Chapter 397: The Dojo and Kitchen Showdown
In the dojo of the original Emiya residence, the sound of steel clashing intensely echoed, and successive attacks turned into blurs. More astonishingly, these were the sounds produced by blades striking fists.
Rin Tohsaka, having performed a pseudo-summoning of Ishtar, had both fists covered in Reinforcement Magecraft, emitting a golden glow. Fearless of the sharpness of the blades, she unleashed a barrage of fierce, powerful strikes.
Shirou and Rin crossed swords, particularly the black-haired girl, who displayed astonishing killing intent. Although both were Archers, one was hacking away with two blades, while the other was charging in directly, swinging her fists and occasionally throwing in a "kick to end the family line."
"Both of them are so strong... but..." Gudako sighed helplessly.
'Why is it all close-quarters combat!?' Gudako shouted in her mind toward the sky, feeling like she had to complain. What was up with these people who completely ignored their Classes?
But come to think of it, Merlin, the man regarded as the chief representative of European magi, held the moniker of "Sword Saint of Britain," and even King Arthur's basic swordsmanship was taught by him. One could imagine how little these magi-by-origin actually practiced their proper craft.
In the end, anyone who could be called a "magus" was a weirdo; very few could be considered normal. Especially after witnessing the destructive power of a certain red-and-white-bikini-clad Caster whose singing was stronger than a light beam, and that Halloween Caster who launched her companions and wine gourds like rocket launchers, she became even more certain of this.
That "Protector Girl" thing was only enough to fool a kid like Ibaraki, though the dudou outfit was a nice touch—cute was enough, after all~!
A gust of wind swept up, blowing Gudako's hair high into the air.
Next, a blade was knocked flying.
Gudako hurriedly ducked, the blade whizzing right over her head before disappearing before it could hit the dojo wall.
Couples are scary when they fight, especially when the girlfriend has Servant-level strength... Gudako thought to herself, quietly retreating to distance herself from the battlefield. Although it looked interesting, it was a bit dangerous if she got caught in the crossfire.
In the ten years of training since her rebirth, even though Rin still possessed a fragile girl's body, her progress was naturally much faster due to the experience from her previous life. A more correct method of training was a huge help to her.
You have to realize that before her rebirth, when she first entered the Clock Tower, she had been knocked flat on the floor by the "Drill Girl" Luvia—that crane among ladies. On one hand, it was because she was unprepared; on the other, it was a lack of experience. At that time, Luvia had already received guidance from El-Melloi II before enrolling, and her strength had improved effectively before school even started.
After that, Rin adjusted her stance. Relying on the combat experience honed between life and death during the Holy Grail War and her unyielding grit, she barely managed to regain some ground in the second round, ultimately ending in a miserable tie. However, the student dormitory's reception desk had also collapsed due to their battle, which got her kicked out of the dorms and permanently banned from entering, leaving her with no choice but to go out and rent an apartment with Shirou.
Since that time, she had prepared thoroughly, cramming knowledge in all areas and successfully bribing their teacher with a retro video game console she had asked Fujimura-neesan to find. It was only after joining the Modern Magecraft Department under El-Melloi II and giving it her absolute all that she finally managed to tie with Luvia.
In terms of talent, she and Luvia could be said to be peers.
Rin had over a hundred magic circuits, with 40 major ones and 30 auxiliary ones each. Her magic attribute was the Five Great Elements, possessing aptitudes for Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Void, allowing her to freely use magecraft of various attributes. Her magic trait was "Conversion," which allowed her to inject magical energy into gems for use.
Luvia's circuits were comparable to Rin's, with output and total capacity being nearly identical. Her magic attribute was "Earth," lacking the comprehensiveness of Rin's, but she possessed two hereditary traits: one was the same "Conversion" as Rin's, and the other was "Sisters," which helped her manifest her magecraft perfectly.
"Incompatible" and "naturally hostile"—that was the definition of them. Whether it was competing for student representative, competing in magecraft, martial arts, or even boyfriends... they all clashed.
However, Luvia was born into the Edelfelt family, a famous Finnish noble house and a major financial conglomerate in Europe. She was a "true" high-class lady who traveled by private jet and built villas in every country. Rin, on the other hand, was a "fake" young lady who had to live frugally just to learn magecraft.
What deep hatred, what deep resentment—isn't it just that my grandfather beat your grandmother back to her hometown and even slept with your great-aunt!
Even now, whenever Rin thought of her greatest rival in life, she still wanted to punch that parvenu-like drill-haired girl. Although she had always maintained a lead in the romance department, she had been dumped in the end. She had clearly, straightforwardly expressed
that she would return to Fuyuki to get married after graduation! But under the witness of the River Thames, that single-minded man had still dumped her!!!
The black-haired girl was currently radiating killing intent; what started as a spar was now being fought with the intensity of a murder attempt.
Shirou was startled, feeling that the speed of her fists was getting faster—she was just like a Berserker! This showed just how important experience was.
And possessing a physical body was a very important thing.
If one were a Servant, existing only as a spirit, one could only act by relying on magical energy and was restricted by it. When magical energy was consumed too heavily, the Servant would weaken, and they wouldn't even be able to maintain the stability of their Saint Graph. In this state, there was no way to carry out autonomous training.
Only the Chaldean Servants, because they had a Master who fully trusted them, were willing to engage in dangerous trials alongside their Master in dreams or simulation spaces, allowing them to awaken the beliefs they held in life, regain power, and even achieve sublimation.
At this moment, the outcome was finally decided.
Shirou stopped his blade, holding it at Rin's neck, and smiled slightly at the girl—everything went without saying.
Fortunately, during his time abroad participating in exchange activities, Shirou had seen various powerful Black Mud Servants; besides their miraculous Noble Phantasms, he had also seen all kinds of powerful martial arts. The fist technique the girl was using was exactly one of them. Compared to Master Li's profound Chinese martial arts, the Baji Quan the girl was currently showing off was barely at the introductory level. Shirou anticipated the girl's "Pushing Mountain Palm," used his dual blades to pin her neck, and secured his victory.
The black-haired girl had intended to concede, but seeing the crook of the man's mouth, her anger burned, and she couldn't help herself. Gritting her teeth, she ignored the blade and charged forward with a fist.
"Idiot..." To avoid letting the blade cut her, Shirou hurriedly withdrew it. The girl's merciless fist smashed into Shirou's face, sending him flying.
"Whoa... an angry woman is truly merciless..." Gudako covered her face in sorrow.
"Ah, after venting, I feel much more refreshed. In Fuyuki, I don't even have a sparring partner for daily combat training. Hmm, back to business... Welcome home, Shirou." Rin stretched her arms and smiled at the man.
"Oh, I'm home, Tohsaka~!" Shirou smiled and agreed.
...They were just fighting tooth and nail, and now they're laughing, and they're so in sync... Gudako understood in her heart, thinking, There is definitely something going on!
"Goo..." At this moment, Gudako's stomach growled.
"What is it? Is Gudako hungry?" Shirou said with a chuckle.
"Hehe, watching matches consumes a lot of energy, you know." Gudako rubbed the back of her head, thinking, Watching you guys fight like gods is exhausting!
"Alright! After exercise, I'm hungry too. Since it's a rare opportunity, I'll make Chinese fried rice!" Rin raised an arm and rolled up her sleeves.
"Eh? Rin-senpai can cook? Wouldn't it be better to let Shirou-senpai do it?" Gudako said very suspiciously. Having witnessed Shirou's fighting, and hearing Rin mention that the original head of this house was named Emiya, she had roughly guessed Shirou's identity.
And judging by the fierce fist technique and destructive muscles Rin had shown in the dojo, she should be a muscle-bound heroine made for the battlefield. As for the kitchen... wouldn't she make something strange...? Plus, she really missed the cooking of the Head Chef who had been missing from Chaldea for some time.
"Don't worry, Tohsaka's cooking is delicious. Come to think of it, the first time I was exposed to Chinese cuisine was because I ate a meal made by Tohsaka," Shirou said.
"Gudako, just stay on the side and wait for the meal. I'll make sure you ask for a second bowl. So... wash your hands, sit quietly, understood?" Rin raised an eyebrow; she had actually been doubted by a little girl, so she turned around and said with a kind smile.
"Yes!" Gudako hurriedly agreed obediently. Seeing the kind of aura the black-haired girl was radiating, she felt like she was being told to wash her neck and wait.
"Shirou, come over and help, it might be needed," Rin said.
"Oh." Shirou agreed and walked into the kitchen he was so familiar with. In the past, the dishes he had made here could fill a year-long cooking lecture series.
"Let me see what's left in the fridge. After all, I'm alone, and I don't even come here once a week," the black-haired girl said. "Eggs, ham... seasonings... then what we need is... Shirou, I'll write the ingredients on a note; could you please make a trip to the supermarket?"
"Mm, leave it to me," Shirou nodded.
"Oh, right! It's a rare chance, shall we have a competition, like in the old days?" Rin blinked her beautiful blue-green eyes and looked at Shirou provocatively.
Hearing the girl's words, Shirou remembered the time when they were in this mansion, and Rin had moved in without asking. Back then, they had implemented a rotation, competing with each other to make dishes that would make the other concede defeat. To beat the girl in front of him, he had seriously studied new recipes and spent great effort to make delicious food.
In this kitchen, hearing the girl bring this up—even though it had been a lifetime ago, it felt like it had happened just recently—Shirou smiled, full of fighting spirit, and agreed: "Just what I wanted~!"
When Shirou returned from grocery shopping, Rin had already washed the rice, put it in the rice cooker, and prepared all the materials. The two of them stood side-by-side at the counter, taking turns using the kitchenware to begin their cooking competition.
"Ah! Delicious! Somehow it feels like a family meal; it's like the taste of a father's signature dish," Gudako said.
"Pfft~!" Shirou couldn't help but laugh out loud, and under the glare from the black-haired girl, he quickly looked away.
Rin stood up in a huff and complained loudly: "What kind of comparison is that!"
"Well, how should I put it. Back at Chaldea, I often ate dishes with 'mother's taste.' They were very healthy and delicious, with fully considered nutritional intake for our sake." Gudako said unhurriedly. "And while your cooking is delicious, Rin-senpai, the fried rice you made used a lot of seasonings and oil. It feels like during a holiday, when Mom goes back to her parents' house and the Dad left at home is responsible for cooking for the family, so he chooses simple and tasty dishes to save trouble."
"Although the fried rice Dad makes is delicious, eating like that every day would lead to nutritional imbalance, and the body would develop all sorts of problems. Mom is the opposite; she'd nag, not let us eat junk food, and instead try her best to make nutritious and delicious dishes in many different ways. She keeps the child's body in the best condition—skin smooth, no acne, hair silky and shiny."
"Hmph... I know that, too! It's not like I only know how to make fried rice; I can do stir-frys, braised dishes, and Mapo Tofu..." Rin argued, unconvinced.
"But Rin-senpai, that's the feeling you gave me," Gudako said honestly.
At this moment, Shirou brought up a clay pot.
"Here, this is also a Chinese-style soup—duck meat and radish soup slow-cooked over a low fire. It aids digestion and cuts the grease, perfect to accompany Tohsaka's fried rice," Shirou said, lifting the lid.
An aroma rose from the pot, instantly filling the living room with a rich fragrance.
"Wow, it smells so good~!" Gudako exclaimed.
Shirou used a large ladle to scoop the soup into small bowls, one by one, and handed them to the girls.
"Here, Gudako, Tohsaka, for you too."
"Thank you! Senpai." Gudako smiled.
"Mm... thanks." Rin took the bowl from Shirou, feeling a bit awkward.
"So warm. Chinese cuisine is amazing! This soup is definitely a 'mother's taste'~!" Gudako squinted her eyes, enjoying the soup gliding over her tongue. Her taste buds felt a hot, nutrient-rich current sliding from her throat into her body, nourishing her entire being along with her internal organs.
Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting