"Finally, we made it out..."
In the wilderness outside the Holy City, Ritsuka Fujimaru lay sprawled across the seat of the "sports car" created by Da Vinci, gasping for breath with a horrified expression.
Earlier, they had witnessed the "Holy Selection" outside the Holy City. After the Lion King chose three individuals to pass the "Holy Selection," Gawain, the leading knight, immediately decided to execute those who failed.
To protect the refugees who had been rejected, the Chaldea team clashed with Gawain, but they were utterly defeated by his triple-strength enhancement and were forced to flee in disarray.
If it hadn't been for the intervention of another heroic spirit observing the situation near the Holy City—Bedivere—they might have all perished under Gawain's sword.
And for some reason, Gawain seemed particularly frenzied during the battle, especially when facing Ritsuka Fujimaru. It was as if he sensed something, making his attacks even more ruthless.
Of course, Ritsuka Fujimaru had no idea that Gawain had sensed a familiar aura on her—the same aura as the shadowy figure that had attacked him before. It was the power of a Stand.
"Thank goodness for the outfit Mr. Zuke gave me... Otherwise, this would have been a disaster."
Completely unaware that the maid outfit she was wearing was the reason Gawain had repeatedly tried to kill her, Ritsuka Fujimaru was simply grateful for the outfit Zuke had given her.
The physical enhancement provided by the maid outfit was immediate. While it didn't make Ritsuka Fujimaru as strong as an average Servant, it was certainly on par with the Knights of the Round Table.
During the recent crisis, Ritsuka Fujimaru had managed to avoid danger several times thanks to her enhanced physical abilities, so she naturally felt the need to thank Zuke.
"Excuse me, but who is this Mr. Zuke you're talking about...?"
After the battle at the Holy City, Bedivere had joined the Chaldea team. The group was now heading toward the territory of the Mountain People, planning to form an alliance with them.
However, along the way, Bedivere overheard Ritsuka Fujimaru muttering to herself and couldn't help but ask about Zuke.
This wasn't the first time he had heard Ritsuka Fujimaru mention Zuke's name, and he had even begun to wonder if Zuke was her boyfriend...
But Ritsuka Fujimaru quickly denied this with a red face.
"Mr. Zuke... is a very mysterious heroic spirit. We don't know where he comes from, but it seems his main goal is to help us," Da Vinci, who was driving, replied with a wry smile.
"By the way, he seems to have an ability similar to Gilgamesh's 'Gate of Babylon,' allowing him to summon many rare Noble Phantasms."
"I'd really like to meet this heroic spirit called Zuke."
A virtual screen appeared from Ritsuka Fujimaru's watch, displaying the face of Chaldea's doctor and current acting director, Romani Archaman—or "Dr. Roman," as Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others called him.
His face also showed a hint of curiosity, clearly interested in the Zuke that Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others kept mentioning.
"Do you know where he is now? From what you've said, he's incredibly powerful—even Ramesses II has to be cautious around him. So why not ask for his help?"
"Because Mr. Zuke is currently in Ramesses II's territory," Mash replied with a sigh.
"And Ramesses II has demanded that we figure out the situation in this Singularity on our own before we're allowed to seek his help again... Right now, we probably can't enter Ramesses II's territory."
"What a capricious pharaoh," Bedivere couldn't help but comment—as a member of the Knights of the Round Table, his impression of a "king" was entirely based on Artoria, the King of Arthur.
He truly couldn't understand a "king" as Ramesses II.
...
Meanwhile, Zuke had once again entered the mission world of *The Sacred Round Table Realm*.
He appeared in the desert near the Ramesseum Tentyris , the same location where he had exited the mission world last time.
However, this time, he didn't go to the Ramesseum Tentyris to visit Ramesses II again.
By now, Ritsuka Fujimaru should have already left the Holy City. After witnessing the threat posed by the Holy City, Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others were likely desperate to increase their combat strength.
If the original plot was still unfolding, Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others should be heading toward the territory of the Mountain People, seeking the assistance of the Hassan there.
"It's about time to go find them."
Zuke leaped lightly into the sky, then, after a brief moment of sensing, he detected the "qi" of Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others.
It was still the trio of Ritsuka Fujimaru, Mash, and Da Vinci, but there was an additional "qi" nearby—likely Bedivere, who had helped Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others during the battle at the Holy City.
In the next moment, Zuke used instant transmission to disappear from the sky and reappeared with a soft *thud* on the sports car Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others were riding in, sitting right next to Ritsuka Fujimaru.
"Wah!!!"
The sudden appearance of an extra person in the car startled everyone inside.
Da Vinci, who was driving, was so shocked that she slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a halt in the wilderness.
"Zu... Mr. Zuke?"
It was only then that Ritsuka Fujimaru finally realized who had suddenly appeared beside her, exclaiming in surprise.
She hadn't expected Zuke to show up right after they had just mentioned him.
"Oh, you've arrived at just the right time."
Da Vinci was also pleasantly surprised. Just when they needed to bolster their combat strength, Zuke had appeared.
Zuke's strength was undoubtedly immense—even Ramesses II had to treat him with caution.
Honestly, the moment Zuke appeared, Da Vinci even had the fleeting thought of, "Maybe we should turn back and launch a surprise attack on the Holy City. We might achieve great results."
But the thought only lasted for a moment before she dismissed it.
"Mr. Zuke, are you here to help us?"
Mash also looked at Zuke, her voice tinged with excitement. Clearly, Zuke's presence had brought them a significant sense of security.
Beside them, Bedivere watched the scene and nodded inwardly—it seemed Zuke's strength was indeed formidable. The moment he appeared, everyone's expressions visibly relaxed.
Moreover, Bedivere could feel an immense pressure emanating from Zuke. Even in front of Gawain, he hadn't felt such overwhelming pressure.
To be continued…
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