Emiya Shirou doesn't want to work overtime

Shinji Matou simply didn't believe Shirou Emiya's explanation. How could something like this happen without a Servant? Without his own Servant, there was no way to win this Holy Grail War.

However, all that came in return was a gentle sea breeze.

Are you looking down on me?!

Shinji Matou's face was contorted in anger; his expression alone was enough to convey his overwhelming rage.

"That's the truth—"

Emiya Shirou neither evaded the question nor lied.

Perhaps lying will make the enemy wary.

However, Shirou Emiya did not lie about having a Servant in order to gain an advantage.

Just as he faced Rin Tohsaka with such composure, he faced Shinji Matou with the same composure.

It was this very composure that made Shinji Matou's expression twist terribly.

"Rider!!!!"

In his anger, Shinji Matou blurted out his Servant's class, even though classes can be repeated in this Holy Grail War.

Therefore, even just the class is extremely important information for those Masters.

"boom--!"

A crimson flame, engulfing the air, exploded from the flintlock pistol in the hand of the cherry-haired woman.

The projectile, imbued with magical energy, sliced ​​through the air and hurtled straight toward Shirou Emiya's position.

Emiya Shirou didn't even move, standing straight in place, watching the bullets hurtling towards him.

"call out--!"

Amidst the strong smell of gunpowder, a bullet grazed his face and struck the rock wall behind him with pinpoint accuracy.

Even the cherry-blossom-haired woman, a Servant, showed a hint of surprise in her eyes at this moment.

Although she had no intention of taking Shirou Emiya's life, she was genuinely surprised that he could stand there without flinching as she watched the attack glide past his cheek.

Under such a threat of death, what is needed is more than just immense courage.

But it does indeed confirm one thing—

"He indeed did not summon a Servant—"

The woman with cherry blossom hair gently blew on the muzzle of her gun, which was emitting smoke, and slowly answered the question in her master's heart.

She never sensed the presence of a Servant by Shirou Emiya's side from the beginning, but she also didn't believe that a Master participating in the Holy Grail War would not even have his own Servant.

Whether it was the boy's unique, utterly deceptive gaze or his own probing, it was enough to show that he truly did not have his own servant.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Despite having no Servants, Emiya Shirou is at a significant disadvantage.

At this moment, Shirou Emiya's expression was extremely calm, while Shinji Matou was extremely excited.

He couldn't believe it, he couldn't believe that Shirou Emiya didn't have his own servant.

What Shinji Matou pursues is that fair and square battle, that passionate and exciting duel.

Even a crushing defeat should occur under the same conditions, resulting from one's own excellence and talent.

Absolutely not. It is not an advantage gained under such fundamentally unequal circumstances.

For some reason, Shinji Matou wanted to defeat Shirou Emiya head-on from the bottom of his heart, and wanted to stand in front of Shirou Emiya and laugh at him.

Even though it was a battle that could have been ended very easily for him, a battle that other magicians would have envied, he couldn't feel happy at all.

This was definitely not the battle he had hoped for!

The moment he saw Shirou Emiya, he knew in his heart that he absolutely had to compete with him.

"What a waste!"

Despite his extreme anger, Shinji Matou remained remarkably calm.

He looked at Shirou Emiya, who showed no sign of backing down, with a cold expression, and hurled an angry insult.

"A piece of trash like you who doesn't even have a Servant should just stay in the academy and wait to be eliminated!"

Shinji Matou suddenly stepped forward and waved his hand forcefully to the side. He couldn't understand why Shirou Emiya, who had almost lost the right to participate in the Holy Grail War, would still be in the arena.

Why would he even try to collect the key codes? Doesn't he know that even if he uses all his strength to get the key codes, he will never be able to defeat the Servant?

That's right. Even if the enemy wasn't himself, but someone else, without a Servant, Shinji Matou didn't believe Shirou Emiya could win.

Shinji Matou wouldn't even consider something with such a zero chance of success.

"Perhaps my ultimate fate is indeed elimination, but some things are better tried than left unseen; otherwise, how will I know what the final outcome will be?"

Despite Shinji's taunts, Emiya Shirou remained unmoved, as if the oppressive feeling of being a Servant had no effect on him at all. He stood firmly in place, his eyes meeting Shinji Matou's gaze directly.

That resolute expression, seemingly unwavering even knowing that failure was the ultimate outcome, made Shinji Matou's expression even more distorted.

His heart was incredibly restless at that moment.

This determination, this composure, this look in his eyes that seemed to show no sign of backing down in the face of any difficulty filled him with utter disgust and rage.

His hands were clenched tightly together, and the veins on his forehead were bulging.

Shinji Matou couldn't understand why Shirou Emiya could still maintain such a firm belief in the face of this situation.

It's truly disgusting.

You should act like a penniless, defeated dog, showing that look of failure and despair.

But he didn't understand why this was his own thought, his own expression of disgust towards Shirou Emiya.

But why do I feel this way? It's like I don't want to see Shirou Emiya with that expression.

Chapter 543 The Voyager of the Storm

Shinji Matou couldn't understand why he felt such aversion towards Shirou Emiya, someone who seemed to have absolutely no talent.

Even when I met someone who was perfect inside and out, someone who completely surpassed me, I never felt such disgust.

He didn't understand, but he didn't like seeing Shirou Emiya's expression. He loathed Shirou Emiya's expression of knowing he was in a predicament but not backing down.

"Rider! Take him down!!!"

After only a moment of silence, Shinji Matou roared at Shirou Emiya with all his might.

However, the Servant didn't seem to care about his Master's current mood.

"The small talk seems to be over—!"

Weiwei glanced at Matou Shinji, who seemed a little off. The dashing woman with cherry-blossom hair didn't seem to have any intention of fighting. Instead, she approached Matou Shinji with an extremely loud voice and slowly spoke.

Emiya Shirou didn't even sense any hostility from her.

"Hey! Hey kid over there, you must be the one who was standing on the cliff observing us earlier, right?"

With an intrigued tone, the cherry-red-haired woman asked Shirou Emiya in a cheerful voice, seemingly unconcerned that he had previously stood on the cliff observing her battle.

"What? He was observing us all along! Why didn't you report him—"

However, before Shinji Matou could angrily rebuke her, the woman interrupted him with a helpless expression and spoke to Shirou Emiya.

Before Matou Shinji could angrily blame himself, she spoke to Emiya Shirou with a helpless expression.

"You see, my Master's personality is really not easy to get along with, just like his poor interpersonal skills."

Before he even made a move, Matou Shinji's Servant began to belittle his Master, but the truth seemed to be pretty much as the Servant said: almost no one could become Matou Shinji's friend.

No one would like someone who is so self-centered, arrogant, and looks down on those around him, even if he is exceptionally talented.

With a smile on her lips, the cherry-blossom-haired woman completely disregarded Matou Shinji's feelings and spoke casually to Emiya Shirou.

"I quite like you like this—"

"Damn it! What are you talking about to yourself? That's our enemy! I'm still your Master!!"

Shinji Matou looked at his servant who wasn't fighting at all but instead kept belittling him. He wanted to reprimand him, but he didn't know where to begin. All he could do was stomp on the rock beneath his feet in frustration.

"Hahahahahahaha!!!"

The woman looked at Shinji Matou and burst into laughter without any mercy.

"Damn it! Do you believe I'll use a Command Spell?!"

Facing the Servants who were mocking him, Shinji Matou suddenly raised his right hand, revealing the Command Seals on it.

"Well! Well! It's just that I'm not being honest, don't worry about it too much—"

The carefree woman seemed completely unconcerned about Shinji Matou's threat, and continued to laugh as she patted him on the shoulder.

However, it seems that because of her unexpected behavior, Shinji Matou has come out of that extreme emotion.

As the saying goes, "Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly." As Matou Shinji's servant, she seemed to understand why Matou Shinji felt such intense disgust for Emiya Shirou.

This is why she told Shinji Matou that he was extremely dishonest.

However, even Shinji Matou himself probably didn't realize what he truly felt inside.

He was jealous of Shirou Emiya, jealous of Shirou Emiya's ability to face challenges.

He admired Shirou Emiya, and admired Shirou Emiya's steadfastness.

Because Shinji Matou knew in his heart that he probably could never do what Matou did, and that Matou would not back down even in such a situation.

He wanted to be able to face all difficulties alone, and he believed that he could solve them on his own, but when faced with them, he couldn't help but shrink back.

Shinji Matou refused to back down. A voice inside him kept shouting, urging him to move forward, but another voice completely drowned it out, preventing him from stopping his retreat.

He forced himself to keep going, but he couldn't bring himself to face it.

The instant the woman patted Shinji Matou on the shoulder, she quickly turned around and gripped the flintlock pistol tightly in her hand.

The black muzzle of the gun was now fixed firmly on Shirou Emiya's forehead.

The fighting spirit instantly filled the entire space.