his cigarette.
If that child was still alive, she would be about the same age as Mordred. Would she play with him like this
Definitely not. That child has a quiet personality, and probably won't be so lively. I won't let her become like this.
But no matter which one it is, they are all so dazzling and are the people that I cherish.
The child was gone, and even a wish to the Holy Grail would not bring him back, so at least, let Mordred...
The look behind the sunglasses became firm. Although half of himself had died because of the death of that child, what could the remaining half do? In the end, he could still find back something that he had lost before.
That is the most fundamental thing about being human, and it is the emotion that humans need to dominate this world.
This battle must be won, we will definitely win.
His free hand unconsciously reached into his pocket and grasped the newly completed syringe, which was his greatest contribution and the indispensable item for Black to attack the Sky Garden.
On the other side, Achilles and Chiron stood side by side, the former holding a meteor spear and pointing it at the horizon:
"It's been a long time since I've been able to act like this with a teacher."
Chiron also showed a nostalgic smile: "Yes, you were only this tall at that time, and you always made mistakes."
Atalanta looked at Achilles with a little surprise, and the latter said a little embarrassedly:
"I was ignorant then, but not now. My wish is to exist as a hero, and I must live up to the title of 'hero'. Do you want to compete? Big sister, teacher, let's see who can defeat more enemies."
"I have no problem. I just don't know how that hateful woman and weird priest will fight back."
Atalanta showed a trace of worry on her face, and Achilles swung his gun vigorously.
"It doesn't matter what method we use, we must not let their plot succeed."
"You have really grown into an outstanding hero, Achilles." Chiron sighed softly, "Well, I accept this challenge."
Achilles was instantly full of fighting spirit: "Then just watch carefully. Sister, I will definitely surpass my father. Teacher, I will definitely surpass you too."
"Don't get too carried away. I've never lost a competition with a student."
"Then let me be the first one."
"It's good to be determined, but don't push yourself too far and put unnecessary burden on the master."
Hearing Chiron's reminder, Colles waved his hands quickly.
"Don't worry about me. This is not only your battle, but also my battle. Although I am not good enough as a magician, I will try my best not to hold you back. Whether it is running at full speed or using a treasure, I will not restrict you in any way. There is only one goal, to win!!!"
"Well said, Master, let's have some fun."
"Master, please don't force yourself."
Achilles laughed, and Chiron shook his head with a little helplessness.
Seeing this, Atalanta thought of her Master. She turned to look at another man who had the same affiliation as her and whispered:
"Master—Fiore, is she still locking herself in her room?"
"Hmm." Shinji sighed, "Altria went to see it, but she didn't react at all. I guess she's still mad at me and Corless."
"It's natural for her to be angry. What you did was really cruel to her."
"Yes, but I don't regret it. Someone has to stay here, and she is the most suitable candidate as the tribe leader. Besides, her personality is not suitable for such a cruel thing as war. It's a good opportunity to fulfill my promise to her. After all, no one knows whether I can come back alive."
As the patriarch of the Thousand Worlds Tree Clan and the current person in charge, she is naturally prepared to set an example and go to the front line, and has been actively preparing for this.
However, this morning, when Chiron issued the battle plan, Fiore was not included.
At first, Fiore thought they had missed some preparations, but when she asked, she found out that the group had no intention of taking her with them.
Fiore strongly objected to this, but was strongly suppressed by Shinji and Corles. Regardless of the authority of the clan leader, sister, and master, they knocked him unconscious and put him on the operating table to begin the removal and reconstruction of the distorted part of the magic circuit.
Although the operation was not long and not large in scale, Fiore became very weak due to the changes in her magic circuits. Even moving became difficult for her, not to mention fighting.
With such a physical condition, it was impossible for her to go to the front line. Fiore hated the two instigators and did not say a word to them, nor did she come out to see them off.
"You don't need to worry about the magic supply. During the operation, I have already linked most of the magic paths to my body. You can draw freely."
"I know. I just envy them a little."
"sorry."
Catching the disappointment in Atalanta's eyes, Shinji said apologetically.
"It doesn't matter. You did nothing wrong. As long as you survive, you still have a chance."
"Well, let's cheer each other on, for ourselves, for the world, and for Fiore."
As they were talking, Roger and Avisbron also appeared at the meeting place, followed by a bronze puppet. There was a dark object on the puppet's shoulder, which looked like a huge clod of earth.
There was a gap at one end of the soil block, through which one could see a pale face, eyes full of hatred, and a mouth that kept opening and closing. Judging from the shape of her mouth, she must have been cursing constantly, but because of the magic blockade, no one could hear her voice.
Soon, her former servant Astolfo and her most hated android Sieg also arrived, and their appearance was always accompanied by a lot of shouting.
Astolfo ran in front and Sigurd chased after him.
"Hurry up, Master, we're going to be late."
"Don't, don't run so fast, rider, I, I can't keep up."
"Ah, everyone is here."
"Yes, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long.
"It's all my fault. I accidentally overslept."
As always, Achilles, who is also a rider, complained for the reason that left people speechless:
"Servants will oversleep. No, to be more precise, Servants don't need to sleep."
"But sleeping is really comfortable, especially when you hold the master in your arms."
"I am such an idiot for telling you this."
Achilles showed a -_-!!! expression, and the others were no exception.
"I say, Sieg, as the Master, please take care of him."
"Well, I really can't help it."
Sieg scratched his face in annoyance. Although he was born not long ago, he was not lacking in common sense. He had planned to let his servants become spirits or move freely in the castle like other masters, but when Astolfo said this, he cried, "Are you saying that it would be better if I'm not here!?" "I will only be full of energy if I sleep with the Master."
Finally, Sieg had no choice but to compromise. He was a man-made man created to supply magic power, and the quality of his magic circuits was very high, so it wouldn't be much of a burden even if Astolfo was kept in a physical form.
"Well, well, don't worry about these details. Thanks to the Master, I'm in great shape now. Go ahead, let's defeat those villains who want to destroy the world."
Seeing Astolfo so high-spirited, the others didn't say anything more. Saving the world was the most important thing now.
Jeanne read the battle plan again in the passenger seat, then walked out of the car and said to everyone:
"This battle is not limited to any form or conditions. It is okay even if the Holy Grail can realize your wish first. There is only one goal, to defeat Amakusa Shiro Tokisada and stop him from destroying the world with the power of the Holy Grail. Everyone, are you ready?"
Some responded loudly, some nodded quietly, and some took up arms. Although in different ways, everyone expressed the same wish.
"Go out!"
The roar of the engine resounded throughout the city of Mirenia, and also caused a corner of the curtain somewhere nearby to be quietly lifted.
A pair of beautiful eyes were hidden in the darkness, filled with water color, it was unclear whether it was the color of the pupils themselves or the mist diffusing from the corners of the eyes.
"Damn, bastard, betrayer..."
"I will definitely take revenge on you, I will..."
"So, you must come back, otherwise, I will never forgive you."
"Shinji, Corless..."