Chapter 404

"Indeed! This young lady's future is bright!"

The silver-haired girl, shining like snow, stood in the grand, spacious, bright Living Room, summing things up with a smug look.

Her eyes flashed with confident light, as if she had already seen the magnificent sight of herself standing at the peak of victory, and she clenched her fair fist and waved it vigorously.

"..."

"..."

A stretch of silence.

Only the Living Room clock ticked, recording the passage of time.

A subtle atmosphere permeated the Air, as if even the surroundings were waiting for what came next.

Sitting on the sofa, hugging a small pillow, Sakura hesitated as she looked around, then leaned toward the black-haired Pigtails girl beside her, speaking softly:

"Th-this... what does this mean, Sister?"

Her voice carried a hint of Curiosity and puzzlement, clearly confused by this Sudden declaration.

"Uncertain, let's watch first——"

Rin coughed lightly, likewise appearing somewhat Doubtful.

She frowned slightly, her Gaze lingering on the silver-haired girl in Front for a moment, trying to find an answer in the other's Expression.

After all, no matter how you looked at it, this situation was strange, but the only thing that could be said for certain was that Miss Filia seemed to be in a very good Mood.

Because normally, it was hard to see her act like this——

Running down from upstairs in a fluster, standing right in the Living Room, blocking their Front, and solemnly spouting such Mysterious words...

Her Tone was even full of smugness and pride, as if she had already grasped some decisive Mors Strength or factor.

Frankly speaking, it was indeed somewhat baffling.

But that happy, excited energy was something anyone could see.

"It should be that he said something."

The single-eyed, fair-skinned girl Beside was quite Calm, speaking in a level Tone, as if all the commotion around her was Unrelated to her.

Even witnessing Filia's smug look, while the other still sent a Meaningful Look her way, she could handle it with composure.

Although it couldn't really be called a Provocation or offensive Impolite look.

More like, that look of hers that said she could do it again.

In short, it was easy to understand; after all, before this, Othinus had already fully experienced the resilience the other displayed; she was a hard-headed... cough cough, a Fellow who wouldn't Easily admit defeat.

Probably the same now, just like the previous situation——

The silver-haired girl feels she can do it again...

Who knows, she might be Pondering how to regain face next, complete the great undertaking of saving face, achieve overtaking on a curve...

So without thinking, it's clear someone said something to her, letting her feel new encouragement or inspiration Exactly.

The detailed Details can't be confirmed yet, but the general Direction can be Speculated.

Probably nothing but that!

In a game, it would be the next version Update patch, giving Filia Reinforcement, Improving her Quantity and innovating her Skill Mechanism, making her the version's meta answer...

Aah, it must be that plan related to "Goddess Reincarnation".

Must say, Othinus's thoughts are still very sharp and delicate; with a little thought she figured out seven or eight parts, eight or nine out of ten.

"... He?"

Rin raised an Eyebrow, but what came to mind was another scene.

After all, although her Wavelength was extremely compatible with the Goddess, she herself was not a Goddess, so naturally she didn't know that plan.

Therefore——

She could only diverge her thinking, make associations with basis...

Miss Filia this happy, even unable to suppress that excited energy, abandoning her usual coldness to come announce this to them...

Was it because someone said something to her?

Wait, could it be he said some sweet nothings? Using those coaxing-girls tactics, coaxing her into a daze, beaming with joy?

So——

This is a victory declaration?

Thinking here, Rin's Corner of Mouth twitched, her Gaze unintentionally turning toward the Filia in Front who was smug and beaming with joy.

The other's silver hair was dazzling like first winter snow, crimson pupils like the most precious rubies, set in that face as exquisite as a doll's, paired with that slender, graceful Mors Posture...

Damn, no matter how you look——

This disaster level points straight at the Highest!

I really was Careless...

Miss Tohsaka felt something was off, even though in this period it wasn't the first time she'd had this feeling.

"Cough cough, that... may I ask Miss Filia, what exactly happened?"

She coughed, cleared her throat, put on a Calm Expression, while lifting her cup to sip tea, asking in as normal a Tone as possible.

The teacup Gently touched her lips; that Unintentional Elegance had the Tohsaka Family style.

"Hmph hmph, this matter——"

Miss Filia hummed twice, Mood seemingly exceptionally delighted, deliberately dragging her Tone to Reverberate in the Air.

She playfully squeezed her eyes shut, the motion like a spring breeze on the face, carrying a few parts teasing and Mystery, then suddenly shifted gears and announced Mysteriously:

"——Classified for now."

Rin: "...!!"

The black-haired Pigtails girl's heart tightened sharply, almost hearing her heart Accelerate, nearly dropping the tea set On the Spot.

What are you being so cryptic for at a time like this!

I've been holding my breath, just waiting for you to continue...

And you give me an answer like this with such a sudden turn?!

No no no! Calm down, calm down! Can't lose my head; the last several times were exactly like this, and in the end didn't I realize it was actually a misunderstanding?

Rin took a few gentle breaths, letting her emotions settle first.

After all, there have been multiple prior lessons; even someone whose head doesn't know how to turn corners should know by now not to jump to conclusions.

That's right...

It's definitely like that...

It should just be interactions regarding work and research tasks, nothing else; that guy is just too spontaneous, he doesn't consider this aspect at all...

Rin admonished herself like this in her heart, then looked upstairs: "Um— where is he?"

The simplest way to clear up a misunderstanding is to face it directly.

Just go ask the person involved directly, wouldn't that completely confirm it?!

"Oh, still in the Workshop. Just now he said he had a new angle again, maybe a breakthrough can be achieved... so I came down first."

The silver-haired girl said casually.

"Tch, another new angle again; how many times has this been said, and no success seen..."

Rin grumbled, but hearing the other party was still busy with proper business, she dismissed the idea of going upstairs now.

"There actually is progress."

The pale, single-eyed girl spoke up beside her, "Although we haven't seen him manifest multiple forms of existence right now, that can only explain that he no longer manifests such an existence form under the current spacetime..."

"Emmmmm... you mean, he manifests such an existence form in parallel spacetime?"

The black-haired pigtails girl pondered for a bit, not quite grasping Miss Oute's meaning, so she cautiously probed with a question.

"—Very likely."

Othinus always has a look of no expression, but this cold, indifferent tone, combined with her identity, inevitably makes one feel it is very persuasive.

"Uh..."

This stumped Rin a bit.

—Could it really be possible?

—No way, is it that exaggerated?

Recalling a certain someone's earlier words, Miss Tohsaka couldn't help feeling a strong sense of unreality.

Regarding what Xia Zhi has been researching during this period, she actually knows; it was when the other party was researching the Jewel Sword's design diagrams and theory that he gained inspiration.

He seemed to believe he had glimpsed some incredible possibility from within it.

It's not like he wants to use this to master Magic or anything...

But in a certain sense, it might be just as fantastical...

—The Elder Master's Second Magic is the convergence of oneself into a singularity across infinite parallel worlds, making the "self" across infinite parallel worlds the sole unique one.

—Yet a certain someone wants to go the opposite way, letting the "self's" parallel existences spread like a prairie fire, existing simultaneously across endless world lines.

This crazy act of reverse-practicing Magic is enough to move even the most incompetent Magician.

And presumably everyone would think this is absolutely impossible to achieve.

But now...

What did she hear? That guy really has progress, and has already made a pretty good breakthrough in this aspect?

How to put it, that lingering trance-like feeling made the girl feel even more unreal.

She knows the weight and irreproducibility of Magic; precisely because she knows, she previously thought the other party was being fantastical...

Even though the other party doesn't want to directly copy the Second Magic, but to grasp that incredible possibility and reach the endpoint in the opposite direction.

But...

This instead makes it hard to say which is more difficult, copying Magic or reverse-practicing Magic.

"That guy..." Rin thought for a good long while, then let out a long breath, "Could it be that what he told me before, 'as long as it's technology there's a possibility of conquering it'..."

"—Was serious?"

"..."

"..."

The pale, single-eyed girl beside her fell into slight contemplation, about to say something.

But right at this moment—

Boom!!

The earth shook!

Violently, as if the entire city had been tossed upward.

"Eeeeh—!!" Rin and Sakura both jumped in shock, "Was that an earthquake?"

No one answered them.

Because in the time it took to turn their heads, the sisters both discovered only the two of them remained in the Living Room; Miss Oute and Miss Filia were already gone.

Fortunately, the shaking stopped after that.

Everything quieted down.

If not for the night streets outside becoming chaotic, with people's panicked shouts and screams audible, it would almost make them think the previous moment was an illusion.

——————

Underground Fuyuki City.

The already non-existent Yuan Cang Shan, that non-existent underground Great Void.

When Filia arrived with extremely fast reaction, she discovered the source of the riot had already been suppressed; the Alien Spider lay there quietly, not showing the slightest movement.

Only the half-collapsed underground cavity, the precariously hanging falling rocks...

Those cracks spreading to the ground and cave walls, the various Bounded Fields and Jutsu mostly destroyed...

—all indicated that just now this Colossal Thing had Struggled once.

Even now, the Light Grid surrounding its body, that Noble Phantasm Launcher modified from the Great Holy Grail base, converting Counter Force energy, was pinning it down firmly.

The shining light indicated the intensity of the Condensed energy.

This modified prison was operating at full power.

However, compared to these, what could make the big spider quiet down so quickly was still that figure standing beside it, with a pitifully cute appearance, a petite stature of only thirteen or fourteen years old.

Wearing a black leather jacket, wearing a Witch Hat, holding the Spear of the God of Gods in hand...

Seeing this combat style, Miss Filia, who had suffered who knows how many bitter experiences, Pulled Mouth Corner; although not to the point of saying PTSD attacked, it indeed reminded her of some Terrible memories.

She Gently inhaled a breath, not thinking about these irrelevant things, instead turning to examine ORT.

Compared to that previous Shape...

The current big spider had Faded that metal-like outer shell texture, its whole body plated with a layer of brilliant gem radiance.

And its body length had already expanded from forty meters to over seventy meters, nearly doubling...

"It evolved." Cannot Bear the exclamation, Miss Filia Spoke, she was very clear what this Monster had experienced, and what it had obtained.

"Normal, if it weren't for it constantly Transforming, and simultaneously providing Experiment data, Xia Zhi's side wouldn't be this Smooth either..."

The single-eyed fair-skinned girl said faintly.

"Speaking of this—"

Miss Filia slightly frowned, looked around: "How come he still hasn't come over this time, reaction this slow?"

"..."

"..."

"That can only explain, his side has also reached the Critical Moment."

Othinus was Silent for a Half Moment, said Gently: "—That side also wants to evolve."

(Chapter End)