Thanks for the invitation. I'm in Type-Moon, inheriting the legacy of Zi-O.

However, to their surprise... the argument between Andersen and Shakespeare ended in less than a minute... Both of them obediently shut their mouths and walked with Ritsuka to the middle of the group, protected by Nianzhuo, Mashu, and Mordred.

As for why...

"..." Nian Zhuo looked at the huge crack that had appeared where the two had fought, which was still crackling with electricity from time to time, and the lightning that was still flashing on Mordred's blade even now, plus the still shocked looks on Andersen and Shakespeare's eyes...

He felt it was better to remain silent.

Mordred and Mash went in first, and after ensuring their safety, they sent Andersen, Shakespeare, and Ritsuka in. Finally, Nencho brought up the rear.

Although the ground was shrouded in mist, it was still relatively bright, especially since it was daytime.

However, once Nianzhuo and the others entered the underground, they encountered a completely different scene.

At first, it was pitch black, stretching as far as the eye could see. Only with the help of the Servant's physical abilities could they quickly adapt to the darkness. Mash and Mordred carefully protected Ritsuka and waited for her to gradually adapt to the dark environment.

The arched walls, covered with thick, bluish-green moss, clearly indicate a place with a long history.

Moreover, the damp smell of moss mixed with the air was rather pungent.

After their vision finally adjusted to the darkness, Nianzhuo and the others continued forward along the tunnel, and then they encountered light.

Torches were inserted into recesses in the arched wall not far away, illuminating the path ahead.

Following the torchlight into the depths, Nianzhuo and the others could see countless torches stretching along the tunnel into the distance.

“…This place is like an endless maze.” Jekyll pushed up his glasses. He was also protected in the middle, carefully looking at the surrounding walls.

However, Hans Christian Andersen and Shakespeare did not seem to be so comfortable.

"Tch..." The blue-haired boy followed them forward, but because of his height, he couldn't see the situation ahead clearly. He impatiently took off his glasses. "It's so dark."

“You are quite right.” Shakespeare tugged at his aristocratic robe and moved away from the moss on the wall with disgust. “Besides, the air is unbearably damp.”

"Ha, there shouldn't be anything to be surprised about." Compared to them, Mordred, who was leading the way, looked relaxed and looked around with interest. "Most magicians' residences are like this, right? It's not uncommon for them to like dark and damp places."

"Eh... So that's how it is?" Thinking back on all the magicians she had ever met, Mashu found it hard to connect their images with the damp, dark moss around her.

"Chirp! Chirp! Fou!" Fou, who had been hiding somewhere, suddenly appeared again, jumped onto Mordred's shoulder, and shook her snow-white ears, as if she agreed with Mordred's point of view.

"See, even the little animals agree with me, right?" Mordred stroked Fou's snow-white fur with a hint of pride, then looked at Mash beside her. "It's saying, 'This place suits magicians perfectly,' isn't it?"

"Chirp!" Fou jumped up, nodding her little head repeatedly, and then returned to Mashu's side.

"Haha, Fou is quite interesting." Nian Zhuo, who was at the very end of the group, also saw what was happening ahead and smiled silently. "However, for Fou, the only guy she can associate with a magician is Merlin, plus Fou's resentment towards Merlin." Thinking of this, Nian Zhuo felt that the air was much fresher and the surrounding moss was not so bothersome.

However, Mashu stared wide-eyed in surprise as she looked at Fou running around her.

"Fou? Why does she seem a little excited..." Mashu's gaze was fixed on the snow-white little pet. Having spent a long time with her, Mashu naturally knew that Fou was different from cats and dogs. It rarely played and was usually nowhere to be found in a flash. Today's situation was rather unusual.

"Well... I think she probably agrees with Mordred's idea, right?" Ritsuka, who was closest to Mash, naturally knew where Mash's surprise came from, but she just looked at the running Fou and shrugged. "Or, maybe she sensed something?"

"Chirp! Chirp!" Nodding at Ritsuka, Fou jumped onto Mordred's shoulder and rubbed her little cheek against her, which earned her a brief moment of stunned silence, and her eyes growing brighter and brighter.

"Eh... I see." Mashu patted her chest as she watched Fou and Mordred interact. "Fou seems to be quite close to Mordred."

"Fou..." Naturally hearing Mashu's whisper, Fou shook her ears.

However, the group continued to follow the torches, advancing deeper into the area.

"The reason why the corridors in Hunan seem endless is simply out of necessity..." Mary said softly, looking at the tired expressions on everyone's faces on the screen. "After all, we can only choose the paths that aren't blocked by rubble. All the entrances to the rooms are either collapsed... or buried under rubble..."

Mary picked up a picture that was placed on the table. It showed the walls, decorations and other things that Nianzhuo and the others had taken shortly after entering the underground area, as well as the various entrances that had become ruins.

“I have a feeling… these methods of destruction are a bit like they were meticulously planned.” Mary frowned, looking at the pictures in her hand, vaguely sensing that something was wrong. “And indeed, I didn’t see any surviving magicians, so if my guess is correct—” Mary’s eyes sharpened, she put the pictures aside, and her fingers began to tap incessantly on the keyboard.

“The enemy must have sent their fighting force inside, and—” She didn’t finish her sentence, but her serious tone already conveyed the answer.

"I see. You mean they might still be here?" Mordred lowered his sword, finding no hidden enemies, but remained vigilant.

Immediately afterward, Mordred's expression suddenly changed, and she grabbed Mash, who was about to walk out.

The road ahead was no longer straight; instead, they had come to a bend after walking for so long.

"You seem to be right, the magician who dares not show his face..." The smiling expression gradually disappeared, and faint flashes of crimson lightning appeared on the blade.

Then, as the group walked, the road ahead suddenly turned and began to emanate waves of magical energy.

"Mana reaction detected!" Mashu gritted her teeth, hung up the communication with Mary, and looked at Ritsuka behind her. "Senpai, there seems to be something around the corner ahead!"

"Tch—" Ritsuka bit her thumb and cautiously warned everyone, "This is a confined space! I hope everyone will be extra careful!"

Sure enough, the roar of small machinery could be heard from around the corner.

As if they already knew their plan had been exposed, the enemy rushed out from around the corner.

Unlike the Chaos Machine Soldiers, the soldiers that flew out this time were not even half as good as that guy in terms of mechanical sophistication, color, or weapons.

However, given the team's impressive display this time, Nian Zhuo didn't need to worry too much. He subconsciously raised the Time Gun Sword, then switched to blade mode after seeing that there were walls all around.

“Oh dear—” What was different was that at this moment, Andersen and Shakespeare exchanged glances, and Shakespeare took the initiative to stand aside, leaving only Andersen’s small figure, whose body was surging with magical silver light.

Then, a notebook appeared in his hand, and he opened it and wrote something down.

"I'll make an exception and help you this time. It really is just this much, okay?" Seeing that Nian Zhuo was unable to unleash its original power at their level.

Andersen, pen in hand, opened the book in front of him and began to write furiously.

Moreover, Shakespeare was enough on a single sheet of paper, but for Andersen, the two were like two extremes.

Within just a few minutes, Andersen had written several pages of manuscripts, the crystalline blue text of which seemed to possess a touch of magic.

“I’m not like that guy—” he said, tossing a stack of manuscripts he had written into the air.

Immediately afterwards, the blue text above flashed with light and scattered towards Nian Zhuo and the others who were preparing for battle.

At the same time, more enemies emerged from around the corner, including many of the book-shaped enemies that had just been defeated, and countless automatons.

If this had happened in the past, it might have caused some trouble for Nianzhuo and the others.

However, even while protecting Jekyll, Ritsuka, and Andersen, Nianzhuo and Mordred are confident that they can defeat all of these enemies.

Especially after receiving Andersen's amplification.

The scattered pages flew towards each person, stuck to their bodies, and then merged into them.

Nianzhuo could feel a power flowing through his body along with the paper, constantly cleansing and strengthening him.

“But…” He frowned, clearly sensing that this boost was not as significant as the boost Shakespeare had given him before.

Looking at Mash and Mordred, who also seemed a little uneasy, it actually eased the pressure somewhat.

Seeing the approaching enemy, Nian Zhuo, who was at the rear, bypassed the four and stood with Mordred and Mash.

Raising his sword, which was gleaming with silver light, Nian Zhuo slashed down at the automaton that was attacking him the fastest.

With a deafening roar like an earthquake, the first automated puppet was destroyed by a single sword strike, and Nian Zhuo's eyes widened slightly.

It wasn't that he was surprised by how easily he succeeded... but rather because his silver blade had clearly been enhanced in that attack, though the source of that enhancement was unknown...

"I see." Nian Zhuo finally understood the difference between group support and single-target support...

What Shakespeare provides is a broad-based enhancement, such as strength and agility—attributes that everyone possesses.

Andersen, on the other hand, adjusts the amplification to the most suitable level based on your own image and abilities, so that you can use the power to your advantage.

One group gain and several individual gains...

Come on, come on, Gaim, let's go!

The individual buffs provided to each person undoubtedly enhanced Nian Zhuo and the others' abilities accordingly. Although Andersen and Shakespeare were not particularly skilled in combat, they were quite reliable when it came to providing buffs.

After stepping over the debris and wreckage, the corner where the monster had emerged finally fell silent.

They cautiously approached the corner, and after confirming that there were no enemies on the other side, specks of blue light appeared on Nianzhuo and the others... It seems that Andersen's amplification has expired.

Since the battle was over, they continued along the torch-lit path deeper into the area.

They walked for an unknown amount of time, but after passing countless torches, a door finally appeared in front of Nianzhuo and his companions.

"It seems this is the end of the road..." The road ahead was straight ahead, with no other path, and the torches disappeared here... It seems this is Nianzhuo and the others' destination.

“Mr. Andersen, this door is—” Jekyll looked at the door in front of him and then at the blue-haired boy who was touching and looking at it from all sides.

“I can feel a magical power.” Removing his hand from the door, Andersen gazed at the seemingly ordinary wooden door before him and nodded. “There’s no doubt about it, this is the entrance to the library protected by magic.” He casually brushed off the dust, his tone tinged with surprise.

"However, it's fortunate we weren't buried under the rubble." He placed his hand on the door, and specks of blue magic appeared in his small palm. "And, if only we could find the information I need, that would be great, but that depends on our luck..."

With a soft hum, countless complex magic circuits instantly appeared on the wooden door. Andersen revealed a disdainful smile, and with a gentle wave of his hands, he instantly dispelled the complex magic patterns on the door. The tightly closed wooden door creaked open, revealing the scene inside, which was rather dark.

He turned his head and looked at his companions behind him.

“Saber, Nianzhuo, Mashu, and Ritsuka.” He looked at Jekyll beside him and nodded to Nianzhuo and the others. “Jekyll and I are going inside to find some information. In the meantime, you must guard the gate.”

"Understood." Ritsuka nodded, her eyes filled with unwavering confidence. "You can leave it to us with peace of mind."

"Let's hurry back." Mordred urged softly, slinging her sword over her shoulder. "After all, who knows when the enemy might—"

Before the words were even finished, Mordred, Mash, and Nianzhuo's expressions changed, and they turned around.

From a short distance away, where Nian Zhuo and the others had just passed, several figures suddenly appeared.

Flying books, creaking mechanical soldiers, and sticky artificial life forms.

As if it had been premeditated, they blocked the only path that Nian Zhuo and his group wanted to take out. Upon seeing the appearance of the enemy, Mordred and the others' expressions darkened.

"Wow, that's fast, isn't it? That damned mastermind hiding in the shadows." Raising her sword, her emerald eyes followed the approaching enemy intently, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Not only do they have flying books, but also chaotic mechanical soldiers..."

Sure enough, after she spoke, Nianzhuo and Mashu heard that behind the many enemies that appeared, there were several huge figures and deafening mechanical roars.

Seeing the dense red dots constantly appearing on the screen, Mary panicked and sat up abruptly from her chair.

"This...this...detected multiple...no, a lot of moving objects!" Grabbing the communication device from the table, Mary practically roared, her voice trembling with worry. "This situation is very bad! The enemy isn't just coming in waves, we have no way of knowing the exact numbers! Anyway...Andersen! Once you get the information you need, get out of here!"

"Ah..." However, her response was Hans Christian Andersen scratching his cheek somewhat awkwardly. "This is difficult, it's really a headache..."

"This...is indeed a bit of a headache..." At the same time, Jekyll's male voice came out, and the two had already entered the dark room. "I see, so this is the method used to protect the magic book..."

—He completely ignored Mary's words.

"What?" Seeing that the number of enemies in the distance was increasing, even Mordred had to take it seriously. He looked into the room behind him and asked impatiently, "Stop being so mysterious and just explain!"

"...The books have been enchanted by a mysterious and powerful magic!" This time, even Jekyll's exasperated voice came from within, as he cautiously tried to touch the inscriptions on them. "The books cannot be taken out of this room! They cannot even pass through the door!"

“Fortunately, I have found some of the information I need…” Andersen looked at the numerous books around him and licked his lips with some regret. “But, ah… what should I do…” Finally, he made up his mind and picked up what he considered to be the most important book.

"...In short, I hope you can hold on until I finish reading." With that last sentence, Andersen immersed himself in the world of books.