I, Kenneth, am going to get to the root of the problem today.

Page 17

Not long after, Aozaki Aoko let out a call that sounded like that of a primate ancestor.

"oh--!!"

Morgan paused in his actions as the barrier he had only half-reinforced suddenly emitted a chaotic red light. Realizing the spell's outburst, Morgan briefly lost his focus and immediately increased his magical output, barely managing to save the barrier from spiraling out of control.

With veins bulging on his forehead, Morgan quickly finished his work. Before he could even go find Aozaki Aoko, Aozaki Aoko excitedly rushed out from the temple behind them.

"Castet, is this all real?! King Arthur! Lancelot! The King of Conquerors! Even the King of Heroes and the Son of God from ancient Indian mythology have appeared! This Holy Grail War is really too interesting!!"

Bai Mao: Who do you think you are? Why don't you mention me! You look down on our cult, huh?! Believe me or not, a hundred of my brothers will block your doorstep!!

Looking at the loud and boisterous Aozaki Aoko, our Sister Wang felt that her future was bleak...

Chapter 42 Pre-Battle Planning

Based on his understanding of Kiritsugu Emiya, Kenneth deliberately enhanced the magic workshop's explosion resistance. After transforming the glass of the floor-to-ceiling windows into another dimension, before Kenneth could even catch his breath, the El-Melloi family's communication equipment flashed with white light. After sensing the magic power recording, Kenneth adjusted his breathing and connected to the communication.

"How's it going?"

"Lord, that magician assassin has already booked a flight to Fuyuki City. I couldn't find the homunculus's flight. Matou Kariya hasn't gone out since returning to the Matou family. The ley lines indicate that a large-scale magic ritual occurred at the Matou family. Kotomine Kirei has been hiding in an inn after breaking with his teacher. Kotomine Risei has also suspended the church's commissions and hasn't shown up during this time."

......

Based on the current intelligence, Kenneth devised his next plan. On the other side of the ceremonial attire, Shishikatsu Kairi quietly awaited Kenneth's next move.

"Here's what we'll do. Share the data with Caster. Be careful. Kiritsugu Emiya still has an assistant. Make sure he's not discovered. Hand over the surveillance of the Matou and Tohsaka families to others. From now on, your only target is Kiritsugu Emiya. Notify me as soon as that Einzbern homunculus arrives in Fuyuki."

"I see..."

After hanging up the communication and putting away his formal attire, Kenneth stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, where Fuyuki, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, was fully visible.

"There are less than three days until the official start of the war. Kiritsugu Emiya will arrive in Fuyuki in two days, and if nothing unexpected happens, Irisviel will appear at the airport with Saber that afternoon..."

"The people monitoring Waver have been removed. Combined with the previous news about the burglary, it seems he successfully summoned the King of Conquerors..."

"So, it's either tonight or tomorrow night, the Gymnastics Emperor is going to be sacrificed? Kotomine Risei, the remaining Command Seals, the Spirit Disc that monitors Servants, the old fox, are you planning to stay in the church and not come out?"

Thoughts churned as the night completely enveloped Fuyuki below. Through the connection between Master and Servant, Kenneth transmitted the information in his mind to Morgan. Adhering to the principle of playing the part to the end, Kenneth put on his coat and pushed open the door.

"Let's go, Lancer. It's time to familiarize ourselves with the upcoming battlefield."

The process of dispersing the idlers was activated, and the workers who were still busy at the port left the dock for various reasons under the influence of the suggestive magic. They walked against the flow of people, and the blue-green patterns gradually spread with Kenneth's footsteps. The footsteps around him disappeared, and the panoramic view of the dock clearly appeared in Kenneth's mind.

"Warehouses, cranes, containers... the terrain is so complex! Lancer, in your experience, which locations do you think offer a panoramic view while also providing concealment?"

Without giving Kenneth a direct answer, Karna, still in spirit form, swiftly traversed the deserted dock after confirming the surroundings were safe. After a moment, he dispelled his spirit form, lifted Kenneth up with his arms, and his brows twitched involuntarily a few times. Kenneth was carried into the air in a princess carry by Karna.

"Master, my apologies, but I think this way of observation would be more effective."

"No...it's okay. Just remind me next time so I can be mentally prepared..."

Standing behind a row of containers, Kenneth looked out at the dock below as Karna put him down.

"The location is indeed very good, but perhaps too good."

"Master, what do you mean?"

“Our opponents are not just magicians. That magician killer will definitely notice this place. In his eyes, we self-important old fogies will not pay attention to these things.”

Blue light flickered at the fingertips, and mercury turned into particles of light that merged into the surrounding dust.

"Leave some tracking marks, Lancer, and take me to check out other locations."

"Excuse me, Master."

An invisible arm reached out, and Kenneth, carried in a princess carry, sped through every suitable sniping position under Karna's guidance. After resolving the issue with Emiya Kiritsugu, Kenneth stood once again on the concrete dock.

"By the way, Lancer, if my plan goes smoothly, your first opponent will be Saber, the King Arthur of Britain. Are you confident in suppressing her without using your Noble Phantasm? Ideally, you'd be able to inflict some irreparable damage."

"Msater, we need time without using our Noble Phantasms."

After thinking for a while, based on the information provided by Kenneth, Karna gave a fairly reasonable answer.

"I see. Lancer, you can do whatever you want until the other groups arrive. Just remember to keep an eye on that Hero King. I reckon he'll jump out the moment he sees you."

"That King of Heroes? If it's him, I might not be able to suppress him without unleashing my Noble Phantasm."

In response to Karna's candid remarks, Kenneth waved his hand to indicate that there was no need to worry.

"It's alright, that Hero King's Master won't give him a chance to perform. He'll step in at the crucial moment."

"I understand, Master."

At this moment, Kenneth wanted to roar, "We're both golden three-target shooters, Tokiomi Tohsaka, you should learn from this! Look how easy my little sun is to manage, and look at your Haha team's main player, all he's got is tax evasion and a rebellious streak. What do you have to fight me with?!"

After inwardly scorning this worldly scoundrel, Kenneth, who had already made arrangements at the dock, tore down the barrier and called out to the spirit-like Karna:

"Let's go, we still have a lot of work to do tonight."

Meanwhile, in a corner of Fuyuki City, Weber, his face dark with dismay, stared at the roller shutter door that was constantly losing its original shape.

"Rider, why are you vandalizing the roller shutter again?! We're on the news!!"

"Why are you so nervous? You're making us look like thieves. Didn't I tell you before? The ones who run away are the thieves; the ones who walk out triumphantly and openly are the ones who have conquered!"

A classic moment unfolds: a dejected Waver crouches on the ground, clutching his head. But when he notices the game console in the Conqueror's hand, Waver's expression completely breaks down.

"Baka baka baka! You came out in the middle of the night just for this? Are you a child?! I could understand the previous map, but how do you explain this thing?!"

Faced with Webber's sudden outburst, Iskandar scratched his head in confusion, then laughed and slapped Webber on the back.

"Hahaha, what are you talking about? I'm just gathering information. I heard that this game lets me experience what it's like to pilot one of those fighter jets on TV. In order to conquer, how can I, Iskandar, not learn about the most advanced weapons?!"

"I told you it's a game! A game!! Is all you have in your head, muscles?!"

Weber, who had been slapped to the ground by Iskadar, struggled to his feet. After failing to grab Iskadar's shoulder, he could only jump up in an attempt to get Iskadar's attention.

"Hahaha, as expected, little master, you also think what I said makes sense, right? Then hurry back, I can't wait to see the power of these weapons."

With one hand, Iskandar lifted the struggling Waver up, completely ignoring Waver's words. Amid Iskandar's laughter and Waver's screams, he sped off towards the outskirts of the city, riding on the wheels of divine thunder.

Chapter Forty-Three: Reunion, Weber Velvet

On the bridge in Fuyuki City, Kenneth was squatting on the top of the bridge, carving incantations.

"Master, something's wrong!!"

Before Kenneth could react, Karna, wielding the divine spear, dispelled his spirit form and suddenly stood in front of Kenneth. Noticing the streak of lightning in the distance, Kenneth deployed his henchmen to disperse it while signaling Karna not to be nervous.

As Razer moved, the Divine Wheel came to a steady stop in the center of the bridge. Through the rising lightning, Kenneth looked expressionlessly at Waver, who had completely hidden his body behind Iskandar.

"Aren't you going to come out and see me? Or do you no longer have the courage to face me directly, Webber Velvet?"

"Little Master, do you know that magician?"

The sound echoed in the empty bridgehead. When Waver heard Kenneth call his name, his body trembled involuntarily after being overly exploited by Kenneth for more than a year. Sensing his master's fear, Iskandar frowned, grabbed Waver by the collar, and pulled him in front of him.

"You are my, Iskardal's, Master! What kind of behavior is this, cowering like this? So what if there is darkness ahead? It is precisely because you know the strength of the opponent that you must challenge them! To cower and not move forward is the behavior of a coward. Tell me, my Master, as the Master of the King of Conquerors, are you a coward?!"

"I'm not!! I'm going to prove to those who look down on me that I'm right!!"

"Hahaha, that's more like it! I, Iskandar, acknowledge you as my Master!!"

The slaps echoed as Webber, having been lectured by Iskadar, raised his neck and glared at Kenneth standing at the bridgehead. Looking at this most normal pair in the original story, a hint of nostalgia flashed in Kenneth's eyes.

“Weber Velvet, you are as foolish as ever. I thought you would understand, but it seems you are as ignorant as ever.”

Humiliated once again by Kenneth, the veins on his fists bulged, and he gritted his teeth as Webber stared intently at the indifferent Kenneth.

"The Mage's Association is sick!! I will prove to those who look down on me, to the stagnant Clock Tower, that I am right!! Talent should not be defined by bloodline, the future of magic should not be controlled, and even ordinary magicians have the right to pursue the mysterious!! Professor Kenneth!!"

Perhaps Kenneth's efforts over the past year had been a bit too much, because Weber, roused by Iskandar's words of encouragement, shouted out what he had been holding back for so long at Kenneth.

Kenneth raised an eyebrow at the hysterical Webber, but before he could speak, Iskadar burst into laughter and patted Webber on the shoulder.

"Hahaha, so you're your teacher, Little Master? It's understandable for a student to be afraid of their teacher. Since we're in a teacher-student relationship, what's there to be ashamed of? Why don't we sit down and have a good talk?"

Despite his seemingly rough exterior, Iskandar possessed an extremely sensitive heart. Although his little Master was quite agitated and his tone was filled with anger when facing Kenneth, Iskandar, who had seen all walks of life, did not notice anything unusual about Kenneth. With the intention of smoothing things over, Iskandar immediately tried to smooth things over.

"No!! I will prove myself right in this Holy Grail War, Professor Kenneth! I will make you understand that my point of view is correct!!"

The pent-up emotions finally erupted, and the usually timid Waver showed Kenneth his own persistence. Faced with the emotionally charged Waver, Kenneth told Karna not to worry about him, and turned to leave with Sun.

"Is this your idea? I take back what I said before. You're not just stupid, stupid is an understatement. Like I said before, you should learn how to speak properly before giving advice to your elders."

"Damn it!! Professor Kenneth, I will definitely, I will definitely defeat you fair and square in the Holy Grail War!!"

As Kenneth's figure gradually disappeared, Waver, feeling humiliated once again, slammed his fist heavily onto the steel frame of the bridge. The next second, Waver's expression twisted with pain. Seeing his little Master's actions, Iskandar looked thoughtfully at Kenneth, who was walking away.

"Before offering advice to elders, one should first learn how to speak. Does the elder refer to himself? It doesn't seem like it; the magician's emotions remained very stable. Is there some hidden reason behind this?"

Looking at Weber, who was standing there with his arms crossed and stamping his feet, Iskandar realized that Kenneth's words were not what they seemed.

"An interesting magician, and his follower... he's quite a character. I wonder which era he's from. Oh well, there will be plenty of opportunities to meet again. I must invite him to join my ranks then!! Hahahaha!!"

Startled by Iskandar's sudden laughter, Weber, who was still stomping his feet, turned and glared at the suddenly deranged Iskandar.

"Rider, what are you laughing at... Wait, did you just reveal your real name? Baka! Baka—!!"

Completely ignoring Waver's complaints, Iskandar laughed and threw Waver back into the oxcart. Lightning burst forth, and the Kamui Wheels soared into the air at breakneck speed. Before Waver could even speak, his facial expression was distorted by the oncoming gale.

"My little Master!! The march of conquest must not stop!! Ride with me on this epic journey!! Hahaha!!"

"Baka baka!!! Rider, you big baka!!!"

Webber's screams completely disappeared. Kenneth, who had already walked some distance, paused and turned to look at the gradually dissipating lightning in the sky.

"Honestly, you're still a greenhorn. But that's fine, the more clueless you are now, the more you'll regret it later. Webber, don't keep me waiting too long!"

"Master, are you concerned about that magician?"

"Ok?"

Karna's initiative to strike up a conversation caught Kenneth off guard. Sensing Kenneth's surprise, Karna, thinking he had said something wrong, immediately apologized.

"It's alright, Lancer, you're right. I do care about him a lot. I'm glad you took the initiative to speak up. In the future, just say whatever you're thinking. Language is always the most direct way to convey your thoughts."

"Can language really convey thoughts? Oh, I see. I'll try my best."

After encouraging Karna, Kenneth went on to answer the little sun's question.

“I value him highly; he is a very capable person.”

"If that's the case... then why did you say that, Master? I could sense that you weren't angry, Master?"

Encouraged by Kenneth, Karna finally fully expressed his doubts.

"Ah, that's a bit complicated to explain. You can think of it as me enticing him, enticing him to actively explore my thoughts."

"Is that so? It's quite complicated."

As a simple Servant, even though he could see through people's hearts and get straight to the point, the complex calculations of people's hearts were still a bit beyond Karna's level. He waved his hand to indicate that Karna didn't need to dwell on it anymore, and Kenneth strode towards the next designated location.

Chapter Forty-Four: Sister Wang, in Transformation...

The picture is from Ti's mom; I'll repost it later if I'm a newbie.

Resend.

Meanwhile, outside the Fuyuki Church, several crows perched silently on branches, and Morgan observed the entire church from various angles through a monitoring crystal ball.

"No action? Then it seems it won't be tonight."

Although it was unclear where Kenneth obtained the intelligence, Morgan, who had temporarily acknowledged Kenneth's abilities, would not question him over such trivial matters. As long as there was even the slightest possibility, Morgan would not miss the opportunity to seize the Command Seals.

As for why he didn't keep watch near the Tohsaka residence, Morgan said that knowing Archer's real name and still going to jump around in front of him would be suicidal; who knows what kind of things could be pulled out of that warehouse.

Based on the principle of bullying the weak and fearing the strong, Morgan, a witch, brought all areas except the Tohsaka family under surveillance without any qualms, thanks to her flexible moral bottom line.

“It’s almost dawn, Caster, let’s go for a walk. Aren’t you bored staring at that thing all the time?”

With veins bulging on his forehead, the magic trick was interrupted once again. Looking at the cracked crystal ball in front of him, Morgan, who had been bothered by Aozaki Aoko all night, suppressed his inner turmoil and tried his best to maintain his tone.

"No need. As a magician, staying in your own workshop is the safest course of action unless absolutely necessary. You can go out if you wish."

"No way! We're a team now. How can a Servant leave their Master? Elbow, come with me!!"

Grabbing Morgan's arm tightly, the energetic Aozaki Aoko led Morgan, whose despair was palpable even through his veil, out of Ryudouji Temple. After taking Morgan on a wild ride around Mount Enzo, the cheerful Aozaki Aoko, carrying the vacant Morgan, knocked on the door of a ramen shop.

"Uncle Yuanye, it's me again."

"It's Qingzi! You're still so energetic. Is this your friend? Come in."

Long before Kenneth informed Aozaki Aoko, Aozaki Aoko had already arrived in Fuyuki City. As a magician who entered the magic world halfway through her life, Aozaki Aoko's mystery and abundant humanity created her unique personal charm.