Chapter 130 Hiratsuka Shizuka the Demoness
On the second floor, the soldiers saw Shirou and Hiratsuka Shizuka coming up, and quickly rushed forward to shake awake the burly black man.
"General! General! They've arrived, the challengers are here!"
"Mm… they've come? What kind of people are they?" The big black man opened his bleary eyes only after being pushed several times, and asked.
"It's a sharp-eyed young lad, and behind him, a fierce-looking woman wearing fist gauntlets and throwing punches at the air!" the soldier reported.
"A young lad and a fierce-looking woman? Instructor Li told me to wait for just one boy… Don't tell me Sun Erniang has come too?" The black man wondered as he got up from the floor, his frame like a tower of muscle and bone.
He stood nearly 1.9 meters tall, his whole body as dark as coal, with a full head of thick, messy black hair. His round face carried thick brows, leopard-like eyes, and a long bushy beard. His gray robe hung open, exposing his chest and belly full of slabs of flesh. At the center of his chest sprouted a tuft of black fur, making him seem every bit like a ferocious black bear.
"So it's not Sun Erniang…" The black man looked at them clearly and spoke with a trace of disappointment.
"Who the hell are you calling a demoness! I'll beat you to a pulp!" Hiratsuka Shizuka glared fiercely and cursed.
"I didn't say you were Sun Erniang—you're way fiercer than her." The black man answered honestly.
"Ahhhhhhh!" Hiratsuka Shizuka roared, raising her fists to charge.
"Sensei! Calm down! Calm down! We're here to save Kasumigaoka-senpai!" Shirou quickly held his teacher back.
"Hahahahaha!" Da Vinci burst out laughing from Chaldea, delighted by the chaos.
"Shirou! Let go of me! I'll show him what happened to the last guy who dared say that!" Hiratsuka Shizuka shouted, struggling with strength.
"Sensei, even when you're fierce, you're still cute, so it's fine!" Shirou tried to soothe her.
"Hmph…" Hiratsuka Shizuka's face flushed red with anger. Though still dissatisfied, she finally calmed down.
"Ahahahaha!!" Da Vinci was now howling with laughter.
"This woman suddenly popping up looks gentle enough, but her laugh is strange… kind of like Sister Gu. Don't tell me she runs a black inn too?" The black man pointed at Da Vinci's hologram and commented.
"Shirou, beat him up for me!" Da Vinci said darkly.
Shirou turned back to the big man: "Alright, you're this trial's opponent, right? I'm here to challenge. What's this round about? Speak quickly, I'm in a hurry."
The black man looked at Shirou: "You're awfully arrogant! If my elder brother Hua Rong the archer was here, you wouldn't have even made it this far—consider yourself lucky. This round is about grappling! In your era, you'd call it wrestling! And your opponent is me! Rest a while. I need to eat first, then I'll have the strength to fight. Servants! Bring dinner!"
"General, it's already morning now." A small soldier ran over to remind him.
The black man laughed: "Haha! No wonder it's so bright outside. Perfect! Bring both dinner and breakfast—I'll eat them together, save the trouble!"
"Yes, sir." The soldier ran out and soon returned with two massive trays full of dishes: fish and meat, golden roasted chicken with crispy skin, goose glazed in red sauce, freshly boiled fish, braised beef… and two large wine jars.
The man didn't bother with chopsticks—he simply grabbed with his hands. One hand tore into a chicken leg, while the other scooped up boiled fish, broth dripping everywhere onto the floor. Then he seized a wine jar and poured it directly into his mouth, most of it spilling down his chest.
Unbothered, he wiped his mouth with his arm and kept devouring roast chicken and goose until all that remained were greasy scraps and stained dishes.
"Ahhh, refreshing! Drinking like this, eating like this—it's glorious! Hahaha!" His face shone with grease, and he simply wiped his hands on his pants.
"Wait, Shirou… you're going to wrestle this black bear?" Hiratsuka Shizuka asked in horror, disgust plain on her face.
"You haven't rested yet? Then rest some more. When you're ready, call me and we'll wrestle." The dark-skinned man turned his back, lay down at the stairwell, and within moments was snoring thunderously again.
"Class: Berserker. Likely from the same era as that previous Archer. He seems the type who's berserk even in his normal state," Da Vinci analyzed.
"Da Vinci-chan, you don't need to say it—I can tell just by looking. But Berserkers who can actually talk properly all seem super strong! What should we do?" Hiratsuka Shizuka asked anxiously.
"No, Shizuka-chan, actually Berserkers who can talk are surprisingly common. There's one who loves candy, one who's clearly a cat but insists on barking like a dog, a cooking-obsessed witch, a stalker snake-woman who burns anyone who lies to her, a golden-tongued thunderous man with a gold axe, and even a Roman emperor who can speak normally but pretends to stutter—except when saying 'My adorable niece Nero, Rome!' That part comes out smooth.
Really! The ones who can't talk are rarer." Da Vinci explained.
"Is that so?" Hiratsuka Shizuka muttered, still confused, but strangely convinced.
"It's fine. Back when I was little, I studied sumo with a neighbor's grandpa. I later gave it up for archery, but still… I'll manage." Shirou encouraged himself, already mentally prepared.
"You really leave me no choice! Then let me teach you the ultimate wrestling technique from Krav Maga! Sacrifice one leg, and you can throw down even a god!" Hiratsuka Shizuka patted Shirou's shoulder.
"Is that something you can learn instantly? Maybe I should get you an actual expert." Da Vinci said, contacting one via Chaldea's comms.
Before long, a black-haired, tattooed man with a long braid appeared, smiling: "Yo, Brother Shirou. I hear you're about to wrestle? Want me to help you out?"
"Yan Qing!? How are you in Chaldea?" Shirou exclaimed in surprise, remembering vividly this opponent who once broke through the Sevenfold Ring of Heaven's Firmament with three punches. Though it was designed against projectiles, its defense was formidable nonetheless.
Gudako popped her head in to explain: "Ahaha, since Mash went to help you in your world with monster clean-up, I was bored alone here. So I drew a picture of a handsome black-haired guy, tried a little summon… and ta-da! Wahahaha!"
When Yan Qing saw the hulking black man through the hologram, he burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Isn't that Iron Ox? Him, doing wrestling?"
"Huh, you know him? Then he's from Liangshan too?" Da Vinci asked.
"Yeah. If it were someone else, maybe not—but him, I know how to deal with. Brother Shirou, let me give you some tips." Yan Qing grinned slyly.
Wrestling is among the oldest combat arts in the world—used both in great battles and children's fights. Whoever throws the other to the ground wins.
In China, it dates back to the Yellow Emperor's time, known as jiao-di and sipu. Ancient texts record: "Chi You's ears were like halberds, horns on his head, and he fought Xuanyuan with horn-strikes that no one could withstand."
The hulking black man's true name was Li Kui, ranked 22nd among Liangshan's heroes, the reincarnation of the Heavenly Kill Star. A brute without concept of good or evil, he feared neither laws nor kings, and killed at the slightest provocation. Yet he was fiercely loyal.
With his twin axes, he slew both corrupt officials and enemy soldiers, but also innocent civilians—his whims alone decided. Once, hearing rumors that Song Jiang abducted a woman, he chopped down the "Acting in Heaven's Will" banner and stormed the hall to kill him. Later, when Song Jiang was poisoned, to prevent Li Kui from using his name for rebellion, Song tricked him into drinking poison as well. Li Kui, realizing the truth, simply said: "So be it. In life, I was my elder brother's vanguard. In death, I'll be his ghostly soldier."
Now Shirou activated his magic eyes and projected nearly perfectly Martha's Holy Knuckle gauntlets, resized to fit his hands. He clenched his fists, bumped them together, and called out: "I'm ready!"
"That's it! That's the spirit! Go, Shirou! Throw that guy hard! And if you lose while using my Holy Knuckle, I won't forgive you!" Martha shouted, raising her own gauntlets.
"Then let's wrestle! Come!" Li Kui stood, his towering form like a black iron tower.
Shirou didn't answer. He flexed his fingers—the gauntlets granted him not only equipment but combat skill, giving him near B+ strength. He recalled Yan Qing's words:
"Brother Shirou, when you enter, don't move first. Iron Ox is impatient—he'll rush at you with brute force. Use his momentum, strike second, and you'll succeed."
"I told you to come here and wrestle me!" Li Kui beckoned, cursing.
Shirou stayed still.
Li Kui was the type to go berserk at being ignored, his temper flaring instantly.
"If you won't come, then I'll come crush you! Aaaahhh!" Li Kui roared, charging like a raging bear, arms raised.
Shirou sidestepped, grabbed Li Kui's arm, pulled and twisted, tripped his leg, and with a thrust of his body—the whole motion fluid—sent the black giant flying. A tremendous crash echoed as he slammed into the floor.
"Good! That's what I taught you! Just like when I threw down Tarasque back then!" Martha cried excitedly.
"…" Shirou turned to her in shock.
"Ahem. I mean, those with justice in their hearts will surely be blessed with victory. Now, let's work together to save the world." Martha blushed, then smiled warmly.
"…Mm." Shirou nodded. Though he wanted to complain, seeing her gentle smile and clenched fists, he held back.
"I lost! But how did I lose?" Li Kui scratched his head in confusion as he got back up, his tough body unhurt.
"Iron Ox, do you still remember me?" A hologram appeared before Li Kui—Yan Qing, waving with a grin.
"Oh! If it isn't Brother Xiao Yi! No wonder I lost without knowing why—you were behind this! By the way, where are you now?" Li Kui laughed, not angry at all.
"This is Chaldea. But how were you summoned here?" Yan Qing asked curiously.
"Instructor Li summoned seven Servants to find worthy opponents. I wanted to go up too, but two elder brothers stopped me. Four others not from our band went, but got killed. Us three knew we couldn't beat Instructor Li, so we stayed. He left us to train the soldiers here, I became infantry captain. Xiao Yi, is it fun where you are? You always knew how to have fun—take me there someday!" Li Kui said with a grin.
"It's more lively on your side. But I'd like to come visit." Yan Qing replied.
"No, Chaldea always welcomes new Servants—never too many allies. I'll record your Saint Graph right now, and we'll try summoning you!" Da Vinci's eyes gleamed.
"That'd be great. But too bad, I've gotta go. By the rules here, once you lose, you're useless. Instructor Li must have cut my mana supply. You guys go on ahead—the next floor is my eldest brother, Dai Zong."
"Thanks, Li Kui. Farewell then." Shirou nodded, moving resolutely upstairs.
"Haha, I never feared death in life, let alone now. Still, Instructor Li's not being fair this time… Ah, but my dear old mother and Brother Song always cared…" Speaking mid-sentence, Li Kui dissolved into motes of light and vanished.
On the third floor stood a tall, lean middle-aged man.
"So Iron Ox lost, huh. Not surprising—give him axes and a battlefield, and he's fearless and mighty. But in one-on-one, he only makes trouble.
I am Dai Zong, reincarnation of the Heavenly Speed Star, nicknamed 'Magic Traveler.' Our contest is speed. If you can touch me, I lose. But if you get sliced in half first…" Dai Zong drew a sharp sword and began running around the room.
It's said Liangshan had five unmatched talents: Dai Zong's speed, Zhang Qing's stones, Hua Rong's archery, Yan Qing's wrestling, and An Daoquan's medicine.
As a Servant, Dai Zong's speed rose even further. In a matter of seconds, he became a blur, streaking across the hundreds-square-meter floor, running along walls and ground alike. In less than ten seconds, his sword had carved countless marks into the room.
On the walls he inscribed the eight characters: "All martial arts under heaven are defeated by speed."
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