Over the next few days, March 7th, with a clear mind, began to practice swordplay in earnest. Her improvement was indeed significant, and both of her young masters believed she now possessed the strength to defeat Scott's mech.

Scott also delivered the challenge letter as promised. Upon hearing the news, Huohuo, wanting to repay the two for their previous help, hurried over with tail to see if she could do anything to help March 7th.

With the approval of her two masters, March 7th was much more relaxed now and felt very confident about defeating Scott's mech.

tail asked curiously: "I remember that Scott was already taught a lesson by Stelle once, wasn't he? Why does he dare to come back? Can't humans ever learn their lesson?"

March 7th held up a finger and explained: "Mr. Tail, that's where you're wrong. There's a saying: 'A gentleman takes his revenge, even ten years later.' But Scott is a petty man; I bet he can't even hold a grudge overnight, and now he's finally found his chance."

"But, if I just defeat him like this... it feels a bit... not satisfying enough!"

"What would be satisfying enough, then?" Stelle asked.

March 7th scratched her head and said: "I can't really explain it..."

"I understand. For a guy who can't learn his lesson, even if you beat him a thousand times, he still won't learn anything. He won't be truly convinced by a beating."

"Then... is there any way to make him lose and be truly convinced?"

"It's not for me to say, but you're playing right into Scott's hands," tail paused, then continued. "He set the rules to fight with a mech against your three-foot sword, and you agreed. He said what happens if he wins or loses, and you agreed... This whole thing is just a sports meet organized by Scott; winning it is meaningless!"

---

Fate/Zero.

"This guy clearly lost to Stelle before, and was recently given a sound thrashing by Boothill, yet here he is, acting like nothing happened and continuing to bet against March 7th... Hmm, winning against him really doesn't give much of a sense of achievement."

"Heh..." King of Conquerors Iskandar, sitting cross-legged nearby, let out a low chuckle. He tilted his head back to take a swig of beer, his fingers tracing the edge of the beer can.

"Kid, although this fellow truly has no bottom line, he doesn't get depressed or belittle himself after being defeated; instead, he thinks about how to win back from his opponent. Just for that alone, he is better than many people. A desire for revenge... is actually a very good quality!"

"Huh?"

"Only those unwilling to accept failure will crave victory, and only those who have suffered humiliation will crave redemption." A sharp glint flashed in Rider's eyes. "I encountered many such people back in my day. Some would accept defeat gracefully, while others would lick their wounds like injured beasts, waiting for a chance to strike back. Scott is clearly the latter."

He paused, then continued: "To deal with such a person, if he cannot be truly convinced by me—then the only option is to grant him death. Under my command, disobedient hounds and enemies are no different."

Waver instinctively shrank his neck.

"However, it is not difficult to conquer someone like Scott, provided you know what he lacks." Rider extended a finger and gestured in the air. "Those who lack wealth, promise them wealth; those who lack power, promise them power; those who lack recognition, promise them recognition. Everyone has a hollow in their heart. To make Scott truly convinced, one must know what is needed to fill his 'hollow'."

---

tail indicated that to deal with someone like Scott, possession was far from enough; one must delve deep into his heart. And to achieve that, the seal must be broken.

By the day of the match, Scott was already waiting for them early at the pier in Aurum Alley where it all began.

This was the place where he had been branded with shame, and also the place where he would wash it away today!

Scott looked at March 7th and the two "pieces of iron" in her hands with disdain, sneering: "Look, isn't it our heroine March 7th?"

"Hmph, this young lady hasn't been hiding or running away. You issued a challenge, so I've come to accept it."

"Are you people sick in the head? If you want to fight, just fight. Why send me a threatening letter? Who are you trying to scare?"

March 7th was a bit confused: "Threatening letter? What threatening letter?"

"Stop playing dumb. Didn't you sneak this into my pocket?" Scott pulled a letter glowing with green light from his jacket pocket and tossed it into March 7th's hands. "Read what you wrote yourselves!"

March 7th opened the envelope and read it word for word:

"Mr. Scott, the great Sinner who bullies the weak and is arrogant and rude. You have imposed your twisted desire for power onto innocent shopkeepers and spoken insolently about the Xianzhou sword arts, which possess history and heritage."

"We have decided to make you confess all your crimes with your own mouth. Your twisted desires will be taken away by me."

---

Persona.

"???"

Ryuji Sakamoto frowned and pointed at the letter glowing with green light on the Celestial Screen: "This... this letter... doesn't it sound a bit like the tone of our calling cards?"

"More than just a bit like it. I think it sounds exactly like something someone from the Phantom Thieves would write." Morgana lay on the table, licking his paw. "Especially the last sentence, hmm... it's got a lot of flavor."

"Looking at this green light, it must have been written by Mr. Tail after possessing Huohuo, right? I didn't expect Mr. Tail to be so concerned with ceremony."

"But Mr. Tail is still a bit too restrained. According to my style, I would directly broadcast the content of this calling card onto all the electronic screens on the Xianzhou—no, even at the Interastral Peace Corporation headquarters. Only by letting everyone in the Corporation know about this duel would it be interesting. If we're going for social death, we might as well go big."

As a super hacker, Futaba Sakura didn't know if she could pull it off, but she was certain that Ms. Silver Wolf, also a hacker, definitely could.

It was just a pity that she couldn't hear her suggestion, otherwise she would surely have approved of her idea.

Ren Amamiya said slowly: "If Scott loses, the Corporation's reputation will be damaged, and he might lose his job."

Ryuji Sakamoto excitedly slammed his palm: "That's fair! If March 7th loses, the Xianzhou and the Corporation will also get to see the Astral Express make a fool of itself. That's what I call interesting!"

Scott shrugged: "This handwriting is too ugly... If you hadn't read it to me just now, I wouldn't have even recognized what it said."

tail gnashed his teeth in anger: "You're courting death!"

"Huh? Who spoke just now?"

Huohuo hurriedly shook her head: "No... nobody said anything! You heard wrong!"

Scott put his hands on his hips, looking full of confidence, and said smugly: "Alright, enough nonsense. March 7th, get ready to learn how to bark like a dog—"

The sentence was cut short, with nothing left to follow.

Scott's vision went black.

He didn't even see March 7th draw her sword. Time seemed to stand still, and he only saw a flash of green fire.