[93] Meeting

"What's wrong? You... seem a bit off," Shiki looked at Kazuya somewhat uneasily. "Are you sick or something?"

"No, not at all. It's just... well, I guess I'm feeling strangely connected, you know? Fate can be like that sometimes, unpredictable," Kazuya said, averting his gaze and looking at the dark sky with its twinkling stars. "Hmm, it would be nice to have some music at a time like this."

"Huh, I don't get it. I'm not like 'SHIKI', who enjoys saying cryptic things. Explain it more clearly," Shiki sighed, seeming quite dissatisfied. She wasn't incapable of understanding, but she found it all rather cryptic and couldn't figure out what this person was saying. "But if you want to listen to music, I think we have a phonograph at home."

"Oh? A phonograph? Isn't that really old?" Kazuya changed the subject, pretending to be surprised.

"Hmm, is it very old? I think it sounds good," Shiki asked. "Anyway, you're hosting some kind of amusement park, right?"

"Yes, a JOJO-themed amusement park... It was temporarily opened once before, but it's not finished yet. I'll take you there when it's completed."

"Sounds good. It's nice to go out and have some fun." Shiki nodded, stood up, and looked at Kazuya. "So, what are your plans next?"

"I haven't decided yet," Kazuya shook his head. "I don't know what to do next... There's going to be a competition in Fuyuki City soon. I want to go, but it feels dangerous. Still, I really want to go... Well, I'm stuck in a dilemma."

"Competition, huh..." Shiki fell silent for a moment. Kazuya had already told her some things about himself before, but not everything. After a brief silence, as if pondering something, Shiki smiled and said, "Hey, count me in. It sounds interesting. Maybe there'll be someone worth cutting for me."

"No, forget it. If something like that really happens, your father will kill me," Kazuya quickly denied it. It was too dangerous to let her go there, even though there was no risk to her life. But, well, if it was just losing an arm or something...

Oh well, forget it. Even if it was just an arm, he'd still feel terrible about it.

"What a bore."

"Okay, okay, don't worry about these things. Let me teach you something good instead. It's called the Ripple Breathing Technique. How about it? Do you want to give it a try?"

"The Ripple Breathing Technique?" Shiki was puzzled for a moment. "Are you talking about the one from your manga? Hey, is that thing real?"

"I don't know, but I can definitely do the Ripple. How about it? Do you want to learn?"

"Hmm? Are you talking about your current way of breathing?"

"Yes, that's right." Kazuya extended his pinky finger. "Do you want me to teach you?"

"Inhale... Exhale... What, is it that simple? Just a slight adjustment in your breathing, and you'll learn it as effortlessly as I did," said Shiki, extending a hand. "Should it be like this... that Ripple Dash thing?"

"..." Kazuya were dumbfounded.

Really?

She just... learned it like that?

It felt like a joke, but all it took was a brief glance, and she learned it just like that?

"Are you some kind of ultimate life form?" Kazuya couldn't help but quip.

"No, I'm not," Shiki replied seriously, nodding her head. "So, it seems the portrayal of ultimate life form in your manga isn't that exaggerated after all. After all, learning something as simple as this effortlessly is quite normal, isn't it?"

...

The Holy Grail War...

A battle held every sixty years in Fuyuki City.

Kazuya really wanted to go and see it... It would be even better if he could participate himself.

In fact, he had participated in the Holy Grail War in his dream world and had seen such a Holy Grail War.

However, it was a great pity that... the participants were restricted in his dream world. That's why he became increasingly capable of discerning the falseness of the dream.

For example, in the dream world, the characters that appeared, no matter how he disrupted the plot, no matter how he looked...

The Heroic Spirits summoned were always the same few from the manga. The people who became Masters were always the same few from the manga.

There were no cases of someone else becoming a Master or summoning different Heroic Spirits.

To be honest, he was already tired of such a Holy Grail War.

But... this one would be different.

Masters and Servants might change. It was very different from what was supposed to happen...

So he wanted to go and see. He had an irresistible urge to go!

"Good evening."

Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded, causing Kazuya to turn his head. "Shiki?"

That's right, Shiki had entered at some point, but there was something different about her... an unfamiliar feeling he had never experienced before.

"Yes, it's me. Shiki Ryougi. But... in your impression, I'm usually referred to as [Void Shiki], right? Well, I don't really like that nickname," Shiki said with a smile as she walked in and approached Kazuya.

"I understand. I'll call you 'Shiki' then." Kazuya smiled slightly.

"Good, that's better. You should have a good understanding of my existence by now, so I don't need to explain. It's nice to have someone who understands oneself," Shiki said with a smile. "Meeting you like this isn't the first time for me, but a conversation like this is. It feels novel... Yes, I should give a proper greeting. Nice to meet you, Kurokawa Kazuya from another world."

Kazuya raised an eyebrow. "It seems like everyone knows that I'm from another world."

"Not... not everyone, but most of those who can observe and record this world will probably sense it. Although the world is vast, it's also a precise instrument. When someone from another world suddenly intrudes, it's normal to be sensed, isn't it?" Shiki smiled faintly. "But don't worry, this isn't the first time for you, and you can relax."

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