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"Damn. One last step away...... Saber said with his hands stretched forward, looking ahead as he had unleashed the Sword of Victory, his face full of reluctance.

After speaking, before Astolfo, who was dressed in a wolf bèi not far behind her and looked as if she had been defeated, spoke, a large amount of fine light debris floated out of her body, starting with Saber's footsteps, quickly disappearing, disappearing into the air.

Obviously, in the Noble Phantasm battle just now, Saber, who seemed to be strong, lost. As for the reason, it's because of magic! In the absence of a Master, even if Saber has a special physique and can recover his mana by breathing, how can his recovery speed compare to the speed at which his mana is lost? Coupled with the use of the Sword of Victory, a skill that consumes mana violently, and a miscalculation of the power of the Astolford Treasure, she had to reluctantly drain her mana in the end to complete her final blow.

It's just that the power is a little short of sending Astolfo back after all, or she is not lucky enough, so she can only be unwilling to lose the opportunity to touch the 'Holy Grail' that is close at hand, and return with regret and helplessness.

"Oops, it's dangerous, I almost died." At this time, Astolford, who sat down and disappeared as quickly as Saber, patted his flat chest with palpitations, and let out a big sigh as if he had survived the catastrophe. It's just that with his tattered appearance and scarred situation at this time, it feels somewhat funny.

At this point, Saber of the Servant of the Holy Grail War has officially announced his retirement.

Then Astolfo turned his head and looked around, looking at the ruined but empty scene, and said to himself, "Is there no one?" Do you mean that I am the final victor? ”

"Isn't it? I have no interest in the Holy Grail,......" then, Astolfo raised his hand and hooked his cheek and muttered in a low voice of anguish. After a pause, he continued in a sassy tone, "Forget it." Let's go and meet up with Sakura Master first. ”

After saying that, he didn't hesitate, and after tilting his head and sensing Sakura's location a little with the power of the contract, he moved towards Sakura's location.

It didn't take long for him to meet Zhou Chao and Sakura, as well as Rin Tosaka, Illya and Lijielit.

“Master。” Astolfo waved his arms high and said happily.

"Astolford." Sakura quietly breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

Then the two sides approached and gathered into a pile.

"Astolford, are you alright?" Sakura looked at Astolford, who was dressed in a wolf bèi in front of her, and said with concern.

"It's okay, Master. My condition just looks strict, as long as I go back and take a shower, it's no problem. Astolfo showed himself with open arms and explained with a smile.

"Really? That's good. Sakura relaxed.

"Astolford, is it just you? What about the others? At this time, Zhou Chao on the side interjected and asked.

"yes, I'm the only one left. As for the others...... Lancer was killed by Archer with an arrow. The same seems to be true of Caster. Berserker was taken away by Archer with an inherent enchantment, and when he reappeared, he was the only one left, and Berserker was also defeated by Archer. However, Archer didn't survive for long after he came out, and he returned on his own. Saber got into a fight with me inexplicably. In the end, it seems that because of the clean relationship of touching the force, it also returned. Astolfo raised his hand and scratched his head, tilting his head as if he were reminiscing.

"Caster is dead, too?" Zhou Chao frowned.

"yes. Anyway, after Archer attacked her, Caster hadn't been seen again. Astolfo said with a somewhat uncertain expression.

“…… Cherry. Zhou Chao, who heard Astolfo's answer, was silent for a moment. Turning his head to look at Sakura.

"Huh?" Sakura, who didn't understand what Zhou Chao meant, also looked at him with a puzzled face.

"Sakura, you feel the contract with Caster, if she does leave, you should be able to feel it." Zhou Chao explained.

"Okay. Brother of the Zhou Dynasty. Sakura snapped, then closed her eyes and carefully felt the contract between herself and Caster. Until a moment later.

"Brother Zhou Dynasty, the contract between Caster and me still exists."

"Really? It seems that Caster didn't return to Archer's attack. Astolfo said. As for why Caster didn't appear again after that, there was no need to guess, Astolfo, Zhou Chao and others all thought of it, it must be because Archer was so seriously injured by the attack that he couldn't even participate in the subsequent battles! And where will they go after being seriously injured, that is a matter of course, it must be the stronghold of the Zhou Dynasty and others, and there is another Caster Medea in the Liudong Temple.

Zhou Chao nodded, indicating that he understood, then looked up at Sakura and Astolfo, and opened his mouth to say, "Okay, since the matter here is over, then let's go back too." ”

This time, he didn't ask Illya and Rin Tosaka to go with him. After all, Archer and Berserker have already withdrawn, and the only remaining Servants are Astolfo as Rider and Caster, who should be nesting in Liudong Temple at this time, both of whom are unlikely to conclude a contract with Illya or Rin Tosaka, so naturally there is no need to think about guarding the two of them just now, and insist on asking them to act with him.

"Lijlit, let's go." Illya raised her head and looked deeply at the Zhou Dynasty in front of her, turned around and said.

Zhou Chao, who knew what the real meaning of Illya's glance was, didn't speak, and just watched Illya walk into the distance.

And Lijielit, who is an artificial person of the Einzberen family, did not hesitate when she heard this, and walked away with Illya with a giant axe.

"Then I won't bother you to get the fruits of victory, so I will take my leave, and I wish you all the best in your future actions." Then, Rin Tosaka, who understands that she has completely lost the opportunity to resist, lets go of the burden in her heart and shows her usual self. He bowed politely.

After a pause, he turned his head to look at Sakura on the side, hesitated for a moment, and opened his mouth to say again, "Sakura, if you have time, remember to come back and see your mother." ”

Then he didn't stay, turned around and was about to walk away, but before he could make the trip, he was stopped by Zhou Chao.

"Wait."

Rin Tosaka immediately stopped, and turned his head to look at Zhou Chao with a slight brow.

"I have a mention here. Let's see if it's okay. Zhou Chao smiled.

"We'll probably stay in Japan for about half a year, during which time you'll sell your family property, keeping only the house in Fuyuki City on the spirit vein for daily use, and then take your mother with us when we're about to leave. In this way, you will be able to live with Sakura again and become a family again, what do you think? ”

As soon as this statement came out. Rin Tosaka hadn't shown any kind of affection, but Sakura's eyes flickered quickly and imperceptibly. Although it was only a momentary thing, it still couldn't escape the observation of Zhou Chao, who had been paying extra attention to her, knowing that she still had some expectations for being able to live with her sister and mother again.

"Leave with you. Where to? Rin Tosaka frowned.

"A place where you have the opportunity to become a magician." Zhou Chao smiled.

This is definitely a big killer, especially when the target is still from the Tosaka family, and the members of the past generations have set their goals on Rin Tosaka, who has reached the root and become a magician. The effect was even more powerful, so almost the moment the words fell, Rin Tosaka's pupils suddenly contracted. His eyes were firmly fixed on Zhou Chao's face, as if he wanted to find traces of joking on his face.

But alas, she didn't find the slightest trace of this.

"Seriously?" Rin Tosaka asked in a deep voice.

"Of course, Sakura has the most say in this." Zhou Chao reached out and gently rubbed the top of Sakura's head, looked at Sakura beside him and chuckled.

Rin Tosaka frowned again and turned to look at Sakura.

"Yes, Tosaka-senpai, you can indeed learn magic there." Sakura nodded in confirmation.

"Studying?" Rin Tosaka's eyes flashed, and she keenly grasped one of the key words in Sakura's words, 'learning'. At the same time, I couldn't help but be more and more confused and curious - when can magic be learned, like magic?

"Yes." Zhou Chao nodded affirmatively, "But this kind of thing can't be understood for a while, only if you have seen it with your own eyes." You can go home and think about it first, and then when Sakura and I go to find you, you can tell us if you want to go with us. ”

"I see, I'll think about your mention." Rin Tosaka was silent for a short moment, then nodded and said.

"Alright, then we'll go first, and we'll see you later." Zhou Chao smiled. After saying that, he didn't stop, and turned around and walked away with Astolfo.

Sakura stayed where she was and leaned over to bow slightly to Rin Tosaka, and followed closely to catch up with Zhou Chao and Astolfo, and then it didn't take long for them to disappear from Rin Tosaka's sight.

"Is it magic......" Rin Tosaka, who watched Zhou Chao and Sakura and Astolfo disappear, muttered to himself with distant eyes.

……

More than an hour later, Zhou Chao, Sakura and Astolfo returned to Liudong Temple.

However, as soon as he stepped into the courtyard of the temple, a mysterious power poured into Zhou Chao's perception, and then Medea's slightly heavy voice shot into his ears.

"Come to the temple."

Hearing this, Zhou Chao frowned, did not hesitate, and immediately rushed towards the Medea Temple located deep underground in the backyard of Liudong Temple with Sakura and Astolfo.

In just a few moments, the three of them walked into a vast stone hall full of ancient Greek style. Then he walked to the center of the temple. Suddenly, the eyes of the three of them lit up, and a pot with a golden body, as if it was made of gold, and at this time, something like a pot that exuded a magnificent magical light and mysterious aura around it met the eyes of Zhou Chao, Sakura and Astolfo. Medea and Caster each stood on one side of the pot, staring at the pot that flashed around them with a stern expression, without making any move.

"What is this?" Astolford, who had seen this thing for the first time, wondered.

"It's the vessel of the Holy Grail, the little chalice of manifestation." Zhou Chao explained.

That's right, just like what the Zhou Dynasty said, the golden pot that was bound by the two Medeas with magic arrays and spells was nothing else, it was the small chalice used to absorb the soul of the Servant! And the reason why it shows such a strange form, rather than the shape of the legendary cup, is because this is not a real small chalice, or not the original small chalice, but a new chalice made by Medea with the help of the Zhou Dynasty, so it naturally has a lot of Greek style that conforms to Medea's senses, and it has become the current appearance.

And this is also the main reason why Zhou Chao will be deeply watched by Illya and willing to let her go. - Now that you already have a qualified replacement, there is no need to kill people like the original book, or directly kidnap people and sacrifice them, and use Illya, the original small chalice, to activate the Great Holy Grail system.

"Huh? Is this the Holy Grail? Astolfo was surprised, and then asked with a puzzled question, "Then why don't you activate it, but seal it." ”

"That's because there's one soul missing here." Caster interjected.

"Soul? Do you mean me? Astolfo said with his eyes wide open, pointing at himself.

The others did not speak, acquiescing to Astolford's words. And although Sakura opened her mouth in the process, when neither Zhou Chao nor Medea spoke, she didn't say anything after all, and was silent with the others.

"Well, I'm going to return after the Holy Grail War is over anyway, so I'll do it for you." After a moment of silence, Astolfo said with a relaxed face.

Then he turned to look at Sakura and smiled, "Master, it's a great time with you, and if you have the opportunity in the future, let's have an adventure together." ”

"Astolfo......" Sakura opened her mouth and let out a low cry, turning her head to look at Zhou Chao.

"Medea, let go of the oppression. The power of five souls was enough for Caster to grant his wish. Zhou Chao patted Sakura on the shoulder, looked up at Medea in front of him and said.

Of course, there is another sentence that the Zhou Dynasty did not say, that is: if it can really be realized...... He hadn't forgotten what the truth about the Holy Grail was.

"Huh? Don't use my soul? At the same time, Astolfo, who was ready to break the contract and dissipate his power on his own, looked at the Zhou Dynasty in amazement.

It's the same with Caster.

Only Sakura had a shallow smile on her face after hearing Zhou Chao's words. (To be continued......)