Brilliant Summer - King Archer -

Master, the boar piglets have found a cave nearby.

Discovery! Digging! It's my island♪ Yup.

Everyone's from the generation that loves Dr. Jones.

In 3D, caves are dark and cramped, and kind of make me sick, yup.

As always, these kids seem to be off in their own little world...

A cave, huh? Master, what should we do?

The boar piglets seem to want to go explore...

That was a quick reply. Let's get going!

You are at the age when adventuring is exciting, Master.

Before I became king, my brother Kay, Merlin, and I used to go on many adventures.

You could say I am your adventuring senpai. Please leave it to me.

？！

It's a cave, yup.

It's dark, yup.

By the way, are we boar piglets nocturnal? Or diurnal?

We'll always be Generation Z.

Teenage Mutant Boar Piglets, yup.

Boar piglets, please calm down. Just this once...please...

Oh? Master, do you suppose this cave is...

The one we visited 2,000 years ago?

Yes, this is the cave we visited with the pirate duo, Mash, and Marie back then.

I believe it was...

Master, did you forget?

Fou, Altria, Marie, Anne, Mary, and I were with you. It's that cave...

？！

...It's quiet. And it's getting chilly.

Fou... Fo-chooo!

We blindly followed the boar piglets to a cave like this, but...

Is there really a bad boar in here?

Oink!

Oink, oink!

You're the one who's closest to them. Don't ask us.

I agree. We're letting you do all the communicating.

Oh, yes. It's not that I doubt them, but...

It's the first time I've had two boar piglets follow me, so I thought it was strange.

Don't worry. No matter what shows up, we're here. Me, Mary, Master...

Together, it feels like we've been pirates on the high seas for decades! Hehe!

？！

Anne, that hurts... I don't mind it though...

Oh, I'm sorry. Caves just get me so excited.

I don't know what good pirating is, but I'm here too. Don't be scared, Marie.

Humph. It feels like you're making fun of us pirates. Like she should be looking to a king for help instead.

I didn't mean it that way. Although, if we are being honest, does it not make more sense to count on a king rather than a pirate?

Humph.

A-Anyway, we're pretty deep in! Are we there yet?

I don't know... Oh, the boar piglets jumped out of my arms.

Oink!

Oink-oink!

The cave splits into two paths. And each boar piglet is standing in front of a different branch.

Which is the right way?

Hmm. I don't know.

Both of them seem to be saying, "Follow me!"

Let's peek a little ahead...

Marie, watch out!

Oh my. An icicle fell from the ceiling... Thank you both. It almost impaled me.

？！

It fell so suddenly I couldn't block it with my shield. Great job, Archers.

No, it was nothing...

Humph.

Humph.

I think my water blast was faster.

Surely my bullet was?

？！

Both paths look identical. The ceilings are covered in icicles.

Whichever we choose, we'll still be in danger like before. What should we do?

I guess we've got no choice. Shall we split up?

With an Archer's eyes, it'll be easy to shoot down the icicles as they fall.

Oh. So you want to split up here?

And we'll see which of us gets to the goal first?

？！

Don't worry. This is just a little test of skill. A practice fight, not a real one.

That's right, Master. Just a little game.

We're not deciding which of us is the better Archer or anything.

How shall we split up? I can't leave Anne, and Mash isn't going to leave Master.

Based on our numbers, the King of Knights can go with them, and Marie can come with us. Fou, you stay with them.

Fou!

Let's go! We'll take the initiative! Marie, this way!

Heeeeeelp meee!

Hehe. Kiyohime and Tamamo taught me what a kidnapped princess sounds like.

I always wanted to say that!

Oh, they're gone...

Let's get going too! My pride as a knight is at stake, I cannot lose!

Another icicle! Fire!

I blocked the fragments with my shield. Are you okay, Master?

？！

I won't miss any. Don't worry. Humph!

There! There! And there!

They're falling in a row! And they're heading straight for you!

I predicted that! I'm ready!

Sound echoes in the cave. You can tell how good their teamwork is just by listening.

...

？！

I can say this because they're not here, but their teamwork is impressive.

Even I admit it. Those two are like one being.

They trust each other with their lives and that creates a greater power than they each have on their own.

That's what it means to have a true partner, I suppose.

？！

The Round Table... They were trusted comrades, but they were knights, and I was their king.

They were different than partners.

...

？！

No. I'm simply observing at something I don't have. A king does not desire a partner.

...Perhaps I had something similar, at one time, in a world different from this one.

Someone with whom I fought side-by-side. Someone I would have called a partner.

？！

...!

...

Yes, you're right. I'm a king, but I'm also just a Servant.

Master, if I could become a partner you can build a trusting relationship with... That would be truly wonderful.

I-I'm here too! I think you can have that kind of relationship with three people!

I mean, I may be a Demi-Servant, so strictly speaking, um...

That's right. You're here too, Mash.

Now, let's work together, like partners, so that we don't let the other side beat us!

We're in an open area! This is...

Oh my...

Oh, I guess it connected to the same place.

Who got here first?

It was us, right?

Wait. The tip of my gun entered this space first. The victor is clear as day.

？！

The deciding factor has to be whose body entered first. And since I jumped forward, that means my

Tch!

F-Forget that! Look over there!

Fou!

Piggy!

？！

Yes, and

There's two of them!

Oh... The boar piglets probably remembered both of their scents. That's how we got here.

They're coming... We'll have to fight both of them together, but we should be able to handle them!

No problem. We can do it.

Of course, I'll fight too!

？！

...!

...!

...!

Hehe. You're right.

Yes. Let's show them the power of partnership!

I guess you remembered.

That's right. The demon boars ran off during the battle.

Fou!

Right. We couldn't bring things to an end, but they stopped using this cave as a home, and peace was restored.

Does that mean there's nothing left in this cave?

No, not at all... In fact, it looks like our 2,000-year-old battle is about to resume!

Demon boars...?

...

...

You two...?

Fou!

Fou, I know. Those two are not them.

Anne Bonny. Mary Read.

...They took their forms, then?

They kept the memory of their defeat, and now they've managed to recreate it.

But...

？！

Fou!?

Master... Don't say that!

That's right. Absolutely right. Why not me?

Those two pirates count as one Servant. Were they chosen because of their number?

Altria may not look it, but she's actually one of the most powerful Servants of all...

Demon boars, you're about to learn that you made a fatal mistake!

She really is competitive!

Okay, Master! This time we killed them for sure!

？！

Of course I am.

I may be limited with the sacred sword, I may not be a Saber... But even so, there's no doubt I'm still the best Servant around.

I'm glad that you understand that, Master. Yes.

Fou...

At any rate, we were able to liberate this cave, too.

Maybe there'll be a mineral vein or something, yup.

It feels like we'll find jewels or something, yup.

Jewel, oh jewel, who's the happiest of them all?

As usual, the boar piglets don't engage their brains before they speak...