"UWAAAAHHH!"
The wail of Xuanzang Sanzang echoed through the skies.
"F-flying! We're flying! Buddha, Buddha bless me!"
She was clutching the arrow shaft just like Ivy, not daring to let go.
Even though Shirou had made it very safe, with seatbelts and all.
But still…
"NOOO!"
Before they even crossed one mountain, Hundred-Faced Hassan looked up, "Another woman's scream?"
"…So familiar," She frowned in doubt.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
———
That day, the Eastern Village experienced four earthquakes.
"What happened, Rushd?"
Salia, who had been sewing clothes, rushed out of the thatched hut.
"I don't know, Mama. From the east side of the village, there were huge noises, like something fell down."
Rushd looked around curiously.
Salia's face grew wary, "Go back first… no, directly to the evacuation point, Rushd."
"What about you, Mama?"
"I… must stay here. Otherwise, there'll be no one to protect the village."
"Then I'll stay to protect Mama!"
"Rushd!"
———
"It's obvious. Free Wings claimed victory."
Protected by Avalon, Shirou emerged only a little dusty and dirty.
Arash's lips twitched, "If I didn't see wrong just now, wasn't that the school of archery wielded by the Greek demigod Heracles 'Shooting Hundred Heads'?"
"Any problem with that?"
"Rather than a problem… Lord Shirou, just who in the world are you?"
Landing steadily, Tawara Touta was astonished, "That kind of skill isn't something an ordinary person could master."
"Besides, you don't look like someone from that era either."
Shirou explained, "As Servants, you should know, even if the times and spaces we exist in differ, some fundamental essences can still resonate… like you and me now."
"Leave that aside."
Arash couldn't hold it anymore, "You guys are too much! How can you go around unleashing Noble Phantasms?"
"Well…", Touta scratched his head with a smile, "I thought that way we'd have a better chance at winning. In the end, still lost though."
"Arash, you really are a naive brat."
Shirou's voice was cold, "Using whatever means necessary to win, isn't that normal? If you've got the guts, use your 'Stella' too."
"What?"
"You called me a brat?"
Arash jumped up, "Now I'm mad. I'll have to use my trump card on you."
"Someone… someone come save me!", Xuanzang Sanzang, buried in the dirt, was on the verge of tears.
"!!!"
Just as Arash was about to act, a small figure far away started cheering.
"It's big brother! And Arash!"
"Rushd?"
Arash looked up and broke into a grin, "Pretty sharp eyes, that kid."
"Mm, about two kilometers from here to where he is."
Shirou estimated, "He's got talent to be an Archer."
"Seems like we could try teaching him some basics in archery."
Arash crossed his arms, "Wanna give it a try?"
"I'll pass."
Shirou immediately gave up, "Fighting I can do. Teaching people…"
He himself hadn't studied archery for long, better not mislead the boy.
Otherwise it might turn into—
Rushd: "Big brother, how do you always hit every shot?"
Shirou: "Dunno. I just think of hitting every shot, and then I hit every shot."
———
By near dusk, Fujimaru Ritsuka returned.
Seeing Shirou, she ran over at once, delighted, "Emiya-senpai, you're back."
"Yeah," Shirou nodded and smiled a little, "Good work. How did things go?"
"Somewhat okay."
Fujimaru Ritsuka scratched her head, embarrassed as she answered, "That… King Hassan asked us to go to the desert, to the Atlas Institute, to figure out the Lion King's true intent and the loopholes in human order, only then would he truly help us."
Then she remembered something, "Oh right, Emiya-senpai, King Hassan also asked me to tell you, the Knights of the Round Table haven't withdrawn. The Lion King isn't a Servant, but a true divine spirit. She can wield miracles far beyond what we can imagine."
"Anything else?"
Hearing this news, Shirou only frowned, not too surprised.
The Lion King didn't even need the Holy Grail to summon all the Round Table knights plus countless Enforcement Knights.
That alone showed her being was no longer one that could be measured as a Servant.
To summon back Servants who had already left the stage, that wasn't impossible either.
But, there was one indispensable condition for summoning a Servant.
That was wish.
Only Servants with a wish would respond to a summoning.
Like those Round Table knights who opposed the Lion King entering the Holy City.
They could never respond again to the Lion King's call.
Because they knew, the king before their eyes was no longer the Arthur they once followed.
Thus, there was no meaning in pledging loyalty to her.
This was exactly the situation Shirou had worried about before, which was why he spent so much effort talking when defeating Gawain and Mordred.
Now it seemed, it was all wasted effort.
"And also, King Hassan wants you to meet him alone."
"Me?"
Shirou pointed at himself, quite puzzled.
Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded hard, "Yes, just you. Not even letting Mr. Cursed Arm lead the way, you'll have to find him by yourself."
"…Got it, I understand."
Shirou didn't reject the idea of meeting King Hassan.
Just a little tricky. With no one to lead, it might be hard for him alone to find the Azrael Temple.
"Um… Emiya-senpai," Mash, following behind Fujimaru Ritsuka, hesitated.
"What is it, Mash?"
"…"
"Nothing."
Mash shook her head, and smiled gently,."I just wanted to say, welcome back, Senpai."
———
That night, bonfires were lit in the Eastern Village.
When they saw Touta's rice bag produce endless amounts of food, the girls all widened their pretty eyes.
Da Vinci even sighed, "This all-purpose genius is getting more and more unreasonable."
Xuanzang Sanzang had already blended right in with Fujimaru Ritsuka.
Bedivere came to Shirou alone, "Mr. Shirou, may I speak with you privately?"
"Of course."
Shirou told Arash and Touta to eat first, and went with Bedivere to a secluded corner.
Once there, Bedivere first said with shame, "Mr. Shirou, I've heard from Miss Fujimaru about your deeds."
"To fall at such a crucial moment, I'm truly a knight who's lost all honor."
"Don't mind it."
Shirou comforted him, "If you don't rest, you can't face the Lion King anyway. Besides, I didn't really defeat them completely."
"Even so, you did overcome them, and saved many lives."
Bedivere said, "Though I'd like to sit down and drink with you at length, after seeing that radiance, unless I get an answer, my heart can't calm down. So, what I'll ask now may touch upon your privacy."
"No matter. Ask, Sir Bedivere."
Shirou had already guessed what it was.
As expected, Bedivere pressed with urgency in his voice, "Mr. Shirou, why is it that… you possess the King's lost scabbard?"
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