"Well then, Nikitich-dono, was this round of sparring to your satisfaction?" Taigong Wang leisurely urged Sibuxiang closer as he spoke. "With Tenkei's ability, even if you were to temporarily serve under his command as a Servant, it would hardly be beneath you."
Following his words, Shiomi turned again to look at Nikitich, who was now sitting on the ground. He raised his arms and gave his loosened limbs a thorough stretch.
"Mm. I'm satisfied." Nikitich lowered her hand. "Even after releasing my first Noble Phantasm, I still couldn't do anything to the Master of Chaldea."
"No, no," Taigong Wang corrected calmly. "If you had truly been hostile toward Tenkei-dono just now, you would have been reduced to ashes after that single strike and dismissed from this place."
"Oh—oh!" Nikitich blinked in realization. "No wonder I had a premonition of death just now. So it wasn't just my imagination."
Shiomi merely shrugged without comment, neither confirming nor denying it. Then he turned to Taigong Wang.
"So, since Nikitich-dono is done, is it my turn to exchange a few moves with Taigong Wang-dono?"
"Hahaha—if Tenkei-dono sincerely wishes to spar, I wouldn't mind accompanying him," Taigong Wang replied with a hearty laugh.
"So only one of us actually wants to fight?" Shiomi crossed his arms. "Then why did you have Sibuxiang take on its Qilin form?"
Taigong Wang opened his eyes slightly, silver-gray pupils gleaming with quiet wisdom.
"Naturally, I was worried the two of you might get carried away and forget this was only a friendly exchange. Better not lose a Servant before we even begin dealing with the Anomaly Zone."
Servants capable of manifesting and maintaining their existence were rare to begin with. Even though Shiomi had brought sufficient combat strength, the more forces available, the better their chances of resolving the Beast problem.
Moreover, Servants summoned to Singularities and Lostbelts by Counter Forces were often closely connected to the root cause of those worlds' distortions.
Shiomi suspected that possibility applied to both Taigong Wang and Nikitich.
"Is that so?" Shiomi spread his hands with a hint of regret. "I was hoping to witness the Mystery at the apex of ancient Chinese Magecraft."
"No hurry, no hurry. There will be chances for me to show everyone a trick or two," Taigong Wang said lightly. "After all, the longer I remain here, the more troublesome it becomes for me."
Then his tone shifted, turning almost playful.
"Or perhaps I should simply withdraw. After all, as a human-god shaped by Goddess Nüwa, Tenkei-dono should be able to handle this Lostbelt alone. Especially with Nikitich-dono still here."
"Hey, don't run." Shiomi raised a hand, pretending he was about to tie Taigong Wang up and drag him to the front lines as a shield. "How can the founding father of military strategists run away?"
"Retreating at the right time to fight another day is just as important," Taigong Wang replied, idly adjusting his fishing rod. "I can tell Tenkei-dono is not the sort to withdraw lightly. With sheer personal valor alone, you can influence the course of a battlefield."
"........."
Shiomi lowered his hand, utterly speechless.
At that moment, Morgan and the others, seeing that the brief test of strength had concluded, returned to their side.
"Not fighting anymore?" Scáthach looked like she still hadn't had her fill.
"Then how about Master fights Nikitich-dono next?" Shiomi said, sounding faintly aggrieved.
Scáthach turned to Nikitich, who wore the same eager expression. The two exchanged a nod, then moved off to the side and began sparring.
"Is her brain made entirely of muscle? How does someone like that even manage to raise a disciple?" Morgan muttered.
Shiomi pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's just how things are in the Land of Shadows. I'm the odd one out among Master's students."
"Since you don't intend to continue here, shall we get straight to the point and discuss this Anomaly Domain?" Artoria glanced toward Scáthach, who was trading blows with Nikitich at full enthusiasm.
Both of them clearly seemed to be enjoying themselves.
A properly matched opponent always made sparring far more satisfying.
On this side, facing the King of Knights' question, Taigong Wang nodded.
"Indeed. When we first met, Taigong Wang-dono mentioned that as Servants aligned with the Human Order, you understand this domain better than we of Chaldea."
Morgan nodded as well.
"I understand what you mean. But rather than explaining it here, it would be clearer if we headed deeper, closer to the central region. Seeing it in person will make things easier to grasp." Taigong Wang lifted his fishing rod and pointed toward the southeast.
That direction was also due south within this entire region.
Shiomi and the others had entered the Anomaly Domain from the southwest. Under Nikitich's guidance, they had moved northwest and encountered Taigong Wang fishing by the riverbank.
Afterward, they followed the Tunguska River downstream and stopped here to spar.
"The temperature here feels like early summer," Shiomi said, tilting his face upward. "But from that direction… I can smell ice and snow on the wind."
"Remarkably sharp senses," Taigong Wang praised. "In that regard, you're no worse than Sumer's Chains of Heaven, are you?"
He was referring to Enkidu, the Heroic Spirit with A+ Presence Detection, capable of perceiving even Assassin's Presence Concealment.
"Enkidu is the Chains of Heaven crafted from clay by the gods of Mesopotamia." Shiomi shrugged, making a casual joke. "I was personally shaped by Goddess Nüwa using remnants of Lucifer as material. I can't exactly lose in this area, can I?"
"Hm. From my perspective, Tenkei-dono's abilities likely improved across the board after acquiring divinity," Taigong Wang analyzed seriously. Then he smiled faintly. "Still, I shall report Tenkei-dono's earlier remark to Goddess Nüwa."
Morgan suddenly covered her mouth, laughing to herself.
Artoria blinked in confusion, then quickly caught on and began laughing as well.
"Hey, stop laughing!" Shiomi protested gruffly.
They were laughing because, after discovering his nominal "birth mother," Shiomi had immediately started saying flattering things, clearly hoping Taigong Wang would pass them along so Goddess Nüwa wouldn't hold it against him for acknowledging Tiamat as his mother.
Before long, even Sibuxiang, having reverted to its tapir form, began snorting as though it were laughing at him. Annoyed, Shiomi casually conjured a carrot and stuffed it into Sibuxiang's mouth.
Then he turned toward his Master and Nikitich, who were still sparring with gusto.
"Hey, stop already! We need to move! If you don't come now, we're leaving you behind!"
The obvious attempt to change the subject only made Morgan and Artoria laugh harder.
Taigong Wang grew too embarrassed to continue laughing. He simply shook his head sympathetically and helped steer the conversation elsewhere.
"In any case, if we're heading where I indicated, we'll have to pass through the source of that winter aura."