To become a king and a magician

“My idea is to have one group of people hold Caster off at the front while another group assassinates Caster’s Master,” Odysseus said, revealing his plan. “Apart from Archer, who acts independently, and some other Servants, once the rest of the Servants lose their magical energy supply from their Masters, or have used up all their Command Seals, they will quickly return to the Throne of Heroes. I think Caster should be the same.”

Instead of following the steps systematically, are they resorting to skipping classes as a tactic?

Xia Chuanhu pondered for a moment: "If it can be done, that would be the best, but I don't think Maris Billy would leave himself no way out."

"It's alright if we have a backup plan, we have someone who broke the rules on our side." Aozaki Touko laughed, "Me, Shiki, and Aoko, while the Servants and the boy are holding off King Doromon, we will assassinate the Lord of the Celestial Department—that's roughly it, what do you think, Aoko?"

"I'm fine with it, even though it sounds a bit like cheating. What about Lancer?"

"Whatever, there's nothing wrong with using appropriate tactics to win, except—" Scáthach smiled slightly, "if we kill Caster before you do, that's fine too, isn't it?"

"That would definitely be the best."

"It seems it's settled, and Shiki is also okay—Rider, if you want to use your Noble Phantasm, just use it directly without asking me."

Upon hearing this, Odysseus immediately replied solemnly, "Understood, Master."

“Rider’s Noble Phantasm…” Natsukawa Torato’s eyes flashed, then he hooked his arm around Odysseus’s shoulder. “Hey, Rider, come here for a second. We need to make a deal. It’s something very important.”

"Huh? Okay, you said... Eh? You want to do this? Hmm, considering the current situation, it might be a bit... Would standing on the head be okay? A double attack, I see, that's certainly romantic, hmm, very feasible..."

Seeing the two of them running off to a corner to discuss their plans, the ladies in the living room all looked puzzled.

What are these two talking about?

76. Reminiscing on the Eve of the Decisive Battle

roof.

Ryougi Shiki sat on the edge, gazing at the sky, toying with a short sword in her hand.

"You're here, Shi."

A voice came from behind her. Ryougi Shiki glanced back and then sighed, "It's you, you idiot."

"Five years have passed, can't you change how you address me?" Xia Chuanhu smiled nostalgically and sat down next to her. "Why are you here alone? They're starting to prepare dinner downstairs. Aren't you going to show off your cooking skills, since you're the best cook?"

"Does being a good cook necessarily mean you have to cook yourself? If that's the case, why don't you go cook yourself? Has your cooking deteriorated in the past five years?"

"You're wrong about that. In the other world, I also regularly cook to hone my skills."

Although Natsukawa Torama only cooks once a week after Angelica arrived, with Grey and Angelica taking care of the rest of the time, his skills have probably declined a bit.

But before that, because he had been learning from Shirou Emiya, he must have made some progress compared to before he left.

Ryougi Shiki stopped wielding her short sword and pointed the tip at Natsukawa Torami's face: "Then go down and make me a couple of dishes to try? You know what the consequences will be if they're not good."

"Five years have passed, and you still remember the grudge from before?" Xia Chuanhu quickly raised his hands in surrender to indicate that he did not want to fight. "You're so fierce, I don't know who would want you. What will happen if the Ryougi family line ends?"

"Why not just adopt one? The Ryougi family sponsors some orphanages."

(So, does that mean Ryougi Mitsuko wasn't their biological child after all?)

Xia Chuanhu chuckled: "After you adopt one, how about I take care of it? I'll be your godfather too—it's dangerous!"

Ryougi Shiki slashed at Natsukawa Torato's forehead with her short sword and muttered, "Tch, it's a bit too short. I should have gotten a longer one."

"I almost died."

"I didn't activate my Demon Eyes, how could you possibly die from just one slash?"

"This is Ryougi Shiki before she became a domesticated pet," Natsukawa Tora sighed helplessly. "I really wish someone could come and cure you."

"Is this all you came here to tell me? If there's nothing else, leave me alone."

Ryougi Shiki's tone carried a hint of resistance.

After a moment of silence, Xia Chuanhu laughed and said, "No, I just thought that we hadn't seen each other for five years, and I hadn't had a proper conversation with you since I came back this time, so I thought I'd come and catch up with you. But you're still the same as ever."

Do you think I'll change?

"At least I think you'll grow your hair long or something. You've never cut your hair before, right? So I think you'll have long, flowing hair."

Long hair?

Ryougi Shiki touched her short hair and then said in a low voice, "It's a hassle to manage long hair."

"That's true... I can help you tidy up, but I can't live with you forever. Sooner or later you'll have to tidy up yourself—why are you cutting me again!"

"I just cut it down because I'm in a bad mood."

Ryougi Shiki's heart was beating a little fast, and the pounding in her chest made her want to vent her anger by stabbing Natsukawa Torata again.

After creating some distance, Natsukawa Tora patted his chest. He was fearless, but the only things he feared were Ryougi Shiki's Mystic Eyes of Death Perception and an angry Gray: "How can you act so recklessly... Sigh, you should be more restrained in the future, Shiki."

"What's it to you?"

"I'm probably the only one who would be so direct in managing you, right?"

"It seems so."

Neither Aozaki Touko nor her own butler, Kenki Akitaka, would speak of himself as directly as Natsukawa Torato. In that respect, Torato was probably the most unique person she knew.

After hesitating for a moment, Ryougi Shiki sheathed her short sword: "Is there anything else?"

"There's something else I wanted to mention. Well, Orange will tell you about it later, but since we're already here, I'll just say it to you now."

"Regarding tomorrow's battle with Caster, the main battlefield will be handled by me, Rider, Lancer, Morgan, and Lia, while you, Orange, Aoko, Mordred, and Tamamo will be responsible for taking care of Caster's Master."

"A decapitation strike."

"That's it, any objections?"

"It's a real shame I can't kill that King himself. He's very worthy of my killing." Ryougi Shiki's tone was full of regret. "Killing a human doesn't require that many people, does it? I'll go with you to the front."

"I knew you'd say that... The question is, can you even survive a head-on confrontation?"

The moment those words were spoken, Ryougi Shiki drew the short sword that she had just put away, and with lightning speed, she thrust it straight at Natsukawa Torata's chest!

With the blade pressed against her clothes, Ryougi Shiki, her Mystic Eyes wide open, coldly stared at Natsukawa Torato: "What do you think?"

"Okay, not good enough. It's still a long way off."

The Natsukawa Tiger in front of her suddenly disappeared, and then Ryougi Shiki was chopped on the back of the head with a hand chop. Natsukawa Tiger reappeared from the other side: "If you can't see through this level of magic, you'll be completely fooled if you're facing it head-on."

"Magic...is that it?"

Ryougi Shiki gestured at the air a couple of times, then suddenly stabbed Natsukawa Tora.

"boom!"

Natsukawa Tora was instantly shattered into pieces, but the next moment, another Natsukawa Tora appeared in front of Ryougi Shiki, looking somewhat surprised: "You saw through me?"

"After you say it, you can feel a bit of inconsistency, then just cut along the line—it's not a big deal if it's unexpected, it's magic."

"Yeah, it's really no big deal. Anyway, my magic is only third-rate, nothing special." Natsukawa Tora shrugged and laughed. "You can discuss it with Orange and the others later. I don't care. Well, if you really want to, I respect your choice."

"That's good."

"It's almost lunchtime, let's come down together."

Natsukawa Tora grabbed Ryougi Shiki's hand, trying to pull her down with him, but as soon as his hand touched her, Ryougi Shiki, like a cat that had been electrocuted, immediately slapped his hand away.

"I can walk by myself, you don't need to pull me along."

"Yes, yes, yes—seriously, that hurts! How hard did you hit my hand?"

"Go all out."

The strength to slap Natsukawa Tora so hard that his hand was in excruciating pain is not something a human woman could muster. In the five years since she last saw him, Ryougi Shiki's body has truly been gradually becoming inhuman.

(Does this have the effect of root linking?)

Watching Ryougi Shiki depart gracefully, Natsukawa Tora blew on his hands and then followed closely behind.

......

There is still a day and a half before the battle begins.

77. Wait here for him to come back.

On the sixth day of the Holy Grail War, the sky over Fuyuki City was once again shrouded in moonlight and darkness.

Inside Marisbury's mansion.

"The time is almost here. From now until sunrise, this city will become the battlefield that will determine the outcome of the Holy Grail War."

Although there are still five groups of participants remaining, after observing for the past few days, Marisbury can now assert that, apart from himself and Natsukawa Tora, the other participants are not particularly obsessed with winning the Holy Grail War. Therefore, in conclusion, as long as he wins tonight and defeats his biggest obstacle, the rest will just be finishing touches.

Marisbury had absolute confidence in King Solomon's fighting prowess. Even though the seventy-two Demon Gods couldn't all be summoned at once due to the scale of the Servant's Spirit Origin, there was still no one in the Holy Grail War who could fight multiple Demon Gods simultaneously.

"Are you still determined to go with me, Master?"

King Solomon asked Marisbury this question.

Marisbury smiled and said, "Yes, I still believe there is a possibility that Lord Natsukawa and I can reach an agreement. I have prepared the bargaining chips, and the next step is to negotiate with Lord Natsukawa in person. This will probably be a negotiation that will determine the future of humanity, and it would only make me seem disrespectful if I did not attend in person."

"With you by my side, I am not worried about my own safety."

With King Solomon's power, it would be easy for him to spare one or two demons to protect Marisbury—that is to say, doing so would make things a bit more difficult against Natsukawa Torato.

Nodding, King Solomon raised his hand, and several magic circles immediately appeared beneath Marisbury's feet, flashing for a moment before disappearing into his body.

"I have placed a full-scale magical protection on you. Neither physical nor magical interference will be effective against you. Of course, it won't have much effect on Noble Phantasms. I will also send a pillar of demons to protect you."

"Thank you very much, Wang."

"It was just a small favor. If you leave right away, I'll be in some trouble—so, let's go."

There was no word from Natsukawa Tiger's side about a meeting place, but King Solomon knew that once he started his operation, the other side would follow suit, and the two sides would inevitably meet face to face.

.......

"They've started their operation over there."

Inside the base, having sensed the movements of King Solomon's side, Natsukawa Tora, who was already prepared, stood up and looked at everyone in the room.

Artoria, Mordred, Morgan, Atalanta, Scáthach, Odysseus.

Aozaki Touko, Aozaki Aoko, Ryougi Shiki, Sajou Rei.

And himself and Merry, who was still lying on the second floor.

With such a lineup to deal with King Solomon, even Natsukawa Torato, the person involved, couldn't help but feel that it was a bit too luxurious. In addition, there was Arcueid and Okita Souji, who hadn't joined yet, although she herself said she would help in her own way.