Please play Fate/Go with me.

At this moment, it was wielded with ease by a young girl, displaying its greatest power.

Shirou opened his Mystic Eyes and saw a female ghost with long horns and white hair, a samurai, possessing the girl.

The girl, having finished her round, put away her bow and looked at the boy provocatively. "According to my rules, the loser has to grant the winner one request, right?"

The girl's name is Erina Nakiri, the heiress of the Nakiri International Group, a leading conglomerate in the culinary world that practically dominates half of Japan's culinary scene. However, because there are no mysteries in this world, legally administered drugs and hallucinogenic dishes do not exist. Therefore, although the Nakiri are still a giant in the food industry, they have not founded Totsuki Culinary Academy.

Erina Nakiri is just a junior high school graduate with one of the world's most sensitive palates and a keen sense of taste, who has just taken the international high school entrance exam.

As a manga enthusiast, she became interested in ramen, a common food, after reading about the female protagonist who travels to various places to eat ramen and wins over different types of people through her youthful romance and food stories.

So she invited her friend Komachi Hikigaya, whom she had met during the visit, to go eat ramen together. After searching for several shops in the vicinity, she was dissatisfied with none of them, finding that they either cut corners or lacked skill. Finally, she found a decades-old shop.

The third-generation ramen chef is nearly 40 years old, in the prime of his life with plenty of experience and still plenty of energy. When he heard that they were exam takers, he made the best broth ramen for them with all his heart.

Both girls ate their fill, and the afternoon exam proceeded smoothly.

However, because the exam was very mentally taxing, her stomach started growling again in the afternoon, so Komachi took out the box of rice balls and shared them with her friends.

"What is this?!" Erina Nakiri, who is very picky about food, exclaimed as she took a bite of a rice ball.

"Huh? Just a regular rice ball?" Komachi blinked in confusion.

"No! I'm asking which master chef made these rice balls?"

"Haha, Erina-chan, you're exaggerating! This is a snack my brother made for me." Komachi said with a laugh.

"Can I have another one?"

"Sure, Erina-chan also took me to eat this really delicious ramen. If you like it so much, Komachi would really welcome you to come to the Hikigaya house for a casual meal." Komachi said with a grin, believing that anyone who has tasted her brother's cooking will definitely fall in love with it.

It is meticulous, so meticulous that it perfectly brings out the advantages of each ingredient, and also meticulously neutralizes any unpleasant odors that the ingredients may have.

With her keen sense of taste, she discerned every step in the making of this rice ball. The rice, seasonings, and side dishes were all ordinary, everyday ingredients. However, under the chef's skillful handling, each step was perfectly executed, with the timing of use carefully considered, and the amount of salt, sugar, and vinegar added precisely. This was no ordinary rice ball; it was the meticulous creation of a chef whose skill had reached the pinnacle of human artistry.

Looking at Komachi, who was oblivious to her good fortune, and thinking of the chef behind the scenes, only one thought came to mind.

"Komachi! Where is your brother this Saturday?" the blonde girl asked.

"Hey? Are you really coming?" Komachi said with surprise. Not only was this friend super beautiful, but she was also super rich. To be honest, she felt that her brother, who was both promiscuous and clueless about romance, was not good enough for her.

Komachi felt truly great; as Komachi's score, it had already risen to a point where it couldn't be increased any further.

"I'm going to challenge him! As a chef!!!" Erina Nakiri said with great determination. As a genius, she would never admit that she thought this rice ball tasted better than any French meal she had ever made!

This must be an illusion, so she's going to challenge that man herself and prove that she is the strongest and most talented chef!

Still basking in the sense of accomplishment of completing a major mission in her life, Komachi nodded with a beaming smile. "Really? Really? You want to challenge my brother? Sure, you can. Anything is fine with you, even if you want to marry into our family, you're always welcome..."

"Huh? A challenge?" Komachi realized what was happening and her eyes widened.

Chapter 63 The Cook and the Samurai

At this moment, on the archery range on the green lawn, a blonde girl wearing a baseball cap held a bow in one hand and raised her other hand, pointing at the boy on the adjacent track.

Erina Nakiri said arrogantly, "If I win, you'll have a top-level cooking competition with me!"

"Huh? So you want me to cook with you?" Shirou asked, somewhat puzzled. If it was such a small favor, he could have just asked directly. Komachi's new friend is quite a shy girl.

Coming in so aggressively, I thought he was here to assassinate me. Even though he should be considered Archer now.

"No! It's about winning! Winning or losing!" Erina's face flushed red with anger as she corrected him in a sweet voice. She, Erina-sama, had personally challenged him, yet he was still dragging his feet like this. What was wrong with this man?!

"No, whether it's archery or cooking, I don't think I can lose." Shirou said, raising his bow. Like the girl, he didn't use a sight, but trusted his intuition and eyesight more.

Swish!

All six arrows hit the bullseye, forming a neat circle of six points.

Throughout history, both in China and abroad, there have been countless talented and extraordinary individuals.

Martial arts, keen eyesight, magic, weapon forging... whatever it is, when you train it to a certain level, you can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.

EX's clairvoyance allows him to see through the past, present, and future.

EX's incitement bordered on brainwashing, hypnosis, and mind control.

EX's aura concealment allows it to assimilate with the world itself. Its level only changes to A+ the instant it transforms into an attack (Shadow Lantern, from Fate/strange fake).

So what kind of effect would it have when humans honed archery to its highest level?

If the ancient records of master archers are true, they would be truly amazing beings, almost surpassing the limits of human vision.

For example, Yang Youji, the protagonist of the famous story of "shooting an arrow through a willow leaf from a hundred paces," shot the enemy's head amidst a vast army with just one arrow, hence the name "Yang the One-Arrow."

According to ancient calculations, "shooting an arrow through a willow leaf from a hundred paces" actually means taking one step with each foot. Lifting one foot once is called "a short step". Taking one step with each foot means that the distance will be at least 1 meter.

In other words, he needs to be at least 100 meters away, clearly see the marked leaf on the poplar tree, and hit it every time.

Later, he even reached the level of shooting without shooting. Without needing to draw the bowstring, he could simply pull back the bowstring and release the arrow, and the white apes on the mountain would fall to the ground.

Perhaps in some world there exists that being who, after letting go of their obsessions, continuously hones their spirit and will, and continues to cultivate somewhere until finally reaching the divine realm of Archery EX.

Of course, Shirou is far from being able to do this now, but the same goes for the girl. Divine possession is a way of summoning a god to possess a body that resembles a human, at the cost of weakening one's own abilities.

The same applies to the Heroic Spirit Possession System. It is a weakened version of the Servant's possession. Before the compatibility reaches 100%, the Servant will be subject to various restrictions. This is still the case even now in a world where the rules have been changed due to the invasion of corrupted Heroic Spirits.

Let me test just how much of the heroic spirit power you possess.

"If you want to compete, sure. But if you lose, please explain what's going on with the Heroic Spirit within you?" Shirou said, looking at the haughty blonde young lady.

"Hey, so you're not an ordinary person after all?" Erina said with a smile.

As a genius, she would naturally receive some favors from heaven, so even if her body exhibited abnormal phenomena, she didn't find it strange at all.

The Heroic Spirit within her was summoned by her accidentally when she was reading romance comics and playing FGO.

The manga she was looking at was a historical story set during the Genpei War, about the love story between Kiso Yoshinaka, known as the Sheikh of Wa Province, and his beloved concubine, Tomoe Gozen.

Kiso Yoshinaka, also known as Minamoto no Yoshinaka, was born into the Kawachi Minamoto clan. Before the age of thirty, he achieved a record of victories in every battle and saved the retired emperor of Wa Province. He was appointed as the Asahi Shogun and commanded the strongest military force in the country. For a time, he was a heroic figure whose glory overshadowed that of his cousins ​​Minamoto no Yoritomo and Minamoto no Yoshitsune.

However, due to his stubbornness and self-will, he was abandoned by his followers and, at the age of thirty, suffered a defeat in battle, which led to the loss of his city and forced him to flee.

Yi Zhong led his personal guards to break through the siege, and when he escaped outside the city, only five people remained by his side.

One of them was his childhood sweetheart and beloved concubine, Tomoe Gozen.

“Let’s go back together, let’s go back to our hometown.” Tomoe Gozen said to her husband, hoping that they could return to the rural village where they lived as children and live a peaceful and tranquil life.

The only reason she fought alongside her husband and brothers on the battlefield was because the person she loved wanted her to do so. At heart, she was simply a woman who wanted her family to live a peaceful life.

But it was impossible now. Seeing her covered in blood from the fighting, Yoshino couldn't bear to let his childhood sweetheart die with him. He said to her, "It's shameful for a man to be with a woman before he dies. Do you want me to die without any face?"

"Then! Let me fight one more battle for you!" So, Tomoe Gozen suppressed her grief, mounted her horse, and during the breakout, she grabbed the enemy general who was chasing her, cut off his head with a single stroke, and then rode away in a cloud of dust.

After that, there were many rumors about Tomoe Gozen's whereabouts, but no one ever saw her again with certainty...

Erina was moved to tears by the story in the manga, and when she pressed the summon button, the spirit of the white-haired samurai girl appeared.

With a touch of melancholy, she arrived in this world, resisted the temptation of a girl who was good at playing games, and answered the call of Erina, who was good at cooking, to undergo her bride training by her side.

In her lifetime, she was very skilled at beheading enemies, but not very good at cooking. If she had the chance to meet Yoshinaka Kiso, who had become a Heroic Spirit, again, she hoped that they could live a peaceful and leisurely life together.

Therefore, Erina Nakiri and the Heroic Spirit Tomoe Gozen complement each other. Erina allows Tomoe Gozen to possess her and learn to cook from her, and now that Erina Nakiri wants to challenge her lifelong rival, Tomoe Gozen will naturally provide her with her power.

When Erina followed Komachi to the archery competition venue, she saw the boy's archery posture from the recurve bow competition. He stood straight and powerful, and the connection between man and bow was harmonious and natural. In the light breeze and clouds, an arrow burst forth like a flash of stars. The transformation between stillness and movement was simply like art, pleasing to the eye.

This is the kind of demeanor that only appears when someone is wholeheartedly devoted to something. She had only ever seen something similar when her most admired chef was cooking—the same pure, powerful, beautiful, and unparalleled quality.

Erina wouldn't admit that she was mesmerized by what she saw, but a sense of longing involuntarily arose in her heart.

When she learned that the boys would be participating in a compound bow friendly competition that anyone could sign up for, she ran straight to the shop inside the large tent, took out her credit card, and bought the most powerful bow in the shop.

Tomoe Gozen can use any bow. Lend her the power, and she will challenge this boy and have him compete with her in cooking. She cannot miss this opportunity no matter what.

Chapter 64 The Ultimate Archery Showdown

Since the competition was more of a promotional event, the rules of the friendly match were very simple: six arrows were shot continuously in one round, and the player withdrew after shooting six rounds. Those who missed the target had to give up their place and line up again. The top three players with the highest scores were determined and awarded on the spot as champions, runners-up and third place winners.

The shooters who missed the target have been replaced by new shooters, and the second round of shooting is about to begin.

Tomoe Gozen was the daughter of a local powerful family. She grew up with Kiso Nakayoshi from a young age. Two of Kiso's four generals were her brothers. She learned martial arts from these men since childhood.

Having participated in various battles with the army at a very young age, she possessed the secrets of battlefield combat, excelling in archery, horsemanship, and horseback riding.

Although Erina was a complete novice, she gained experience in archery with the help of a Heroic Spirit possessing her.

Magic was working the muscles in her arms and back, bringing them to their best condition.

The girl wearing a baseball cap had a red glint in her eyes.

The string rang out, and the arrow flew like a meteor, piercing the target with a loud thud.

Six shots, six hits, all hitting the bullseye.

Not to be outdone, Shirou also nocked his bow and, just like in the previous round of shooting, swiftly and decisively fired his arrows. After six arrows, each one landed steadily in the bullseye, forming a uniform small circle, just like before.

When the scorer removed the arrow, he found that there were still only six holes, and they hadn't increased by even a millimeter.

The two seemed to be locked in a stalemate, with the powerful female fighter and the calm and composed male fighter immediately attracting a large crowd of spectators and contestants.

After each round of archery, people would excitedly cheer for the boys and girls, even letting out screams like fans.

The two competitors have become the biggest stars of the entire arena.

To those in the know, these two teenagers were terrifyingly skilled. Their archery techniques, completely different styles, produced equally stunning results. It was like a perfect teaching material, which they observed with almost greedy curiosity, wanting to learn from them and improve their own skills.

To the laymen watching the spectacle, it was a thrilling competition. The exhilarating feeling of each arrow being shot and the beauty of the hand drawing the bowstring thrilled them.

Some observant people with a knack for imagining things were excited as if they had witnessed a chaotic scene. The blonde girl was clearly interested in the boy, and behind the boy was a group of girls closely watching them.

The blonde girl's glare at the boy clearly held a demanding look, as if to say, 'If I win, you'll come home with me and we'll get married!'

The young man stated, "I have bigger ideals to pursue and don't want to be tied down by marriage so early."

'If the male (female) side were reversed, this theme would definitely be a fantastic doujinshi.'

The yuri artist, a male doujinshi artist, passed by a fujoshi (female fan of male-male romance), both of them excitedly pulling out their notebooks and scribbling away, recording the bursts of inspiration, occasionally letting out eerie laughter.

As the competition progressed to the fifth round, Erina couldn't help but feel anxious.

'What?! Are there really people in this world more talented than me? My understanding of cooking is already at that level, so how come I'm also so good at archery?'

This is not a field that the girl is good at. The borrowed power is like a rootless duckweed. When there is water, it can float very high, but once there is a drought and the water level drops, it will also sink.

The boy opposite him, however, was like a straight bamboo shoot, hollow inside and straight outside, able to grow continuously, swaying in the wind and rain, yet unyielding, forever maintaining a straight upward posture.

After 36 arrows, the 6-round competition came to an end.

Shirou won with a score of 360 out of 36 arrows, maintaining six holes in the bullseye throughout the entire shot. Erina, who had riddled the target with holes, made a mistake, missing a point and finishing second with 359 out of 6.

The white-haired heroic spirit within her body communicated with the girl through mental means, apologizing to her.

"I'm so sorry, Erina. I'm very good at throwing enemies into the air and then shooting them to pieces. But in a competition like this where you aim at a stationary target, I still couldn't beat my opponent."

"No need to apologize, it was my fault for the archery mistake." Erina took off her hat, tossed her long hair, and said to herself, acknowledging that it was her mistake.

"No, Erina, you performed wonderfully. It's not that the opponent is only skilled in archery, but also has a pair of beautiful eyes that make people envious."

"I shouldn't have challenged him with archery in the first place," Erina said, biting her finger in regret.

After the competition ended, Shirou and Erina were invited to the podium as the first and second place winners.

"Congratulations, that was a wonderful match! Please be sure to participate in the competitions held here again in the future." The award presenter presented the first-place winner, Shirou, with a silver trophy featuring a bow and arrow model, while the second and third place winners received certificates.

"Thank you for the compliment," Shirou replied, accepting the trophy.

"Congratulations, Nakiri! You're the only woman among the top ten. That's amazing! You're a true heroine."

"Hmph, it's only natural that I would do this much, even though I lost," Erina said arrogantly.

"No, you're already amazing," Shirou advised, adding that even with the help of a Heroic Spirit, it was still quite remarkable.

"Speaking of which, are you two a couple?" the middle-aged man presenting the award couldn't help but ask curiously.

"No! That's not it! Why would I be mistaken for dating a guy like that?!" Erina blushed and retorted repeatedly. Although she had fantasized about it for a moment, dating with marriage in mind was far too early for her, who wasn't even a high school student yet!

"Is that so? I see. Keep it up, young man." The middle-aged man who presented the award gave Shirou an encouraging pat on the shoulder with a knowing smile.

The audience members below the stage smiled kindly and shouted, "Keep it up! Don't miss out on such a cute girl!"

"In my experience, you can take it if you just put in a little more effort. Keep it up!" The soldier in third place smiled and gave Shirou a thumbs up.

"No, you've all misunderstood," Shirou tried to explain.