Chapter 177: Return to Tohsaka City

It reversed!

Bai Ze ming said with obvious relief: “Earlier than I expected by a day—thankfully I was cautious enough to visit Yugeshan ahead of time and had Lucy check the volcano’s condition.”

“Otherwise, I’d have been rewound to my state from a year ago!”

Lin Yu raised an eyebrow: “Lucy?”

Bai Ze ming looked embarrassed: “That’s my AI assistant.”

“I see.”

Lin Yu smiled warmly: “Good name!”

He then regarded Bai Ze ming with keen interest: “But it probably isn’t that simple—you already went to Yugeshan ahead of time, so why are you in such a hurry, like someone’s chasing you...?”

“Sigh~”

Bai Ze ming sighed and chuckled bitterly: “It’s my own fault—I relied too much on the chat group’s mental defense, got curious, and wanted to meet the legendary Qi Shen...”

“And then?”

I met him, but things went off-script—he wasn’t alone. He had classmates from Private PK Academy with him, probably on a trip together...

Speaking of Kinomoto Kanan’s divine companions, Bai Zeming couldn’t help but sigh heavily.

None of the people around him were normal—the only one even remotely ordinary, Sato, was still a conceptual god: someone whose life was absurdly average, even scoring exactly the class average on every exam.

His luck was also permanently fixed at medium—even the worst misfortune couldn’t shake it.

If Sato was like that, the others were even worse—especially the female lead, Teruhara Kokomi, a perfect girl blessed by the gods, endowed with super luck so strong even Kinomoto Kanan couldn’t block it.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say the entire world revolved around her!

Lin Yu’s expression turned odd: “Let me guess—the one who made you look this disheveled... isn’t it Teruhara Kokomi?”

Bai Ze ming nodded gloomily and sighed: “Since I was meeting Qi Shen, I had to be careful—I put on my battle armor under my trench coat before showing up.”

“But I arrived at a bad moment—only Teruhara Kokomi was with Qi Shen. She probably thought I was intruding on their private moment and wanted me to back off—then my armor’s thrusters suddenly malfunctioned and launched me into the sky in front of everyone...”

Kinomoto Kanan noticed Bai Zeming drawing everyone’s attention and saw it as a perfect opportunity—he instantly teleported away while everyone was stunned by Kokomi.

Bai Ze ming caught that moment and realized Qi Shen must have gone to handle the volcano.

He immediately had Lucy repair the thrusters, staggered through the air to the volcano’s peak, and just happened to see Kinomoto Kanan standing up, looking disappointed...

Seeing that, Bai Zeming instantly understood: Kinomoto Kanan had failed again—he’d soon rewind time. So he urgently @ed Lin Yu in the group, trying to escape this world before the reversal.

“...That’s basically it.”

Bai Ze ming wore a bitter smile—he’d clearly developed some psychological trauma from Qi Shen’s divine squad.

It was understandable: raw power wasn’t that terrifying, but a conceptual god like Teruhara Kokomi was just too overpowered...

This time it was just the thrusters—next time, it might be the reactor.

“Interesting!”

Lin Yu studied Bai Ze ming with keen interest, thinking that if he ever entered that world, he absolutely had to go see it for himself.

Bai Ze ming naturally didn’t know Lin Yu’s thoughts—he’d finished recounting his experience and finally turned his attention to the grand hall before him.

Seeing the jade floor tiles glowing with magical energy and the cloud-sea and immortal mountains outside the Gate of Reincarnation, Bai Ze ming opened his mouth wide, stunned and speechless.

“...This is the cultivation ground the seniors mentioned?”

“Exactly!”

Lin Yu smiled and waved his hand, instantly teleporting Bai Ze ming to the Hall of Rare Treasures.

He’d originally planned to show him around, but time had already reversed—the Fifth Holy Grail War had restarted; there was no time for Bai Ze ming to wander his inner universe.

“Anyway, let’s implant your spiritual root first!”

Two hours later, a flash of silver light appeared above Yugeshan—a silver-red figure materialized out of thin air: Bai Ze ming, now with a spiritual root implanted in his inner universe.

Gazing down at the super volcano simmering with fury, Bai Ze ming felt relief.

Thank goodness he’d anticipated this and worn his armor ahead of time—otherwise, he’d have been dropped straight into a freefall without a rope!

Kinomoto Kanan had already vanished from Yugeshan.

Bai Ze ming paused, then decided to first confirm whether time had truly reversed.

The fastest way was to investigate nearby Nindou County—but since this was Qi Shen’s focal point, he didn’t want to risk encountering him, so he carefully avoided Nindou County and flew toward Shinzan City.

Soon after, he arrived at his rented apartment in Shinzan City.

He pulled out his key, opened the door—the interior had changed completely: walls plastered with cartoon posters, the washing machine holding unwashed underwear... and a bra?

Bai Ze ming’s lips twitched; he immediately shut the door and walked away as if nothing had happened.

He’d heard from the landlord that the previous tenant had been a girl.

“So time has reversed!”

Bai Ze ming sighed inwardly, a complex mix of emotions rising within him.

After a full year, he was finally returning to Tohsaka City!

This time, he possessed transcendent power—and the strongest skill ever: summoning the chat group’s elders.

With such backing, even if he couldn’t speed-clear the Holy Grail War, at least he could settle the grudges from the first three wars, right?

Thinking of this, Bai Ze ming smirked, found a corner to don his armor, then shot skyward toward the direction of his memory: Tohsaka City.

Tohsaka City, Sōgō Academy, High School Student Council.

A boy with brown-red short hair squatted on the floor, repairing the heater.

Beside him stood the student council president—Ryūdō Ichise, with purple short hair and a gentle, refined demeanor.

Watching his friend help repair the heater, Ryūdō Ichise sighed: “Thank goodness you’re here—if we hadn’t fixed the heater before finals, I’d be to blame.”

“No big deal—it’s what I should do.”

Emiya Shirō smiled and, while still repairing the heater, asked casually: “By the way, Ichise, I haven’t seen Bai Ze ming today—is he sick?”

“Bai Ze ming...”

Ryūdō Ichise adjusted his glasses, pausing thoughtfully: “That transfer student from China in your class?”

Emiya Shirō paused his work, turned, and smiled: “Yeah—he’s a good guy, gets along well with me...”

Ryūdō Ichise chuckled: “With your doormat personality, anyone could get along with you!”

Emiya Shirō shook his head: “No, it’s different—Bai is cold and distant; besides me, he doesn’t seem to have any friends.”

Ryūdō Ichise understood: “So you’re worried he’s sick and no one’s checking on him—you want to go see him yourself?”

Emiya Shirō nodded: “If he really is sick.”

“That’s so Emiya Shirō!”

Ryūdō Ichise sighed, then shook his head: “Unfortunately, I don’t know—but I can help you find his family’s contact info. Is that okay?”

“Thanks a lot!”

Emiya Shirō smiled gratefully and returned to repairing the heater.

Soon, the heater was fixed. Emiya Shirō stood up and turned to Ryūdō Ichise.

Ryūdō Ichise smiled and handed him a slip of paper: “Thanks to you, the heater’s fixed before finals. Here—this is Bai Ze ming’s mother’s phone number.”

“Thanks!”

Emiya Shirō took the paper, glanced at the number, and walked out of the student council.

At the staircase corner in the hallway, a familiar voice reached him, catching his attention.

Emiya Shirō immediately looked up, frowning at the blue-haired boy surrounded by two girls on the stairs.

“Shinji...”

Kirei Shinji blinked, then smiled: “Still at school, Emiya?”

Emiya Shirō recalled Sakura Kirei’s injuries this morning and said gravely: “I need to talk to you. Come with me.”

“I have something to say to you—come with me.”

Kirei Shinji frowned, spreading his hands: “Sorry, as you can see, I’m busy. If you’re bored, talk later!”

He smiled at his two companions: “Let’s go, ladies.”

Emiya Shirō repeated: “Wait, Shinji—it’s about Sakura’s wrist injury!”

Kirei Shinji’s face darkened: “What? What happened to Sakura?”

Emiya Shirō frowned: “Don’t play dumb—you’ve been hurting Sakura again—”

Kirei Shinji interrupted impatiently: “How the hell should I know what that girl’s up to?”

Emiya Shirō said calmly: “You’re siblings...”

Before he finished, a familiar figure walked up the stairs below.

Emiya Shirō froze, then recognized the cold-eyed black-haired boy.

Shirou Emiya blinked in surprise, then quickly recognized the dark-haired boy with his cold expression.

Emiya Shirō stared down at his classmate—taller than he remembered.

“I was just about to look for you... you’ve grown taller?”

“No, I haven’t.”

Bai Ze ming shook his head, stopped on the step below Kirei Shinji, looked down at him with a cool gaze, and said calmly: “I was always this tall.”

Bai Ze ming shook his head, stopped walking, and stood on the stair landing one level below Kirei Shinji, glancing down at him with a cool tone: “I’ve always been this tall.”

「……」

Kiriya Shinji’s face darkened, as if he felt humiliated.

Just as he gritted his teeth and turned to retaliate against the transfer student, Bai Ze ming suddenly moved—his right fist clenched and slammed hard into Shinji’s abdomen.

“Thud!”

A muffled thump echoed; Shinji’s eyes bulged wide, he clutched his stomach and collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony like a worm, moaning continuously.

The two girls beside him froze for a moment, then let out terrified screams.

Bai Ze ming frowned slightly and cast a cold glance at them.

The two girls instantly trembled and turned to flee.

Emiya Shirou also froze, quickly shouting: “Bai, what are you doing?!”

Bai Ze ming glanced at Shinji on the ground and said calmly: “I already warned him—not to block my path. He insisted on standing there. It’s not my fault.”

What?

Shinji glared with fury, gritting his teeth through the pain to squeeze out a sentence.

“When… when did you… warn me?!”

“With my eyes.”

Bai Ze ming pointed to his own eyes, then ignored the helpless, raging worm beneath his feet, stepped over him, and looked seriously at Emiya Shirou ahead:

“Let’s go. I have something to say to you too.”

(End of Chapter)