I'm in Morioh, just joined a chat group for cute girls.

"You?" Archer looked Gu Ye up and down. "Kid, do you know what's standing here? These are Heroic Spirits, beings beyond human imagination. And you, an ordinary person whose magical energy fluctuations are so weak as to be negligible, what makes you think you can be my opponent?"

Gu Ye did not answer his question, but instead spoke in a calm, factual tone.

“I know very well. Emiya, the guardian from the future.”

The moment Gu Ye finished speaking, the usual mocking smile on Archer's face froze completely.

"Just a pitiful person who sold his soul for a vague ideal and was ultimately betrayed by that ideal."

The air seemed to freeze at that moment.

“Ha, haha…” Archer suddenly chuckled softly, his laughter dry and hoarse. He raised his head. “Kid, I don’t know where you heard this nonsense. But I must tell you one thing—knowing too much can sometimes lead to a quick death.”

"Oh, really?" Gu Ye's eyes remained a deep pool, completely still.

Behind him, a blue-white, cloud-like humanoid figure slowly emerged, with a powerful air pressure spreading outwards from it, causing everyone's hair and clothes to flutter.

"Then let's have a go."

The weather forecast gave Archer no time to react.

It acted the moment it appeared.

There are no unnecessary movements; it's just the simplest and most irrational charge.

A blue and white figure tore through the distance between them, delivering a heavy punch straight at Archer's face with a dull, sonic boom.

Yiling Yier and the umbrella age

too fast!

Archer's pupils suddenly contracted; his intuition was screaming a warning.

He didn't have time to think about what that cloud of mist was; his body reacted before his mind could process it.

With arms crossed, the black and white swords formed the strongest defensive line in front of his chest.

"clang--!"

The clash between fist and sword did not produce the crisp sound of metal striking metal, but rather a muffled thunderclap so heavy it made one's teeth ache.

Centered on the point of impact, a visible white shockwave exploded outwards!

The meticulously trimmed lawn in the courtyard was neatly torn away, and gravel and soil were scattered in all directions.

The ground beneath Archer's feet cracked like a spiderweb, and he slid backward several meters before finally coming to a stop, his feet carving two deep furrows in the ground.

The Gan Jiang and Mo Xie swords in his hands, those battle-tested projection treasures, were covered with fine cracks, like glass about to shatter.

click-

With a crisp sound, the two famous swords transformed into countless magical specks of light that danced in the air before dissipating.

Archer's expression changed repeatedly, from shock to solemnity, and finally turned into a bitter smile.

He looked down at his slightly trembling hands; the web between his thumb and forefinger was cracked and bleeding.

This is not magic at all.

That cloud of mist contained a pure, irrational physical destructive force.

"Stop, stop!" Archer decisively took a big step back, raised his hands, and made a gesture of surrender. "I give up, I'm not fighting anymore."

He looked at Gu Ye, and that cynical, sarcastic smile returned to his face, only this time tinged with helplessness and self-mockery.

"Okay, I admit it, I underestimated you. You're a monster."

Just then, Rin Tohsaka finally jumped nimbly down from the roof. She put her hands on her hips, walked up to Archer, tilted her head back, and scolded him in a smug tone that said, "Hmph, now you know how powerful I am, you idiot Archer!"

She stood on tiptoe, poked Archer's chest, and kept muttering, "I told you they were comrades, but you wouldn't believe me. If it weren't for me, you would have been sent back to the Throne of Heroes to starve by now!"

“Yes, yes, my Master is right.” Archer, unusually, did not refute, but simply shrugged.

"Alright, stop standing outside, come inside!" Rin Tohsaka looked around and finally fixed her gaze on Gu Ye. "We need to discuss the next steps of the plan."

In the Tohsaka family's living room, the air was filled with the rich aroma of black tea and the calming scent of fine wood.

This Western-style mansion exudes the heritage and elegance of a prestigious magical sect.

Rin Tohsaka sat upright on the velvet sofa, her hands folded on her knees. In a calm but unquestionable tone, she recounted that unbelievable "future".

Her words echoed clearly in the elegant living room, each word like a precise nail, hammering into the ears of everyone present.

She mentioned Zouken Matou's immortal conspiracy, Kirei Kotomine's true purpose, the tragic fates of every Master and Servant, and the truth about the Holy Grail's corruption.

"...That's how it all happened." After finishing her concluding remarks, Rin Tohsaka picked up the bone china teacup in front of her, took a small sip, and used this action to conceal the turmoil in her heart.

"Ha!" Archer was the first to break the silence. He leaned against the wall, crossed his arms, and let out a short, loud sneer.

"Rin, are you kidding me? Even a third-rate playwright couldn't come up with a story like this." He shook his head. "Where did you hear this nonsense? From that brat's mouth?"

Rin Tohsaka slammed her teacup heavily on the table, making a crisp "bang".

"Archer! I'm explaining this to you very seriously! This intelligence concerns the lives of all of us!"

“Life and death? What I see is just a naive Master, deceived by absurd stories from unknown people.” Archer’s eyes sharpened. “Believe me, Rin, I know the cruelty of the Holy Grail War better than you do. So-called foresight is nothing but a trap to lure prey.”

“I don’t think so,” a cool and elegant female voice interjected.

All eyes turned to Medea.

The witch from the Age of Gods sat quietly in a single sofa. Even with her hood removed, her inhuman beauty and innate noble temperament were still impossible to ignore.

"Mr. Archer, you don't seem to fully understand the current situation." Medea's blue vertical pupils calmly gazed at the red-clad Heroic Spirit. "My new Master, Lord Gu Ye, the power he has displayed is proof that it transcends the common sense of this era. Didn't you just experience it firsthand?"

Archer's expression froze; the numbness from gripping the twin swords seemed to linger in his nerve endings.

"So what? Just because someone is powerful doesn't mean what they say is the truth," he retorted stubbornly.

"That's amazing! This is the legendary 'spoiler'!" Kitagawa Kaimu, completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere, clapped her hands excitedly. "It's like reading a manga and knowing what happens next! Doesn't this make fighting the boss so much easier?"

Rin Tohsaka also spoke up, her tone regaining its calmness and order: "Archer, think about it carefully. The information he provided was precise down to every single person and every detail, even including Caster, your previous Master's name and the location of the workshop. This level of intelligence network couldn't have been fabricated on the spot. Admit it, it's far more convincing than your so-called 'trap'."

Archer fell silent.

He couldn't argue.

Rin's logic is impeccable, and Gu Ye's very existence is a subversion of the conventional Holy Grail War.

In the midst of this brief stalemate, Medea spoke again, her words like a sharp scalpel, precisely cutting to the heart of the problem.

"Now that we have the 'future' in our grasp, there's no point in discussing its authenticity. What we should do now is use this intelligence to gain the greatest advantage."

Her gaze shifted between Rin and Gu Ye before finally settling on Archer, as if she were saying those words specifically to him.

"According to the information provided by Lord Gu Ye, there is a boy named Emiya Shirou at Suigunhara Academy, right?" Medea asked.

“That’s right, that guy… what’s wrong?” Rin Tohsaka frowned.

"His body is implanted with Saber's Noble Phantasm, the legendary scabbard 'Avalon.' It's a top-tier relic." Medea's lips curled into a confident smile. "We no longer need to bother searching for relics. Using him as a medium, and utilizing the magic circle beneath your house, Miss Tohsaka, we can summon the strongest Servant—Saber—to our side right now."

This suggestion instantly made the air in the living room feel scorching hot.

"That's right! Saber!" Rin Tohsaka's eyes lit up. "If we can get Saber's help, our chances of winning will be much higher!"

"I'm fine with it." Gu Ye nodded in agreement.

All eyes were on Archer, awaiting his decision.

The red-clad spirit lowered his head, his silver-white bangs obscuring his eyes, making his expression impossible to discern. After a long while, he slowly raised his head, his face displaying a complex expression that mixed self-mockery, helplessness, and disgust.

“Ha, how ironic…” he murmured, as if speaking to himself.

He took a deep breath, as if he had made some difficult decision.

“I have no objection.” Archer’s voice was soft, but exceptionally clear. “Let’s do as you say. Go and hand over the strongest ‘sword’.”

He paused, his gaze piercing through the wall, as if he saw a red-haired boy sweating profusely in the dojo.

"However, I have only one request."

His voice turned cold, carrying an undisguised warning.

“Tell that idiot that I’m going to tell ‘Shirou Emiya’ myself—if he wants to live, he should throw his stupid ideals of being a ‘partner of justice’ into the trash as soon as possible. Otherwise, I’ll finish him off myself without the enemy even having to lift a finger.”

Chapter 42 The Holy Grail War should be full of joy!

Fuyuki City, Kotomine Church.

The air in the basement was cold and damp, and the stone walls were perpetually dark, with only a few white candles burning in the corners. The dim candlelight cast a distorted and eerie shadow on the huge cross projected onto the wall.

Kirei Kotomine stood with his back to the entrance in the center of the empty underground chapel.

He was dressed in a perfectly fitted black robe, his figure tall and upright, like a silent stone monument.

He didn't turn around, but as if he had eyes in the back of his head, he accurately sensed the aura of the newcomer.

“You’re back, Lancer.” His voice was deep and steady, echoing in the empty underground space. “Judging from your appearance, things don’t seem to be going well.”

Cú Chulainn emerged from the shadows, his iconic blue combat suit appearing somewhat dim in the gloom.

He leaned the crimson magic spear against the wall, making a dull clanging sound.

He didn't answer, but instead scratched his blue hair in frustration and plopped down on the bench.

Qian/Xun⑨６檪?卍⒍２７0

“It’s more than just bad luck.” Lancer’s voice carried a suppressed anger; he rarely felt this frustrated. “It’s like I’ve had the worst luck imaginable.”

"Oh?" Kirei Kotomine slowly turned around, his brown eyes revealing no emotion, like two bottomless ancient wells.

"An enemy that even 'Child of Light' Cú Chulainn could find trouble with is quite rare. Tell me, who did you encounter? Saber? Or Berserker?"

“Neither.” Lancer shook his head, a wry smile on his face. “If it were just those guys, I wouldn’t be in such a sorry state. What I encountered… was a group of monsters.”

He raised his head, his eyes fixed on Kirei Kotomine, and said, word by word, "They are neither magicians nor Servants. I have never heard of their power system. A cloud person who can control the weather, a crazy woman who can release bombs out of thin air, and a little girl whose body can burst with lightning. I was sent back before I even figured out their background."

“That does sound interesting.” Kirei Kotomine’s lips curled up in an almost imperceptible arc, unnoticed by Cú Chulainn.

“Interesting? I don’t think so!” Lancer complained. “Fighting those guys, I don’t gain any advantage at all! My buffs are a joke against that woman’s homing bombs, and that lightning girl’s speed and strength are ridiculously high. The most troublesome one is that cloud person; I feel like my guns can’t even scratch it!”

"So, you think you have no chance of winning?" Kirei Kotomine's tone remained calm, as if he were discussing the weather.

“That’s right, there’s no chance of winning.” Lancer frankly admitted, which was a disgrace for a proud warrior like him, but it was also the truth.

"Unless I use the 'Death Spear,' it will be difficult for me to even hurt them. But doing so would consume too much magic power, and I might not be able to wipe them all out in one hit."

"Is that so?" Kirei Kotomine lowered his eyelids, seemingly deep in thought.

The basement fell silent again, with only the crackling of the candlelight.

“That’s… wonderful,” he said softly.

"Huh? What did you say?" Lancer thought he had misheard.

Kirei Kotomine raised his head, his face bearing his usual polite, emotionless smile, but deep in his eyes, there was an indescribable, burning light flickering.

“I say, this is wonderful, Lancer,” he repeated. “A war whose outcome is known from the beginning is far too boring. Now, finally, some variables have emerged that bring the ‘unknown.’ Isn’t this exactly what the Holy Grail War should be like?”

"The essence of the Holy Grail War should be full of joy."

Meanwhile, at the highest point of the Fuyuki Bridge.

Gilgamesh wore a black, well-tailored motorcycle jacket, and his short blond hair fluttered slightly in the night breeze.

He crossed his arms, his ruby-like eyes looking down at the brightly lit city below, but his face showed undisguised displeasure and irritation.

"That guy, Qili, is getting more and more useless." He muttered to himself, looking at the empty night sky, his tone full of contempt. "He can't even find out any information about a mere bastard. What use is he to me?"

He, Gilgamesh, the supreme hero-king who reigned supreme in heaven and earth, could not even find a single mouse daring to challenge him in his own courtyard.

This is simply a disgrace.

"Since we can't count on Qili, then I'll have to take matters into my own hands." He snorted coldly, a cruel smile curving his lips. "A rat hiding in the shadows always needs some 'movement' before it will obediently crawl out of its hole."

Before he finished speaking, golden ripples began to spread in the space behind him, rippling out like waves.

One after another, weapons shimmering with magical light emerged from the golden vortex—there were spears engraved with intricate patterns, ferocious battle axes, and swords that exuded a chilling aura.

These magical artifacts, which would be enough to ignite wars in myths and legends, were no different from pebbles on the roadside in Gilgamesh's eyes at this moment.

"Let's use this junk to put on a grand fireworks display for you bastards."