I really didn't want to burn it.

The man and the cat chewed continuously, matching the speed at which the elder spoke.

When the old man spoke passionately, they chewed faster and louder; when the old man spoke lyrically, they chewed more slowly; when the old man spoke at the most exciting parts, they chewed in short, rhythmic slurs.

Morgan smiled helplessly; she didn't know what to say.

It took quite a while for the old man, whom Li Ang called "the old codger," to finish speaking.

At this moment, applause erupted once again throughout the arena, far more enthusiastic than when the old man had stepped onto the stage.

Everyone was happy, finally free from listening to this endless rambling. However, these cheers and applause could easily be misinterpreted as respect for the speaker or being moved by what he said.

"Um……"

Morgan frowned slightly. Before her speech, she had been very envious of the pomp and circumstance and felt that receiving applause and cheers was an honor.

But now she doesn't think that way anymore.

“I have a feeling that this is not quite what I expected,” Morgan said in a low voice.

"Well, a show is still necessary," Li Ang said dismissively, "but let's skip this clownish performance."

Morgan looked at Leon with a serious gaze for the first time, feeling that he seemed to have seen through her thoughts about the throne.

Unfortunately, before Morgan could confirm, the first match began.

"Let's welcome Diarmuid Ua Duibhne!! And Bedivere!!"

The emcee called out the names of the two teams coming on stage.

The game started.

M78 Nebula 756365104

PS1: I don't know why, but when I was writing about a person and a cat, I thought of Tom and Jerry. 2333

M78 Nebula 756365104

PS2: Here's another batch of sibling-themed pictures. After seeing so many similar ones, I'm starting to ship this couple. (* /ω＼*)

Chapter 96 Li Ang: Women will only distract me from watching the game.

Diarmuid's appearance elicited screams from the female spectators in the arena.

Fortunately, Roman architecture at that time did not use glass windows on a large scale, otherwise glass window manufacturers would definitely make a fortune today.

"Lord Diarmuid is so handsome!"

"I'd pay any price to spend one night with him!"

"Charge, Lord Diarmuid!"

……

You don't even need to go to the regular audience seats; just by listening to the reactions of the noblewomen in the boxes, you can tell just how popular Diarmuid is.

Undoubtedly, with the help of his beauty mark, Diarmuid has gained a large number of female fans simply by looking at his face.

So much so that when Bedivere appeared, he actually received a lot of fan support.

"Go, kid! Beat that pretty boy to a pulp!"

"You kick him to pieces! I'll give you 200 gold coins!"

"Pull his hair! Pull him bald!"

……

Morgan smirked coldly at the Roman men's profanities.

"This curly-haired man named Diarmuid is really popular; he's managed to get so many Romans to switch their support to Bedivere."

"Ah... after all, he's the man nicknamed 'Radiant Looks,' it would be terrible if he wasn't good-looking."

Li Ang commented nonchalantly, while continuing his cat-teasing adventures.

"Did Roma send him out for the first match because he's good-looking, or because he's very strong?"

Leon rested his chin on his hand and said, "Well... if you were Morgan, the commander of both sides, who would you choose to go first?"

Upon hearing Li Ang's remarks, Morgan first recalled the competition format.

The rules of this 7-on-7 battle are simple: the two sides fight each other in pairs, and the winner is determined by the number of wins.

If a very rare tie occurs, then the two sides will choose another player to face off.

Under these rules, the outcome of the first game is crucial.

Morgan briefly considered both sides' perspectives before saying, "I will take the initiative and send out the strongest player to win the first battle. This will give my side a significant psychological advantage in the subsequent matches."

"This arrangement is good, but it's not the optimal solution."

Li Ang smiled slightly and commented in the tone of a military strategist.

"Oh? Then what do you mean by the optimal solution?"

Morgan was interested in what Leon said, and she asked in a flattering tone.

"The victory in the first battle will definitely have a significant impact on the subsequent matches. That's why it's more important to calculate the losses than the wins."

Li Ang's eyes shone brightly as he looked at the arena, as if they could see right through people's hearts.

"For decision-makers on both sides, the first thing they need to consider is that even if their side loses, the side that went to war can minimize the negative impact, or even turn it into a positive one."

Morgan understood what Leon meant. "You mean... aura?"

“That’s right!” Li Ang nodded. “For a 7-on-7 tournament like this, the first match shouldn’t be arranged from the perspective of the winner. Instead, we should choose someone who can still show the spirit of their team even if they lose.”

“Dirumdo and Bedivere are both candidates who meet these requirements.”

Li Ang looked at the two knights who had just appeared, his smile growing even wider.

Diarmuid the Spearman serves as a benchmark for a Servant's combat prowess. Although his Noble Phantasm is not as powerful as those of gods and monsters, his martial arts skills are definitely up to par.

As long as he isn't instantly killed by the opponent, Diarmuid can definitely use his martial arts skills to create an aura of power for Rome.

In addition, the beauty mark under his eye, which can bewitch women, can keep female spectators in high spirits, creating an atmosphere similar to "home advantage" for Roma.

Bedivere, sent by the Knights of the Round Table, was the same.

Beckenbauer was one of King Arthur's personal guards. Although he wasn't the strongest, he was definitely one of the most determined Knights of the Round Table.

This gives Beckham the determination and resolve to fight to the end, even in the face of adversity, and he is someone who will never disgrace the prestige of the Round Table.

"It seems you, Li Ang, are quite knowledgeable about both sides' roles. So, do you know who will ultimately win?"

Morgan suddenly moved closer to Li Ang, seemingly wanting to discuss things with Li Ang while also teasing the black cat in Li Ang's arms, but in reality, he wanted to shorten the distance between himself and Li Ang.

Unfortunately, Morgan's little scheme didn't work out, as Leon dodged her by stepping aside.

Morgan wasn't embarrassed at all. She leaned back in her chair and looked at Li Ang with a provocative gaze.

Can you tell me the answer?

"Ahem, Miss Morgan, please have some self-respect."

Li Ang shook his head helplessly.

He could sense that Morgan was flirting with him, and in a very purposeful way.

It must be said that Morgan is a very skilled flirt; she handles her words and body language very appropriately.

Although it appears that she is the one actively approaching and seducing Li Ang, she will immediately distance herself and create an air of mystery if Li Ang actually gets close to her.

Of course, Morgan would continue to flirt with Li Ang verbally, giving him the illusion that he could win her over with a little more effort. Then, little by little, she would whet Li Ang's appetite until he was completely smitten.

Actually, when Morgan leaned in and deliberately showed Li Ang the back of her neck with her hair, Li Ang was genuinely charmed.

If it weren't for the fact that Li Ang had already tasted all kinds of women and seen all kinds of methods for seducing rich men, he wouldn't have been able to do so.

If it weren't for the fact that Li Ang had several faces similar to Morgan around him, and that these people were easier to work with than Morgan, he would have been a different person.

If it weren't for the fact that Li Ang, the mourner, preferred young girls with firm thighs to noblewomen, it would be a different story.

Li Ang might have actually taken Morgan's bait just now.

Therefore, Li Ang made a decision immediately.

Cherish life, stay away from Morgan.

“Watch the match closely,” Li Ang said to Morgan. “Such exciting gladiatorial matches don’t come around often.”

"..."

Morgan was speechless with anger, and could only turn her attention to the game in frustration.

On the field, Diarmuid and Bedivere were already locked in combat.

These two knights neither unleash flashy light attacks nor use any strange or unusual Noble Phantasms, so their battle is largely a contest of martial arts skills.

Diarmuid unleashed his Noble Phantasm right from the start, showcasing his dual-wielding abilities in the very first turn.

Not only did they successfully pierce Bedivere's armor with the [Red Rose of Exorcism], but they also wounded Bedivere's calf with the [Yellow Rose of Destruction], restricting his mobility.

Diarmuid had thought it through clearly: he was only going to play this one match anyway, and even if there were playoffs later, it wouldn't be his turn.

Therefore, he has no need to hide his abilities; he can simply use his Noble Phantasm to maximize his advantages from the very beginning.

Morgan, watching from the audience, glanced at Li Ang out of the corner of his eye and said provocatively, "Hey, looks like Bedivere's in danger. Could the outcome be decided so soon?"

Li Ang said speechlessly, "Aren't you on Britain's side? Is it okay to gloat like this?"

"They just want to ask us, the British military, if we have a way to break this deadlock?"

"No matter how good the strategy is, it still depends on the person who executes it. Especially in a one-on-one battle like this, the outcome is determined by the participants themselves."

"So Bedivere is destined to lose?"

“No, he still has a chance of winning; it all depends on whether he can make the most of the power the Holy Grail has given him,” Li Ang said.

The Holy Grail brought by Morgan and Galahad not only strengthened the Knights of the Round Table, but also endowed each strengthened knight with different abilities.

It's somewhat similar to the "blessing (gift)" the Lion King gave to the Knights of the Round Table in FGO Chapter 6, as remembered by Leon, but not exactly the same.

As far as Li Ang knew, the ability given to Cui Beishang was not the "Reversal" that caused his previous failure during the initial exploration.

But Artoria didn't tell Nero what specific abilities these knights had gained, for fear that Leon would tell him.

Li Ang could only guess based on the knights' performance on the spot.

However, Beckham has not yet shown his abilities; he is still fighting Diarmuid with a gun in one hand and a sword in the other.

Bedivere fought very bravely, but the incurable wounds left by the Yellow Rose caused the scales of victory to tip ever closer to Diarmuid.

"That's it for now."

Diarmuid pointed his twin pistols at Bedivere. "You should know you have no chance of winning. Continuing like this will only worsen your injuries."

"Hmph, it's not over yet."

Bedivere said with a resolute expression, "The Queen is watching me, and as her knight, I must bring her victory!"

"You are a respectable opponent, but this ends here."

Dirum nodded knowingly, and charged at Bedivere once again.

Strangely, Bedivere on the other side did not make any evasive maneuvers.

What happened next made Diarmuid's eyes widen in disbelief.

Bedivere neither dodged nor avoided the attack, and actually stood there as the red rose pierced through him.

The Silver-Armed Knight seemed to have given up hope, only grabbing the red gun barrel after his body was pierced.

"Hmph, you think you can defeat me by trading blows? How naive! No matter how high your magic armor's defense is, it's as fragile as paper in front of my Crimson Rose!"

But the next second, after being pierced, Bedivere's entire body turned bright silver, as if he had been turned into metal by Diarmuid's spear.

No, it's because "Bedewell" was originally metal!

"Is this a stand-in?"