Chapter 35: Tso Lan! Big Brother! Boss!

Waver Velvet had absolutely no way of restraining this man.

The man was massive and robust, prone to long monologues about his own sovereign glory, and had a habit of "slapping" Waver awake whenever he saw fit. Even now, Waver was powerless to stop his latest decision.

"Rider, if you go there now, you'll die," Waver pleaded, trying to talk sense into him.

Iskandar turned around, his gaze burning like a torch as he looked down at Waver.

"And if we stay cooped up here, will we somehow find victory?" he interrogated.

At those words, Waver's resolve instantly deflated. He slumped against the bed and whispered, "But... but... Rider, you have a reason for wanting the Holy Grail too, don't you? You must have a wish that needs fulfilling. Isn't it painful to just... accept defeat like this?"

THWACK—

Another heavy palm landed squarely on Waver's back.

"Fool! How many times must I tell you? Acknowledging your own defeat is an essential part of life!"

Iskandar tilted his head back, seemingly lost in thought. "Even for I, a King, things have not always gone smoothly. One must be able to face failure with equanimity."

He looked at Waver and declared with a booming voice, "You little brat, your character still needs tempering! In this regard, you should learn a thing or two from your teacher!"

"That arrogant jerk?" Waver muttered, shrinking back.

"An arrogant jerk wouldn't accept defeat so easily and slink away from a war. Waver Velvet, you would do well to learn that much from him."

Iskandar rubbed his forehead, sighing with feigned helplessness. "As my subject, I truly worry about what kind of mess you'll become after I depart!"

"Why are you worried about me?" Waver asked, perplexed.

"Fool! Isn't it only natural for a King to worry about his subjects!"

In truth, compared to his teacher Kayneth, Waver's dynamic with his Servant was entirely different. After the lecture, Waver seemed to finally grasp Iskandar's determination.

He murmured, "Rider, what about your wish?"

Though Waver's only goal from the start had been to prove himself, he had spent enough time with Rider to care, even if he still thought the man was a loud-mouthed, palm-slapping brute. Every participant had a wish, didn't they?

What was the wish of the Heroic Spirit Iskandar, the King of Conquerors?

"Hahahaha!" Iskandar suddenly burst into laughter, the sound wild and unrestricted.

"To manifest in this world as a Heroic Spirit... my wish..." His voice suddenly dropped, becoming low and soft as he murmured, "Since I can no longer reach the end of the world, that distant sea..."

"To be able to manifest again and compete against the heroes of history... that, too, is my vision!"

Waver stared at him blankly. In his memory, Rider was always boisterous, declaring his intent to reconquer the world and even identifying the President of the United States as a potential rival.

But.

Never had he seen Rider's morale seem so grounded, yet never had his kingly aura felt so intense. Until this moment, the image of the boisterous brute in Waver's mind finally began to fade, replaced by the presence of a true King.

"Rider, I am willing to help fulfill your wish," Waver said seriously. He stood up abruptly from the bed and announced with fervor, "Rider, let us go and challenge the enemy!"

With a thud, Iskandar's broad palm landed on his shoulder again. He praised, "Excellent! Waver Velvet! Now you're showing some spirit!"

Waver's frame buckled slightly. "Rider... why this time?"

"Hahaha!" Iskandar rubbed his head sheepishly. "This time, it was a King's recognition! Recognition!"

…

Corner Manga Shop.

Regarding Shendu, Zoran had made his peace with the situation. If the kid wanted to read manga, let him read manga. The Holy Grail War had reached its midpoint, and only a few days remained before the game concluded.

Once it was over, Shendu would have to return, at least temporarily, to that powerless stone statue. When that happened, he wouldn't even have a place to sit, let alone read.

"Have you chosen the next target?" Zoran asked nonchalantly.

Shendu leaned back in his chair, feet propped up on the table, looking incredibly relaxed. He looked up and smiled thinly. "Naturally, my brother."

To date, three Servants, Archer, Lancer, and Assassin, had been eliminated by their hands. Excluding Shendu himself, only three remained. The situation was crystal clear. It was simply a matter of clearing "daily quests" according to schedule.

Thinking of this, a trace of amusement touched Zoran's eyes. He asked probingly, "Shendu, you aren't being this leisurely just because you're afraid that if we kill them too quickly, the war will end early and you'll have to go back, are you?"

At Zoran's words, Shendu immediately slapped his manga book down and snapped defensively, "Of course not!"

"I thought as much," Zoran said, spreading his hands. "What? You don't want to go back?"

Shendu let out a light snort. "My true body is currently in some godforsaken underground palace in Asia. My twelve powers were stolen by Jackie Chan, and I've been turned back into a statue..."

"If it were you, would you want to go back?"

Zoran nodded in agreement. In his final glimpse of the Jackie Chan Adventures world, he had personally witnessed Shendu being struck by the sealing spell.

"However, I suppose I should thank you, my brother, for bringing my soul to this new world, even if it is only for seven days."

Shendu seemed resigned to the fact that he would return to his seal in a few days.

Zoran tapped his fingers on the table, his tone calm. "What if I told you I have a way to save you, and all our brothers and sisters?"

Hearing this, Shendu bolted upright, his eyes burning with intensity. He knew Zoran was powerful and possessed the ability to travel between worlds; the man had even dropped hints that he could return to their original world.

But saying there was a "way" was something else entirely.

"Let's hear it!" Shendu was suddenly energized.

"Hmm?" Zoran hummed softly, his tone subtle.

Shendu laughed, scratched his head, and then spoke with genuine sincerity:

"Tso Lan, eldest of our eight brothers and sisters!"

"Big Brother!"

"Boss!"