"It hurts… Touko, this isn't what we agreed on."
In an empty room in Shin-to, Shiki clutched her limp arm, complaining to Touko, who was leaning against the doorframe.
"That Caster is too strong. Forget just testing him; even dealing with his attacks was overwhelming for me and Rider."
"Alright, alright, I saw your fight with Caster. You could barely maintain a stalemate." Touko said, lighting a cigarette. "Rider, what's your take on Caster?"
Odysseus furrowed his brow slightly. "From every angle, he's an extremely difficult opponent, not just because of himself but also the unique individuals he summons."
Last night's skirmish with Solomon was just a test, so Odysseus and Shiki didn't fight at full strength. Initially, they only planned to force him to use some Magecraft or Noble Phantasms by leveraging their numerical advantage.
But once the fight began, they were immediately overwhelmed by one of the 72 Demon God Pillars summoned by Solomon.
Each Demon God Pillar required multiple Servants to hold back or defeat. Meanwhile, Touko's side only had Odysseus and Shiki. Without using a Noble Phantasm and relying solely on Aegis in armor mode, facing just one Demon God Pillar was already challenging. On top of that, Touko had instructed Shiki not to reveal her Mystic Eyes early on.
This was why both were injured now. Fortunately, Odysseus was unharmed thanks to Aegis, and Shiki had recovered. By nightfall, she'd be fully healed.
"However, with this, I've completely confirmed the enemy's true name, Master."
"Yes, I've confirmed it too… No, it's more accurate to say the enemy had no intention of hiding his true name. When he summoned that Familiar, it was as good as announcing his identity to us."
Touko and Odysseus had heard clearly—before summoning that powerful Familiar, Caster had said:
"The 37th Pillar, Phenex. That's the name of a demon recorded in a legendary grimoire. Using such a Spirit as a Familiar, there's no doubt about the enemy's true name."
The King of Magecraft, Solomon.
Among all Magus throughout history, he ranks first. He could be called the ancestor of all modern Magus. Thanks to him, the system of Magecraft was developed. Before him, Magecraft was a privilege exclusive to those connected to the gods.
Touko took a drag of her cigarette and gave a wry smile. "To dare summon someone like him. The Lord of the Department of Astromancy really drew the ultimate trump card. If this were a normal Holy Grail War, the outcome might have been decided the moment Caster was summoned."
With Solomon's abilities, just summoning a few Demon God Pillars would be enough to annihilate all enemy Servants in a single night. On the scale of a Holy Grail War, no one could stand against Solomon.
However—
Odysseus caught the hidden meaning in his Master's words. "Do you have a strategy, Master? A way to defeat Caster?"
"You could say that. While Shiki's Mystic Eyes could work, compared to Shiki having to cut them down one by one, there's someone who could handle Caster more easily, without even lifting a finger. Shiki, you've probably thought of it too, right?"
"That idiot Naoki…"
The Mystic Eye of Soul Eater, an absolute attack against Spirits. Its effect couldn't even be evaded by a Beast. Even if the target was one of Solomon's Demon God Pillars, Naoki's Mystic Eyes could erode them and take them down one by one!
"So, should we go find that idiot now?"
"No, now's not a good time. He seems busy." Touko shook her head. "Besides, we don't have anything urgent to do right now—Rider."
"Understood, Master."
As Touko's words fell, Odysseus instantly appeared in front of her, deploying multiple layers of hexagonal shields. The next second, a brilliant blue magic cannon blasted through the door from outside!
*BOOOMMMMM!*
Amidst a deafening roar, the entire room collapsed, and thick smoke filled the space.
Leaning on her staff, Merry stepped in from outside, covering her nose and looking around. "Morgan, couldn't you be a bit more careful? What if Touko and Shiki died?"
"If the Mystic Eye of Death Perception could be destroyed that easily, it wouldn't be worth much. I'd just take her Mystic Eyes from her corpse and attach them to myself." Morgan replied indifferently, following behind Merry.
"Careful with your words, or Naoki might spank you—Touko, Shiki, still alive?"
*SIIIING!*
Answering Merry was a sharp whoosh through the air aimed at Morgan. A gleaming dagger sliced through the smoke at high speed, targeting Morgan's chest. Within the smoke, a faint icy blue glow could be seen.
It was Shiki.
But just as the dagger was about to hit Morgan, a mass of magical chains suddenly materialized from the void, stopping the dagger and binding Shiki's entire body.
"Wow~ Impressive, Morgan. Really learned from experience, huh? Next time, we should let the King try a turtle-tie on you, binding your butt and chest to make them stand out."
"Shouldn't we try that on you first?"
Morgan said, glancing at Touko and the others as the smoke began to clear. "Sorry for the sudden visit if it's rude, Puppet Master."
"Your way of greeting is quite unique, Merry, and the other one… Morgan, was it?" Touko frowned, looking at the two. "What's the purpose? Berserker's already defeated and gone. You still want to continue the Holy Grail War?"
"Not that I haven't thought about it, but unfortunately, that kid might hate me for it. With the sins I already carry, acting recklessly again would have severe consequences. So, I'm in the 'repenting' phase for now."
"Same here." Merry said with an amused smile. "So, Touko, sorry for rejecting your request earlier. For my personal safety, I need to be a bit 'well-behaved' for now."
Thinking of being 'well-behaved' but barging in with a magic cannon like that?
Someone please teach them what 'well-behaved' means!
Touko sighed. "So, what's the reason for this sudden visit?"
"Nothing much, just venting some frustration for that kid." Morgan said, lifting Shiki's chin with her staff. "He might not care, but I do. The only one who can openly or secretly manipulate 'King Arthur' is me."
"Using that kid to achieve your goals without reporting to me first—that's not good, Puppet Master."
Perhaps a Master who lost their Servant needs Merry's care.
Morgan was talking about this situation.