To Become a King and a Magician 641-645

Title: Are You Interested in Men?

Roman felt as if he had just seen a ghost.

The other members in the control room also felt like they were experiencing hallucinations.

At that moment, at the door of the control room, Naoki stood there, completely intact.

“You’re still alive, Natsukawa?”

“After not seeing each other for three days, that’s the first thing you want to say?” Naoki glared at Roman angrily. “What, would it benefit you if I were dead? Did you make a bet on my life?”

“No way. I just thought that even if you survived, you’d be skin and bones. I didn’t expect you to look perfectly fine.”

Roman said as he placed his hand on Naoki’s wrist to check his pulse. “Hmm, and it doesn’t seem like you’re just pretending to be energetic.”

“What kind of person do you take me for? Even if I were completely drained, I’d recover after a ten-minute rest, okay? Don’t compare me to your bean-sprout body.” Naoki said while putting Roman in a headlock, making him quickly tap his arm, begging for mercy.

While roughhousing with Roman, Naoki didn’t forget about Marie, who was standing near the main commander’s chair. “Long time no see, Olga. From my perspective, it’s only been about ten days, but from yours, it’s been over five months. Sorry I wasn’t around during that time.”

With her arms crossed and feigning calmness, Marie sneered coldly. “What does your absence have to do with me? Chaldea can function without you. Don’t think you’re that important. I wasn’t worried about you.”

(Natsukawa wasn’t talking about worrying…)

(Can I still see a tsundere with this level of purity in this day and age?)

(The Director is so pitiful, kicking herself out of the race.)

“…”

Marie suddenly felt the atmosphere in the control room shift. Was it just her imagination, or did the staff’s gazes carry a hint of… pity?

What weird things were they thinking about now?

Naoki smiled slightly. “I see, that’s good then. I was worried you might have built up a lot of stress since there was no one to listen to your complaints while I was gone. I was planning to stop by your place tonight, but since you’re doing so well, there’s no issue. Looks like I was overthinking it. You’ve grown a lot too.”

*CRACK…!*

Maybe it was a hallucination, but there was a sound like something breaking from Marie’s body.

The staff looked at Marie with even more regret and pity. Because of her tsundere act, she missed a chance to spend time alone with him—Director Olga, what are you doing?!

At that moment, Roman, who had finally freed himself from Naoki’s headlock, said while catching his breath, “Sorry, Natsukawa, but I think you might not have time to go on a date with the Director tonight.”

“What do you mean, a date? Olga and I have nothing going on.”

“Yeah, yeah, sure. I know you two have ‘nothing going on.’ Go ask around—see how many people would believe that. Stop messing around and look at this.”

Roman said as he opened an email he had recently received. Naoki leaned in beside Roman, paused for a moment, then sighed. “Roman, while I don’t mind your state-sponsored fandom, do you really need to show off a personal email from Magical Merry trying to scam you? Or do you want me to help you pay for it?”

“As if the money wouldn’t just go back to your pocket—no! Stop talking nonsense! Don’t focus on the weird part at the top!” Roman, his face flushed, quickly scrolled to the bottom of the email. “Look at this part! This is the important bit!”

“The important bit? Let’s see… Since they know Chaldea can’t observe the Sixth Singularity, as thanks for your support, Romani, they’re giving you a special gift. After feeling their sincerity, keep working overtime until you drop—”

There was another link below.

After reading this part with a complicated expression, Naoki furrowed his brows tightly, then quietly stepped back about four or five meters from Roman.

Roman frowned. “Natsukawa, why are you suddenly standing so far away?”

“No, it’s just… uh… Roman, you’re not interested in men, are you?”

“No! Who’d be interested in that jerk Merlin?! The virtual avatar and the person behind it are two different things! Don’t mix up the concepts!”

Roman shouted angrily while opening the link. As a petal-shaped emblem appeared before them, a series of contents materialized in front of their eyes.

The content wasn’t much. It only explained that Artoria had already gone to the Sixth Singularity and was preparing to summon the Knights of the Round Table there to assist with Chaldea’s operations.

Up to this point, there was no issue. But what confused them both was the final part.

[The initial situation of the Sixth Singularity wasn’t like this. At least when the Incineration of Humanity first occurred, I saw part of the situation there, but it quickly became unobservable. I think it’s related to what I saw at the time.]

[If Chaldea wants to conquer that place, it’s an enemy you’ll have to face. At that time, make sure to bring Natsukawa with you. Other than him, there shouldn’t be anyone else who can defeat it.]

It?

What’s “it”?

(As usual, only half the story, that jerk Merlin… But, only I can defeat it?)

Naoki paused for a moment, then gently clenched his hand, summoning his Holy Sword from thin air—if there was a weapon unique to him, it would be this Holy Sword. His Mystic Eyes might count too.

Was the enemy of the Sixth Singularity something that only his Holy Sword and Mystic Eyes could counter?

“Roman, I remember you said you had something to discuss with me?”

“Oh, right.” Roman nodded. “In the Fourth Singularity, we received help from one of the Knights of the Round Table, Mordred, in London. But she wasn’t a Servant at the time—she was a real human. I think she must be your daughter.”

“She asked us to pass on a message to you: [My mother and I will be waiting for you in the Sixth, Father].”

The Sixth… the Sixth Singularity?

Mordred and Morgan—Naoki hadn’t seen them in a long time. Unlike others, after the two of them settled in Glastonbury, they only stayed there for a few years. That was shortly after Naoki first returned from Chaldea. When he went there, Morgan and Mordred were already gone.

For the years that followed, both of them had been missing.

(Have they been preparing for all these years? Morgan, and… Mordred is ready to help?)

This won’t be the Holy Round Table Domain anymore…

Taking a deep breath, Naoki said, “Are Fujimaru and the others here?”

“No, Fujimaru and Mash went to Mifune City yesterday afternoon. After returning from each Singularity, they go back there. It’s a break I gave them—should I call them back?”

“No need. Let them keep resting. Interrupting their family reunion isn’t a good idea.”

Naoki shook his head, then stored his Holy Sword. “Roman, stop observing the Sixth Singularity. Instead, start observing the Seventh Singularity and prepare for quantum shift operations. After Fujimaru and the others return, have them begin conquering the Seventh Singularity.”

“I’ll handle the Sixth Singularity for now.”

-

Title: The Easiest Woman to Handle in Chaldea

The suggestion for Naoki to go alone to conquer the Sixth Singularity was immediately rejected by Roman, Marie, and the entire control room staff.

Previously, he had said he would go alone to resolve the Tokyo Singularity, and the result was that he was gone for over five months. Now he was saying he’d go alone to tackle the Sixth Singularity. Who knows how long he’d be gone this time!

“So they don’t really trust me…”

In the Chaldea cafeteria.

Lying on the dining table, Naoki complained with a hint of frustration.

The reason he was gone for over five months was purely because Merry had interfered, not because he intended to. This time, the Sixth Singularity likely wouldn’t have such complications.

And with his strength, he wasn’t being arrogant, but there shouldn’t be any opponent he couldn’t handle. Even if he couldn’t win, he could at least hold his own.

“I think Dr. Roman and the others are worried about you, big brother.”

Gray, who had brought a plate of fried rice from the kitchen.

“When you didn’t return after conquering one Singularity, Dr. Roman actually wanted to send Fujimaru and the others to the Tokyo Singularity to help you right away. But he was stopped by Sister Rei.”

“Dr. Roman cares a lot about your safety. Please understand that.”

(I understand, of course I understand… That’s why I want him to trust me more, to believe that I can handle everything alongside him.)

Sighing helplessly, Naoki picked up a spoon and scooped some fried rice. “Mmm… this taste… it’s not your cooking, Gray?”

Having lived together for so long, Naoki was very familiar with Gray’s cooking, but the flavor of this fried rice wasn’t like hers—it felt like it was made by a beginner. The texture was also slightly burnt.

“Kaname-chan made it.” Gray said as she walked to the back kitchen and brought Kaname out.

After not seeing her for three days, Kaname was now wearing a Chaldea uniform with an apron over it. From head to toe, she clearly showed signs of being well-cared for. Though she still had a gloomy and reserved aura, she looked much brighter overall.

Gray explained, “Kaname-chan is staying with me now. Since Sister Rei and Sister Atalanta are with big brother, and Sister Okita doesn’t seem like the type to look after kids, I’m taking care of her for now. You took care of me like this back then too, didn’t you?”

“You were way clingier than Kaname is now. I still remember in that parallel world, you said you’d never leave me no matter what.” Naoki said with a wry smile, then turned to Kaname. “Are you getting used to life here, Kaname?”

“Uh, yeah… it’s much better than before…”

Kaname’s face flushed.

The era she had lived in was the end of World War II, with Japan under invasion. Given the circumstances and the Army Ministry’s standards at the time, there were no lightbulbs in Kaname’s room. She could only use candles for light.

By comparison, Chaldea’s living environment was practically paradise. No wonder Kaname now seemed much more lively.

“Um—”

After hesitating for a moment, Kaname gripped her apron with both hands. “Um… may I know how the fried rice tastes…?”

“It’s delicious, of course. But it seems like it was fried a bit too long—some parts are burnt.”

“Okay, I’ll be more careful next time… I’ll go make a note first!”

After a slight bow, Kaname ran back to the kitchen.

Watching her retreating figure, Naoki asked, “Is she helping out in the kitchen now?”

“Yeah, she said she can’t just eat and live here for free, so she wanted to do something she’s capable of. I let her help me in the kitchen. I guided her in making this fried rice too. You have to finish it all, big brother.”

“In other words, this fried rice is your doing. When have I ever not finished food you made?”

Come to think of it, that was true.

Gray smiled slightly. “By the way, big brother, about conquering the Sixth Singularity this time… what’s the plan?”

“Ah, well… just wait for now.” Naoki said while eating. “Roman said he’d order a Mystic Code for me from Da Vinci and Touko, so I won’t disappear for another five months.”

(A Mystic Code for tracking?)

(If that’s the case, it’s better if big brother takes it.)

Gray, accustomed to Naoki’s occasional sudden disappearances, nodded in agreement. At that moment, as if remembering something, Naoki asked, “By the way, where’s Jalter?”

Jeanne Alter—at the end of the First Singularity, though she was blown up along with the Demon God Pillar by Aoko, Rei had collected a small fragment of her before she completely vanished and preserved it.

Rei’s energy source was the Holy Grail. Using the Grail’s power, it wasn’t difficult to restore Jeanne Alter, who had nearly disappeared, back to her original form.

It had been over five months since then. It must be done by now, right?

After Naoki’s question, Gray paused for a moment, then suddenly lifted her hand to brush back her bangs, showing an angry expression toward Naoki. “Are you the jerk who meddled and told someone to save me?”

Naoki: “…?”

(This situation is…)

“Jeanne Alter is inside Gray’s body? A Demi-Servant like Mash?”

“What do you mean Demi-Servant? Well, it’s more or less the same. This girl seems to have merged with the normal me before, and our compatibility is pretty good. So after I woke up, that evil puppet sent me to her side, though part of it was this girl’s own wish.”

She said, “Since it’s Miss Jeanne, let me take care of her.” even though I’m Jeanne Alter, not that saint!

But more importantly—

*THWACK!*

Ignoring the mini skirt she was wearing and the fact that she was using Gray’s body, Jeanne Alter lifted her leg and stomped on the chair between Naoki’s legs. “It was you, wasn’t it? The one who told that evil puppet to save me? Meddling! I didn’t ask you to save me! What right do you have to act on your own? What’s your goal?!”

At that moment, Jeanne Alter had been ready to die completely. After all, she was a fake, so it didn’t matter whether she lived or died. But after some time, she realized she was still alive and well. Though she had lost her physical form and could only cling to someone else, she was still alive.

What was going on? She couldn’t even die when she wanted to?

[“My master hopes you can live, so until my master allows it, cast aside all your pride and live with all your strength.”]—those were the words of that evil puppet named Sajyou Rei.

And now, Jeanne Alter had finally met the mastermind who caused her to be unable to die completely.

[He saved me for some specific purpose, didn’t he?]

Jeanne Alter thought so, and she had also decided—no matter what purpose the other party stated, she definitely wouldn’t listen!

Snapping out of his shock and seeing Jeanne Alter aggressively occupying the chair in front of him in Gray’s form, Naoki thought for a moment, then said, “Well, if you’re asking about a purpose, there is one.”

(I knew it, men are creatures who won’t act without some gain.)

“I’ve been to the Root, and there I learned everything about you.”

(Hm? The Root? What’s that? Everything about me… everything? What does that mean?)

“And after learning everything about you… Honestly, I really like you, so I didn’t want you to die just like that.” Naoki said seriously. “You can think of it as me saving you based on my own personal desire.”

(…)

Jeanne Alter, along with Gray observing from within her body, fell silent after hearing these words.

-

Title: Hello? Merlin? Your House Is Wrecked

(What did this guy say?)

(Like?)

(He likes me?)

“Pfft!”

As her face gradually flushed, a puff of steam seemed to escape from the top of Jeanne Alter’s head. She quickly stepped back a few paces, raising both hands and igniting two fireballs as if facing a formidable enemy.

“What… what are you talking about? Like? Don’t spout nonsense! I’ll burn you to death! Send you to hell!”

(This is my first time meeting this guy, right?)

(Why would he say such disgusting things the moment we meet? Even if he says he learned about me from that so-called Root… Is he an idiot who’d fall for someone he’s never seen?! Are there even idiots like that in this world?!)

(And why would he like someone like me? What does a fake, witch-like person like me have that’s worth liking?)

(Could this guy’s taste be that weird?)

Facing Jeanne Alter’s exaggerated threats, Naoki wasn’t fazed in the slightest. “I’m not spouting nonsense. I may not understand women’s thoughts very well, but at least when it comes to expressing my own feelings, I rarely hold back.”

“Besides, if you want to burn me to death, you’d better crank up the intensity by five levels. Otherwise, it won’t even leave a burn mark.”

“But honestly, even if I did get burned to death, I could just come back. So you don’t need to worry if you actually burn me. Even if I end up in hell, I think I could make it back on my own.”

Naoki said this while raising his hand and extinguishing the flames in Jeanne Alter’s hands.

Seeing Naoki’s hand holding hers, Jeanne Alter’s lips trembled uncontrollably, and then—

“Ngh—huh?”

Gray, who suddenly reemerged, was momentarily stunned, then hurriedly pulled her hand from Naoki’s, speaking as if blaming him. “Big brother… what are you saying? Talking like that to a girl you’re meeting for the first time—Miss Jeanne Alter was so shocked she retreated.”

“Huh? Is that so?” Naoki scratched his head with a hint of regret. “I didn’t really think about what I was saying… Hmm, alright, next time I’ll consider my words and how to say them when talking to her.”

Gray sighed lightly. “If possible, I really hope you’d realize this before you speak. And not just for Miss Jeanne Alter, but for other women too.”

“I’ll try…”

“Please actually try.”

After giving this serious instruction, Gray turned around. “There are some things I need to take care of in the kitchen. I’ll handle them first. Big brother, after you finish lunch, just leave the dishes here. I’ll come clean them up later.”

“Also… if you’re going to conquer the Sixth Singularity, please make sure to tell me. I don’t want to experience you suddenly leaving again—Ngh!”

Before Gray could finish, Naoki had already raised his hand and placed it on her head. After ruffling her hair vigorously, he smiled. “Yeah, this time I’ll let you know. Not just you—Rei, Atalanta, Aoko… I’ll tell all of you if I have to go.”

“Hmm… that’s good then.”

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

At the same time.

In Avalon.

After opening her eyes again and seeing the unchanged scenery inside the high tower, Aoko furrowed her brows in confusion. “What’s going on? I can’t enter the Sixth Singularity?”

“Could there be something wrong with your Magecraft, Sister Aoko?” Observing from the side, Ayaka asked.

Aoko shook her head. “No way. This Magecraft was created with the help of those two Dream Demons. I’ve used it in several Singularities before, and there were no issues.”

“Then it’s a problem with the Singularity itself?” Also standing nearby, Ciel said. “If there’s no issue on your end, then it can only be from there—”

“Exactly.”

Merlin’s voice, suddenly coming from behind, slightly startled Ciel.

Holding his staff, Merlin walked to Aoko’s side and carefully examined the Magecraft he had helped develop. “Hmm, the magic formula itself has no issues at all. Miss Aozaki’s inability to enter the Sixth Singularity is indeed a problem on its end. In fact, I just lost contact with Lia as well.”

Merlin had left a Magecraft with Artoria. She was supposed to investigate there and send information back through it—originally, the plan was to relay information to Chaldea this way.

But just moments ago, the connection with Artoria was cut off.

“Did something happen to Sister Lia?”

“I don’t think so. With the Knights of the Round Table there, and Artoria herself having Avalon, even if she can’t defeat the enemy she’s facing, she can still retreat.” Merlin explained.

(Moreover, rather than something happening to Lia, it feels more like someone dispelled my Magecraft… The enemy also has a Magus of considerable skill. So even if she summoned the Knights of the Round Table, Lia would be at a disadvantage.)

(Still, even if she’s at a disadvantage, she’ll definitely be fine.) Merlin had great faith in his King.

In the past, the Knights of the Round Table had faced unfavorable situations countless times, and each time they overcame them. This time would surely be no different. Plus, Chaldea would soon head there, so he didn’t need to worry too much.

“Well, since you can’t go, Miss Aozaki, you can rest here for now. You’ve been fighting through five Singularities in a row. Take a break—it’s also for better preparation for the final battle.”

“The final battle… the Seventh Singularity?”

Merlin winked mysteriously. “Maybe~~~ For now, I’ll leave this place to the three of you. I’m heading out for a bit.”

This homebody was going out?

When Merlin said this, Ayaka and the other two were somewhat shocked. He had locked himself in this tower for thousands of years. Why did he suddenly want to leave now?

As if reading their thoughts, Merlin laughed. “Haha, when I say going out, I’m actually just being summoned as a Servant. The overworked King in the Seventh Singularity needs help. I’m going to assist, and at the same time, I’ll ease some pressure for my other self and prepare an escape route for him.”

“After all, the current me doesn’t really like bad endings.”

-

Title: The Three Layers of the Round Table Mythology, Begin!

Two days later.

The fifth day after returning from the Fifth Singularity.

In the control room.

Injecting a newly crafted Mystic Code into Naoki’s body with a syringe, Da Vinci patted his shoulder. “Hmm, all done. As long as this tracking device is in your body, we can monitor your position in real-time.”

“Although observing the Sixth Singularity itself is still impossible, if we’re tracking you, Chaldea can manage that. Be careful not to let this thing break.”

Glancing at the already-healed injection mark on his wrist, Naoki said, “I thought you’d make a portable Mystic Code. I didn’t expect you to create one so small it could be implanted in the body.”

“Well, no one knows what’ll happen there. It’d be bad if it got damaged in a fight. By implanting it in your body, you don’t have to worry about it breaking, and it also saves your energy.” Da Vinci smiled. “That’s my work done here. I need to get back to continue the operations on Angelica. There’s a ton of issues piling up~~~ And I’m not sure if I can upgrade her further, hehe.”

“Hmm, you’ve worked hard, Leonardo.”

After seeing off Da Vinci as she hurriedly left, Roman turned to Naoki. “Are you feeling any discomfort? Natsukawa, if you are, I’ll run another physical check. Your physical condition is the top priority now—no issues allowed.”

Naoki waved his hand. “No need. I know my own body well. There’s a slight discomfort, but I’ll adapt to it soon enough. It’s not a big deal.”

“Hmm, that’s good then—let’s move on to the briefing for conquering the Sixth Singularity.”

The lights in the control room suddenly dimmed. In the air between Roman and Naoki, a three-dimensional image of CHALDEAS materialized out of thin air, zooming in on the area around Palestine.

“The geographic location of the Sixth Singularity is near present-day Palestine, or more precisely, Jerusalem. Since we can’t observe the situation there from here, we can’t specify the era it’s in. Therefore, I’ll directly explain the information provided by a certain kind soul.”

The Sixth Singularity, located in Jerusalem, is set in an era Naoki is familiar with: 1273 AD.

However, the situation there isn’t a balance of three powers. There’s no Sun King Ozymandias, no Hassans—only the Knights of the Round Table.

“Based on the information, at the heart of the Sixth Singularity, there’s a castle that doesn’t belong to that era. It’s surrounded by several castle walls, and guarding the castle, camped outside those walls, is a faction calling themselves the Knights of the Round Table. Unfortunately, there’s no details on whether they’re the authentic Knights of the Round Table, their true names, or their exact numbers, up to the latest update.”

“Additionally, within the Singularity, there are only ordinary residents who already live there. They’re divided into two groups: those living inside the castle walls and those outside. The conditions of these two groups haven’t been investigated yet.”

“—As for information about the Singularity itself, after removing unnecessary embellishments, that’s all there is.”

“Next, let’s talk about our allies. About five kilometers south of the castle walls, there’s a predecessor who went ahead to establish a base. Natsukawa, once you arrive in the Singularity, you can head straight there, and they’ll provide all the support you need.”

After finishing the explanation of the compiled information, Roman felt a bit relieved.

(Even so, Natsukawa himself probably knows more about the situation there than I do. With his deep connection to the Round Table, he’s indeed the most suitable person to resolve this Singularity, as Merlin said.)

After concluding the information briefing, Roman changed the topic. “By the way, where’s your companion? Didn’t you say yesterday you wouldn’t go alone this time?”

This time, I’ll go with someone else—that’s what Naoki had mentioned to Roman during dinner the previous night.

Of course, it was a good thing if someone could keep an eye on this guy. Roman had immediately agreed.

“Oh, yeah, I think she’ll be here soon.”

“Sorry, I’m late!”

Right after Naoki’s words, Gray’s voice echoed from the control room door, and she ran to their side.

“Miss Crane said she’d tweak the design of my combat uniform, so it took a bit of time.”

What Gray was wearing now wasn’t her usual outfit but a black combat uniform with a similar design—though overall, it looked more battle-ready. The mini skirt, however, remained unchanged.

Yes, the person accompanying Naoki to the Sixth Singularity this time was Gray.

Perhaps because she had become Jeanne Alter’s Demi-Servant, or perhaps because she wanted to keep an eye on Naoki, Gray had proactively requested to go with him yesterday afternoon. After an entire afternoon of persuasion, combined with encouragement from Rei and Atalanta, Naoki had decided to bring Gray along.

In terms of actual combat strength, Gray was far from weak. Over the ten years living with Artoria and Okita, she had often trained with them. Even Mash couldn’t defeat Gray now, especially with Jeanne Alter inside her. At the very least, Gray’s safety wasn’t a concern.

Naoki smiled. “It’s fine, you came just in time. We just finished the briefing. We’re ready to head out now that you’re here—so, Roman, Gray and I will head straight to the Sixth Singularity.”

“As for Fujimaru and Mash, once they return, have them start conquering the Seventh Singularity as I mentioned. I’ll join them after I’m done here. Don’t worry about me. If you think the combat strength is lacking, I’m sure Rei and the others will be happy to help.”

Roman immediately rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry about you? I’m worried that we’ll have finished the Seventh Singularity, and you still won’t be back. That’s the most troublesome part. If you don’t want us to worry, come back early!”

(Do you know how low the morale in Chaldea gets when you’re not around?)

Smiling and waving, Naoki wrapped his arm around Gray’s waist, and in the blink of an eye, they vanished from the control room.

Roman sighed helplessly, then sat back in the main commander’s chair. “Now, we’ll continue observing the Seventh Singularity. Fujimaru and Mash will be back tomorrow. We’ll aim to start conquering the Seventh Singularity tomorrow afternoon.”

“Understood!”

-

Title: Take Down the Boss, and It’s Done! Skip the Story!

Three thousand meters in the air.

That’s where Naoki and Gray were now.

The moment they arrived in this Singularity, the roaring sound of the wind filled their ears.

Instinctively, Gray wrapped her arms around Naoki’s neck and asked with a hint of exasperation, “In the air again? Big brother, you always show up like this.”

“This time, it really wasn’t on purpose. Who knew the Singularity’s repelling force would be so strong? I could only force my way in through a weak point.” Naoki explained.

This Singularity was different from the previous ones. When he tried to enter, it felt like something was blocking him. The difficulty of entry was exceptionally high, and the only relatively weak point was this spot in the air. Even so, he had to exert all his strength to break through.

This alone made it vastly different from other Singularities.

As Naoki’s gaze inadvertently swept across the sky, an even bigger issue caught his attention.

The sky in this Singularity was unnaturally clear.

It wasn’t that the sky itself was abnormal. In fact, it was quite normal—no clouds, brilliantly clear—but that normalcy, at this moment, was abnormal.

This was the era of the Incineration of Humanity. Logically, one should be able to see that massive ring of light in any Singularity. But now, Naoki couldn’t see it in the sky.

“It’s really like Merlin said—so many problems…”

Shifting his gaze downward, Naoki looked below.

At over three thousand meters in the air, Naoki could clearly see the scenery within a wide radius. The first thing he noticed was the castle Roman had mentioned, situated at the center of the Singularity.

It was a white castle. Its appearance resembled a giant dragon perched atop a mountain. The arrangement of its structures, when viewed from above, also formed the shape of a colossal dragon spreading its wings. Surrounding it were multiple layers of castle walls. From their structure, they were undoubtedly the dragon’s wings.

“Truly a magnificent structure.”

“A… kingdom?”

Kingdom.

Hearing Gray’s description, Naoki smiled. “A very fitting description, Gray. Roman said there’s heavy military guarding outside the castle walls. Thinking about it that way, it feels even more like a kingdom. I wonder which king resides within.”

(The guards are the Knights of the Round Table… no way.)

Naoki had some guesses in his mind.

At that moment, from the peak of the pristine white castle below, a golden-white beam of light suddenly flared up. As if it had locked onto them, the beam shot toward them with incredible speed!

A sniper?!

Without thinking, Naoki hugged Gray tightly and shifted horizontally a considerable distance.

*BOOOMMMMMM!*

After missing its target, the beam pierced through a thick layer of clouds, creating a massive hole in the sky!

Though the distance was still somewhat far, seeing this, Naoki couldn’t help but furrow his brows. “A hundred-meter diameter? Truly an extraordinary large-scale Magecraft. Even Aoko and I couldn’t pull that off.”

This was at three thousand meters in the air. To attack this height with a range exceeding a hundred meters, even without knowing its power, Naoki’s instincts told him that if he tried to block it under normal circumstances, he might not fare well.

“Interesting. Looks like they’ve prepared a grand welcome gift for us—hold on tight, Gray. Let’s return the favor.”

“Huh? Big brother, what do you mean?”

“I mean, we’re going straight for their headquarters!”

Holding Gray horizontally, Naoki dove at full speed toward the source of the beam.

Gray was already used to her brother’s antics. She immediately placed her hand on her waist, ready to grab Add at any moment.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

At the same time.

Inside the castle’s throne room.

Observing the real-time image projected in the air, an elegant figure clad in a white robe looked toward the person on the throne.

“My lord, the shot missed. The enemy is heading toward us at full speed.”

“Yes, I know.”

The figure on the throne raised a hand and touched their chest.

“By the way, Merlin, do you know why my heart is beating so fast?”

“Could I be ill?”

“The symptoms started just a few seconds ago.”

A heart suddenly racing a few seconds ago?

The woman called Merlin smiled. “That must be my lord feeling excited. Because you’re about to meet an old friend.”

“An old friend?”

The King in the shadows looked at Naoki appearing in the magical projection—was this man who looked somewhat like them an old friend?

But there were no such memories in their mind. Though there was indeed an inexplicable sense of familiarity, they couldn’t recall any memories of this man. Not only that, but when they tried to remember this part, their head ached faintly.

“Feeling confused, my lord?” Merlin asked. “If so, then don’t think about this person for now. Just treat him as a stranger—or an enemy. I believe they feel the same. After all, their purpose in coming here is to destroy the White Dragon City where we reside.”

“Just like the rebels who have suddenly appeared recently.”

“Is that so?”

As the pain subsided, the King in the shadows lowered their hand. “Very well, I’ll do as you say—issue the order: no one is to approach within a three-kilometer radius of the Dragon’s Heart. The Round Table is on high alert.”

“Understood!”

After receiving the order, Merlin translated the King’s command into magical language and transmitted it to every corner of the castle through magic.

And not long after, just about ten seconds later—

*CRAAASHHHH!*

A loud explosion suddenly echoed directly above the throne room!

This was followed by a series of shattering sounds! The entire throne room trembled noticeably, and in the next moment—

*BAM!*

A figure crashed through the ceiling, landing straight onto the throne room floor!

Slowly rising from the dust, after setting Gray down and brushing off the surrounding debris, Naoki turned his gaze to Merlin and the person seated on the throne.

“Alright, safe landing.”

“Now, let’s see who the rude person is who welcomes newcomers with a light cannon… Who are you?”