Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

"…………ah?"

“My grandfather is very wealthy, and I transferred a sum of money from his overseas bank account for war funds,” Shirou explained.

"That's not the problem! Shinji, were you planning to fight Kenneth here from the very beginning?"

Upon hearing Waver's question, Shirou turned around and answered.

"No, my initial plan was to blow up the entire building."

Weber was speechless, unsure whether the boy was serious or joking.

Seeing his hesitant expression, Shirou comforted him, "Don't worry, a rookie like you would just be throwing your life away if you tried to fight Kenneth with a gun."

"Moon Spirit Essence" is indeed a terrifying Mystic Code; it might even be the type that can fight Servants head-on.

"What's so reassuring about this?" Weber's lips twitched.

Shirou said, "These guns mainly serve to attract the other party's attention and incite their anger."

The real trump card is the numerous magical traps I've set up throughout this building; that's what you'll need to utilize.

As he spoke, the red-haired boy took out a thick booklet, which recorded the mechanisms he had set up in various rooms and corridors on the middle floor of the Hyatt Hotel, with helpful annotations on the side.

Shirou shoved the notebook into Weber's hands: "You have an hour and a half left. Memorize everything in this notebook."

"........."

Weber accepted the manual with some skepticism, but he still had his doubts.

"Will this delay Mr. Kenneth?"

Shirou didn't answer his question directly: "Weber, do you know what your greatest strength is?"

Without hesitation, the clock tower boy replied, "That is of course my talent and potential as a magician."

Shirou: "......"

"That's true, but besides your talent, you have another huge natural advantage."

"What is it?"

"Since the battle is taking place indoors, Kenneth will probably try to minimize the output of his Mystic Code—after all, he probably doesn't want to end up homeless because he damaged the hotel he's staying in."

Therefore, while the "Moon Spirit Essence Liquid" is terrifying, it is not entirely invincible.

"I see."

Shirou's words made Waver fall into deep thought.

Tonight's goal is to make good use of the venue and engage in psychological warfare with the opponent... wait a minute.

Waver was surprised to find that Shirou's tactics coincided with his own previous magical theories.

Weber's dissertation, which Kenneth tore up, was titled "On the Path of Magic in the New Century." The core argument of this work, which he had spent three years conceiving, was:

Experience and skill can make up for a lack of magical talent.

Weber believed that even if there were significant differences in family history, they could be compensated for by the density of experience. Even if one did not have many magic circuits, if one had a deeper understanding of spells and could use magic more efficiently, it would not be difficult to make up for innate differences.

At the Clock Tower, his theories were met with disdain from both lecturers and students, which is why Weber angrily came to Japan to prove himself.

Webber, who was already disappointed with the corrupt world of magic, never expected to meet someone in Japan who shared the same beliefs as him!

Could it be that he's like me...?

The boy's mouth gaped open in excitement: "Shin-Shinji-kun... what generation of magician are you? Are you within the sixth generation?"

"I?"

Shirou frowned in thought.

In the Fairy Kingdom, Morgan mentioned that there were probably no magicians among his ancestors, and Shirou was the first proper magician.

However, Miss Savior also stated that even without considering Shirou's extremely unique origins, he still possesses qualities that are considered outstanding among the first generation of magicians.

Shirou answered truthfully, "I think I should be the first generation."

"...!!"

In that instant, Weber suddenly sensed something that could be called destiny.

He grabbed Shirou's hand, spitting excitedly as he spoke:

"I'll do my best! I'll definitely hold off Professor Kenneth and show him that bloodline and magic circuits don't mean everything!"

Shinji-kun! Let's realize our dream together! Let the world see our theories!

Huh? What dream?

Shirou looked completely bewildered. "You want to participate in the national karuta tournament with me too?"

……

……

Kenneth followed the instructions in the letter and went to the 24th floor of the Hyatt Hotel.

Upon arrival, Kenneth used simple detection magic to discover that someone had left magical traces in the corridor.

The faint magical reaction confirms it's Waver; he has indeed entered the building.

"As per your letter, I have arrived, Mr. Webber Wilvet. Aren't you going to show yourself?"

Kenneth wore a fearless smile and infused his voice with magic to ensure his announcement could be heard in every corner of the floor.

"I originally thought you were just a student who liked to daydream but had an empty head."

To my surprise, you actually have some courage to challenge me to a magician's duel. This has given me a new perspective on you.

"Let me offer you a rare compliment—honor for your foolishness and recklessness, Mr. Weber."

Kenneth's cold, sarcastic voice pierced through the walls and reached Weber's ears.

At this moment, the boy was huddled in the darkness of a room, clutching the submachine gun he had just learned how to use.

Although he had gained some courage thanks to Shirou's encouragement, his body still trembled instinctively with fear when he heard Kenneth's voice. He wanted to say something harsh in response, but he swallowed it back down.

On the other side, seeing that Webber had no intention of showing up, Kenneth pulled a test tube out of his pocket.

"I really can't do anything with you, Mr. Weber. I'll just give you a special extra lesson."

I will thoroughly teach you the true meaning of magicians killing each other—that horror and pain—and you should feel honored.

After saying this, he poured the liquid, which appeared to be mercury, from the test tube onto the hotel carpet.

"Boil my blood (Fervor, met sanguts)."

After Kenneth whispered the incantation to activate the spell, the silver liquid on the ground suddenly expanded into a huge solid sphere.

This is the "Moon Spirit Essence" that Lord El-Melloi is so proud of.

At first glance, one might think that this silver liquid is a magical creation that seems to have a life of its own, somewhat similar to the alchemy of Einzbern using silver threads to create artificial life forms.

But in reality, its mysterious scale and the techniques used in its methods far surpass those of alchemy.

Its essence is a magical artifact created by Lord El-Melloi, possessing powerful computational capabilities.

"Autonomous defense, autonomous reconnaissance, targeted attack (Automatoportum defensio:Automatoportum quaerere:Dilectus incursio)"

Each time Kenneth uttered a spiritual incantation, the surface of the mercury block would tremble slightly and then roll past as Kenneth walked toward the city gate.

Kenneth possesses a rare dual attribute even in the magician world—"water" and "wind," and is most skilled in the "fluid manipulation" technique that combines both.

The unique combat magic he created involves using mercury infused with magic as a weapon, which he can manipulate at will.

Mercury has no fixed shape. In other words, this means mercury can take on any form—

“Scalp”.

Kenneth shouted, and part of the mercury sphere immediately transformed into a long, thin ribbon that sliced ​​the guest room door into countless pieces.

With Kenneth's superior magic circuits, there is nothing that "Moon Spirit Essence Liquid" cannot sever.

"I remember reading in your letter that you wanted to duel me. Did I read it wrong?"

"Mr. Weber, did you invite me here to play hide-and-seek with you?"

Kenneth swaggered into the first room while making sarcastic remarks.

But just then, Kenneth heard the sound of metal scraping together.

He looked in the direction of the sound and saw four dark gun barrels pointed in his direction from the four corners of the ceiling.

"Da da da da da da da!!!"

The next instant, four machine guns positioned in the upper corner of the room unleashed a barrage of fire at Kenneth.

Those were four machine gun mounts connected to the magic traps. As soon as someone stepped into the room, the machine gun mounts would automatically aim at the door.

This is a state-of-the-art magic trap that utilizes magic, firearms, and electronic devices. It is Shirou's new work after his return.

Because it is a fully autonomous weapon, he rented the entire floor and prohibited anyone from entering in order to prevent it from attacking unrelated people.

Now, the first victim of this latest type of magic trap is about to appear—

not at all.

The "Moon Spirit Essence Liquid" activated the "Autonomous Defense" command the instant the bullets were fired, completely enveloping Kenneth and blocking all attacks without leaving a trace.

Although the coating of mercury is less than one centimeter thick, through magical compression, its tension and hardness surpass any material on Earth.

Kenneth was unharmed even after the four M249 machine guns emptied all their magazines, leaving only a mess in the room.

"Hmph, is this what you've learned in this country, Mr. Weber?"

After the defenses were disarmed, Kenneth snorted and left the room.

"Because you lack the talent for magic, you resort to unorthodox methods. You are even more foolish than I imagined."

In order to find Webber hiding somewhere, Kenneth entered the next room.

What awaited him there was a modern weapon called the "Claymore".

The entire room was instantly destroyed by targeted landmines, but of course, this time they still couldn't break through the "Moon Spirit Essence Liquid's" defense.

Kenneth seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the hunt, and entered the next room with a smile.

On the other side, Weber gasped.

Self-discipline was definitely useless against Mr. Kenneth!

In other words, in the end, he still has to fight Kenneth as a magician.

My strengths...

Weber glanced at the floor plan and trap markers in his arms.

Although reluctant, he had already memorized the layout of the surrounding floors over the past two hours.

Weber may not have excellent magic circuits, but his theoretical knowledge is definitely not a problem, after all, he is a talent who entered the Clock Tower through self-study.

In Weber's view, Shirou's magic traps were so powerful that they seemed out of place in this era.

The autonomous machine gun traps and Claymore mines we just saw were just appetizers; there are actually even more sophisticated magic traps to come.

For example, a room where the entire space is transformed into a monster's stomach.

For example, a spiral staircase that seems to have no end.

For example, there are rooms where you can feel the high temperature of the Earth's core, and rooms that simulate the vacuum environment of the universe.

Each trap is a level that modern magicians can hardly reach; it's more like a "temple" than a "workshop."

Is Shinji really only 8 years old?

The more Weber studied those magical mechanisms, the more incredible they seemed.

So, can Shirou's traps defeat "Moon Spirit Elixir"?

The answer is yes—that's what Weber thought.

After passing through the previous rooms, Weber had almost mastered the basic properties of "Moon Spirit Essence Liquid".

Its attack method is a whip-like slash, and its defense method is a large-scale membrane deformation.

The method of locating the enemy... according to Weber's observations, should rely on vibrations and heat sources in the air.

An impeccable magic weapon that combines offense and defense—no wonder Mr. Kenneth is so proud.