Chapter 19: Scáthach's Challenge
"A God-Slayer, is it... I think I understand where that sense of déjà vu I felt from you comes from now. It is because you are just like me—a person who has slain gods."
Scáthach narrowed her eyes, speaking in a tone of absolute certainty.
"A God-Slayer...!?" Beside them, Rin looked at Shirou with a gaze full of astonishment.
To Rin, the feeling Shirou had given her since ten years ago was filled with unspeakable secrets, presenting her with countless mysteries.
Now, those fog-like enigmas were finally being unveiled slightly by Scáthach. These discoveries, while surprising, sparked a sense of excitement in Rin to explore the unknown.
"There is no need to be so surprised, Master. Whether he is a magus or a God-Slayer, whatever special qualities he possesses, I will personally confirm them with the spear in my hand."
Scáthach's right hand gripped the empty air, and a blood-red demonic spear with unique patterns materialized in her delicate hand, which was clad in a purple gossamer glove.
Celts never use words to understand a person or a thing. There is only one way for a Celt to understand the world, and that is through slaughter and combat.
At this moment, Scáthach even wanted to ignore the unspoken rule that the Holy Grail War should not be conducted during the day, intending to strike and test Shirou's depths.
"W-Wait a minute!"
Sensing the intense battle intent Scáthach was wordlessly projecting, Rin was startled and hurriedly called her off.
"If you want to fight, there will be plenty of time at night. You can have your duel with him slowly when the time comes."
With Rin's intervention and persuasion, Scáthach finally restrained her impulse, and the crimson long spear in her hand dissipated.
"Then we shall speak of it tonight. Don't you dare run away."
After giving Shirou one last smile with her wine-red eyes, this haughty Queen of deep purple went directly into her spirit form.
As the Queen disappeared, Shirou looked at Rin beside him.
"So that's your Servant. I think I understand why you were so confident."
"Hmph, just make sure you don't wet your pants tonight!"
After leaving that provocative remark, Rin tilted her head slightly and walked away.
"Their personalities really are similar..."
After muttering that observation, Shirou turned to look at Sakura, who was following behind him.
"Let's go. We'll stop by the mall to buy groceries for dinner."
"Yes."
Sakura nodded and followed Shirou obediently.
The girl walked beside Shirou at a steady pace, her eyes slightly cast down as if she were deep in thought about something.
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In the city neighboring Fuyuki, a private plane from London slowly descended onto the apron.
The cabin door opened, and a woman with chestnut hair tied in a single ponytail stepped out in long boots, carrying a small leather suitcase.
The woman's appearance in a crowd was like the most brilliant star among the constellations, dazzlingly eye-catching.
Barthomeloi Lorelei. She was the aristocrat among aristocrats, the youngest Vice-Director of the Clock Tower, and the pinnacle of modern magi.
"So this is Japan..."
Lorelei murmured as she looked at the city scenery.
"More barren than I imagined."
As she spoke to herself, a magus nearby acting as a bodyguard immediately stepped forward, speaking with utmost respect.
"Miss Barthomeloi, the car is waiting outside. Please follow me. Regarding the construction of the Mage's Workshop, we have handled most of it, but your intervention is still needed for the most critical parts."
"Yes, I understand." Lorelei nodded and handed the suitcase she was carrying to the magus.
The latter respectfully took it and ran to the back of the sedan to open the door for Lorelei.
"Please."
Lorelei gracefully stepped into the car.
Inside the luxuriously decorated sedan, Lorelei pressed a button on the side. A gap appeared on the pedestal, and a bottle of champagne rose up like a vertical storage cabinet.
Picking up a flute, Lorelei poured herself a glass and took a small sip.
"I will face this Holy Grail War in peak condition. El-Melloi II, I hope you can entertain me at least a little."
To Lorelei, this Holy Grail War held in this tiny corner of the Far East was nothing more than her own personal show.
The only thing that could pique her interest slightly was El-Melloi II, who had gained great fame in the Clock Tower in recent years.
But even so, Lorelei did not hold the current head of the El-Melloi faction in high regard. Although she acknowledged his vast theoretical knowledge of magecraft, his own magical attainments were at most mediocre within the Clock Tower.
And that was a polite way of putting it.
"With the strength of the Berserker I summoned, I can crush any opponent I encounter."
Lorelei was extremely confident in the Berserker she had summoned, not only because of the base stat bonuses provided by the Berserker class but also because of the figure she had summoned.
Initially, she had intended to use a holy relic to summon a certain epic figure, but some accident seemed to have occurred. What Lorelei summoned was the witch who held a significant place in the legends of King Arthur.
Furthermore, this witch had completely broken away from the original "Legend of King Arthur," almost as if she had come from another world entirely.
Class: Berserker
Master: Barthomeloi Lorelei
True Name: Morgan
Height: 154cm
Weight: 46kg
Strength: C /
Endurance: E /
Agility: B /
Mana: A+ /
Luck: B /
Noble Phantasm: EX
Class Skills: Mad Enhancement: B / Magic Resistance: A / Item Construction: EX / Territory Creation: B / Faerie Eyes: A
Personal Skills: Charisma of Hope: B / Protection of the Lake: C / From the Ends of the World: A
Noble Phantasm: Roadless Camelot: EX
Although she was a Berserker, she had not lost her reason and was capable of normal communication.
Lorelei felt that this Holy Grail War was a stage tailor-made for her.
She would surely stand at the center of this stage, making all her opponents spectators to her claiming the cup.
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"The winter in Fuyuki is the same as always."
A young man with a bit of stubble rubbed his hands and exhaled.
He strolled along the street, heading toward a Catholic church not far ahead.
In his hand, he held an envelope.
"What kind of person will this so-called partner turn out to be..."
Standing at the church entrance, Waver could see the pure white, magnificent hall inside the church through the slightly ajar gap in the doors.
Feeling a bit nervous, Waver stepped into the church.
Facing this grand building and the ethereal chanting within, if the one standing here were still the Waver Velvet of ten years ago, he would surely have shown a timid expression at this moment.
However, the current Waver Velvet had grown, persevering for ten years with the desperate intensity of a student facing entrance exams.
Although his attainments in magecraft had not progressed significantly due to lack of talent, his knowledge in various fields made him more erudite than any professor.
Waver had even pioneered his own path in this field, allowing him to thrive and reach entirely new heights.
Ten years is enough time for a person to grow, not to mention that Waver had put in effort exceeding that of ordinary people.
"Unfortunately, the Holy Grail War does not require a magus's knowledge..."
The things a magus can do in a Holy Grail War are truly limited.
Except for certain special cases.
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