The infinite sword system has been mastered, and you say this is the dragon clan?

Chapter 415 One Piece is real!

"By the way, Erii, are you interested in those kinds of sea travel activities?"

"Go to sea?" Erii tilted her head, then steered the chat channel in another direction:
"If it's the ocean... will there be a One Piece?"

Upon hearing this, Emiya was momentarily stunned. He had originally been thinking about swimsuits at the beach, but Erii's thoughts were about One Piece.
However, when he suddenly remembered that Erii was also a frozen eel cake maker, he felt relieved.

"Hmm... the treasures of the sea must really exist."

If the Holy Grail at the singularity also counts.

Moreover, upon closer reflection, there's no contradiction between us. I'll enjoy my swimsuit activities, you'll search for your Deep Sea Treasure, and she'll host her Nero Festival to entertain the Singularity's locals. We both have a bright future!
"Yay! Target: The One Piece, let's go!" Erii gently hung the earphones around her neck and smoothed her red hair. "Let's go, let's go back!"

Erii spoke with great enthusiasm, sounding as if she couldn't wait to go back and prepare for a great sea adventure and join the fight for One Piece.

Emiya nodded, thinking to himself that the next singularity might not turn out as they wished. After all, the previous Frankish Empire's struggle for supremacy and the Holy Grail War among the Roman states were ridiculously exaggerated. He couldn't even imagine what the next voyage would turn out to be.

Hopefully, the deep sea truly holds a great treasure, and we don't end up arriving at the final island, Laugh Tale, only to find "in the eternal mansion of R'lyeh, Cthulhu awaits your dream."

Emiya tapped his finger, compiled the suggestions he had given to Leonardo da Vinci, and sent them to Director Caesar. Then, he wrote to Nero, who was strongly advocating for a festival and frequently vibrating the chat window, "Let's leave that for the next singularity." After that, he put away the panel and left the office with Erii.

Compared to the singing prodigies who always gave him a headache, he felt it was better to clock out and leave work as soon as possible, so that troubles wouldn't find him.

That's all for today's work. As for the rest, I'll leave it to myself tomorrow.

As the two walked through the corridor, they noticed fluorescent floating text appearing in the air from time to time, similar to official notices projected onto virtual screens on the walls. However, the content of these swirling texts was anything but proper—

"The long-established Da Vinci Alchemy Workshop is beginning its decline! I advise all my long-term shareholders to cut their losses as soon as possible!"

"Shocking! Chaldea's heroic spirits are gathered in one room, with numerous handsome men and beautiful women engaging in vigorous group activities. The intense battle is exhilarating and thrilling! Limited spots remain, apply now! (Directions to the simulation training room are also attached)"

"Breaking news! Breaking news! A brand new formula weight loss miracle drug is ready! Even Caesar raved about it! Those interested, please contact Chaldea Dormitory 4-233-..."

"Ta-da! Magical☆Merry-chan New Year Streaming Announcement!"

Why are there still ads?

Emiya raised an eyebrow. Judging from the current situation, the uproar caused by the Da Vinci swindler had not yet subsided. The publicity surrounding the simulation training room was probably related to the fact that his sword training ground had obtained complete data in the Roman singularity and was then placed into the training room by Nuwa after his return.

As for the advertisements, his intuition told him it was the paparazzi stirring up trouble, but Director Caesar probably wouldn't easily agree to let them distribute this nonsense in the corridor...

Unless Caesar wanted to see any rumors or signs of trouble spread like wildfire throughout Chaldea the very next second.

Emiya pulled out his terminal and casually sent a message to Caesar: "Caesar, did you approve those scrolling news panels in the corridor?"

Generally speaking, in Chaldea's important corridors and other high-traffic areas, only important official announcements and emergency notices are allowed to be displayed, rather than trivial news.

"Oh... it's because I felt it was necessary to strengthen Chaldea's information and entertainment atmosphere. Don't be nervous, everything is still under EVA's monitoring from the back end." Director Caesar, who was still busy in his office, replied quickly.

"Since you asked, I'll mention it in advance... Captain Emiya, you've been working incredibly hard on the front lines these past few days, barely having time to relax, right? That's why I funded this triumphant parade so people could enjoy themselves—"

"After all, Chaldea also needs a bit more of a lively atmosphere. Constantly preparing for war against the greatest villain in human history will wear you down. Your body might be able to hold up, but your spirit will easily collapse. Therefore, we need good entertainment, adequate relaxation, a healthy environment, and ample logistical support..."

“A good salvation organization must never be lifeless, after all, we still have a journey ahead of us with unknown length and unknown suffering.”

Director Caesar truly lived up to his innate aristocratic leadership qualities, speaking eloquently and logically. Emiya could almost picture this blond young master waving his hand confidently, proclaiming, "A proper rest is for a better tomorrow," and "We are invincible before us"... Of course, this scenario was contingent on ignoring Caesar's lack of direct combat prowess.

"As for those advertisements, ha, I'll have EVA conduct continuous backend reviews. In fact, all we need to do is assign an extra team to monitor the data, and we can guide news feeds that are favorable to Chaldea. Of course, we still need some time to prepare."

Caesar then asked, "Did you see anything inappropriate?"

"No, how should I put it, it's mainly because I also saw some weird weight loss ads—I thought maybe you were so disappointed after meeting the historical 'Julius Caesar' that you did this."

"Oh... how could this be?"

When Emiya saw that Caesar had taken two minutes to reply, he thought to himself, "Your disappointment back then was practically overflowing, and it hasn't even subsided yet, has it? So you really can't accept that overweight image, right?"

"No, of course not!"

Director Caesar unexpectedly gave a different answer:
“Obesity is just a facade; it’s a way of making himself look ugly. Through that meeting, I sensed that this emperor’s ambition and fighting spirit had waned, that he had become a rogue and cynical, and that his unattractive appearance and self-degradation made him even less willing to contribute his strategies and tactics, even if he was willing to do so for Chaldea.”

Caesar sighed with regret, thinking that if this military emperor could take the lead in devising strategies, Chaldea's frontline combat strength would surely increase. "Do you understand? It's like hiding the spirit of a lion, which could have roared and intimidated the world, deep in its heart."

"..." As Emiya listened, he vaguely remembered a certain loser, "I have a feeling you're alluding to someone."

"what?"

"Let's not talk about that. The matter of Caesar might be related to the events at the singularity, which is causing him mental distress and is difficult to handle. Another matter, regarding those comments about Da Vinci's workshop, you deliberately let them go, didn't you? What do you think of my proposed new type of imaginary submarine?"

“Great minds think alike. I also believe that it is not a long-term solution for Da Vinci’s Workshop to dominate the market. Moreover, Chaldea is a large organization with a clear purpose and long-term operation. A healthy business environment is very important. Furthermore, what you suggested can effectively motivate the Heroic Spirits and help them integrate into the group.”

"Before the next singularity exploration begins, I will approve this proposal, form a second batch of resource exploration and transfer teams as soon as possible, and issue registration notices to staff and heroic spirits..."

Director Caesar spoke with great enthusiasm, even hinting at a desire to participate and transcend time himself.

He'd been sitting in the office for so long that his butt was really sore. If it were a low-risk logistical task like collecting and transporting supplies, he could easily handle it. After all, Shadow Border's imaginary underwater technology had proven safe and reliable, requiring no special qualifications for spirit particle transfer.

Emiya was delighted to hear this and quickly agreed. "Since you're so interested, then this arduous logistical task will be handed over to you without further ado. Here's what's happening at the rear."

For someone like Emiya, all he needs to do is devote himself wholeheartedly to fighting on the Singularity front, while Director Caesar and the others have many more things to consider.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

When Erii returned and entered the room, she found the lights off and the room dimly lit, but she could hear several people breathing. "Huh, Nono-nee? And this is... Miss Amor?"

"Shh." Emiya stopped her from calling out again. His eyesight was even better, and he had already spotted Regierev lying on the armchair next to Nono with her eyes closed. The girl's face was pale, and Nono was holding her hand beside her, their expressions almost eerily synchronized.

This situation looked familiar to him; Nono was performing a profile vision.

But why is the target Reggie Love? She's acting strangely; her breathing is uneven, as if she's been mentally stimulated. Did she suddenly see something?
"You've arrived?" Amor's voice suddenly rang in Erii and Emiya's minds, almost startling the little monster. She thought that no one but her own people could use this move on her.

Don't worry, I only used my power briefly to connect our minds. You know, lovers often understand each other perfectly, so there's nothing wrong with 'love' connecting our minds, right?

What you're saying is, does 'love can make people do xxx' equal to 'the power of love'? Then just use 'love is limitless' whenever you're in trouble.

Emiya suppressed his urge to retort. He noticed Amor's unusually tense face, a face he rarely showed before, as Amor usually refused to commute or work overtime. "You actually came voluntarily? What unexpected situation has arisen?"

【Hey, does Lord Emiya think I'm some kind of lazy, unreliable person who takes money and does nothing? This God of Love has a very high level of divine dignity. Since coming to Chaldea, I even specially obtained a professional qualification certificate from your director to open a special emotional counseling room. It's open on time every day, and I'm never late or leave early without a valid reason.】

'But he never works overtime or leaves late,' Emiya silently added to himself.

After speaking, Amor tucked his loose sideburns behind his ears, then pointed to the silver-haired girl lying down:

[Then, well, this Miss Regina came barging into the consultation room, saying she'd recently been experiencing something strange—she'd started having bizarre dreams frequently without warning, and her sleep quality was extremely poor. She suspected it was a psychological problem.]

However, because she forgot much of the dream's content afterward, her speech was always hesitant and incoherent, only repeatedly emphasizing that the dream's content was related to the 'sea.' Therefore, this goddess of love inquired about the clairvoyant witch experts of Chaldea, gathered her helpers, and gave this Miss Reginald a three-part consultation.

Emiya pointed to himself and Erii, "[Can we see the scene through the spirit vision?]"

He took a closer look at Regina and found that she was in good condition, but she looked a little pale due to the excessive mental stress. Her body was full of vitality and showed no signs of decline.

【able. 】

Amor reached out to the two of them, "I sense a spiritual contract connecting you, including this patient and the clairvoyant witch? Sharing clairvoyant images with you is quite easy."

The next second, the scene in front of Emiya suddenly changed.

He could resist and reject the Nono visions transmitted by Amor, but at this moment he accepted them without hesitation.

Emiya looked around. The surrounding area resembled a beach, and in the distance, he could see a small fishing village with fishing nets and gear hanging in the courtyards. This must be the place Reggie Love had dreamt about.

A red-haired woman appeared on the beach.

"Nono, have you found something?"

The tall woman with red hair in a high ponytail nodded, then shook her head. "This is the 37th profile. Apart from the initial information I obtained, the subsequent profiles seem to have been deliberately hindered... It feels like the other party has noticed the spying and has therefore built a defensive barrier."

Emiya fell silent for a moment. His understanding of mental matters was mostly focused on combat and practical applications, such as predicting fights or "affinity auras." Nono was more adept at things that involved superstition and mysticism.

After a long pause, he tentatively asked, "You mean, the other side invaded Rachel's dream and built a barrier to prevent us from peeking in?"

"How is that possible?" Nono said in surprise.

"Of course not, my boss Emiya. We are now using Lady Reggie's dream to trace the source—in other words, we are attacking the other side's territory from the opposite direction."

As Amor spoke, he walked over from the beach not far away, while Erii beside him rushed towards the crashing waves on the shore like a female divers gathering seafood.

Emiya glanced at Erii, who was giggling with her calves submerged in the waves, and asked, "So what information did you get?"

“Do you know Yaobikuni?” Nono asked.

"The story of a woman who ate mermaid flesh and lived for eight hundred years, still youthful and beautiful?"

Emiya had heard of it; it was a Japanese legend. The term "bhikkhuni" did not refer to a single person, but to a group of people. It meant a woman who had entered the Buddhist order and received full ordination. In Chinese, she was also called a nun.

Unlike nuns, bhikkhunis include not only monks who practice in temples, but also a wide variety of women.

These nuns were influenced by the island nation's traditional "shaman culture." They took on related roles during sacrificial activities, propagated Buddhism through singing, or made a living as shamans, traveling from street to street as oral cultural workers. In more recent times, some of them even evolved into prostitutes.

The legend of Yaobikuni appears in 15th-century documents, and this kind of legend is almost ubiquitous in the island nation. The story goes that a fisherman moved to a small fishing village and treated the villagers to fish. However, the villagers discovered that the fish had human-like heads (mermaids) and were too frightened to eat them. Only one woman ate them, and that woman was Yaobikuni.

“Yes, the original version of the story of Yaobikuni is no longer verifiable,” Nono led everyone toward the fishing village, and Emiya had to pull Erii, who was about to dive into the dream world, back from the shore.

"Some say that the so-called mermaids are actually products of another world—the ancient ocean in the island nation's beliefs is a kind of other world. Others say that the women eat food offered by the dragon god, or obtain the elixir of immortality from the dragon god."

If Nono continued with that hint, Emiya would find it all too familiar:

"...White King?"

In the otherworldly realm of Takamagahara in the sea, the sea dragon goddess Izanami, after consuming the Blood Gift, transformed into an immortal and noble dragon descendant... Reggie Love, the Black King dragon descendant, is such a prime example.

Wait, Reggie Love? Yaobikuni?
Emiya suddenly realized something: was it because they were the same kind of people that they had some kind of connection?
(End of this chapter)