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IBHJ Chapter 581
🕑 Added 2023-11-20 00:34:34 +0000 UTCWith the deadly song ended, Shirou dismissed the black mud, sighing inwardly. He couldn't help but complain in his heart that this was the worst singing he had ever heard! Vastly inferior to his own heavenly voice. If given the chance, he should teach Nero how to sing properly.
And with the end of Nero's spiritual pollution, Mordred also came out from underground with the others.
Meanwhile, Jeanne had passed out cold. When everyone slapped her face to wake her up, she burst into tears.
Nero was moved. She really didn't expect that her music would move Jeanne to tears! Clearly another kindred spirit.
But the truth...Jeanne really cried.
Previously, she didn't believe that singing could pollute the soul.
But now...
She believed it.
She had been polluted by Shirou once before, and this time... she was polluted again by Nero.
In fact, as soon as Nero started singing, she felt something was wrong.
Recalling Shirou's singing, she turned to run away.
But she was in the square, in the middle of the crowd, and with her Servant physique it was easy to crush people to death.
Her gentle heart kept her from taking another step.
And that's how...
She was spiritually polluted by Nero.
Looking at Nero's face, Mordred couldn't help but twitch at the corner of her mouth.
She now understood Shirou's warning not to mistake this person.
Nero really did...look exactly like her dear mother!
And this damned Roman emperor deliberately wore the same outfit as her mother had during her Journey.
Mordred almost called out "Mom!"
Of course, she didn't, because her mother's singing voice was absolutely nothing like Nero's deadly song.
She still remembered her mother gently humming a lullaby to coax her to sleep.
So beautiful and memorable - how could it be such spiritual pollution?
Meanwhile, Gray stared at Jeanne's face, eyes sparkling.
She couldn't wait to ask, "Hello Miss Jeanne! Do you have a Master? If not, you must be very lacking in magical energy. If you don't mind, you can make a contract with me. I have abundant magical energy and great endurance, I can definitely allow you to continuously fire your Noble Phantasm, no problem!"
Jeanne: "???"
Weirdo!
Laeticia mercilessly gave Gray this label.
Shirou told Jeanne about the connection points, hoping to enlist her help. Jeanne was shocked to learn about them. She believed this was the reason the Holy Grail had summoned her, and why the [Revelation] had led her to Valcea.
Jeanne was willing to help Shirou, but first wanted to eradicate the heretical cult. Her eyes flashed with fiery light - the burning cosmos of a Saint Seiya!
Well, it was just a simple religious battle.
Shirou shook his head, ignoring her fanaticism. Instead, he discussed plans with the others to go to the black camp.
The leader of the black faction, Vlad, was a wise ruler and also an enlightened Heroic Spirit. If they explained the stakes to him, given Vlad's personality, he would surely cooperate with Chaldea to check the situation with the Grail.
However...Adam had taken Spartacus to rebel against Vlad...
Hopefully Vlad could still maintain his rationality.
Shirou sighed heavily.
...
The Millennium Fortress...
Vlad awoke from his throne. He dreamed of his past again - neither regretting what he'd done, nor caring about the Wallachians' betrayal. After heroification, his innate Noble Phantasm Legend of Dracula explained everything.
Astolfo returned.
Vlad summoned him and asked, "Did you see Assassin in Valcea?"
"Well...of course," Astolfo nodded.
As Astolfo himself said, though passive and uncooperative due to his values, his stance was clear.
"I see," Vlad nodded. "You can go then, Rider."
Astolfo looked at Vlad, confused.
He really didn't understand Vlad's intentions. If against Shirou, shouldn't he send troops to attack? Why let him scout instead? Even for information...why was Vlad so calm?
Astolfo didn't understand, but said nothing. He just left with a strange look on his face.
Vlad walked to the window beside the throne, gazing outside.
Beyond the window was the red fire of the setting sun - the blood-colored falling sun.
"The era of feudal monarchs has passed."
For some reason, Vlad suddenly recalled Shirou's words to him.
He gazed at the fiery red sunset. The sun was unchanging, yet people and things had already changed.
Behind Vlad, spiritual particles gently gathered like snow, forming Arjuna.
Leaning against the wall, Arjuna spoke calmly: "Don't lose your reason, King of Romania."
After a moment's silence, Vlad asked: "I remember you are also of royal blood?"
"More than royalty, I am a warrior and hero," Arjuna replied.
After a pause, Arjuna added: "Although your Master recognizes you as a king, do not forget - you are still a Servant."
"I am aware," said Vlad. "But do not interfere in certain matters. Just as I would not meddle in your duel with your mortal enemy."
Arjuna said nothing, gently fading away.
At this moment, Darnick rushed over, panicked as he exclaimed: "My king, we're being invaded!"
"As expected, the rebels have come!"
...
After leaving Shirou, Adam brought his brethren and Spartacus to the city of Trifas.
Adam did not take direct action yet. Although inexperienced, he knew what they were up against. He did not dare act rashly, instead planning carefully.
Adam knew not all homunculi were self-awakened like them. Many were still exploited without rebellious thoughts.
For now, Adam had no way to help them. Premature contact would expose his group.
Adam understood clearly - enlightening everyone was unrealistic. Liberating all at once was wishful thinking. He could only try to first contact those with hints of rebellion, uniting those brethren first.
Maintaining the castle and clan's expenses was no easy feat for the Yggdmillennia.
They relied on the efforts of his brethren servants.
Adam assigned people to contact these servant brethren that went out for supplies. This way, they could identify which brethren could be further contacted, and which could not.
And this was what Spartacus had taught him.
Spartacus said that although their goal was to liberate everyone, some were too accustomed to being slaves. Therefore, they were unsuitable for initial contact.
Spartacus taught him how to read people, judge character, and win people over to overthrow oppressors.
These were experiences Spartacus had summed up in life.
For Adam, this battle may be a war of liberation for his brethren. But for Spartacus, it was fulfilling the obsession he failed to achieve in life.
"Remember, when doing this, everything else can be learned slowly, step-by-step. But only 'caution' must always be kept in mind, Adam," said Spartacus.
"I'll remember, Spartacus," Adam nodded.
He heeded Spartacus's teachings and acted with the utmost caution.
However, some things simply could not be prevented through caution alone.
The Yggdmillennia clan had prepared for this Holy Grail War for over sixty years, with spies even in Romania's capital, not to mention Trifas as their base.
The only strange thing was Vlad did not bring anyone else, but came leading the army himself, being both king and general.
Surrounded by Vlad's troops in a small house, Adam's brethren asked what to do.
Seeing only Vlad there, Adam pondered whether to fight or retreat.
Vlad formed a spear from stakes, pointing it at Adam as he said coldly: "Rebel, will you not surrender before me?"
Adam stepped forward and said: "Black Lancer, we did not come to oppose you. We are people, not slaves or machines. We only want you masters who created us to give us back our freedom!"
Vlad said: "Talk of freedom is but deception. You all are created by my kin after spending much manpower, resources and wealth. You are but weapons to defend our sovereignty. What freedom is there to speak of?"
"But we have awakened our own will!" Adam argued.
Just as Adam wanted to say more, Spartacus stopped him with a hand.
Adam turned and looked at him questioningly.
Spartacus shook his head and said: "Say no more, Adam. It's futile. Our positions are different."
Adam fell silent.
He knew that with different positions, perspectives would naturally differ too.
To him, it was so evil and brutal for the masters to suppress their freedom and treat them as expendables for war. But in the masters' eyes, their rebellion must be something equally evil and disgusting, right?
Spartacus said, "You take the others and retreat first, I'll stay behind to delay them."
Comments
JeanMartin Freites
So Retreat it is.
