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IBHJ Chapter 532
🕑 Added 2023-10-21 01:42:06 +0000 UTC"Saber, you look overwhelmed. Are you okay?"
Saber took a deep breath, trying to sort through the jumbled thoughts racing through her mind. The term "Grand Servant" resonated with her. While she wasn't deeply familiar with the title, its gravity alone indicated that this Assassin was far from being just another Servant.
Fiore chuckled, "I'm baffled as well. The Red faction's major offensive wasn't an all-out assault but specifically aimed at eliminating Assassin. It's downright puzzling! The oddest thing is that after we received the message, both Archer and Lancer started referring to Assassin as the 'Eternal King,' not Arthur. Strange, right?"
"Wait, wait a moment, Master!" Saber fixed her eyes on Fiore. "Did you just say that Archer and Lancer are calling Assassin the 'Eternal King'?"
"Yes," Fiore confirmed, still smiling. "It's an unusual title. I've never heard of any king being referred to that way. Uh, Saber, you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Fiore stared at Saber, clearly perplexed.
She noticed that Saber's expression had become incredibly strange; her mouth was even twitching at the corners.
It was as if her entire worldview had just been flipped upside down, resulting in a complex, indescribable facial expression!
Indeed, that pretty much summed up how Saber was feeling right now.
Could Assassin really be the 'Eternal King' she had been tirelessly searching for all this time?
Someone she had always assumed was just another version of herself from an alternate universe?
Don't joke around. Leaving aside the glaring issue of their differing genders, the most shocking revelation was that Assassin's true name was Guinevere!
She had undoubtedly been played like a fool by that King of Heroes in the last Holy Grail War where she was summoned!
But this was on an entirely different level of bizarre, wasn't it?
King Arthur transformed into Guinevere, and then this Guinevere became the 'Eternal King' who altered Pan-Human History...
So what about her?
Where did that leave her?
What part did she play in this legend of the 'Eternal King'?
Saber's expression was one of utter bewilderment.
She didn't know what face to make.
The revelation was just too earth-shattering, too gut-wrenching.
The one who altered Pan-Human History, allowing the Britons to survive, wasn't another version of her from a parallel universe, but someone else entirely.
She wasn't the 'Eternal King' of that other world!
So what was the role of her alternate-universe self in the tale of the Eternal King?
Was she just a lowly squire, forever confined to Ector's estate?
No, that couldn't be.
Absolutely not!
Saber recalled that Assassin had always treated her kindly and had even said they shared a deep connection.
Could it be that her alternate self served as a knight under this 'Eternal King'?
Guinevere... Guinevere...
Could he too have been shackled by a political marriage like what they had been through?
No, that was out of the question; it was impossible.
If her alternate self wasn't King Arthur, then her identity would surely remain a secret. Even if a political marriage were necessary to secure the throne, Guinevere would naturally end up marrying her sister, Morgan Le Fay.
But all these questions were secondary. The most pressing issue was, how did he change Pan-Human History?
How did he save the Britons from their doomed fate?
In that moment, any lingering anger Saber had towards Assassin evaporated, replaced by an urgent need to confront him and get answers.
Just then, the rhythmic tapping of Vlad's fingers on his throne armrest stopped.
With a resounding slap on the armrest, he stood up and calmly declared, "Consider Assassin an enemy. The hunt begins now!"
"Wait, wait a minute, Lancer…!" Astolfo shouted.
Vlad shot Astolfo a disinterested glance and said, "This is war; your stance cannot be ambiguous, Rider."
"I get that, but…" Astolfo stammered.
"You should recognize the significance of the title 'Grand,'" Vlad continued. "If you have no interest in the Grail, I can dismiss you now."
Astolfo fell silent.
It was evident to anyone that Vlad had made his decision.
"Do any of you have objections?" Vlad's eyes scanned the room, lingering briefly on each individual.
Arjuna met his gaze. "You're not going to ask why I didn't disclose his information?"
Vlad returned his gaze and replied, "Dwelling on past decisions is like chasing shadows. I prefer not to linger on what's already been done."
Arjuna nodded.
Just then, Avicebron chimed in, "A-11072 shouldn't be eliminated; he belongs to me."
Astolfo's face twisted with annoyance. "Really? That's what you're worried about right now?"
Avicebron shot back, "That homunculus isn't even your property; why are you so nosy?"
Astolfo countered, "The kid said it himself, didn't he? I'm his hero."
Annoyed, Avicebron shot a glare at him before turning his attention to Astolfo's Master—Celenike Icecolle Yggdmillennia.
A magus with flowing grey hair, Celenike held a whip in her hand. Her beautiful appearance was at odds with the sadistic aura she exuded, making her an unsettling presence.
"Control your Servant, mage!" Avicebron spat out disdainfully.
Celenike licked her lips, eyes glinting with delight as they met Astolfo's. "Oh, I'll make sure Rider gets a proper training later."
The corners of Astolfo's mouth twitched. How did he end up with such a sadistic Master?
"It's settled, then. Go and hunt down the traitorous Assassin! He has turned his back on us, so he's no ally of ours. Show him no mercy—bring him down!" Vlad declared.
He had done his homework before the war broke out, studying modern maps of Romania to get a thorough grasp of the lay of the land.
The underground tunnels of Fortress Millenia led directly to the mountains. On the other side of those peaks, rivers converged near small cities.
If Berserker and Eternal King wanted to escape with the homunculi, they wouldn't get far. Most likely, they'd seek refuge in one of those cities.
With this in mind, Vlad divided his forces into three squads. They were to strike at the two nearby cities while also coordinating efforts with the Red Faction.
Saber, Arjuna, and the rest were dispatched toward the two smaller cities, leaving Vlad to maintain his command post within the castle.
As the Master of Vlad and the head of the Yggdmillennia clan, not to mention the orchestrator of this Holy Grail War, Darnic was at a loss for words as he faced Vlad.
Yet Vlad seemed to read his thoughts.
Sitting on his throne, Vlad locked eyes with Darnic and said, "Darnic, you seem displeased that I am cooperating with the Red Faction."
Though framed as a question, Vlad's tone made it clear that disagreement wasn't an option.
"Your Majesty, the thought never crossed my mind," Darnic responded, bowing his head.
"Your apprehension alone is enough for me, but you don't have to be so cautious. I was taken aback to discover that Assassin is Eternal King as well. However, he was right about one thing: the feudal era is over. I am no longer needed in this era..."
Darnic held his tongue and kept his head bowed. This was not the time to speak out.
Vlad shot him a sidelong glance before continuing, "You're the head of your clan, which makes you a leader. Leadership isn't just about flowery speeches. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment; alliances are key. Don't forget it."
With that, Vlad rose from his throne and walked away.
Darnic raised his head and watched the somewhat lonely figure of Vlad. "Your Majesty, I'm confused. Who is this 'Eternal King,' and what's a 'Grand Servant'?"
"In the modern world of magi, the highest rank is that of 'Grand.' The same goes for Heroic Spirits, who have a class of their own called 'Grand Servants.' If you're still confused, just know that this so-called complete Assassin, as the Red Faction has put it, is even more formidable than I am," he clarified before taking his leave.
As Vlad walked away, Darnic muttered to himself, "Even more formidable than the king who reigns over Romania?"
Comments
JeanMartin Freites
And so the hunt begins.
Duck
I think he would be able to if he were summoned as the eternal king, but not in this instance. As assassin, he’s essentially the Shirou we saw in the holy grail war. It stands to reason that he wouldn’t have access to a conceptual ability he didn’t have during the grail war.
DatPerson
So if Spartacus takes them to a “farm” could Shirou recreate his legend of defending against invading forces of a run down place? It could give him a boost who knows
