Why bother with the Holy Grail War? Let's play cards!

The Conqueror King's 3300 attack power is enough to defeat Kenneth, and the students' total field attack of 4900 is enough to win the duel.

Kenneth LP4000→2700

"Aaaaaaah!" Kenneth screamed in pain from the reduction of LP during the duel.

"Got it!" Weber shouted softly when he saw the lightning raised by Iskandar's charge covering Kenneth. He had successfully proved himself in front of Kenneth.

"I said that 'Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid combines defense, attack, and enemy detection into one', right?" The lightning dissipated, and a perfect round sphere appeared at Kenneth's original position. As Iskandar's attack ended, the sphere slowly opened, and Kenneth still remained on the field.

"why?"

"[Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid]'s second effect: discard a card from your hand and activate a designated Servant on the field. The designated card cannot be destroyed by battle or other effects this turn." Kenneth straightened the wrinkles on his clothes. "Your students aren't strong enough to break through my attacks. It's my turn next, right?"

"Let me show you who the monarch is!"

Chapter 34 Iskandar: I will fight Romulus!

"Activate the Graveyard Spell Card [Lord's Pre-Battle Preparations]. This card can only be activated during the Draw Phase when your hand has 0 cards. Banish this card and add a [Rental Mana Reactor] from your deck to your hand instead of drawing a card normally."

"By the effect of [Rental Magic Reactor], the activation of this card cannot be negated. It can only be activated when there are no cards other than this card in your hand. Draw three cards, and during the standby phase of your next turn, banish all cards in your hand, on the field, and in the graveyard." Using overdrafting the future to bring about the effect of drawing three is very suitable for Kenneth's current situation.

"Hahahaha, victory is on my side after all! [Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid]'s third effect: Pay half your health, discard a card from your hand, and liberate yourself. Destroy all attack position servants on the opponent's field. Each servant destroyed by this effect deals 300 health damage to the opponent! Next up, Weber, that's a total of 1500 health damage!"

Kenneth LP2700→1350

"Hey, are you leaving now? I haven't had enough fun yet!"

"Teacher, I will come to play with you again!"

"What a heartless brother."

"Can we finally go back?"

The exploding Moon Spirit Marrow transformed into a shower of silver spikes, shooting towards Weber's battle area. The fierce impact sent up clouds of dust, and Weber howled in agony.

Weber LP4000→2800

"What!" Seeing that Weber did not lose all 1500 LP points, Kenneth knew that something was wrong.

A strong arm pushed aside the smoke and dust, and the Conqueror King stood there intact, but the [Divine Wheel] had disappeared.

Iskandar: Attack Power 3300 → 2800

"[Divine Wheel]'s effect allows you to send this card to the Graveyard as a replacement when the equipped Servant is destroyed by an effect. The King of Conquerors' journey will not be cut short so easily!"

"Well said, Master! The King of Conquerors will never easily stop his script until he reaches the Endless Sea!" Iskandar shouted in agreement. He felt that his little Master was becoming more and more to his liking.

"Damn it!" Kayneth gritted his teeth. If he could successfully destroy the King of Conquerors, combined with the final effect of the Moon Marrow Fluid, discarding a card to deal 500 points of direct damage, and then adding his direct attack, he could win the battle. Now his remaining resources could only be used for defense. "I send [Moon Marrow Fluid Trimmawu] from my hand to the Graveyard and place a [Moon Marrow Fluid] from my Deck into the Magic Trap Zone! Boil my blood once more!"

"Finally, I will switch myself to defense position and end my turn." Kenneth kept a card in his hand. As long as it was not over, he still had a chance.

Kenneth: Defense 2000

Waver seemed to sense something and exchanged glances with the King of Conquerors. "Shall we activate it?"

Iskandar laughed heartily. "Needless to say? Let the King of Rome and his Master witness my way as the King of Conquerors! Come, let us win this duel!"

"During my turn, I draw a card! I activate this card I drew—[King's Force]!"

As the magic card activated, Iskandar raised his hands. "This world, this landscape, can only exist in this world because it is the image in all of our minds! Behold, that is my unrivaled army."

Yellow sand, yellow sand everywhere. Soldiers, countless soldiers.

The monotonous scenery couldn't suppress the overwhelming sense of solemnity. All those who had fought alongside the King of Conquerors had now arrived!

"[King's Army]'s effect: Summon as many [Macedonian] servants as possible. Only those who are admired by thousands of warriors and stand tall like a signpost can become king! The attack power of servants in our attack power display increases by the number of our servants x200!"

"Yes! Yes!" Along with the thunderous shouts, the fighting spirit of Iskandar and his group continued to rise!

Iskandar: Attack Power 2800 → 3800

[Macedonian Heavy Infantry] 2* Lancer Attack 1400 → 2400 x2

[Macedonian Light Infantry] 1-star Saber: Attack Power 1200 → 2200

"Ravage!" Following the order from the King of Conquerors, the soldiers launched an overwhelming charge with the momentum of only five people.

"It's useless! I discard a card in my hand to activate the effect of [Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid]. I won't be destroyed by battle or effects this turn!" Kenneth felt a chill in his heart, and decisively activated the Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid to wrap himself up.

"How could my army be stopped so easily! The one in front of you is Iskandar, the King of Conquerors who has conquered the entire continent of Europe, Asia, and Africa! The effect of [King's Army] is that when attacking a servant in defense position, the attack power that exceeds the defense will directly cause damage! Wooooooooooooo——" Along with Iskandar's battle cry, the horse's hooves crushed Kenneth's Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid, and the sharp blade in Iskandar's hand slashed at Kenneth's head!

"Ahhh!"

Kenneth LP1350→0

The duel space dissipated, and Kenneth touched his body in horror, only to find that he had not suffered as great damage as Gilgamesh had before.

"Master, don't worry. I told you that Rome will protect you." Romulus's spiritual base reacted slightly weaker. If Kayneth hadn't checked the size of his spiritual base several times before, he wouldn't have noticed. Even a Heroic Spirit of Gilgamesh's caliber would have suffered immense damage, yet Romulus didn't even utter a sound.

"Lancer, you took all the damage for me?" Kayneth immediately understood why he was not injured. "...I have something to ask you later."

Kenneth straightened his collar, trying to appear nonchalant. "Webber Velvet, I'll give you a passing grade on this quiz. However, your magical proficiency is truly appalling, and you'll need a lot of remedial work. Let's end today's magic battle here."

"What about my thesis..." Weber was still thinking about his thesis.

Kenneth felt a headache. Was the Weber, adored by all sorts of magical geniuses ten years later, really the same person as this goofball? He rubbed his brow with his knuckles to soothe the pain. "How did you inherit the name El-Melloi? Looks like you need to retake your history of magic. What are you standing there for? Follow me! I have plenty of empty rooms at my hotel. Don't even think of slacking off during the Holy Grail War. I'll give you a good lesson!"

"Huh?" Although Weber was very happy that Kenneth recognized him in a certain sense, the word "tutoring" was something no student wanted to hear, even if the student was a magician.

Waver sighed and was about to catch up with Kenneth, but he found that Iskandar was not keeping up with him.

"Rider, what's wrong?"

"Since the Master has reconciled with his teacher, I am relieved." Iskandar patted Waver's head and looked at Romulus: "Victory is certainly gratifying, but those who fought did not use their full strength. King of Rome, I have fully demonstrated my kingly way, why don't I even see a card representing you?"

"Roman power is not fit to be used here..."

Romulus's answer did not satisfy Iskandar, who drew his weapon and said, "King of Rome, let us have a contest of heroic spirits. Sooner or later, we will have to decide the outcome, so why not now? Put aside your contempt and give it your all!"

"Rome has never underestimated any opponent. Since the King of Conquerors has invited us so graciously, Rome will certainly do its utmost!"

This night, the light of Rome illuminates the entire Fuyuki!!

Chapter 35: Mapo, what are you doing, Mapo!

"Rider has already left the game?" Jiang You received a message from Emiya Kiritsugu as soon as he logged in. He looked at the [Godly Wheel]*1 in the email and confirmed the authenticity of the message.

"Yes, it was last night. The opponent was Lancer Romulus, and the fight was over in an instant. The aftermath of the battle also damaged the modern equipment on my familiar, and the entire port disappeared without a trace because of that blow." Last night, the night sky of Fuyuki was illuminated by golden light, and the golden spears that rained down were like the wrath of God descending on the earth.

"So how did the church solve it?" Jiang You felt that he already knew the answer, but he still asked.

"...It was a gas explosion, and the rest was explained as hallucinations caused by inhaling excessive gas." Emiya Kiritsugu's tone was a little hesitant, and he also felt that this reason was a bit unreliable.

"It's a miracle your Fuyuki gas company didn't go bankrupt!"

"It's not surprising that Romulus is this strong." Even though Romulus is only three stars in FGO, he's still quite powerful in reality, and it's not surprising that he could defeat Iskandar. The concern right now isn't about that. "So, where's Rider's Master? Did Kayneth kill him?"

"That's not the case. Weber left with Kenneth. He showed up at the church at noon today and announced his withdrawal from the Holy Grail War. He is also under the protection of the church." Kiritsugu Emiya obtained a wealth of information through the simultaneous use of modern technology and magic. Perhaps he and Weber will have a lot of common topics in terms of magic.

"The church in this timeline is really doing something... That's right, Kotomine Risei is not dead yet. In that case, you should notify Matou Kariya and have him inform the church as well, so that he won't be killed later." After Matou Yeyan successfully extended his life, there was basically no way to maintain Lancelot's survival. Asking him to continue to hold on would be a burden.

Emiya Kiritsugu nodded. This would eliminate one more competitor. Furthermore, the magic power consumed by maintaining Jiang You's existence was almost zero, and the extra magic power would be just enough for him to take over Berserker's command.

"Okay, let's get ready and go out."

Emiya Kiritsugu prepared to contact Hisau Maiya via radio. "Of the remaining three Servants, Assassin has no specific information yet. The information on the other Servants and Masters is clear. Who is the target?"

Jiang You snatched the intercom from Emiya Kiritsugu's hand. "It's the amusement park. Have you ever taken little Illya out for fun in all the time you've been here? Don't be afraid of encounters. Under the influence of my Noble Phantasm, playing cards can decide everything. Don't be so nervous, relax, and it's time for you to fulfill your fatherly duties."

Jiang You had actually browsed the forums before going online and discovered that NPC favorability could be increased through daily invitations, in addition to gifting items. The scene where Gilgamesh had previously refused to duel and entered the battle had been bothering him: the NPC had actually used his forced duel invitation option to avoid the duel!

This made him desperate to acquire a full three-level deck of powerful cards, like Illya's Celestial Cloth form or Matou Sakura's Black Grail form. The forums mentioned that a card's attack and defense roughly reflected a Duel Pokémon's strength. If someone didn't want to duel, he could just rush into a group fight and force their opponent to surrender their cards.

"So you summoned me for this? Caster, you have a lot of free time. But I'm still making preparations for the war!" Illya looked at the roller coaster in front of her and realized that Jiang You didn't summon her out for a fight.

"Here, ice cream." Jiang You actually intended to summon Matou Sakura as well, but the forums noted that while you can invite multiple duel spirits at once, the overall increase in favorability will actually decrease. For example, one netizen replied to the post, "I invited Water, Fire, and Wind at once, and not only did my favorability drop, I even received a direct attack."

While Jiang You envied the other party for having so many female cards so early on in the official server, he also had a question: Aren't Water, Fire, and Wind Blades the same person? It wasn't some Earth Blade Xiaoye.

Illya already has one of her Celestial Cloth forms, so the chances of reaching level 3 are higher. Jiang You took out the amusement park map he had prepared, "You can eat whatever you want, play whatever you want. All expenses today will be paid for by our righteous companions!"

"Kiritsugu? He's here too. Where's mom?" Illya took the map, looked at it for a few seconds, and then asked Jiang You.

"Irisviel is still in your hometown and will come over in a few days. As for Kiritsugu, he is taking little Illya from this timeline to play. Do you want to join him?" Jiang You pointed at Kiritsugu Emiya who was taking little Illya on a carousel not far away. The middle-aged man showed a smile on the carousel that was inconsistent with his temperament.

"...Forget it, who wants him to accompany me today? Caster, you'll be my companion today." Illya envied herself now. She hadn't been so lucky as a child. In her timeline, Emiya Kiritsugu never returned to see her after participating in the Holy Grail War, and he never fulfilled his promise until his death. "Then let's start with the most recent one!"

First of all, there is the roller coaster. Jiang You is quite satisfied with it. He created the real experience of a last century amusement park in a card game. Lao K definitely deserves praise.

"Too slow! If only it were three times faster, it would be almost right!" Amidst a sea of ​​pale-faced tourists, some even vomiting, Illya, head held high, exclaimed, "That's it?" For a magus, high-speed movement was nothing new.

But the slight upward curve of her lips revealed her true thoughts. It was unclear whether it was because she heard the screams of other tourists or for some other reason.

"Next, let's go to the aquarium." For eighteen years, Illya had spent the majority of her life in the snow-covered Einzbern home. Only when she needed to participate in the Holy Grail War did she have the opportunity to leave the Einzbern home and travel to Fuyuki City, a place she had longed for for the past ten years, a place practically etched into her soul. Therefore, she had never truly touched the ocean, let alone its inhabitants.

The 94 aquarium didn't have the built-in underwater tunnels of later designs, which disappointed Jiang You. However, Illya seemed very satisfied. She pressed her face against the glass, and each colorful tropical fish made her linger for a long time.

"Caster, you said polar bears like cold environments, right? The weather in Einzbern's home is just right for them. I want to catch a few and take them back. What do you think?" Later, Illya and Jiang You went to see the penguin and dolphin performances. Of course, Illya's favorite was the polar bear. She seemed to have always liked big things.

Illya stayed in the aquarium until closing time and then reluctantly left.

"I think that's fine..." Just as Jiang You led Illya out of the aquarium, the amusement park was deserted. Emiya Kiritsugu had already taken the tired little Illya home early. So he easily spotted a familiar figure in the carousel area.

A solemn-looking priest was seen riding a carousel alone, spinning slowly along with children's songs. The priest, in both appearance and temperament, seemed out of place with the surrounding scene.

"Mapo!?" Jiang You's voice made the man turn around, and the three of them met eyes.

"..."

"..."

"..."

A feeling of embarrassment is spreading.