First Casino "HIMEJI Survival Casino"

This world is a blast. Why? 'Cause I don't have to worry about my draft.

This world sucks. Why? 'Cause I have to worry about my draft.

Ahahahaha! Now that's what I'm talking about!

The bullet shells falling from the sky... The gun barrels roaring to life...

They all help keep the draft looming over me at bay.

Yes, that's right.

I'm Osakabehime, and I'm gleefully escaping from the reality of my never-ending draft even as I speak.

Ahh, I love me some battle royal and Dewy Mountain!

An ice-cold glass, a hot shower to wash off my sweat...

...then nothing else to do but sleep till evening, totally forgetting about my deadline.

Viva Las Vegas!

...Well, I guess I can't forget about it entirely. I'm well aware that I haven't made any progress on it whatsoever.

And I also get the distinct impression that my oni-in-chief Kiyo-yo is steadily bearing down on me.

...But so what? There's nothing more fun than running away from reality when it gets too real.

So I'm gonna keep on running right up until the moment I have to face the ongaku!

We're almost there, Master.

According to Iori's advice, we should have the best odds with that casino over there.

HIMEJI Survival Casino.

At a glance, it would seem to be clearly modeled after Himeji Castle in Japan.

Really? A place outta my home country?

So it would seem. Although, speaking of Himeji...

...isn't that the home of that girl who's always pestering me for an autograph?

Huh. Ain't she the one who put one over on the legendary Miyamoto Musashi!?

......

The famous Csejte Pyramid Himeji Castle, huh...

......

...No, wait, hang on. I'm pretty sure I ain't ever heard of that before?

Well, um...

Let's just say it's the kind of building that leaves a, um, lasting impression...

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Well, whatever's in store for us there, we've still got to make our way inside! You've got the chips we need to ante up, right?

Then let's get this Swimsuit Swordmaster challenge underway!

So this is the Himeji Casino...

It looks like a pretty standard casino, aside from the Japanese decor.

I see slot machines, roulette wheels, poker tables... Oh, and a hanafuda parlor, too. That's different.

Fooou! Fooou!

I didn't know you like hanafuda so much, Fou. Wait, over there. Is that...Jaguar Warrior?

Hm.

There's something about these hanafuda cards that makes me feel real meowstalgic.

Is that so? For some reason, when I look at them...

...any nostalgia I might have is vastly outweighed by the sheer horror of other strange and terrible memories.

Heh heh heh...

Looks like we're not getting out of this without at least one duel, are we?

While I do get the feeling that it's a really, really bad idea to get mixed up with you...

...I can also hear the goddesses inside me saying I can't go around cowering like a scared little puppy forever!

Nyahahaha, that's the spirit! Then let's do this, Divine Spirit amalgamation from the freezing north!

Bring it on!

Huh?

That's odd. I thought only those wearing swimsuits could Rayshift into this Las Vegas...

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...Let's worry about that later.

For now, we should look for the Swimsuit Swordmaster who manages this casino.

The line for contenders who wish to challenge this casino's Swimsuit Swordmaster starts over here. Don't worry, there are plenty of tickets for everyone.

That line seems to stretch on forever...

Ugh, how long're we gonna hafta wait?

Where is Osakabehime, anyway? Er, that's not to say we should just assume she's the manager here, of course, but

Hello

Master

♡♡

I'm so sorry for leaving you alone for so long, Master. Don't worry, your devoted captive, Kiyo-yo, is here now♪

Gurk!

H-hehe. You can be so mean sometimes, Master... That's exactly what I was trying not to think about...

(In other words, they haven't made any progress at all...)

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Anyway, are you all here to challenge this casino's Swimsuit Swordmaster?

You bet! This is where the legend of Katsushika OuiI mean, Hokusai, really begins!

Well, it's wonderful to see you in such high spirits...

What are you doing here, Kiyohime?

I came here to hold Batty's nose to the grindstone, but she's refusing to work on anything except her Swimsuit Swordmaster job.

The way things are going now, I'm going to have to handle every part of our book myself...

Guess I'll have to change our club name from "Princess Princess" to just "Princess," too...

I see. So Osakabehime's been struggling to make headway on her draft, even here.

Although, after everything that happened last summer, I can understand how she feels all too well...

Basically, it looks like Batty won't be doing any draft work until she loses a Swordmaster battle.

But I haven't been able to find anyone else willing to join me, so I've been at a loss as to what to do next.

Well hey, this works out perfectly. The whole reason we're here is to challenge Swimsuit Swordmaster Osakabehime.

Don't worry! I'll take her down a peg or two and have her churning out pages for your draft in no time!

(That dryness would seem to be a clear indicator that she is actually Miyamoto Musashi...)

(But if she insists on calling herself Iori now, I suppose I should follow suit.)

Thank you, everyone...

But I have to ask: do you have a letter of challenge?

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That's right. Before you can challenge a Swimsuit Swordmaster, you need to prove you're worthy of doing so.

And you do that by acquiring a letter of challenge just for that Swordmaster.

Now that you mention it, I recall the Summer Lion King mentioning a letter of challenge too...

Well, since it seems you don't have one right now, why don't you just spectate for today?

Each Swimsuit Swordmaster has a unique fighting style, so I think it would be worth your time to observe for a bit.

Hmm, that's a good point.

As Sun Tzu said, "Know thyself, know thy enemy."

I believe we can and should take this opportunity to proceed intelligently. ...Yes. Intelligently.

？！

You know, I have to ask: Do Servants even need glasses?

...Er, putting aside the ones who already wore them when they were still alive.

Hmm. I guess it's something about the look? Who knows, maybe it even has a positive effect on their INT stat.

Hmm, I see...

...Wait. When did we start measuring intelligence as a stat!?

Hmm. As a fellow glasses-wearing Servant myself, I can't help but feel a little sense of rivalry.

Which is why it's time for me to break out my own pair.

Anyway, I agree this is a good idea. Before we fight Osakabehime ourselves...

...let's get a good look at what sort of Swimsuit Swordmaster she is and how she fights.

Two squadrons left. Go, go, go!

I've got your heals covered!

I've got the headshots handled!

What's the big deal? Let's just rush her! Come on, follow my lead!

Stop, you idiot!

First come, first owned.

Gaaah!

What'd we tell you!?

Hang on. What's a gang member doing in a military setting, anyway!?

Now's my chance to headshot

Aargh!

Sorry, looks like we beat you to the kill♪

Crap, there's two more! This is impossible!

Forget this! I'm out!

Come on, be cool, bro. Here, hang with me for a bit. Smile!

And the winner is...Swimsuit Swordmaster Osakabehime!

We won! Yatta!

Woohoo!

Aww yeah!

Up high! Down low! Gimme some dap!

...I guess you didn't need me after all. Well, that's okay. It lets me conserve more energy.

Sorry, didn't mean to fragsteal. Don't worry, you're our trump card, though!

I hardly think telling me something I already know qualifies as a compliment. If there's nothing for me to do here, I'm just going to return to the base.

Besides, my irritant index for jungle combat is very high. It takes a lot of time to apply my anti-rust coat and run all my internal diagnostics.

Hehe, hehehe, hehehehehe.

In any case, all's quiet on the Vegas front once again!

As Swimsuit Swordmaster Osakabehime, I'll take on any and all challengers!

Just don't remind me about my looming book deadline!

As long as I remain the champion... summer vacation will never end!

...There you have it. Batty's doing her batty best to forget about the harsh reality that our draft still isn't done, and I'm at my wits' end trying to figure out how to get her back on track.

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I was really looking forward to making this one, too. I'm not letting my high school AU pass me by this year!

High school...?

Hehehe, still, fantasizing about our unfinished draft isn't going to help it become realityI mean, a real book any faster...

So I'm counting on you to bring down Batty and the rest of Team Himeji, Master!

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You said it! We're talkin' about Osakabehime, the castle monster of Himeji Castle, right?

I couldn't ask for a worthier opponent!

Hehe, y'don't got nothing to worry about. My swords got no trouble cuttin' down other kinds of monsters, after all.

'Sides, these swords're wielded by the strongest swordfighter 'n fairy. Working miracles is what we do!

Once I unleash my techniques' full sharpness, they'll cut like the legendary Futsu-no-Mitama, purifyin' all evil!

Still, if you take a step back and think about our current situation...

...our next step should be to find an inn for the night.

(Ouch! He's right! Talk about keepin' a cool head!)

(Guess it's still soon for me ta go 'round braggin'! Makes sense... I mean, I ain't even met this Batty chick yet...)

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Heh... I knew it. These glasses really are providing a nice boost to my intelligence.

Wait, really? You're only JUST NOW thinking about accommodations!?

Usually, those are the first thing you reserve whenever you're planning a trip.

Oh, crap! I forgot all about making a hotel reservation.

Now what do we do...

Looks like we might be stuck camping out.

I'm sure us Servants could manage with that, but it's a lot to ask of Mash and Fujimaru...

...Hm?

?

Are those...flower petals?

Fou! Kill foooooou! (Special Translation: I smell scum! Bite it to death!)

Hahahaha! Aloha, aloooha!

Oh, right, we're not in Luluhawa this year. Too bad. I was looking forward to visiting the tropics.

Oh well, no sense dwelling on the past. Especially if it causes you to miss the opportunities happening right now.

If this year's summer event is taking place in Las Vegas, I'll just have to dress for the occasion.

Hello there, children. It's the perfect evening for a fateful encounter, don't you think?

？！

You know, I'm not entirely sure myself. All I know is that normally, I wouldn't be able to interfere like this.

I could be friend or foe. I could be a Heroic Spirit, or I could be a living spirit. It's all up in the air at this point. So please, call me Mister Mystery.

With a name like that, wouldn't most people consider you a foe?

Hehehe... Not necessarily.

But even if I were, I'm also coolheaded, capable, and perfectly pleasant, so there shouldn't be any problem.

？！

Don't be rude, Senpai.

At any rate, since you'll all have to camp out in the desert unless you can find a better place to stay, I think you'll want to hear what I have to tell you.

There's a place not too far from here called the Gildalay Hotel.

It should still have a condo available that would be perfect for a group of visitors like you.

As for why it's available, according to the hotel's owner:

"I made this condo just in case someone needed it, but only those who have proven themselves to me stay in it."

Ahh, I do so enjoy being able to see the future thanks to my Clairvoyance.

You, um, don't say...

At any rate, why not take the hotel owner's challenge and see if you have what it takes?

All you have to lose is a little QP.

Thank you, Mister Mystery. But, why are you telling us this?

Because helping you helps me.

The more all of you enjoy your time here in Vegas, the more I'll get to enjoy myself.

Hehehe... It has nothing to do with my hoping you'll defeat that terrifying Summer Lion King so I can really let my hair down and cut loose...

No, it doesn't have anything to do with that at all... Hehehe... Hehehehehehe...

Anyway, whether or not you win is all up to you. The best I can do is point you in the right direction.

Fouuuu... (Special Translation: Dammit, I should've offed him before he got away...)

...

Well, we might not know if he's friend or foe, but at least he gave us a good tip.

Wow...

That guy was beautiful... Wait, was he a guy? We sure he wasn't a lady?

Harrumph. You can never reserve a hotel too early. Everyone knows that.

Although... Did I hear him say "Luluhawa"? Now where have I heard that before...?

Anyway, a condo ought to have plenty of room for putting all of you guys up.

Why don't you head there for the time being?

W-wow! This hotel is easily as luxurious as the one in Luluhawa!

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Sweet, it even has a pool! I like this place already!

All right, let's find this owner person so we can... Hm?

Ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha!

I see that foolish look on your face hasn't changed a bit, mongrel!

Hello, King Gilgamesh. It feels like we haven't seen you in a long time.

Indeed. This marks our first meeting since New York.

Say, where are the two Servants you had working for you in Luluhawa?

D'Eon was headhunted by another casino, and Moolah became so obsessed with gambling that I had to let her go.

So that's the first thing you say to me, is it? You've got courage, mongrel, I'll give you that!

At any rate, d'Eon is away working at another casino...

...and after Moolah developed something of a gambling addiction, I had to fire her.

？！

Then, does that mean you're here by yourself this time?

Don't be ridiculous.

My Gildalay here is the richest, most opulent hotel in all of Dazzling Las Vegas.

I can find replacements sooner than you can snap your fingers...assuming you don't care about quality help.

I saw your wanted ad! So what kinda job is this, anyhoo?

I saw your wanted ad. Well, your new singer is here!

I'll work for carrots! I mean, peanuts! Which in this case means carrots.

And so, after much...let's say "trial and error," Lord Gilgamesh settled on me for his secretary this year.

Thank you, Master.

Indeed. That was what pushed me over the edge in making my choice.

？！

Come to think of it, you aren't wearing a swimsuit either, Prince of Lan Ling.

That's strange. I thought you had to wear one to Rayshift to this Singularity.

Huh? As far as I'm aware, this Singularity has no such swimsuit restriction...

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You're right!

All Yagyu said was "only those clad in swimsuits are fit to enter this Singularity"!

Gotcha... I gotta hand it to the old man. That's a clever way to avoid getting mixed up in this nonsense...

Now then.

I gather you came to Vegas without so much as a single hotel reservation?

What were you thinking!? No, let me guess!

"Oh em gee, what'm I gonna do if I hit it big at the casino? Maybe I should open a bank account now just to be safe?"

Preposterous! For every hundred people who have come here thinking along those lines, a thousand more have left with their dreams of striking it rich utterly shattered!

Still... Summer vacation comes but once a year, and I'm sure you have no wish to spend your time in Vegas camping out.

Thus, I will grant you permission...to fight for the privilege of receiving an accommodation voucher at my hotel!

So we can stay here as long as we win this battle? Understood! It won't be easy, Master, but we'll have to win!

Hahahaha, how unusual to see you so enthusiastic about fighting, Shielder! Very well! Come, Prince of Lan Ling!

Yes, sir! All right, let's have a good, clean

I'm sorry, I need to take this. Feel free to go ahead and start without me.

Heh... My secretary this year may be excellent at his job, but he still has a lot to learn about priorities!

...I can't say I'm entirely satisfied with how that turned out. Why in the world did you stun yourself at the start?

My apologies, sir. I've always put my work first and foremost.

...Tch, you remind me of a certain high priestess. All right, I'll overlook it just this once.

Your diligence and lack of fear towards me may be a bore, but at least this way, I know I can trust you.

If Moolah were still here, she'd be working every angle she could to try and catch me off guard.

Here is your voucher. I'll go ahead and let the concierge know you'll all be staying with us.

You can pick up your room key from her.

Be warned, mongrel, the Holy Grail has bestowed power upon each of the Swimsuit Swordmasters running a casino.

Do not let your guard down around them.

Now then, I have other places to be, so I'll be on my way now.

If you lot have some QP to spare, I suggest you warm up at a casino somewhere while you have the chance.

Hahahaha!

Hello? Speaking. Yes, about that...

Okay, now that that's settled...

Master and I will share the, ahem, master suite, and everyone else will take their own rooms, all right?

(She said that like it was a normal thing!)

？！

You can be so mean, Master... But of course, that's what I love about you!

Say, this, uh, con-see-urge gal's gotta be a Servant too, right?

I wonder who she is.

Well, hello there!

Will you all be staying with us then? Wonderful! Thank you for choosing the Gildalay Hotel!

I'm Charlotte Corday, and I'll be your concierge during your stay.

...Phew, I did it!

For some reason, I just couldn't say the word "concierge"properly, no matter how many times I tried!

It kept coming out all sorts of weird ways, like "con-surge," "con-siege," "con-sea-urchin"...

You name it, I flubbed it!

Hehe, so the fact that I said it perfectly just now bodes well for your stay!

Okay everyone, here's your condominium. Don't worry, it has enough bedrooms for all of you.

While the kitchen does come stocked with the bare minimum of condiments...

...I'm afraid you'll need to purchase your own ingredients if you want to do any real cooking.

Fortunately, there's a supermarket nearby that carries veggies, meat, fish... Everything you could want!

If there's anything else, please don't hesitate to let me know! Okay, enjoy your stay at the Gildalay Hotel!

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I don't think I've ever seen someone say so much so quickly. It's like...if a machine gun could talk.

At any rate, why don't we all leave our luggage in our rooms and meet back up here?

Sounds good!

Phew! I was a little worried that the whole room might be all shiny and golden 'n stuff...

...but I gotta say, this is snazzy without bein' TOO snazzy.

All right, as for our next move

Wait. The spy I sent out should be back any moment now.

Spy?

I'm finished investigating the enemy, Master.

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I'm here, Master.

I have returned with information on Himeji Casino, as Lord Siegfried requested.

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Not at all, Master.

I'm having the time of my life, getting to wear a cool new outfit like this.

...Ahem. But never mind that.

Let me start by explaining the rules for Himeji Casino's battle royale.

All players compete in teams of four, with twenty teams in total.

As per usual battle royale rules, all teams fight each other simultaneously, and the last team standing is the winner.

In general, once a Servant or enemy has been eliminated, they cannot return to the battlefield until the next game.

Here, take a look at this.

These are the areas owned by the casino that serve as the battle royale's battlefields.

These areas

Exactly.

Which means that eventually, the surviving teams will have no choice but to fight.

They get smaller and smaller over the course of the game. It seems to be a trend among similar games as of late.

？！

Now, here's the Team Himeji lineup.

Lady Osakabehime, the former princess of shut-ins who tweaked her own Spirit Origin into an Archer.

Anne Bonny, the sniper who can pinpoint her target no matter what the environment.

Blackbeard, an oversized scary Servant who should take a shower already because seriously, he stinks.

And Mecha Eli-chan Mk. II, the mechanical goddess who keeps ignoring complaints about her unfair flight advantage.

Hmm, so they're all gunslingers. That could be quite a challenge.

We'll definitely need Katsushika Hokusai and Miyamoto Iori on our team.

And Mash should compete as well, as the brains of the operation.

A-all right! I'll do my best!

I'm afraid I have something else I need to take care of, so I can't join myself...

I still have a lot of ground to cover for Master's sake before I can be of more help.

That leaves me...yet another close-range type of fighter.

We should probably include someone who specializes in long-range combat as well.

I think it would be best if I sit this one out, and we get someone else to take my place.

Mmm, agreed. Ensuring your team is well-balanced is one of the most fundamental fundamentals.

Not that I have much experience with that, since I was usually a one-man operation...

I feel for you, boss man, I really do, but do you have to bring us all down out of nowhere like that?

I'd agree with that. Having a team that can handle any kind of range would be ideal in this case.

Hmm. Makes sense to me!

Okay then, let's see if we can't find a long-range fighter out of all the Servants that have come to this Las Vegas.

Class-wise, we'll probably want an Archer...though I guess we could make do with a Caster if we had to?

There are also some Berserkers who use guns, like Lancelot...

But that could be a problem if we need to keep them in our employ for the long haul. Not to mention that following a plan of attack generally isn't a Berserker's strong suit.

Then we'll definitely want to go with an Archer. All right, let's head out and see who we can find!

Ahh, my apologies! I'd love to, of course, but this old back of mine just isn't what it used to be, you know?

Besides...I can practically smell the QP moving throughout this event...

Who, me? Perish the thought.

At any rate, let's see... So you're looking for an Archer with plenty of time on their hands, hmm...

I wish I could help, but I'm afraid I can't think of anyone. My mind isn't what it used to be. They do say memory is the first thing to go.

Hmm. I wish I could, but my usual outfit's motif notwithstanding, we older gentlemen aren't typically known for being social butterflies...

Or in my case, having any friends at all...

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Well, so far, no good. ...Huh? Are those the same flower petals we saw earlier?

Good morning, and good evening. We meet again.

Oh? Where's CathI mean, Fou? Is he staying at the hotel where it's nice and air-conditioned?

Hahaha, then I guess I don't have to worry about him pouncing on me if I send a few (dozen) more flower petals swirling around.

Mister Mister-y! I mean, Mystery!

If you're here now, does that mean you know where we can find an Archer to help us?

Or maybe you're an Archer yourself?

No, sadly. I may be able to fire laser beams from my sword, but technically, I'm not an Archer.

(Suddenly overcome by the urge to challenge him to a duel)

But, I can certainly think of an Archer at Chaldea who would be happy to join you.

She's a sweet little girl who thinks of you like her own grandchild...

Ahh, but I'd better stop giving hints before I give too much away. Farewell for now.

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That's it! I'm sure I know just who he means!

Ooh, that sounds fun! I'm in!

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Thank you so much, Helena!

Don't you worry! Granny's got it covered!

As an Archer of Mahatma, I'll make sure to lead you straight to victory!

Oh, but let me ask you just one thing. What's Master going to do while all this is going on?

Oh, that's a good point. How should we handle him in this case?

Hmm... I guess we'll just have to try classifying him as an a boost? Or an attachment?

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I know, it sounds bad. But I think this gives us the best chance of victory.

As far as we're concerned, keeping you put in the rear guard is a safe strategy. And as far as the enemy is concerned...

Well, you'll see what's in store for them once we get started! My point is, we need you if we're going to win.

I, uh, I see. Well, if you're really sure, Iori, then...I'm okay with that.

Fine by me. Front line or rear guard, it don't make much difference. You're still my partner either way, right?

...Right?

Nyahaha.

Good. Then if we're all in agreement, I think you should start practicing fighting as a team.

Fortunately, it looks like Himeji Casino has some practice areas available to anyone who wants to use them.

I think the best thing we can do now is practice there while we earn enough chips for a letter of challenge.

Sounds good to me. In the meantime, I'll try to find out everything I can about the other formidable teams.

You know, I've got an idea.

Why don't we kick things off with a practice battle to get a feel for each others' abilities?

Ooh, I like the sound of that! But I'll warn ya right now, I'm aimin' ta become a legendary swordfighter!

So don't blame me if my techniques are too sharp to handle!

Ahh, that was fun! I think I'm going to feel right at home on this team!

When we're done, Osakabehime won't know what hit her!

Now let's go get that letter of challenge so we can officially fight her!

Gooo team!

...H-hey, come on! Where's your team spirit!?

Gooo team! Gooo team!

Oh man, she's adorable! Just look at her hopping around!

...I mean, I do know she's an old lady on the inside!

But in my book, I say it's fine judging other books by their cover!

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