"Inhuman?"
Kotomine Kirei said: "Does 'humane' mean gender? Or simply kindness; or perhaps innocent naivety?"
"If we categorize things like that as humane, then a trace of sin, a trace of greed, or sins created by being forced to kill others because your life was in danger, would those no longer be called human nature?"
"Well…", Mash was speechless.
Kotomine Kirei's mouth flattened, "Alright, hurry and make your choice. If you give up, you don't have to drink the Mapo water; your score will be reset to zero and you leave."
Not out of kindness.
But because he found that, compared to physical pain, watching the mental struggle she experienced was far more interesting.
"In that case, doesn't that mean—", Suddenly, Mash's expression twisted with intense struggle.
Kotomine Kirei's mouth curved, "Exactly. All previous efforts, the meaning of persisting until now, will be completely lost."
"How could this be—"
Sweat dripped from the tip of her chin onto the ground.
Mash looked at Nero, who had collapsed to the ground.
'What should I… really do?'
Her thought of forfeiting wasn't truly to escape, but because she couldn't bear seeing Nero in pain.
To fall down and then stand up again, all for a contest that didn't even have a bet and was by no means important.
'Is this really okay?'
"MA-SHU, NO!!"
Fujimaru Ritsuka shouted with all his might, "Don't fall for that fake priest! It's fine not to take the 500,000 yen, trust your judgment, don't regret it!"
That warrior-like blaze even shocked Fou.
Although usually manifesting as human mischief, at this crucial moment she absolutely supported Mash.
"Ritsuka."
Mash looked up.
Then the host's unbelievable tone was heard, ["Unbelievable, is this real? Human love, could it really have no limits?"]
["—No!"]
She shouted, blood boiling, ["It's not that human love has no limits, it's… Emiya Shirou's love for Artoria that has no limits!"]
BOOM!
A strong chill made Mash uncontrollably hug her shoulders.
'What's going on? This terrifying murderous intent...'
'What happened?'
What the host said next made Mash widen her eyes.
["The, third bowl! Will you continue, Emiya Shirou? Even if you give up now, no one will be able to surpass you, right?"]
"The… third bowl?"
Mash looked over in shock.
She found Shirou expressionless, taking big mouthfuls of the Mapo Tofu in his bowl.
He ignored the sweat streaming down his body, the flames rising in his mouth, the burning pain through his stomach.
Soon he calmly put down the now-empty bowl and, under everyone's expectant gaze, said, "Another bowl."
Whoosh!
The audience erupted.
Mengbao-chan was stunned too.
Anticipation is one thing, but when someone actually does it, that's another thing altogether.
This is not bland soup noodles, but Mapo Tofu that could really kill someone with its heat.
Too many people had collapsed from one bite.
So Shirou's current action forced them to think.
'Is this person not afraid of death?'
'If he's proving his love, he should have already done so.'
"Wait a moment," Kotomine Kirei looked at Shirou's current state and couldn't hide the smile at his lips.
'Emiya Shirou is truly an interesting person, does he do this just for a bet or for someone else? Where does his conviction come from?'
"Emiya—", Mash couldn't tell what exactly was in Shirou's mind that made him continue.
But if he kept going, how could she give up.
Determined, Mash took a deep breath and approached the steaming, burning Mapo Tofu.
Just as she was about to take a bite, a hand grabbed her, and Nero's voice came, "Mmhm. I am glad you can make up your mind. If the opposing side weren't so far ahead, it would be a pleasure for me to show off a song for you."
"Nero-sama?", Mash hadn't expected Nero to wake up so quickly.
"Mm," Nero, who had revived, patted her chest, "It's me. You worked hard, hand it over to me."
"But—", Mash tried to say something, but Nero interrupted directly:
"This is the tactic I devised; do not feel guilty."
"Besides."
Nero picked up the Mapo Tofu and said, "I am not as fragile as you think; I only momentarily lost composure after falling for that fake priest's trick."
Saying that, Nero already took a bite.
"Mmhm!"
The girl's face flushed more than anything.
Nero said, "It's nothing. Give me two more bowls."
———
After the fourth bowl of Mapo Tofu went down, Shirou had already lost his sense of taste.
Hot, spicy, boiling, painful, burning?
He felt nothing.
His eyes were bloodshot, his vision full of sweat, his hair hanging wet.
His skin red as crab imported from Alaska, no difference at all.
Red A would have to call himself Red A.
'System, enough!'
After the fourth bowl was emptied, Shirou could no longer keep the hosting in place.
"Huff!"
The moment the hosting was lifted, his expression could no longer be maintained.
Heavy panting followed.
'Hot hot hot!'
'So spicy!'
'It felt like his stomach was about to burn through!'
In no time, the sweat left behind filled half a bowl.
"You okay, Shirou?", Artoria worried, "Do you want to drink some water?"
"Please."
Kotomine Kirei promptly placed a glass of water in front of Shirou.
But he only kept panting, not touching it.
If he drank now, he'd probably ascend straight to heaven. The spice hit so hard.
Mengbao-chan also breathed a sigh of relief, her expression wordlessly full of admiration, ["Emiya Shirou is amazing, the first place spot probably—"]
["What?"]
The host was shocked again, ["Nero has already eaten three bowls of Mapo Tofu. Is she going to, like Emiya Shirou, challenge a fourth bowl?"]
["She raised her hand!"]
The host kept up with the news, ["Nero asked for a fourth bowl; without hesitation she opened her mouth. One bite, two bites, and half… stopped! Nero looks very painful, might need an ambulance!"]
["No, continue!"]
Mengbao-chan screamed, ["Following Emiya Shirou, Nero also successfully challenged four bowls of Mapo Tofu."]
["Wait, more! Nero wants more!"]
Mengbao-chan's eyes widened, almost popping out, ["Nero is challenging a fifth bowl of Mapo Tofu!"]
'A fifth bowl?'
Shirou's immediate reaction was disbelief.
'Five bowls?'
'Are you carrying the Twelve Labors of Heracles with you?'
When he looked up and saw what Nero was doing, he suddenly had nothing to argue, only admiration.
'A warrior!'
'A true warrior.'
One bowl of Mapo Tofu picked up and shoveled in.
The idea was: 'As long as I swallow fast enough, it won't burn my mouth.'
As for the stomach, that's a problem for later.
As Nero's fifth bowl of Mapo Tofu went down, their count surpassed the Ahoge Group at that moment.
Seeing this, Artoria's face turned serious, "In that case—"
She handed the water Kotomine Kirei passed to Shirou, "Shirou, drink some water and rest, let me take over."
"Wait—", Shirou hurried to stop her.
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