Fate/Grand Order story · Events, Fortress of the Jolly Banquet, Csejte Mount Liang
Section 4: Huyan Zhuo and Huang Feihu Devise Countermeasures
Fortress of the Jolly Banquet, Csejte Mount Liang. Chaldea Gate
4 scenes, 694 lines
1. Before the battle
205 lines
Since Mount Liang has outlaws, maybe weshould look for more dependable Servants.
I'm thinking we should focus on dependable Servants.
D-dependable? Then, does that mean I'm
No.
I believe what Master means by "dependable"...
...is Servants that made a name for themselves by serving their countries.
I agree. I think we would be more likely to see eye to eye with that type of Servant as well.
Would you like to come with me then, Master? Of course, you can also stay here if you prefer.
... ...
I'll stay here.
I'll go with you.
I see. I think I would prefer that as well. Very well then, I'll return soon!
Um... Are you sure you wouldn't rather have gone with him?
It's okay. I felt like it's more important to talk to you now.
？！
Me, huh. Hmm. In that case, we'll have to go over the Water Margin.
As a Servant, the Empusa is my base for everything mental, like my personality, my gender, and so on.
But my past memories belong to Huyan Zhuo himself. Hmm, how can I put this...
It feels like I vicariously experienced another person's entire life.
Since it's the past, I remember the things I did back then as though I'm watching someone else perform them.
But at the same time, I'm also fully aware that it's my own past I'm seeing.
It's a strange feeling, and hard to explain well.
So I hope you'll be patient with me as I tell you the story of my past.
I'm descended from Huyan Zan, a Song dynasty general.
I inherited his bian wielding techniques, but also went on to study the sword and the bow.
Later, Gao Qiu chose me for an expedition against Mount Liang.
I brought my lieutenants, Han Tao and Peng Qi, along with me. I think you heard their names earlier.
And for reinforcements, I brought along a commander named Ling Zhen, who was also known as "Heaven Shaking Thunder."
With my ironclad cavalry, I made life very hard for the thieves and bandits of Mount Liang.
However...
...I was ultimately tricked and captured, and eventually joined their ranks myself.
But then, why are you attacking Mount Liang now?
？！
...Oh! Please don't misunderstand! I don't hold any grudge against them. Really.
Since I was used to the Imperial Army, I did struggle at first to adjust to life at Mount Liang...
...but fortunately, I also had a great leader and good friends there.
So despite the hardships, I always enjoyed myself.
You know, the girl we're facing now...
I think she changed from Shi Jin the Nine-Tattooed Dragon to Elisa the Nine-Tattooed Dragon in a way similar to what I went through.
Elisa... Elisabeth...
？！
Do you know her?
I never talked to Shi Jin much, but he was a truly great man.
He would risk his life for his friends, and willingly give it up if it meant serving justice.
And even I had a tough time dealing with the staff technique he learned from Lord Wang Jin.
You might not think so by looking at him, but his defense was surprisingly impenetra
That does sound like fun.
That must be hard for you.
？！
It's not! N-not at all! ...I'm perfectly fine with that.
I'm the great, invincible general, Huyan Zhuo. I may be an Assassin now...
...but I'm still one of the Five Tiger Generals who dominated the battlefield with my ironclad cavalry!
(Yeah, she's definitely having a hard time with this...)
General! The Mount Liang forces are attacking us under the cover of night!
(Sigh...) So they couldn't be satisfied with sticking to defense, huh.
I would guess they're mainly trying to irritate us and run recon at the same time. That being said, our morale can't take many more setbacks.
Ready your weapons! We're going to drive them off!
Yes, General!
All right. This time, we will be the ones to crush them!
We will show them why we are proud to be part of the Imperial Army!
Understood. Then I'll be waiting on standby.
Thank you, General Huyan Zhuo. We're counting on you.
Be careful, Master! And don't worry! I'll watch over things here while you're gone!
(I'm getting mild guard dog vibes from her...)
So, I'm guessing you have some questions about Huyan Zhuo for me.
I'll be happy to answer them. But first...
...I need to see if you're a Master worth swearing my loyalty to.
How so?
？！
It doesn't matter what you look like. I can still tell that you are indeed a Master.
So that just leaves the question of Lady Huyan Zhuo.
What do you think of her?
She's really cool and strong...but it also seems like she's always on edge.
She's a badass, but she also seems to be struggling.
？！
Exactly. Good. I'm glad to see you understand.
You see, I think I tend to be somewhat...inflexible.
Not physically, you see, but mentally. In other words, I can be insensitive at times.
I'm not especially afraid of fighting, or dying, or being cursed out.
But because of that, I can't seem to understand how Huyan Zhuo feels.
And to complicate matters more, this is Mount Liang. It's practically her hometown.
No... It's safe to say it IS her hometown.
After all, this is where she spent most of her waking life.
So this battle must be anything but ordinary for her. Don't you think?
So, she's basically attacking her home?
？！
Indeed...
And to make matters worse, she also has to face Shi Jinor rather, Elisa the Nine-Tattooed Dragon.
She was once one of Huyan Zhuo's allies, too.
Did they not get along well?
What do I think of Shi Jin? Hmm...
Nothing much...I don't think...
Oh, though he did once steal my secret stash of booze. Or was that Li Kui?
Well, either way, I was definitely mad at him for it. I can still remember chasing him around with my iron bian.
...Man, that was fun.
Sounds like they were good friends.
I think so, too.
Of course, this would hardly be the first time one encountered a formerly dear friend on the battlefield.
So I wouldn't be surprised if Huyan Zhuo has already made her peace with that.
But, I also don't think we alone can say anything for sure. Now, would you mind hiding in my shirt for a bit, Master?
Why? What're you planning to do?
...Say what?
？！
I want to go talk to the Servants at Mount Liang.
Who knows? Maybe some of them will even be willing to join us!
It could be a different kind of headhunting expedition!
Okay, let's go!
May I come in!?
Yeah, yeah, hang on. May I ask who's callAaah!
I'm here!
Good!
Uh... Huang Feihu, right? What do you mean, you're here to hang out?
Aren't you with the Imperial Army?
Indeed, I am. But there's no rule that says I can't hang out or enjoy myself.
Oh come on, this is ridiculous.
Fine with me! You're totally welcome here!
You sure about this?
Since Leader's taking a break, it's my call!
And if Huang Feihu sees what a great place Mount Liang is...
...maybe he and Huyan Zhuo will come join us, too!
You really think that could happen? 'Cause I'm not seeing it with this particular general.
Well, if he starts acting up, we can always just subdue him.
Yeah! Welcome to Mount Liang!
Oh, nah, you don't gotta worry about that here.
To start...how about we have a party to welcome him!
Wooo! Time for another banquet!
Hahaha, it sounds as though you all have a good time on the daily.
'Course, thanks to that, we've all had to help Boudica out in the kitchen, since it's too many to cook for on her own.
And I appreciate it. Thanks.
Man, why's the red Archer never seem to be Rayshift-compatible when you need him?
Anyone who wants a drink can go grab some from the Infinite Alco-Falls!
Here, have a jug.
Right?
You can carbonate it to make it like beer, or just enjoy it straight.
It's not only infinite in quantity, it's versatile, too.
I'm sure I'm going to gain lots of weight eating and drinking this well every day!
Not to worry, sir. I'll just make sure you work off the calories.
Isn't it cruel of you to make me do that at my age?
It would be far crueler to let your weight gain go unchecked. Especially when I'm carrying you as Rocinante.
I'll do my best!
All right, here's to you paying us a visit, Huang Feihu! Cheeers!
You are too kind. Cheers!
Ahh, that's good! Man, this booze is still better than anything else I ever tasted!
Now...what are you up to?
Oho, how very direct of you. Now I see how you had the guts to try and assassinate Qin Shi Huang.
But I have no ulterior motive. I truly did just come here to hang out.
Well...the idea of finding new recruits for our Imperial Army did cross my mind...
...but I can see there's no one here who would be interested in joining us!
So now that I know that, I'd like to get back to drinking. Would you mind putting away that dagger?
(Sigh) Well, I guess it is kind of crass to wave a dagger around at a party...
...Just kidding.
Hmm, impressive. If that attack hadn't been an illusion, I don't know if I could have avoided it.
Spare me your flattery, Prince Wucheng.
If that hadn't been an illusion, my body'd be lying in two pieces right now.
So would you mind putting that spear away?
Hahaha, sorry about that!
Hey, Huang Feihu! You sure you don't wanna join us?
Oho, that's very direct of you.
You're wasting your time...
Yan Qing is right. I'm sorry.
If I were to join you...
...Huyan Zhuo would be crying into her bread so hard she could only taste the tears.
I just can't do that to her.
It would also make her stubbornly vow never to join you herself.
Ngh... I see. Then I guess I'll just have to forget about it...
Can I ask you something?
By all means. Just as long as it's not about our army's weaknesses.
Not at all. We wish to repair the Singularity too, of course.
The only difference between you and us...
...is that we think that is best done by disbanding Mount Liang.
Oh... Then I guess we're not gonna resolve our differences peacefully.
I'm sure you already knew as much.
No way I'm ever disbanding this place!
Good! That's the spirit!
Ah, there you are, Lord Huang Feihu. My name is Houzouin Inshun.
What would you say to a quick sparring session?
Sounds like fun. Let's do it!
Didn't even think about it for a second, huh. That's about what I expected.
If you lose, you get the paralyzing wine!
I see. Then I really can't afford to lose, can I? Very well then.
Excellent! Then let us begin!
2. Before the battle
167 linesWe're done here. All hands, retreat! Fuuma Kotarou, I'm counting on you to bring up the rear!
Okay, Imperial Army, we'll be on our way now. Oh, and don't worry. This was just a little prank of sorts.
We're not going to attack you in your sleep or anything, so you can rest easy tonight.
Like hell we can!
Dammit... Those people are absolutely infuriating.
Relax. The important thing is that we won! Now let's hear that victory cheer!
...Phew. That's more like it. Losing over and over just doesn't suit me.
I feel a little better now!
You were amazing!
I have returned.
...Ahem. So you have.
The enemy attacked us while you were gone, but we drove them off without any trouble.
Oho, is that so? Impressive.
So, how did it go?
I bring good tidings, Huyan Zhuo. Two Servants have agreed to join us!
Really!?
They're right back there. May I call them?
Not at all. My name is Qin Liangyu. I heard the enemy encampment is full of bandits!
Mount Liang or not, I won't rest until I've crushed them all with my spear!
I don't have quite the same hatred towards bandits as she does...but I do feel that my place is here.
Taigong Wang, at your service.
Hehe. With the chancellor on our side, victory is sure to be ours.
Pretty good Servant fishing on my part, wouldn't you say?
Hahaha. I'm usually the one doing the fishing, but it looks like this time, I was the one that was caught.
Wh-why did someone so famous agree to join us?
Well, you see...
I think I'll go see what things are like at Mount Liang before I go looking for Servants.
If I play my cards right, I might even be able to win some over to our side.
May I come in!?
Yeah, yeah, hang on. May I ask who's callAaah!
I'm here!
Good!
Uh... Huang Feihu, right? What do you mean, you're here to hang out?
Aren't you with the Imperial Army?
Indeed I am. But there's no rule that says I can't hang out or enjoy myself.
Oh come on, this is ridiculous.
Fine with me! You're totally welcome here!
You sure about this?
Since Leader's taking a nap, it's my call!
And if Huang Feihu sees what a great place Mount Liang is...
...maybe he and Huyan Zhuo will come join us, too!
You really think that could happen? 'Cause I'm not seeing it with this particular general.
Well, if he starts acting up, we can always just subdue him.
Yeah! Welcome to Mount Liang!
Oh, nah, you don't gotta worry about that here.
To start...how about we have a party to welcome him!
Wooo! Time for another banquet!
Hahaha, it sounds as though you all have a good time on the daily.
'Course, thanks to that, we've all had to help Boudica out in the kitchen, since it's too many to cook for on her own.
And I appreciate it. Thanks.
Man, why's the red Archer never seem to be Rayshift-compatible when you need him?
Anyone who wants a drink can go grab some from the Infinite Alco-Falls!
Here, have a jug.
Right?
You can carbonate it to make it like beer, or just enjoy it straight.
It's not only infinite in quantity, it's versatile, too.
I'm sure I'm going to gain lots of weight eating and drinking this well every day!
Not to worry, sir. I'll just make sure you work off the calories.
Isn't it cruel of you to make me do that at my age?
It would be far crueler to let your weight gain go unchecked. Especially when I'm carrying you as Rocinante.
I'll do my best!
All right, here's to you paying us a visit, Huang Feihu! Cheeers!
You are too kind. Cheers!
Ahh, that's good! Man, this booze is still better than anything else I ever tasted!
Now...what are you up to?
Oho, how very direct of you. Now I see how you had the guts to try and assassinate Qin Shi Huang.
But I have no ulterior motive. I truly did just come here to hang out.
Well...the idea of finding new recruits for our Imperial Army did cross my mind...
...but I can see there's no one here who would be interested in joining us!
So now that I know that, I'd like to get back to drinking. Would you mind putting away that dagger?
(Sigh) Well, I guess it is kind of crass to wave a dagger around at a party...
...Just kidding.
Hmm, impressive. If that attack hadn't been an illusion, I don't know if I could have avoided it.
Spare me your flattery, Prince Wucheng.
If that hadn't been an illusion, my body'd be lying in two pieces right now.
So would you mind putting that spear away?
Hahaha, sorry about that!
Hey, Huang Feihu! You sure you don't wanna join us?
Oho, that's very direct of you.
You're wasting your time...
Yan Qing is right. I'm sorry.
If I were to join you...
...Huyan Zhuo would be crying into her bread so hard she could only taste the tears.
I just can't do that to her.
It would also make her stubbornly vow never to join you herself.
Ngh... I see. Then I guess I'll just have to forget about it...
Can I ask you something?
By all means. Just as long as it's not about our army's weaknesses.
Not at all. We wish to repair the Singularity too, of course.
The only difference between you and us...
...is that we think that is best done by disbanding Mount Liang.
Oh... Then I guess we're not gonna resolve our differences peacefully.
I'm sure you already knew as much.
No way I'm ever disbanding this place!
Good! That's the spirit!
Ah, there you are, Lord Huang Feihu. My name is Houzouin Inshun.
What would you say to a quick sparring session?
Sounds like fun. Let's do it!
Didn't even think about it for a second, huh. That's about what I expected.
If you lose, you get the paralyzing wine!
I see. Then I really can't afford to lose, can I? Very well then.
Excellent! Then let us begin!
That's enough! I see you're every bit the fighter we heard you were, Prince Wucheng.
Are you all right, Lord Houzouin?
Indeed. It just goes to show my spear still has room for improvement!
Ooh, can I take a turn at killing him next?
We're not here to kill one another, Blackbeard.
If you can't treat this like one of your games, then I'm afraid you're going to have to leave.
Aw man.
Then allow me to go nex
Ooh, I wanna go, too. Can I start from behind?
If you're all gonna fight him...I'd like a turn, too.
Just what I would expect from my fellow fighters! Very well then...bring it!
I completely lost track of time...
It's a shame I never managed to find the Servants I was looking for.
Maybe I should have them postpone tomorrow's deployment so I can spend another day searching for recruits...?
You there! Are you one of Mount Liang's bandits!?
Hey! What do you think you're doing!?
Now that I have been summoned here... I will not suffer any bandits to live!
My name is Qin Liangyu. Now prepare to die!
Oho, Qin Liangyu! I've heard of you! How wonderful! By all means, let us fight!
Heh. Big talk from a lowly bandit.
Would you like some help, Lady Qin Liangyu?
Hmm. I don't think I'll need your help to deal with a mere bandit...
But, bandit or not, I would certainly prefer not to take life unnecessarily. Do you mind if I tell him your name?
That could bring him to give up, and I would not have to take my spear to him.
Hahaha, you make a good point.
Thank you, Lord Taigong Wang.
Hey there. I'm Taigong Wa
... ...
... ...
(Aha. Now I understand.)
...Ahem. Taigong Wang? Why should I be afraid of one of your stature!?
Though I am not sharing my True Name, know that I have made a name for myself in the thieving business!
Now, come and face me, Lady Qin Liangyu!
(Try as he might, he can't hide his good upbringing...)
(That doll tucked in his shirt... Is that his Master? Hmm. It seems there's something complicated going on here.)
(Still, for the time being, I think I'll need to let them fight this out.)
(... ...)
(Hmm. I'm getting a bad feeling about this...)
So you made a name for yourself in the thieving business, did you?
...Heh. Hehehehe. I'm impressed you have the guts to brag about such a thing in front of me.
Well, your bandit career ends today! Would you assist me, Lord Taigong Wang!?
I-I guess we're really doing this!
3. After the battle
138 linesThat's enough! I see you're every bit the fighter we heard you were, Prince Wucheng.
Are you all right, Lord Houzouin?
Indeed. It just goes to show my spear still has room for improvement!
Ooh, can I take a turn at killing him next?
We're not here to kill one another, Blackbeard.
If you can't treat this like one of your games, then I'm afraid you're going to have to leave.
Aw man.
Then allow me to go nex
Ooh, I wanna go, too. Can I start from behind?
If you're all gonna fight him...I'd like a turn, too.
Just what I would expect from my fellow fighters! Very well then...bring it!
I completely lost track of time...
It's a shame I never managed to find the Servants I was looking for.
Maybe I should have them postpone tomorrow's deployment so I can spend another day searching for recruits...?
You there! Are you one of Mount Liang's bandits!?
Oho! What a fortunate turn of events!
What was that?
I am Huang Feihu of the Imperial Army, and I too share the goal of defeating the bandits of Mount Liang!
And who might you be?
Huh? Huang Feihu? Is that you?
Lord Jiang Ziya!?
Yes, it's me. Taigong Wang, aka Jiang Ziya. Man, it's been forever since I saw you, Huang!
Do you mean to say that this is Prince Wucheng from the Investiture of the Gods!?
He sure is!
Oh, yes. Huang Feihu, this is General Qin Liangyu.
We happened to be summoned here together, so we've been traveling with one another since.
Oho, so you're Lady Qin Liangyu!
This is perfect timing. Would you two be interested in joining our army?
...And that's more or less what happened.
I see...
... ...
Lady Huyan Zhuo?
...Urk...
Lady Huyan Zhuo!?
Oh, I know! You two are so famous you literally bowled her over!
She wasn't mentally strong enough to handle your fame!
You're kidding!
Uh-oh. You're right. I completely forgot she would react this way!
Come on, Master! We need to praise her together!
Got it!
Khh... You're stronger than I thought!
(Well, of course he is. He is Huang Feihu, after all.)
(And it seems my bad premonition was correct. He's on the verge of taking this battle seriously!)
Why!? Why did you turn to thievery when you have such strength at your command!?
Whoops. Looks like the cat's out of the bag.
It sure is.
... ...I'm sorry, did you just say "Huang Feihu"?
As in, Prince Wucheng from the same Investiture of the Gods as Lord Taigong Wang?
I'm so sorry! If I had only known who you were
Hey, no need to apologize, Lady Qin Liangyu. He's the one who picked a fight without introducing himself.
I-I know, but still!
Forgive me. I wished to see how strong you were for myself.
I could have introduced myself sooner with you here, Chancellor Jiang, but
But you wanted to test Lady Qin Liangyu's strength for yourself.
I don't have a problem with that in theory...
...but there's little point in testing a potential ally's strength if you just end up killing them by doing so.
I'm so ashamed. I must apologize to you once again, Chancellor. And of course, to you too, Lady Qin Liangyu.
As someone similarly unforgiving towards bandits, I wanted to see your skills for myself. Forgive me.
I-I see. So that's why you played along with my misunderstanding.
It sounds like there's more to this story. Why don't you tell us what's going on with you first?
...And there you have it.
Lady Huyan Zhuo...
The famous iron bian wielder from "Water Margin."
From what I know, she absolutely earned her position as a general.
I used to be something like a tactician, but I was never some frontline commander or anything.
My closest equivalent in "Water Margin" would probably be Wu Yong, the Knowledge Star.
Anyone Huang accepts as his leader is certainly good enough for me.
Oh good, you're back.
The enemy attacked us under the cover of night while you were away, but we fended them off without any trouble.
And I think the soldiers' morale has improved a little, too.
How did things fare with you, Hua
It's an honor to meet you, Lady Huyan Zhuo. My True Name is Qin Liangyu.
And I'm Taigong Wang. I guess you could say I'm a friend of Huang Feihu's?
... ...Qin Liangyu? Taigong Wang?
As in, the only recorded female general in Chinese history, and the most famous tactician of all time?
... ...Nnn.
I think she was bowled over by your fame...
Hehe, she can be such a handful sometimes. Come on, Master, let's wake her up!
Come on, Huyan Zhuo! You can do this!
This is...not exactly promising.
I'm sorry about that.
I was so overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of your presence that I lost my composure for a bit.
Allow me to introduce myself. I am Huyan Zhuo. I'm a compound Servant made with the Phantom Spirit of the Empusa.
I've been tasked with leading the Imperial Army's assault on Mount Liang.
Yes?
...So, are you saying...
...I should be so honored to meet someone as famous as you that I should buy a ticket to your meet and greet?
No, no, nothing like that. I just meant it as the gesture of goodwill it's intended to be!
Oh, good! In that case, absolutely.
(Did he just...?)
(Shh.)
All right, let's go over the plan once more.
Lady Qin Liangyu, I'd like you to lead the left wing of the army that I didn't have the capacity to manage on my own.
Understood. I will give everything I have if it means defeating bandits.
Huang Feihu, I'd like you to lead the right wing. And Lord Taigong Wang, I'd like you to help me oversee the whole army and offer advice as you see fit.
Sounds good to me!
Gladly.
Then tomorrow, we'll renew our assault on Mount Liang. Thank you, everyone!
Huang, can I talk to you for a minute?
Of course.
Remember when Lady Huyan Zhuo said she had been tasked with leading the assault?
Do you know who gave her that task?
No, I don't. I've been trying to find that out myself, but to no avail so far.
I confirmed something when I shook her hand earlier. I'm afraid...
...she's under the influence of a very nasty spell.
One I suspect she's not even aware of herself.
That's why she thought nothing of saying she had been tasked with this assault.
So then
Yes. It's a very tricky situation.
The spell has already made its way deep into her Spirit Origin. And if the caster realizes we're onto them...
...they could easily use it to harm Lady Huyan Zhuo if they so choose.
I knew it. I thought something was amiss.
I'm sure you did. That's why you've been intentionally avoiding prying further, isn't it?
Indeed... But at least now, you've helped me confirm a suspicion I've held, Chancellor.
There's more to this Singularity than meets the eye.
Indeed. And whoever this caster is, it isn't Master.
I think we'll need to enlist his help for this.
Let's start by seeing how things play out during tomorrow's battle.
I expect something to happen now that our forces have been bolstered.
We'll need to keep a close eye out to make sure we don't miss it.
Understood.
Would you mind filling Master in about all this? Thanks. Good night. Not that I'm about to sleep anytime soon.
4. Before the battle
184 linesNo matter how many times I have this juice, it's still super yummy!
It sure is. And this booze is out of this world. Was it meant to be offered to the emperor or something?
Then I think I shall partake as well. Please, if you would be so kind.
Hey, unless you want me to literally cough it up, you won't get any from me! My jug's already bone-dry!
...A pity.
But hey, if you want it that badly, you can always try and take some.
...Hmm.
Jing Ke! Stop tempting Yagyu down the path of evil!
Haha. Worry not, Lady Boudica. It was just a mere jest.
Really? 'Cause you don't look like you're joking!
It's the bow and arrow.
No, it's the spear.
I'll admit, a bowman could be in trouble if the enemy gets within close range.
But to claim that the spear is superior only shows you know nothing of how terrifying the bow can be.
With all due respect...
...doesn't the very fact that such an abnormal situation is possible at all speak to the bow's weakness?
I'm fairly certain that unless I were facing an Archer with truly godlike skills, I could deflect just about every arrow they fire at me.
Perhaps you could, but that's hardly typical for spear wielders in general.
While my skills may not be godlike, I am still certain that I could kill every soldier mustered against me.
Hmm. Perhaps we need to distinguish between individual battles and group ones.
Good point.
But then, if we go that route, the very idea of a squadron made up of nothing but archers is extremely unrealistic...
Oh, Lord Fuuma. Good timing. What do you think?
Um... About what?
Oh, we were just having a lighthearted discussion about what we believe to be the strongest weapon.
Hmm... I think my answer would depend on the battle environment, and on whether it's for a group battle or individual battle.
But, if I absolutely had to choose...
Let's say you do, yes.
Then I would have go with a rock.
A rock!?
I don't disagree that both bows and spears have their uses. But combat is intrinsically linked to its environment and situation.
Broadly speaking, there are very few battles that begin with a long-distance attack on a completely empty space.
Sometimes, there might not even be any weapons available.
So the next best thing is to throw anything hard or heavy that's close at hand.
A rock is perfect. If I were in that kind of situation, I'd look for one as big as my fist and throw it.
If I were fighting one-on-one, I'd throw rocks as I made a getaway, then close in once I saw an opportunity.
If I were part of a group battle, I'd throw as many rocks as I could to gain an advantage, then charge once we had it.
When you get right down to it, we're nothing more than hoodlums and ruffians.
If we can't win our battles, we don't have any business being on a battlefield in the first place.
Hmm, I can't argue with that...
That IS the kind of principle I tend to forget when I spend my days polishing my technique...
I'm sorry. I don't mean to disparage either of your weapons or skill sets.
Isn't the best kind of weapon just a gun?
Well, if you're going to go down that road...
The mapo tofu golem turned out even better than I'd hoped. And it tasted great, too.
I tell you, I felt kind of bad for our enemies.
Getting punched in the face is bad enough, but to have that fist be steaming hot and getting chili pepper in your eyes on top of it? That's just cruel.
Maybe I should try other kinds of Chinese food golems next... What do you think?
Honestly, I can't think of any other dishes besides mapo tofu that'd work!
How about you, Mandricardo? Do you have any opinion on the subject?
Uh... Maybe fermented tofu or something?
What's fermented tofu like?
Oh, I know that one. It's when you pickle tofu to let it, well, ferment.
We don't usually serve it at Chaldea, though. It's got a pretty distinctive smell, and a lot of people don't care for it. In fact, it's actually called stinky tofu in a lot of places.
Oh... Gotcha.
Stinky... That sounds promising...
Stop that right now! I won't have you wasting any more food!
Yes, ma'am.
(He caved fast!)
Maybe you could make bamboo golems instead? Oh, no, wait. I want to save that for traps.
You use bamboo for traps?
Oh yeah, it's great stuff. Strong, pliable, and there's all sorts of things you can do with it.
Huh...
I dunno. I'm an adventurer, so I usually end up tripping traps instead of setting them.
So I can't say I really care for them...
Hmm. As an adventurer, what would you say's the most annoying kind of trap to deal with?
Oh man, you're kind of putting me on the spot here! Uh... Let's see...
Heeey! Fujimaru!
What's up?
？！
We just rounded up enough additional Servants for the last round of Rayshifts.
So get ready, 'cause three more are headed your way soon!
Ooh, who are they!?
I want to request at least one cute girl who's hopelessly pining away for me!
Good evening, everyone. I'm here to bring you some fairy tales!
... ...
Is something wrong? She seems very cute to me.
Can't you see how young she is? I don't go for children.
Hahaha. Now I understand!
Ooh! I wonder who it could be this time.
Oh man, for a moment there, I swear I could see the abyss...
That was probably his stomach. Are you an endoscope now?
I'm sorry about that. He was just acting on reflex.
Hahaha, no worries! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm just gonna go take a little bath!
Welcome, Lobo!
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... ...
He just bounded away... Is he upset about something?
No, he was actually in a pretty good mood.
？！
Master is right. He just doesn't like the smell of alcohol.
I don't like it either, of course. Everyone knows alcohol is only for grown-ups!
I see. Well, I guess there's nothing we can do about that then.
Um... G-good evening, everyone. I'm Abigail Williams!
Ooh, if it isn't the first Foreigner! Welcome♪
Good evening, Molay.
I'm honored to be part of the same mission as a holy knight like yourself!
Oh, no, no, the honor's all mine. Heh hehe.
Say, why don't we have a little midnight tea party tonight, just the two of us? Foreigners only?
Oh my! That sounds wonderful. But...it's almost my bedtime.
And Hokusai's told me over and over that staying up too late was "verboten."
Though for a long time, I didn't know what that word meant, so I thought she was saying that staying up too late was "fur boatin'." You can understand my confusion!
Hmm, I didn't know she was so overprotective. But, oh well.
There's nothing stopping us from holding an Outer God-slash-Foreigner secret society meeting any other time!
Oh yes! I could certainly work that in around lunchtime tomorrow!
Ugh, you're so wholesome. It's hard to believe you've got an occult thing going on... Oh well!
Oh, right. Do you have a minute, Master?
What's up?
？！
Hmm...
As I thought. A tiny piece of your soul is missing. Hmm...
Could it have gone over to the enemy's side? Have you been feeling okay lately?
I think so...
？！
Then it should be fine. They must be treating it very well.
Besides, it's not of any value to them as a hostage, since if it dies, it simply goes back where it belongs.
I say, that sounds serious enough of a situation to me. Are you quite certain we need not worry?
Oh sure, there's no problem. That soul piece'll go right back where it came from once this Halloween Singularity is repaired.
And of course, I'll take full responsibility in tracking it down. So don't you worry about a thing, Master.
Unless...you don't find my word reassuring?
No worries there at all.
？！
Parfait! Très bien! I haven't felt this motivated in a long time!
This is great! We're getting lots more allies!
It won't be long now before Mount Liang has all one-hundred and eight stars!
Yeah? That's great! I'll drink to that!
Me too! 'Cause I'm an outlaw too!
No, none of that now. You're sticking with juice.
Hmph. Then I'll just have some meat an
(Devouring meat without a word)
What, you're too good for my booze!? Well, it doesn't matter! I already drank it all anyway!
Ahhh!
Forget it. They're already completely plastered. Come on Master, Elly. Let's get you two out of here.
Aww, why do I gotta go? It's way more fun over here!
Because you're a kid right now, and they're setting a bad example.
Phooey. But I'll do what I'm told! I'm a good girl!
Here we go. Now how 'bout we just have a nice, calm meal while we take in the stars?
'Sides, we're the Stars of Destiny of Mount Liang. Seeing our own stars shine is our greatest joy.
Or something like that.
That's so poetic.
Hahaha, hardly. Us vigilantes don't usually go in for poetry.
All stars need to do is shine. And for outlaws like us, all we need to do to be heroes and stars is fight.
Is that what Lord Song Jiang used to say?
Nah. I just came up with it now.
Now I wish I hadn't asked!
I heard the Chinese word for "outlaw" in "Water Margin"means something like "good man." Is that true?
Uh, not exactly.
The word they use in "Water Margin" is "haohan." It does have a character for "man" in it, and conveys qualities like "strong" and "heroic"...
...but Mt. Liang was always known for having three female leaders among its ranks: Hu Sanniang, Gu Dasao, and Sun Erniang.
The leaders of Mount Liang later came to be known collectively as "haohan." And of course, Huyan Zhuo totally qualifies as one, too.
He was an incredibly capable general who could expertly wield iron bian, ride horses, fire bows, and way more.
I don't know much about this Empusa lady, but if she's Huyan Zhuo now, I know she's gotta be strong.
What was Huyan Zhuo like as a person?
Huyan Zhuo used iron bian... Or were they copper?
It doesn't matter. Either way, you really don't want to get hit with it.
Yeah, it looks like it'd be really painful!
They didn't cut or hit like normal weapons. More like they could beat you to mush.
That was a handful to deal with all on its own, but he was also really good with swords, bows, and horses, too.
We should probably expect she's just as skilled with all those things now, Empusa mixed in or not.
Oh, and Huyan Zhuo was also known for his ironclad cavalry.
He'd charge in with a battalion of horses decked out in iron armor and lay waste to the enemy all at once.
Anyone who survived one of those cavalry assaults couldn't so much as look at a cavalryman for months afterward.
It was so cool! Like watching a pitch-black tsunami crash over the enemy!
？！
So hey, about Huyan Zhuo.
Yeah? What about her?
Do you think there's any way we could convince her to join us?
I don't know, but it'd be great having her on our side again.
But if that's gonna happen, there's two things we're gonna have to do first.
Fight her, and win!
Exactly.
So for the time being, us outlaws are gonna have to figure out a way to reach Huyan Zhuo's heart...
...just like how Lord Song Jiang once did with his words.
(...Although, there's still one thing I'm wondering about. She clearly remembered Mount Liang...)
(So then, why hasn't she tried to join us herself? I don't think it's 'cause Lord Song Jiang isn't here...)
Teeheehee... At long last, the final battle is close at hand.
Hehehe... And still none of them realize their magical energy comes from us.
Soon, we will finally be able to harvest. Or perhaps, given our position...
...I should say, "collect our taxes."