Chapter 565: That Is... Master

He uncharacteristically slipped up, even asking "what Banana Character?"

Saber's eyebrows knit.

She recalled that when she was with Rin and the others before, Rin also always had that character.

At that time she thought it was some strange verbal tic, but now it seems…

Bai Hang suddenly spoke.

"Have you noticed that the way ordinary people around us speak is also off?"

She pointed at the faintly visible pedestrians on the distant street.

"Just now on my way here, almost everyone added a Banana Character at the end of their speech. Cashiers, students, the old man walking his dog, all of them used Banana Character."

Saber's expression grew solemn.

She recalled that during the Fourth Holy Grail War, Jiantong Zangyan's bugs spread like a virus, eventually forcing everyone to temporarily cease fighting.

Could it be…

Jing Yuan spoke then, his voice calm yet carrying a convincing authority.

"Meme Virus."

He said, his golden eyes scanning everyone present, "A cognitive contamination spread through language. Affected people unconsciously change their speech habits, and eventually even their cognition may become distorted."

Yuanban Shichen's complexion turned unpleasant.

"If that's really the case…"

He murmured, a hint of fear flashing in his ice‑blue eyes, "Then how many people have been infected with Banana Character now?"

No one could answer that question.

After a few seconds of silence, Yuanban Shichen suddenly remembered something, his complexion growing even worse.

"Rin!"

He jerked his head up, looking at Saber.

"Miss Saber, did Rin also have that Banana Character in her speech today?"

Saber was silent for a second, then nodded.

Yuanban Shichen's breath caught.

His daughter—had also been infected.

"We must find the source." He gripped his staff, his voice laced with uncontainable urgency, "We must locate the person who created this, and then eliminate them."

Jing Yuan gave a slight nod.

"Indeed. If we let it run, the whole city will develop problems."

Ilya tilted her head, looking puzzled.

"But who would do this? Who has such ability?"

A few people exchanged glances and began sharing information.

Bai Hang spoke first, recounting what she knew—Jing Yuan was her Servant, class Lancer; A Xing was a gray‑haired girl also searching for that purple‑haired woman; Jiantong Shen'er was the Master of a Berserker, and had just been seriously wounded by her and fled.

Ilya continued, saying she was the Master, her Servant was Robin, class Caster, but now Robin had been taken by that purple‑haired woman, though she could sense the location.

Saber took over, stating her Master was Fujimura Lixiang. Yan Feng Qili was the Master of an Archer, who had previously attacked them.

Yuanban Shichen took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm.

He knew more than the others—information heard from Rin, plus what he had just seen with his own eyes.

"So that means, the Masters we know of currently have these Banana Characters—"

He finished the Banana Character, his mouth twitched, but continued, "Rin and San Yue Qi, Fujimura and Saber, Yan Feng and Archer, Jiantong and Berserker, Miss Bai Hang and Mr. Jing Yuan, Ilya and Miss Robin… a total of six pairs."

"One pair remains." Saber said.

Ilya quickly raised her hand: "That purple‑haired woman! She is the Servant of the last pair!"

Bai Hang suddenly remembered something, turning to look at Jing Yuan.

"A Xing once told me in the park that she was looking for a purple‑haired woman, saying that woman was dangerous."

She recalled the scene, "At the time I didn't pay attention, thinking she was an ordinary Servant. But now, thinking back…"

"Who is her Master?" Yuanban Shichen asked.

Jing Yuan stroked his chin, his golden eyes narrowing slightly as if recalling something.

"Huo Huo." He uttered a name.

Everyone present looked at each other.

"Huo Huo?" Ilya tilted her head, "Who is that?"

Bai Hang suddenly realized, clapping her hands: "Right! When I was observing from afar, I indeed saw a Command Spell mark on the back of the hand!"

Jing Yuan nodded, his tone calm: "It's the one who fought me in the sky for several rounds before."

Ah?

Saber's eyebrows knit so tightly they could crush a fly.

Ilya opened her mouth wide.

Yuanban Shichen's staff nearly fell to the ground.

"That is… Master?"

Saber's voice changed pitch, "The one who can summon that Giant Fox, is it a Master?"

In her understanding, such a level of power should belong to a Servant, and a top‑tier Servant at that.

But now she's told that the Giant Fox battling in the sky is a Master?

"So the current situation is…"

Ilya counted on her fingers, "Miss Robin was taken by that purple‑haired woman; that purple‑haired woman is likely the Servant of the last pair, her Master is the little girl called Huo Huo, and this little girl can summon that Giant Fox…"

Besides,

Yuanban Shichen added, he tried to keep his voice calm, but the word "banana" still popped up from time to time, "This banana virus is spreading; if we don't find the source and eliminate it, the consequences are unimaginable banana."

Saber fell silent.

She suddenly felt that this Holy Grail War gave her an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.

During the Fourth Holy Grail War, when the fight was halfway through, Huan Long popped up and caused trouble everywhere; in the end, everyone had to call a truce to deal with that lunatic.

During Pinokanni, important figures went missing, and the Holy Grail War was forced to pause.

And now?

It's the same again.

Saber couldn't help but raise a hand to her forehead, and her golden lashes cast a shadow across her face.

Surely we can't just have a proper fight?

She couldn't help but think of that Berserker, that machine-like monster.

She also thought of the Lancer before her, that golden giant nearly a hundred meters tall.

She suddenly felt bitter—even without all this nonsense, could she even beat these guys?

Yuanban Shichen looked at Ilya: "Miss Ilya, you said you could sense Miss Robin's location, banana?"

Ilya nodded, closed her eyes to sense, then opened them and pointed in a certain direction.

"In that direction, I can sense… roughly that spot."

Yuanban Shichen raised an eyebrow slightly: "That direction… I recall there's a hotel, banana."

Ilya's eyes lit up: "Can you take me there?"

Yuanban Shichen pondered for a moment, then looked at the others.

"Everyone, banana,"

He said, this time the word "banana" wasn't so jarring, "It seems now that the virus situation is more urgent than the Holy Grail War. If we don't resolve it, everyone in Winterwood City will turn into monsters that only say banana. I suggest we temporarily set aside the Holy Grail War and prioritize dealing with this matter, banana."

Saber's mouth twitched.

As expected, here it comes again.

Fourth time, Pinokanni, and now it's Winterwood City again.

She suddenly wondered if she'd been cursed—why can't any Holy Grail War ever be finished?

But she also knew Yuanban Shichen was right.

If that virus continues to spread, the consequences are truly unimaginable.

Moreover, Robin is still in the hands of that purple-haired woman; Ilya will surely go to rescue her, and as an ally she can't ignore it.

"I have no objection," she said.

Bai Hang also nodded: "We'll go with you."

Ilya looked at these people, and a warm feeling suddenly welled up in her heart.

"Thank you, everyone."

Jing Yuan smiled slightly, a hint of depth flashing in his golden eyes.

"No need to thank me, after all——"

He paused, gazing toward that direction, "I also want to see just how strong that woman is who can make the Pioneer say she's strong."