Chapter 80: Shinjuku Archer Uncle
"Alright, come in!" Artoria led the boy and girl into a building.
It was once an abandoned hamburger shop. Inside was a hidden door that led to a basement below.
As soon as they entered, Artoria began scolding the white dog.
"You've been naughty! I told you not to run around! How many times do I have to say it before you understand?!"
"Whimper…" Cavall II drooped its tail and lowered its head in a gesture of apology.
"Hm, good, as long as you're reflecting on your behavior. I'll give you a bit more dog food then. That ham earlier probably wasn't enough. Stay in the corner quietly, Cavall II." Artoria poured some dog food into a bowl and set it in the corner.
"Woof woof!" the white dog responded obediently.
"She's totally raising this dog like a house pet now…" Shirou remarked.
"Yeah." Gudako nodded.
"Now then, let's talk about what's going on in Shinjuku." Artoria turned to Gudako, Shirou, and the ones in Chaldea—Da Vinci and Mash—and began explaining what she knew.
She spoke of the "Phantom Demon Alliance" composed of four Servants, who were trying to destroy this world.
The leader among them was Shinjuku Archer, whose magical energy was off the charts.
He was ruthless and calculating, orchestrating everything from behind the scenes to perfection—completely unlike the middle-aged man Gudako had met, who had fought desperately to protect her.
"Anyway, the man I know would never risk his life for someone else. Don't tell me you've been fooled?" Artoria asked, looking at Gudako.
"No way!" Gudako denied.
As a Master, the one thing she was confident about was building trust with her Servants. Shinjuku Archer had truly helped her—she was certain of it.
"Fine, let's leave that topic. After all, Shinjuku is still full of mysteries. The reason I sought you out was because a Servant requested it."
"The Count of Monte Cristo! He came to this world?" Mash said in surprise.
"Edmond Dantès…?" Gudako tilted her head in confusion.
"Yes, that's what he said. Anyway, to defeat the Phantom Demon Alliance, we'll need to gather more combat strength. First, let's go meet with Shinjuku Archer. After that, we'll judge—whether he becomes an ally or we cut him down," Artoria said.
"No problem!" Gudako said cheerfully and confidently.
"You seem a bit too trusting of people.
This version of Shinjuku is already a demonic realm.
Family can turn on each other in an instant, and enemies may support one another—everything is just about survival. I can't guarantee you won't be betrayed," Artoria warned.
"Yeah, that uncle really does seem suspicious," Shirou agreed.
In his experience, most Servants were too eccentric—aside from Artoria, they all seemed like the type who might suddenly betray their Master.
Not that the Masters were saints either.
"But I believe he's a good person!" Gudako insisted.
"Did he say where to meet?" Artoria asked.
"He said Shinjuku Station," Gudako replied.
Hearing that, Artoria frowned. "Shinjuku Station again… what a troublesome place. Well, it's already late today. Gudako, Shirou—get some rest first. We'll head out tomorrow."
"Yeah, sleeping on the basement floor like this would be too damp. It could affect your health. Better make do with this," Shirou said as he projected a blanket, pillow, and mat onto the floor.
"Ohhh, as expected of Shirou-senpai! I'm so glad you came with us!" Gudako hugged the pillow happily.
"Sometimes I wonder if Shirou-senpai is just too good at taking care of people," Mash said from Chaldea, admiring him.
"Soft pillow… warm blanket… so comfy…" Gudako mumbled as she lay down. Within moments, she had fallen asleep—after everything tonight, she was clearly exhausted.
Artoria and Shirou exchanged glances and said nothing more, letting the girl rest.
.
.
.
In the morning, Shirou woke up and went out to patrol the area. He brought back food he'd managed to scavenge.
Despite the apocalyptic atmosphere, the water and electricity were still running.
Though factory food production had stopped and supplies were tight, with most of the population gone, Shirou—who had sharp eyes—managed to find a good amount of hidden food in various shops.
"I can't make a proper breakfast, but with an induction stove and rice cooker, I can at least prepare something nutritious."
Using canned fruit, preserved vegetables, canned meat, and oil, plus some unopened rice he'd found, Shirou began cooking in the hamburger shop kitchen. He used the Mōgyō Knife to chop ingredients and wielded the Ganjiang Wok to stir-fry. The rich aroma drifted down into the basement.
"Shirou, what are you doing?" Artoria walked in, drawn by the smell.
"Artoria, want some? I made a lot," Shirou offered.
"Sure, I won't hold back. But honestly, hamburgers would still suit my taste better," Artoria said as she sat down at the small table.
Shirou served her a clean dish with the finished food and gave her a heaping bowl of rice.
"What is this?! It's insanely delicious! And it feels nostalgic… Could this be… mom's cooking? Mom?" Artoria exclaimed with a delighted expression as she took a bite.
She quickly shoveled in more meat and started reducing the mountain of rice in her bowl.
"It's hamburger steak. Though I made it with canned meat, paired with olive vegetables and spinach—it should go great with rice," Shirou explained.
"Shirou, you're an amazing Master. After eating your food, I feel like if I couldn't have breakfast like this every day, my motivation to fight would be cut in half," Artoria praised.
"Well… I can't infiltrate enemy bases or anything, but I can at least make sure you guys eat better and stay healthy," Shirou replied modestly.
"Shirou, what nonsense are you talking about?! Junk food is justice!
Hamburgers, cola, chips, and fried chicken—that's the supreme indulgence fit for a king!" Artoria declared.
"No, I think your taste might be getting kind of weird," Shirou muttered quietly. "Anyway, I should go wake up Gudako…"
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