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IBHJ Chapter 636
🕑 Added 2023-12-24 06:55:22 +0000 UTCAs Mordred's group advanced through the monster-filled area, they discovered a bizarre sight. The battlefield was blanketed by a dense, bloody fog that drifted eerily, enveloping any worms that emerged from the earth.
These bloody mists moved like predators, killing off each worm within moments of the fog's contact.
The mists then drifted toward Mordred's wary group. But the fog passed through them harmlessly, as if an illusion. It continued on, swallowing up the worms crawling up from the ground.
Mordred's group paid it no further heed and arrived at the front lines, discovering the homunculi army and Adam's coalition were fighting the Chthonians and rescuing disaster victims.
They were shocked to see the rebel commanding the site and cooperating with Black Faction magi like Darnic to direct the battle.
Seeing the new arrivals, Spartacus was extremely delighted. "Great, there are still Heroic Spirits! I thought only oppressors were left."
Unfamiliar with Spartacus, Mordred held back as Saber stepped up. Eyeing Spartacus curiously, she asked, "Where's Lancer?"
It was Darnic who gestured in response, casually pointing a raised palm at the gigantic stakes impaling the hulking Primordial Human and an enormous Chthonian in the distance.
Saber turned with a frown, scanning the area. "I don't see Lancer anywhere."
Darnic solemnly replied, "Those two stakes - that's the King!"
"What?" Saber and even Mordred were shocked. The others who didn't know shared surprised looks.
Darnic nodded gravely. "I used a Command Spell to help the King maintain clarity and transform. He stabbed those monsters to restrain them. He even used his body to defend this land."
"But I see no body..."
Darnic pointed to the blood-red mists scattered across the battlefield. "That fog...that's him.
Saber paled, the realization dawning as her face paled in undisguised dismay. "Has he already become...Dracula?"
Darnic gazed at the gruesome stakes. "Yes. That is no longer Vlad. It is...Dracula!"
Saber fell silent.
She knew Vlad detested his Dracula persona, yet here he was, transformed before them.
The very outcome he had sworn to destroy by answering the Grail's call - now it was unfolding before their eyes.
And for Saber, it cut just as deep.
In happy Avalon, her paradise as Artoria, she had seen the history she dreamed of. She had found what she sought, and knew what had to be done next.
Her hands clenched into tight fists.
Suddenly—
"Crack crack crack!"
The sound of splintering stakes shattered the air. All eyes whipped back in alarm to see the stakes restraining the colossal beasts had started collapsing.
"Rumble rumble—"
The earth crumbled like shattering glass, strange eerie lights flickering up from the cracks - like teleportation circles. And from that unearthly glow, more and more hideous, frightful Chthonians emerged.
Already on the battlefield with Spartacus, Gray stared blankly at her bracelet, muttering, "It's already Level A. Is this the first connection point from back then?"
Mash, clutching her hand tightly, asked with concern despite her own grief, "What's wrong, Captain?"
She knew of Shirou's death but had to remain strong.
"Crack crack crack—"
The blood crimson stakes splintered and collapsed.
The colossal beasts wrenched free, regaining mobility.
The Primordial Human stomped the earth and threw back its head, bellowing a thunderous roar.
"Roaaaaar roaaaaaaar!"
What to do? What to do?
Gray was dismayed. This was a Threat Level A— way beyond her capabilities. But what should be done?
Just then, Mash murmured in bewilderment, "Mr. Fujimaru?"
Gray reflexively turned. "What are you saying, Mash?"
"I...I heard Mr. Fujimaru's voice!" Mash said in a daze.
"What?" Gray stared in shock.
Nearby, Mordred frowned, gazing intensely at Mash.
Mash frantically fumbled through her pockets, saying anxiously, "I just remembered - when we raided Caster's base, Senpai was worried for my safety. So he secretly placed defensive measures on me!"
"He did?" Gray asked in surprise.
"Yes! Now where...aha!" Mash exclaimed. From her hood she produced a lump of pitch-black mud, emitting an aura like a curse. Yet it protected rather than cursed.
Seeing the familiar mud, Gray and the others froze.
Saber's fists tightened. "It's Assassin's mud."
Looking at the mud, Gray thought, no wonder.
Gray finally understood why Shirou had asked her and Mash to move separately from the group. That man had already prepared defensive measures for his Master before the battle even began.
Mordred clenched her fists tightly. That guy had prepared countermeasures all along!
Everyone stared at the lump of black mud in Mash's hands. Undoubtedly, it was Shirou's Noble Phantasm. However, with his departure, this lump of mud was also gradually collapsing and disappearing. But it still lingered for the moment.
Its surface faintly emitted a pitch-black light. Tiny, almost imperceptible sounds echoed from within.
"Mash...Mash...can you hear me?"
"I can hear you!" she shouted. "Mr. Fujimaru, I can hear you!"
"Thank goodness...I managed to make contact before my black mud disappears."
Just as Mash and Saber were about to speak, Mordred suddenly frowned and questioned bluntly, "Are you Eternal King?"
"Mordred...have you awoken too? Great. But the situation is urgent, so I'm afraid we'll have to put this aside for now," His voice said before asking, "Mash, I remember Gray saying you still have a summoning catalyst from Chaldea that can summon Heroic Spirits, right?"
"Y-Yes!"
Cradling the black mud in one hand, Mash frantically groped her body with the other until she produced a golden card covered in mystical markings. Undoubtedly, it was the summoning catalyst made by Chaldea that could summon Heroic Spirits!
"Use it to summon me!" Shirou said.
Everyone was stunned.
Mash blankly looked at the catalyst in her palm, her hand starting to shake.
"That's impossible," Gray shook her head. "Chaldea's summoning methods work by connecting to the Throne of Heroes. But we still can't contact Chaldea, so we can't use their summoning methods."
He said, "You can't contact Chaldea because the dimensional tunnels have mutated. If the tunnels return to normal, you should be able to contact Chaldea and summon me."
"Wait a minute!" Mordred frowned. "How do you prove you're Eternal King? Just using this mud isn't enough. Also, how do you even know about the tunnel mutations? Not even Chaldea knows that."
"You're right to doubt, Mordred. Okay, I'll explain - my main body was trapped between dimensions. What I said is what I saw firsthand. As for proving I'm myself, I simply am. My state is normal too - don't suspect any tampering with my Core or Saint Graph. Because I'm still alive, and my main body has neither anyway, though I doubt anyone could tamper with them if I did."
Everyone nodded.
"Then what do you want us to do?" Mordred asked. "Since you contacted us, I guess you know how to return the tunnels to normal?"
"That's right," Shirou said. "After I awoke in the dimensional rift, I finally noticed the problem. The Devil's Bodhisattva isn't the main anomaly here - she's suppressed it. The strange rank E depth you mentioned was likely because of this too. This Holy Grail War's true problem lies with the summoning of Red Caster, Francois Prelati. He tried to summon an Outer God - he is that God's coordinates. If he isn't destroyed, the Outer God can locate this world clearly, and the tunnel mutations can't be prevented! The Outer God's invasion can't be prevented!"
Hearing this, Mash looked astonished. "But wasn't Red Caster already dead?"
"His flesh was destroyed, but his soul remains!" Shirou said.
Hearing this, Saber's eyes fiercely contracted as she muttered: "The...Greater...Grail!"
Everyone looked at Saber strangely.
Saber's face was heavy as she said, "In Holy Grail Wars, defeated Heroes don't return to the Throne - their souls are absorbed by the Greater Grail. Once it gathers enough souls, the Third Magic can manifest, granting the victor's wishes."
"Great, good to have you here Saber. Explaining again would waste too much time," he nodded.
Mordred understood completely.
So that's how it was!
The so-called Holy Grail War was a scam. The omnipotent device was just a tool for magi to deceive Heroic Spirits. The true goal was achieving the Third Magic!
Clever bastards!
She gritted her teeth tightly.
Comments
Melegant
Yeah but it would have been nice to see them try do it alone
JeanMartin Freites
Should have known that the Eternal King wasn't out.
