บท 51: [FGO]: 51
It was Karna, killed by Ishtar!
"Master!?"
Astolfo looked incredulously at the figure in the flames.
Kaar, whose face was originally indifferent, heard Astolfo's voice and suddenly showed a kind smile.
"It really is you, Master. How did you become a Servant!?"
Astolfo, feeling the terrifyingly immense magical power and presence emanating from Kaar after his transformation, wore a dumbfounded expression.
"In short, the reason is very complicated... but before that."
Kaar's expression turned serious.
"Impossible! You're just a mere homunculus, and you can transform into a Servant? Damn homunculus, making fun of me!"
Celenike, in a semi-mad state, screamed. In her heart, she was sure that Kaar had used some illusionary magic; to her, it was impossible for him to truly become a Servant far surpassing a magus.
She fiercely swung the whip in her hand, and purple-black energy bullets shot towards Kaar like a machine gun.
Who knew that Kaar would remain completely still, and as the energy bullets approached, a wall of fire rose out of thin air in front of him.
Pop!
The energy bullets were swallowed by the wall of fire without causing any effect like stones dropped into a lake.
"Ah!!! You're just a fake!"
Celenike still refused to face reality and continued to crazily fire energy bullets at Kaar.
In the end, Kaar didn't even bother to defend anymore, allowing the purple-black balls filled with voodoo energy to hit him and disperse with a "ping," scattering purple-black sparks.
"You are the one I absolutely cannot forgive..."
Kaar seemed tired of this cat-and-mouse game, raising the golden spear in his hand.
A dragon of fire erupted from the spear's tip, engulfing Celenike in an instant.
The beautiful silver-haired lady didn't even have time to let out a scream before she turned to ashes.
"So powerful..."
Astolfo's shocked gaze slowly turned into one of infatuation. He clasped his hands to his chest, almost turning into Kaar's little fan.
"Master! You're amazing~!"
Karar, influenced by his cold demeanor, found himself at a loss. He awkwardly looked away.
"Well, it's alright."
Astolfo, this cross-dressing enthusiast, didn't care about any of that. His eyes turned into stars, and he almost clung to Kaar.
"Ahem! Anyway, Astolfo, please help me get them out first."
Kaar coughed lightly and changed the subject out of helplessness.
"Yes, yes!"
Astolfo raised a hand cheerfully.
With Astolfo's help, Kaar successfully rescued the surviving homunculi.
Walking at the end, Kaar glanced at the hellish homunculus workshop, sighed, and then raised the golden spear in his hand.
Whoosh!
The purifying flames of the sun spread out, slowly turning everything here to ashes.
Everything had settled, a choice of fate and the manipulation of Nguyen Ryou.
Sieg, now known as Kaar, ultimately became a powerful being akin to a demi-servant.
After things gradually calmed down, Fiore, who was urgently forced to ascend as the head of the Yggdmillennia family, arranged for the homunculi to clean up while inviting Ryou and others into the castle's guest hall designated for entertaining distinguished guests.
There was no other choice. After this battle, the Yggdmillennia family had become the biggest loser, their strength greatly diminished, and they could no longer afford to make more enemies.
In contrast, the judgment leader, Ruler Jeanne, was backed by Ryou's forces, whose power had unknowingly completely surpassed that of the Black faction.
In the internal conflict, three of the Black faction's Masters died, including Darnic, the pillar of Yggdmillennia.
Regardless of his character, the other two were also elite magi of Yggdmillennia.
Fatty Gordes was a master in alchemy; the homunculus system of Yggdmillennia was crafted by him.
Although Celenike, who was burned to ashes, had a penchant for heavy tastes, she was indeed an expert in voodoo magic. Voodoo magic might only be second-rate, but it was bizarre and malicious, playing a significant role in the Holy Grail War.
Perhaps it was because Celenike was too engrossed in voodoo that she became completely deranged.
The greatest loss was Caster Avicebron.
To gain an advantage, Darnic had gone to great lengths to summon him and Vlad III early, highlighting Avicebron's importance in the Black faction's strategy, almost comparable to the Double Summon Empress of the Red faction.
Avicebron himself had weak combat abilities, but given time to amass troops, he could have turned the Holy Grail War into a straightforward conquest.
Unfortunately, he was a natural traitor and a world-destroying maniac.
After playing his part in the ruse, he was content to return to the Throne of Heroes, leaving Yggdmillennia in dire straits.
From the beginning, Ryou knew from the original work that the Black faction could not win.
Setting aside external factors, the Red and Black factions' servants had a significant power disparity.
The Red faction was filled with overpowered entities and top-tier servants.
Amakusa Shirou was a cheat, and Empress Semiramis, with her Double Summon abilities, could summon the 'Hanging Gardens of Babylon,' giving the Red faction a formidable flying fortress.
Then there were others like Karna, a top-tier servant capable of rivaling Gilgamesh, and Achilles, a demigod hero renowned worldwide, only slightly weaker than Heracles.
Just these four could easily crush the Black faction.
In contrast, the Black faction was filled with weaker, if not significantly weaker, characters.
Siegfried could at best tie with Mordred and was influenced by Berserker of Red's charisma, leading to his heart-ripping suicide.
Vlad III weakened outside his territory and, as a vampire, was fatally countered by holy powers, ultimately killed by Amakusa with two strikes.
Chiron, an Archer without overpowered abilities, was the worst of the lot.
Astolfo was just comic relief.
Frankenstein's Monster was slightly better than a mascot.
Avicebron, being a traitor, didn't help their cause.
Therefore, Darnic in heaven, you lost without any grievance.
After seizing the Greater Grail and inflating his ego, Amakusa had been preparing in the Middle East for sixty years, scavenging and planning.
Returning to the present.
Led by Fiore, Ryou and others entered the guest hall.
Perhaps out of caution, the Black faction's servants followed their masters.
Considering their strong sense of vigilance, it was completely understandable.
After all, the significant decline of the Black faction's power was indirectly linked to Ryou's group. It could even be said that it was his dissemination of blackmail material that incited the internal strife within the Black faction.
And all Ryou did was move his lips.
With such a behind-the-scenes mastermind, who wouldn't be cautious?
Especially Vlad III, whose hawk-like eyes were fixed on Ryou without a moment's relaxation.
Then, under the loose lips of Astolfo, everyone learned about the recent events in the castle, leading to a chorus of exclamations.
Only Ryou was deep in thought, looking at the Command Spells on Kaar's hand, which resembled flames.
These must be the so-called 'Dead Count Shapeshifter: Dragon Revelation Command Spells', or more fittingly, 'Furious Sun Command Spells'.
Although these special Command Spells cannot control a servant, they can command oneself to transform into a servant.
In some ways, they are similar to Ryou's Descent Cards.
Both have their pros and cons.
The Descent Cards have great potential, allowing one to transform directly into the Heroic Spirit, but they require a lot of time to synchronize and improve compatibility to use the Heroic Spirit's Noble Phantasms.
The Furious Sun Command Spells are convenient to use, allowing immediate transformation into a servant and the direct use of Noble Phantasms. However, they place a significant burden on the body and lack significant growth potential.
It makes sense.
The Counter Force needs a guardian like Emiya Shirou, not a protagonist with unlimited growth potential. Granting such growth would stray from the original intent of control.
"What did you say!?"
Just as Ryou was pondering, he suddenly heard Fiore exclaim.
Everyone's gaze instantly shifted towards Fiore, who was seated in the main seat.
Beside Fiore stood a homunculus who seemed to have delivered some news that caused Fiore's reaction.
"Calm down, sister," her brother Caules quickly reminded her.
One must admit, although Fiore, as the elder sister, had much greater magical talent than her brother, her gentle and kind nature was unsuited for being a cold, selfish magus.
As for being the head of a large Magus family, she was even less qualified. At the very least, as a leader, maintaining a calm demeanor is fundamental, yet she struggled with even this.
Seeing it was impossible to conceal, Fiore decided to explain the situation directly.
"Are you saying that Assassin is slaughtering magi all over Sighișoara!?" Jeanne couldn't help but frown deeply.
"Yes, originally our family member, Hyouma Sagara, had prepared thoroughly to summon the famous 'Jack the Ripper'. However, now he has lost contact."
In the Holy Grail War, Assassin is a very special class.
If no specific relic is prepared, the summoned servant would invariably be Hassan-i-Sabbah, the 'Old Man of the Mountain'.
The term 'Assassin/Hassan' originally referred to the nineteen generations of Hassan, so the term itself is a relic.
Except for the First Hassan, who has never been summoned as an ordinary servant, the other eighteen have appeared in various Holy Grail Wars or their variants.
It can be said that aside from the first, the abilities and weaknesses of the other eighteen have been thoroughly studied.
Summoning any of these eighteen would mean the Holy Grail War is half-lost before it even begins.
Therefore, Yggdmillennia's magus Hyouma Sagara wisely chose to summon a different Assassin.
Unfortunately, his luck was bad. Though he drew a five-star servant, it cost him his life.
He successfully summoned 'Jack the Ripper', but she immediately turned on him and ripped out his heart.
Ryou, who knew the inside story, listened without showing any emotion.
To him, neither the magi nor 'Jack the Ripper' were anything good.
The concepts of "moe is justice" and "cute is justice" did not exist for him.
As long as they blocked his path, he had no qualms about resorting to extreme measures. (To him Oppai is Justice!)
Fiore took a sip of her tea and continued.
"Now we are receiving reports from Sighișoara that people are being brutally killed at night, with their hearts being directly extracted. Upon verification, a significant number of these victims are magi."
However, while Ryou had no interest in dealing with this, the kind-hearted Holy Maiden could not stand idly by.
"Not only is the innocent being slaughtered, but the mystery is also being recklessly exposed to ordinary people. As the Ruler, I cannot tolerate such actions!"
Jeanne declared sternly and righteously.
Ryou sighed lightly. It seemed he couldn't avoid this task.
After all, to gain Jeanne's favor, he couldn't just be an onlooker in this matter.
So, while watching Jeanne and Fiore converse, Ryou pondered how to maximize his benefit in this situation.
At this point, Caules had taken over the conversation with Jeanne, as Fiore was not skilled in negotiations.
Jeanne naturally wanted to handle the matter herself as the Ruler.
However, after a quiet discussion, the siblings had a different opinion.
Although the Yggdmillennia family had declined, they needed to maintain a strong front. Otherwise, the Mage's Association's wolves would quickly pounce, something the siblings could not allow.
Handing the matter over to the Ruler was a minor issue, but if it gave the impression that the Yggdmillennia family couldn't handle their problems, it would be a major issue.
So even if it was just a token involvement, the Yggdmillennia family had to participate.
"Romania is under our jurisdiction. Regardless of the situation, the Yggdmillennia family needs to be involved, especially since it was our magus who summoned Assassin. Now that Assassin has gone rogue, we bear some responsibility," Caules argued logically.
"You two seem to be misunderstanding something," Ryou suddenly spoke up.
"What do you mean?"
Caules frowned. He had experienced Ryou's terrifying capabilities firsthand, as Ryou had turned the Yggdmillennia family upside down with mere words.
Being cautious was an understatement.
"Is maintaining appearances more important, or is safeguarding your only trump card more important? Don't you two understand this at all?"
"You've already declared war on the Clock Tower. Winning the Holy Grail War is crucial to stopping the Clock Tower and preserving the Yggdmillennia legacy.
And the Great Holy Grail is the key to winning the Holy Grail War. If you don't guard this key and instead go out on a wild goose chase, you will lose in this war."
"!!!"
Both siblings were shocked but continued listening.
Ryou continued speaking.
"The false priest on the Red faction's side has prepared for sixty years to reclaim the Great Holy Grail. They might be waiting for your stronghold to be vulnerable to swoop in and steal it."
Ryou's words gradually calmed the siblings. And Fiore expressed her gratitude.
"Success makes one a king, failure makes one a bandit.' History is written by the victors, so who cares about appearances?"
After saying this, Ryou closed his eyes to rest.
The siblings then began to discuss quietly.
"We can't intervene in this matter, so we'll leave everything to you, Miss Jeanne."
After their discussion, although grateful to Ryou, he was difficult to deal with, Fiore addressed Jeanne.
"No problem. Protecting innocent people and preventing the mystery from being exposed to the public is my duty."
Jeanne immediately agreed.
"What about us? What about us?"
Astolfo eagerly raised his hand and asked.
"You and Kaar stay behind," Ryou said, glancing at him indifferently.
"Aw, why? I wanted to go out and have a look around too," Astolfo pouted.
"I'm doing this for your sake. Once we leave, you and Kaar will have some alone time. You can go on a date... ahem, go shopping together."
Ryou almost said the last word but quickly corrected himself.
"Great idea!"
Astolfo immediately hugged Kaar beside him and gratefully looked at Ryou.
"I didn't realize you were such a good person!"
Astolfo didn't notice that everyone else was looking at him with confusion, while Ryou's mood became slightly complex.
Am I being labeled as a good person card...?
After discussions, it was decided that Ryou and Jeanne would handle Jack the Ripper, while the Yggdmillennia family would focus on defending the Greater Holy Grail from the Red faction.
As for Astolfo, he couldn't wait for Ryou and Jeanne to leave and quickly took Kaar on a swift ride away.
Ryou and Jeanne also set off.
This time, Ryou refused to transform into Spartacus.
To ensure speed, he and Jeanne rode the Harley again.
The kind-hearted Holy Maiden didn't notice the fleeting 'plan succeeded' smile on his face.
As for the taciturn Siegfried, he miserably traveled in spirit form.
Romania, a small country in Europe, is only about a hundred kilometers from Trifas to another city.
The two set off at noon, and they arrived at their destination before sunset.
This time, Ryou didn't deliberately cause trouble, like braking suddenly or revving the engine.
After that night, Jeanne seemed to have grown fonder of him, and though she hadn't explicitly accepted his confession, she naturally held onto his waist and gently leaned against his back.
Feeling the soft, cotton-like sensation behind him and smelling the faint scent of lilies, Ryou experienced a subtle warmth between them.
He suddenly wished this journey wouldn't end so quickly.
However, no matter how slowly they traveled, the road eventually came to an end.
In the sunset, Ryou and Jeanne rode a cool Harley into Sighișoara, a town that had lost its tranquility, under the astonished gazes of the locals.
PS: 1 Power Stone = 1 Push up
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