221-225

Chapter 221: The “Kami” 

“Not necessarily,” Riku said, scratching his head. He wasn’t entirely sure. The news of Kibutsuji Muzan’s “death” would probably spread, and the Demon Slayer Corps would likely accept it eventually. After all, the fact that no new man-eating oni were popping up was undeniable. 

But because of Riku’s existence, whether the Kisatsutai (Demon Slayer Corps) would actually disband was anyone’s guess. They hadn’t exactly reached a “world without demons” yet. No way they’d just sheath their Nichirin blades and call it a day. What if more oni showed up to cause trouble? 

“Kibutsuji Muzan is gone, but you’re still here,” Urokodaki Sakonji said, cutting through Riku’s thoughts. “The chances of the Kisatsutai disbanding are slim unless every last oni is wiped out.” 

He got what Riku was driving at. As long as a single oni remained, the Demon Slayer Corps wouldn’t just pack up and go home. 

“This…” Kamado Tanjiro trailed off, his expression darkening. He was clearly thinking about his little sister, Kamado Nezuko. She’d definitely be one of the targets under scrutiny. 

“Don’t worry, they won’t go overboard,” Riku said, clapping Tanjiro on the shoulder to reassure the anxious teen. Nezuko’s life was vouched for by Riku, Urokodaki, and Tomioka Giyu. The Kisatsutai wouldn’t dare touch her unless they were ready to burn bridges with Riku completely. 

“No, it’s just… I feel like I’m causing everyone so much trouble,” Tanjiro sighed. He wasn’t the type to burden others, so knowing that people were stressing over his situation made him genuinely uneasy. 

But when it came to Nezuko, there was no room for compromise. Even if it meant going against the Kisatsutai, he’d protect his sister no matter what. 

“You’re too good, kid,” Riku said, shaking his head with a wry smile. Tanjiro’s empathy was off the charts. The kid could even sympathize with his enemies, understanding their perspectives and feelings. No wonder Urokodaki thought he wasn’t cut out to be a demon hunter. 

Riku didn’t dwell on the Kisatsutai issue. Whatever they decided to do next was their call. 

The Ubuyashiki clan had deep roots and plenty of resources. Ubuyashiki Kagaya was sharp as a tack, and after finally breaking free from their curse, they’d likely avoid stirring up new conflicts. Facing someone like Riku, who was stronger than Kibutsuji Muzan and posed no direct threat to their clan, they’d tread carefully. Unless push came to shove, they wouldn’t risk escalating things. 

“I’m gonna check on Nezuko. Is she still in the same condition?” Riku asked as he started walking, glancing at Urokodaki and Tanjiro. 

Urokodaki nodded. Ever since Nezuko arrived at his place, she’d been in a deep sleep with no signs of waking. It made things easier for him to work on his hypnotic suggestions, but it also left both him and Tanjiro worried sick. 

Inside the house, Riku found Nezuko lying motionless on the bed. Without hesitation, he whipped out his high-tech surgical table and gently moved the peacefully sleeping Nezuko onto it. 

“What’s that thing?” Urokodaki and Tanjiro asked, wide-eyed. The surgical table looked like something straight out of a sci-fi anime. 

Even the Hashira and Ubuyashiki Kagaya had been floored when they saw it. The tech gap between this world and Riku’s was just too massive. 

“It’s the power of science, built to save lives,” Riku said casually, not bothering to elaborate. He started scanning Nezuko’s body while Urokodaki and Tanjiro watched, fascinated by the futuristic gadget. 

“No matching conditions found,” the screen displayed. Riku wasn’t surprised. He’d never used the table before, so of course it didn’t have data on Demon King cells. No big deal. He kept digging into the scan results. The database would fill up over time. 

Nezuko’s condition was, as expected, extraordinary. Her cells were slowly transforming—very slowly, but every single one was changing for the better. You could almost call it “evolution.” 

“She’s evolving on her own? That’s just ridiculous!” Riku muttered, clicking his tongue. No system, no stat boosts, just lying in bed and evolving? Talk about unfair! Why was her shonen protagonist vibe so different from other oni?  

He extracted some of Nezuko’s cells for study. These mutating cells were prime research material. Self-evolving cells were a first for him, and they might unlock some new abilities. If a Demon King, the ultimate lifeform, couldn’t adapt and evolve on its own, could it even call itself “ultimate”?  

That said, if evolving meant lying in bed for a year or two, that was a bit much. Riku wasn’t about to sign up for that. 

“How is she, Riku-san? Is Nezuko okay?” Tanjiro asked, his voice full of concern. She’d been asleep for months, not eating or drinking, and though her vitals seemed fine, it was hard not to worry. 

“She’s fine. Everything’s moving in a good direction. She’s evolving—or adapting, really. It’s incredible. Nezuko’s basically replacing eating with sleeping,” Riku explained. It matched his earlier guesses. Instead of eating people, she was powering her transformation through sleep. It sounded even less reliable than him biting himself to heal. 

What’s next? Evolving chloroplasts to photosynthesize? Too bad she couldn’t handle sunlight. This sleep-to-sustain ability was just wild. 

“That’s great! So, how long until she wakes up?” Tanjiro asked, his face lighting up with hope. Riku’s words had finally eased the weight on his heart. 

Tanjiro was eager for an answer. He was close to completing his training, having mastered Hinokami Kagura (Dance of the Fire God) far faster than Mizu no Kokyu (Water Breathing). His graduation was coming up soon, and if Nezuko was still asleep, dragging an unconscious girl around while searching for a way to turn her human again would raise a lot of eyebrows. 

“No telling for sure, but at this rate, it’ll probably take at least another year or so. Her cells haven’t finished evolving,” Riku estimated. A year or two for a full-body cellular evolution wasn’t exactly slow. Most oni would jump at the chance. 

“A year… that long?” Tanjiro said, a bit stunned. It was longer than he’d hoped. His rapid progress with Hinokami Kagura had sped up his training timeline significantly. 

“You could always head out on your own,” Riku suggested, finishing the scan and collecting some of Nezuko’s cells. He moved her back to the bed and stowed the surgical table. He didn’t get why Tanjiro was so hesitant. Wasn’t leaving Nezuko with Urokodaki-sensei safe enough? 

“No, that’d be too much trouble for Urokodaki-sensei. I’d rather stick with Nezuko,” Tanjiro said, looking embarrassed. Leaving his sister with Urokodaki while he went off adventuring felt wrong. She was an oni, after all. Tanjiro didn’t mind, since she was his only family, but he couldn’t expect others to feel the same. 

Riku nodded, letting it go. Despite his rough upbringing in the mountains, Tanjiro’s character was something else—noble, almost too good for this world. 

“Don’t be so formal, Tanjiro,” Urokodaki interjected. “It’s no trouble. I vouched for Nezuko, so I’ll see this through. Until my hypnotic suggestions are complete, I won’t let her leave. It’s for her sake, mine, and Giyu’s.” 

“Alright, I’ll wait for that day,” Tanjiro said solemnly, nodding. He understood the stakes. Urokodaki and Giyu had put themselves on the line for Nezuko. He couldn’t let his own desires jeopardize that. 

“I’m heading out,” Riku said. His goal here was done, and he had other plans to set in motion. 

“Take care, Riku. We trust you,” Urokodaki said simply, his words carrying weight. Tanjiro didn’t need to say anything—his faith in Riku was unwavering. 

“Thanks,” Riku replied, but a flicker of guilt hit him. He quickly brushed it off, convincing himself he hadn’t betrayed their trust. The oni he created were “new demons,” not man-eaters like the old ones. He wasn’t making Kisatsutai’s worst nightmares come true. 

Leaving Sagiri Mountain, Riku headed straight for the government. His plan was straightforward. Unlike the Tokyo Ghoul world, this one was stuck in a World War I-level tech era. Flattening it would be a piece of cake. 

Weapons of mass destruction here were pretty limited, nowhere near the nuclear age. Oni had an overwhelming advantage over humans. Without Kokyuho (Breathing Techniques) or Nichirin blades, humans didn’t stand a chance. 

This was what Riku never got. If Kibutsuji Muzan wanted to, ruling the world would’ve been easy. Even if he feared a human uprising, dominating from the shadows wouldn’t have been hard. 

That said, Riku wasn’t about to go overboard. There was still that mysterious “kami” to consider. If he pushed too far and provoked it, things could get messy. If he had to give Muzan some credit, maybe the Demon King held back out of fear of this “kami.” Small-time chaos only got him chased by the Ubuyashiki clan, but going too big might’ve brought divine wrath. 

With that in mind, Riku moved cautiously, always ready to bolt. He trusted the 【Limit System】’s power to shield him from mental control. If he wanted to leave, no “kami” could stop him. 

Riku tracked down the local authorities, starting with Japan. Turning people into oni came at a cost, so he couldn’t mass-produce them. He’d start small and build his forces gradually. 

Buzz! 

In a fancy study, Riku appeared and, without a word, injected a drop of his refined blood into his target, instantly turning them into his servant. 

The man, now an oni, stared blankly, his mind foggy. Riku frowned. This guy was doing worse than Old Mosby, his previous convert. Sure, the man was old, but Riku’s transformation was gentler than Muzan’s. This shouldn’t have happened. 

Muzan’s transformations were brutal, often amplifying the darkness in a person’s heart, leaving few with their sanity intact. Riku’s method was milder, designed to create loyal helpers, not crazed monsters. 

“Roar!” The new oni let out a guttural cry, pledging loyalty, but his dark impulses were clearly taking over, barely restrained. 

“This won’t do,” Riku sighed. Was this guy’s heart just that dark? It shouldn’t have turned out like this. 

Crack. 

Riku swiftly ended the oni, reclaiming his blood, and moved on to the second-in-command. Same result. He tried a third, then a fourth, but every time, his converts came out like rabid beasts, not a single one normal. 

“What’s going on? The process is fine…” Riku muttered, dumbfounded. He’d nearly wiped out the leadership, and not one success? One failure could be a fluke, two a coincidence, but every single time? Something was wrong. Some force was twisting his transformations, turning his servants into feral oni. 

“Could it be… the so-called ‘kami’?” Riku looked up at the night sky. What else could have this kind of power? 

“But why? Why twist my oni into monsters? To stop me from ruling the world this way?” He was stumped. Had Muzan tried the same thing and hit the same wall? 

“This is nuts. This ‘kami’ always messes with things in the weirdest ways. It doesn’t kill Muzan but curses the Ubuyashiki clan. It doesn’t stop me from making oni but screws up the results. Is it just being extra for no reason? Can’t it act, or won’t it?” 

Riku narrowed his eyes. He was starting to piece together more about this “kami.” One thing was clear: it couldn’t act directly. 

Chapter 222: The Organization Has Decided—You’re the Leader 

“What a mess, huh.” 

Riku let out a wry comment, accepting the situation for what it was. He didn’t know what kind of deal this “kami” was playing at, but since it kept blocking him, there was no point in picking a fight head-on. 

Honestly, this “kami’s” existence made Riku a bit uneasy. The main issue was that he couldn’t figure out what it was or what its deal was. 

“Let’s move on for now and put this on hold.” 

Without much hesitation, Riku decided to back off. He wasn’t in a rush—after all, his growth potential wasn’t limited to just this one world. 

That said, his actions had pretty much thrown the government into chaos. He’d gone through nearly every higher-up, and in a short time, more than half of the top brass were gone—mostly militarists who were all about aggressive expansion. This was the era when the gunbusei, the military, basically held all the power. 

“Guess I made a tiny contribution to this world.” 

Riku didn’t feel bad about the outcome. It was the eve of the Great War, and these power-hungry types? Not a single one was innocent. If you lined them up and shot them, it wouldn’t be unjust. 

“New people will probably step up soon, but with the main players taken out, things are bound to be chaotic for a while. Plus, their stances will definitely get noticed. Others will have to think twice about whether they’ve got the guts to survive.” 

Riku narrowed his eyes. A bunch of militarist big shots dropping dead in such a short time, with the culprit still at large? Anyone wanting to pick up that flag would be shaking in their boots. 

Even with the era’s high-spirited, militaristic vibe, people still valued their lives. Once you’re dead, that’s it—game over. 

“Maybe I could prop someone up?” 

A sudden idea hit Riku. Even without creating onryou servants, with his current strength, he could easily force someone into power. If anyone resisted? Take them out, done deal. 

But, well, that sounded like a hassle. It’d be easier to just make some onryou servants and let them do their thing. Plus, loyalty from humans he pushed into power wasn’t guaranteed, and if they weren’t capable, they’d just get toppled the moment he left. 

“I wonder if Ubuyashiki Kagaya and the Ubuyashiki clan have that kind of ambition? Could pushing him into power make him my ally?” 

Riku’s mind went to Ubuyashiki Kagaya. That guy’s abilities were definitely up to par, and he was sharp—knew when to advance and when to retreat. If he had to pick a human partner, Kagaya was a solid choice. At the very least, his moral standards checked out. 

Plus, the Ubuyashiki clan was loaded. Money equals power, and they had no shortage of it. 

With that thought, Riku headed straight for the Ubuyashiki estate. This was his last shot. If Ubuyashiki Kagaya wasn’t interested, he’d wash his hands of meddling in this world. 

The only question was whether pushing a human into power would get a reaction from that “kami.” Riku wasn’t sure about it—it felt like some kind of mechanical system response, maybe not even self-aware. 

Using his shadow beacon, Riku teleported back to the Ubuyashiki estate. He’d left a marker there on purpose. 

At the estate, he found Ubuyashiki Kagaya in the study, writing letters. 

“Riku-san?” 

Kagaya looked up, puzzled, as Riku appeared. He was in the middle of writing to the Kisatsutai trainers scattered across the land. 

With Kibutsuji Muzan dead, the Kisatsutai was launching its final purge of rogue oni. Training new recruits could take a backseat for now—at least until they stopped taking in new members. 

Kagaya was still torn about whether to disband the Kisatsutai, so he hadn’t made any final calls. He’d only paused new recruitments for now. If they decided to keep the Kisatsutai going, the trainers could start recruiting again. 

“Ubuyashiki, ever thought about leading this country?” 

Riku cut straight to the point, catching Kagaya completely off guard. 

“What… does that even mean?” 

After a stunned moment, Kagaya gave a bitter smile, totally lost by the out-of-the-blue question. 

Ahem. “Look, I couldn’t stand watching those militarists anymore, so I just… took out the entire leadership.” 

Riku coughed awkwardly, tossing out an excuse for his actions. He thought it was a pretty solid reason. 

“What?!” 

Kagaya was floored. He never expected Riku to drop a bombshell like that. This was next-level chaos. 

“Ubuyashiki, I’m all about peace. I’m anti-war. This government? A bunch of militarist terrorists. If they stay in power, they’ll only bring destruction and war to the world. You don’t want everything you’ve protected to go up in flames, do you?” 

Riku put on a serious face, spouting nonsense with total conviction. It gave Kagaya a headache, but he slowly recovered from the shock and started piecing together what Riku meant. 

“So, you’re saying you killed them all and want me to take over?” 

Saying it out loud felt absurd to Kagaya. Did this feel a bit like being hand-picked by a shogun? 

“Exactly. The Kisatsutai doesn’t raise its blades against humans, only slays rogue oni to protect the innocent. Your Ubuyashiki clan has been doing that for nearly a thousand years. But let me tell you, human greed is way scarier than man-eating oni. Those militarists have caused more bloodshed than Kibutsuji Muzan ever could.” 

Riku was dead certain of this. Muzan, over a thousand years, didn’t create that many oni. Even if they ate every day, how many people could they kill? Compared to human wars, it was small fry. 

“Stopping wars, huh?” 

Kagaya was thrown for a loop. He was actually starting to buy into it. He was a pacifist too—he didn’t want wars or people slaughtering each other on battlefields. 

“But that’s too hard.” 

After thinking it over seriously, Kagaya shook his head. He didn’t think he could pull it off. 

The current climate wasn’t something one person could stop. The social mood and public sentiment were all about expansion and conquest. Going against that tide would not end well. The string of victories had the whole nation buzzing. 

“Easy. Just hit ‘em hard a few times.” 

Riku grinned. They’d never faced a real setback, right? He’d just deliver a big one and flip the social mood. 

“Hm? How do you plan to do that?” 

Kagaya got a bad feeling. Riku’s methods seemed… a bit extreme. Taking out the entire government leadership in one go? Yikes. 

“Just wait and see.” 

Riku didn’t elaborate and vanished. He knew Kagaya thought he was extreme because the guy didn’t know how horrific future wars would be. 

As a normal person, if Kagaya had even a glimpse of that future, he definitely wouldn’t think Riku’s actions were over the top. 

After Riku disappeared, Kagaya felt uneasy. He didn’t know what Riku was planning, but his gut told him it’d be something massive enough to shift the entire world’s balance. 

BOOM!!! 

A deafening explosion rang out. A weapon that shouldn’t exist in this era debuted thirty years early, its mushroom cloud rising like an akuma’s breath. 

It exploded—literally and figuratively. When photos of the mushroom cloud hit the newspapers, not just the island nation but the entire world lost it. 

Under the shadow of this news, even the government’s collapse seemed minor. Several key military bases were obliterated, the terrifying blasts like divine punishment from a kami, rewriting history’s course. 

It wasn’t until he saw the news that Kagaya truly grasped how insanely powerful Riku was. 

No wonder the thousand-year oni king was taken out without a peep. Riku’s power was beyond his comprehension—beyond all of human society’s understanding. 

This power made Kagaya feel like the Kisatsutai had no reason to exist anymore. They weren’t gods—how could they possibly face someone with world-destroying strength like Riku? 

As Kagaya’s instincts predicted, after multiple mushroom clouds, the world’s tensions cooled like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on them. All the ambitious warmongers shut up in the face of that terrifying power. 

The world’s eyes turned to the small island. Some schemers initially thought it was a new weapon developed by the nation, but seeing the chaos, they weren’t so sure. 

Amid the leadership’s turmoil, spies and reporters flooded in, all chasing that terrifying weapon—even just a glimpse of the ruins would do. 

After some power struggles, a new batch of leaders emerged, ready to hunt the culprit. Clearly, the lure of power still drew the fearless. 

BOOM!!! 

Riku didn’t disappoint. Another mushroom cloud rose, his response to the new players. He was still holding back, only targeting major military sites. 

“I love peace and hate war, so I brought down divine punishment.” 

This time, after wiping out the new leadership, Riku left a message carved on a gate. 

The world was stunned. This was beyond comprehension. 

It was like playing a game with the console open. While others were slinging stones, you pulled out a spaceship. Even the villagers sharing fusion tech would lose it. 

The island nation was on edge. That’s when Ubuyashiki Kagaya stepped up—well, not directly. He picked a proxy, who picked another proxy. 

Backed by a mountain of money, a pacifist proxy rose fast, gaining massive support. 

This time, no one dared oppose them. After two brutal purges and heavy military losses under the weight of mushroom clouds, the power transition was smooth. 

“What is that power?” 

In the Ubuyashiki estate, watching Riku casually brew coffee, Kagaya couldn’t hold back his question. 

“The power of science.” 

Riku grinned, answering offhandedly. He was feeling great. Sure, those nukes killed a lot of people, but he didn’t feel a shred of guilt. 

“Science…” 

Kagaya was dazed. Could humans really harness this through research? Future wars… 

He shuddered, unable to imagine it. If wars used weapons like that, humanity might not be far from self-destruction. 

“This world should stay calm for a while—unless someone else cracks that power soon.” 

Riku sipped his coffee. He figured it’d take time; tech breakthroughs weren’t that easy. 

“Will humanity destroy itself with this?” 

Kagaya asked, almost to himself. He felt like Riku had opened Pandora’s box. 

Now every nation would pour everything into developing this tech. Future wars would be unimaginable. 

“Who knows?” 

Riku shrugged. If this world ended in nuclear war, it wasn’t his fault—he didn’t destroy it. Even if he hadn’t acted, it would’ve been developed eventually. 

“Pray, I guess. Maybe the kami won’t let that happen.” 

Riku chuckled, referring to himself as the “kami” since the world’s native kami didn’t seem to care. 

Tech seemed fair game to use. At least, Riku hadn’t run into issues using nukes, and the so-called “kami” hadn’t reacted. Maybe it only targeted supernatural powers? 

“Kami, huh?” 

Kagaya pursed his lips, missing Riku’s little joke. He thought Riku meant actual gods and wasn’t optimistic about their intervention. 

“Whatever. Do your thing, and don’t die.” 

Riku patted Kagaya’s shoulder and said no more. Once he was strong enough to take on this world’s “kami,” it’d have to step in. 

With that, Riku vanished, activating his [Traversal] ability to head to a new world. These three worlds couldn’t satisfy his growth anymore. 

He needed to explore new worlds, find stronger foes. The experience gap reduction mechanic meant he couldn’t just be a “Ten Mile Slope Sword God.” Those nukes? Zero experience points. Fighting real powerhouses was the only way. 

Chapter 223: The Meeting of Three Demons [World Transition Complete] 

[Current World: Fate/Zero] 

The scenery before Riku shifted in a flash of light and shadow, revealing a brand-new world unfolding before him. 

“Fill, fill, fill, fill… and then, uh, is it four times or five?”  

Before Riku could take in his surroundings, the sweet, metallic scent of blood hit his nose. A bright, sunny voice belonging to a young man echoed nearby. 

“Um, it’s ‘discard when filled,’ right?” 

The voice, cheerful yet stumbling over strange incantations, seemed unfamiliar with the spell it was reciting. 

“Next up, we have a follow-up report on the series of bizarre murders in Fuyuki City. At the scenes of the three incidents so far, patterns resembling magical circles drawn in the victims’ blood have been found…” 

The news blared from a television. Riku listened carefully. This was Fuyuki City, in the world of Fate/Zero. He had arrived at the time of the Fourth Holy Grail War. 

Riku found himself in a pitch-black room, the voice coming from another room. He pushed open the door, stepping into a hallway bathed in daylight.  

The living room door was shut, curtains drawn, but the television’s glow flickered through, broadcasting the news. Riku manipulated his shadow to slip inside, and in a flash, he appeared in the corner of the room. 

“Hey there! Ryūnosuke Uryū is a demon!” 

The sunny, youthful voice continued its chatter, completely unaware of Riku’s presence. Concealing his aura and activating optical camouflage, Riku blended into the darkness, invisible to Ryūnosuke Uryū. 

His gaze fell on the figure—a young man with orange hair, dressed in a purple shirt and jacket. At his feet, a small boy was bound, and Ryūnosuke was talking to him. On the floor, a magic circle drawn in blood glowed faintly. 

“What… what is this?” 

Ryūnosuke raised his hand, wincing as a stinging pain shot through the back of his right hand. A scarlet, intricate symbol slowly materialized—his Command Seals. 

Hum! 

A surge of intense magical energy erupted. The magic circle flared with blinding light, and amidst swirling smoke, a figure emerged. 

The being had a smooth, almost aquatic face, with large, darting eyes that gave it an eerie appearance, like a dark sorcerer steeped in forbidden black magic. Draped in a voluminous robe adorned with lavish metallic ornaments, the figure’s collar resembled the sprawling tentacles of an octopus. 

“I ask you, the one who summoned me, who sought me, who brought me forth as a Caster-class Servant into this world—who are you?” 

The dark sorcerer’s voice was low and raspy, carrying an air of authority. 

The scene left Ryūnosuke Uryū stunned. Clearly, he hadn’t expected the old magic book he found in his family’s storage to actually summon a demon! 

“Tch, tch, tch. Right off the bat, I run into a perfectly compatible Caster duo. Looks like this journey won’t be boring at all,” Riku muttered to himself, his eyes glinting with excitement. The Holy Grail War—summoning Heroic Spirits, calling forth legendary warriors from history to fight—it was practically an infinite monster-spawning machine! If there were no limits to summoning, he’d never run out of strong opponents to battle. The roster of Heroic Spirits from history was vast. 

Of course, Heroic Spirits were powerful, each with unique abilities tied to this world’s rules. Those abilities might not translate perfectly to other worlds, but that didn’t dampen Riku’s enthusiasm for the system. Leveling up by summoning Heroic Spirits in this world alone was a tempting prospect. 

Still, he had to be cautious. This game could attract the attention of certain extraordinary entities. Riku was well aware of two unique forces in this world: Alaya and Gaia. 

Alaya represented the collective subconscious will of humanity, while Gaia embodied the will of the planet itself. Both were driven by a singular goal: survival. Gaia stood for the planet’s desire to endure, while Alaya represented humanity’s will to persist. As humanity advanced, the two forces increasingly clashed. 

Heroic Spirits, seated in the Throne of Heroes, along with powerful supernatural beings, served as their enforcers—known as the Counter Force. Elves, True Ancestors, Oni, mixed-blood clans, Gaia’s monstrous creatures, and Heroic Spirits with high divinity who cared little for humanity’s survival (or even preyed on humans) aligned with Gaia. Meanwhile, psychics, exorcist families, and Heroic Spirits with lower divinity who protected humanity and fought monsters sided with Alaya. 

Of course, Gaia and Alaya were like abstract cosmic forces. The factions under their influence weren’t necessarily aware of being manipulated; they acted for their own survival. 

Riku pondered his place in this dynamic. His nature as a non-human entity, with humans as a key part of his “diet,” might align him with Gaia. Yet, he had no intention of destroying humanity and might even save it, which leaned toward Alaya’s side. 

“Whatever. If trouble comes, I’ll deal with it. If the Counter Force sends its enforcers, that just saves me the trouble of hunting for fights,” Riku thought with a shrug. He’d come to this new world to grow stronger, and a good fight was exactly what he wanted. For instance, he could’ve taken out Ryūnosuke Uryū before the summoning ritual was complete, but why bother? Ryūnosuke was just an ordinary guy with a faint trace of magecraft in his blood—probably not even worth experience points. 

But Caster, Gilles de Rais? That was a different story. Despite his poor compatibility with the Caster class, Gilles wielded the Prelati’s Spellbook, a powerful Noble Phantasm that gave him significant combat strength as a summoning-focused Caster. 

Magecraft in this world was essentially magic, though the terminology differed. “Magecraft” referred to effects achievable by modern technology, while “magic” encompassed feats beyond it. For example, creating fire was once considered magic, but after humans mastered fire, it became magecraft. Over time, many forms of magic had been downgraded to magecraft as technology advanced. 

“I’m Ryūnosuke Uryū, a freelancer. My hobby? All kinds of killing techniques. I’m particularly fond of kids and young women,” Ryūnosuke said, introducing himself to Gilles de Rais. His “fondness” for kids and young women clearly meant hunting and killing them. It was no coincidence he’d summoned Gilles de Rais—their compatibility was uncanny. 

Gilles de Rais, a 15th-century French noble, had fought alongside Jeanne d’Arc as a marshal and national hero. After Jeanne’s execution, he fell into darkness, becoming a black sorcerer who kidnapped and brutally tortured young boys in his domain. He was the primary inspiration for the fairy-tale villain “Bluebeard.” Gilles liked kids. Ryūnosuke liked kids. Their shared “hobby” made them natural allies. 

“Excellent. Our contract is sealed. Let us fight for the Holy Grail we seek,” Gilles declared. As a Heroic Spirit summoned by the Grail, he had a wish to fulfill, and the Holy Grail War was a battle for that one wish-granting opportunity. 

“The Holy Grail? Eh, let’s bond a bit first. Want a bite?” Ryūnosuke, a sunny boy with an artistic streak but no knowledge of magecraft, had no clue about the Grail. He pointed at the bound boy, casually offering him to Gilles as a “gift” for his summoned demon. 

Gilles glanced at Ryūnosuke, then at the boy, puzzled by the word “bite” but understanding the gesture. With his A-rank Mental Pollution skill, Gilles could block most mental interference magecraft, but communicating with him required a similarly warped mind. Ryūnosuke’s twisted psyche—his view of death as the most beautiful art—made him a perfect match. He killed for no reason other than pleasure. 

The bound boy struggled in terror, the ordeal overwhelming for his young mind. 

“Bullying a kid? Not much of a challenge. How about you two take me on instead? Funny thing—turns out, I’m a demon too,” Riku said, stepping out of the shadows. 

His sudden appearance startled both Gilles de Rais and Ryūnosuke Uryū. Neither the Master nor the Servant had sensed him. 

“Who are you?” Gilles demanded, gripping his Prelati’s Spellbook, the core of his power as a Caster. 

Seeing Riku materialize so abruptly, Gilles mistook him for another Heroic Spirit summoned by the Grail. As a mediocre mage—barely even qualifying as one—Gilles didn’t notice the lack of magical energy radiating from Riku. 

As for Ryūnosuke, the clueless Master, he was even less helpful. Completely ignorant of the mystical world, he didn’t even know Masters could see other Servants’ basic stats. He stood by, merely watching the scene unfold. 

Normally, Masters could view a Servant’s basic attributes—strength, magic, luck, and spirit origin—unless obscured by special Noble Phantasms or abilities. However, skills and Noble Phantasms that might reveal a Servant’s identity remained hidden, as concealing one’s true name was a tactical advantage. 

“Caster, show me what you’ve got,” Riku said, ignoring Gilles’ question. He drew his weapon from the shadows—a long blade wreathed in flames, glowing brightly in the dim room. 

“A flame katana?” Gilles muttered, frowning. A Servant’s weapon could reveal their identity, especially if it was iconic. But a flaming katana? That was harder to place. It suggested a local hero, given the distinctly Japanese style, which made Gilles wary. Local heroes often gained a boost from their home territory. 

A Servant’s strength could vary based on factors like fame or location. A weak Heroic Spirit with high fame might wield a powerful Noble Phantasm, while a Servant fighting on their home turf could unlock enhanced abilities or additional Noble Phantasms. 

Here in Fuyuki City, Japan—Neon, as it was sometimes called—a katana-wielding Servant warranted caution due to potential regional advantages. 

Gilles waved his hand, and the Prelati’s Spellbook flipped open, unleashing a surge of magical energy. 

Magecraft relied on “Magic Circuits,” which acted as a conduit for converting life force into usable magical energy. Magic Circuits were like workers, with magical energy as the raw material and the caster as the architect. If the magical energy was insufficient, the spell would fail. 

Gilles’ Prelati’s Spellbook, however, was a game-changer. This Noble Phantasm functioned as a magical reactor, allowing the user to cast grand ritual-level magecraft without relying on their own magical energy. In essence, it was like an infinite mana cheat code. Even someone with no magecraft knowledge could use the book’s preloaded spells, like summoning sea monsters. The book, also known as the Text of R’lyeh, contained knowledge of Deep Ones, Dagon, Hydra, Cthulhu’s Star-Spawn, and even Cthulhu himself. It detailed the sinking of Mu and R’lyeh, hinting at R’lyeh’s eventual rise and mentioning the “One Who Waits in the Dark,” Tsathoggua. 

Of course, Gilles’ copy was not the original but a handwritten Italian translation by his friend and fellow mage, François Prelati, with whom he had studied the occult. 

Chapter 224: The Death of Ryūnosuke Uryū 

In the room, slimy tentacle monsters materialized amidst a surge of magical energy. 

Purple flames of mana erupted from the Prelati’s Spellbook, filling the space. The ordinary room transformed instantly, as if consumed by an abyssal aura, radiating an eerie presence. 

Gilles de Rais, his oversized eyes glaring—eyes warped from peering into the abyss and being gazed upon in return—had a gaze so unsettling that most people would lose their sanity just by meeting it. 

The tentacle monsters, cloaked in purple magical flames, lashed their tendrils toward Riku with alarming speed. 

Hum! 

Riku’s long blade danced through the air, effortlessly slicing through the starfish-like creatures. The scorching heat of his sword was too much for even these otherworldly beings to withstand. 

For Gilles de Rais, however, these monsters were limitless. Thanks to the Prelati’s Spellbook—a veritable mana reactor—he faced no risk of running out of magical energy. This gave him a significant edge compared to, say, Caster Medea from the Fifth Holy Grail War. While Medea had to siphon energy from ordinary people to sustain herself due to her Master’s inability to provide mana, Gilles could rampage freely, killing purely for pleasure. 

More abyssal sea creatures spawned, surging toward Riku. The cramped room was ill-suited for combat, barely able to contain the swarm of tentacle monsters. 

Shing! 

Riku’s blade vibrated, summoning a gust of wind. He unleashed several wind blades, which tore through the room, reducing it to rubble in an instant. 

Boom! 

As the house collapsed, Riku leaped from the ruins. Gilles de Rais, shielding Ryūnosuke Uryū, emerged from the dust and debris. 

“What is this?!” Ryūnosuke exclaimed, still spectating from his VIP seat, utterly dumbfounded. The scene had completely shattered his worldview. 

“What a formidable opponent!” Gilles declared, his face twisted with madness. Purple mana flames radiated from him as he spread his arms wide. The Prelati’s Spellbook floated before him, pages flipping on their own, spewing out sinister purple energy. 

Boom! 

A massive octopus-like monster, formed from fused tentacle creatures and standing three people tall, crashed to the ground. Its tendrils, lined with tiny fleshy barbs, whipped through the air, a nauseating sight. 

Riku, however, was unfazed. He’d faced a far deadlier tentacle monster before—this one paled in comparison to Muzan Kibutsuji’s attacks. The creature’s tendrils were slower and less lethal, relying on smashing and entangling rather than Muzan’s razor-sharp flesh whips, which could kill on contact. 

Slash! 

Riku carved through the monster with a few swift strikes. Activating his Sandevistan, he flickered into the air, delivering a clean, vertical jump-slash that split the creature in half. 

“Whoa!” Ryūnosuke gasped, feeling like he was watching a blockbuster movie—no, something far more thrilling. He didn’t care for movies; their fake thrills couldn’t satisfy his twisted desires. If cinematic deaths were realistic enough, he might never have embarked on his “artistic” path of killing. 

Gilles glanced at Ryūnosuke, surprised by his Master’s oblivious enthusiasm. This Master was truly unique—able to understand Gilles in a way few could. Being summoned by someone who shared his mindset was perhaps the greatest stroke of luck. 

“Good! Let me offer a grand gift to celebrate our meeting!” Gilles’ face contorted, his bulging eyes nearly popping from their sockets as he shouted. Under the sunlight, his purple mana flames blazed even brighter. 

Boom! Boom! Boom! 

Several more monsters were summoned, their gaping maws lined with jagged teeth, their thick tendrils flailing as they charged at Riku. 

“All bark and no bite! You’re just a half-baked mage. Don’t tell me you think these puny creatures can take me down, Caster! Show me your real power, or you’re done for!” Riku taunted, weaving through the monsters and slicing them apart with ease. He glared at Gilles, urging him to step up. Even if he couldn’t summon Cthulhu himself, surely he could call forth something bigger! These weak tentacle monsters were barely worth the effort, yielding next to no experience points. 

[Ding! Experience +45.] 

Since the fight began, Riku had dispatched at least thirty or forty tentacle monsters. The slightly larger one might’ve been worth a bit more, but it still wasn’t enough. He needed more! 

“Damn you! Damn you! Damn you!” Gilles cursed furiously, desperate to defeat Riku. But he’d only just been summoned, with no time to prepare or unleash his full potential. While the Prelati’s Spellbook provided endless mana, summoning stronger creatures required a medium—blood and flesh. The larger monster he’d just summoned had been crafted from the corpses of the house’s residents. Without such materials, he was limited to these weaker creatures, terrifying to ordinary people and even challenging for modern mages, but utterly inadequate against a Heroic Spirit. 

“I’ll be back. Next time, I’ll crush you,” Gilles growled. Though a stubborn madman, he wasn’t a fool. Facing an enemy unprepared and outmatched, retreat was the logical choice. He’d return better equipped. 

“What, a former knight running away? What would Jeanne think? Would she praise you for this?” Riku sneered, hitting Gilles with a verbal Noble Phantasm tailored to his weakness: Saint Jeanne d’Arc. It was a strike at his heart. 

As expected, Gilles froze, his escape plans halted. He hadn’t anticipated his identity being exposed so quickly. His current appearance, warped by his dark practices, was unrecognizable even to fellow Heroic Spirits from his era. Yet Riku had called out his true name with ease, and his familiarity with both Gilles and Jeanne left the Caster reeling. 

Gilles’ most infamous persona was the embellished “Bluebeard,” but that image didn’t match his current form. What shocked him most was Riku’s mention of Jeanne d’Arc—the holy maiden who lived eternally in his heart, unforgettable no matter how much time passed. 

“You know nothing of Jeanne! She would understand me!” Gilles roared. 

Ryūnosuke flinched at the outburst. He might not know Gilles de Rais, but he’d heard of the legendary Saint Jeanne d’Arc. Wasn’t he supposed to have summoned a demon? What was this tangled connection with Jeanne? 

“Man… how do I put this? Don’t be such a simp in your next life,” Riku said, shaking his head. Some things you had to see to believe just how wild they were. 

Whoosh! 

Riku surged forward, Sandevistan activating in a blur. In a few steps, he closed the distance to Gilles. 

As a Caster-class Servant, Gilles had limited close-combat prowess. His class restricted his strength, endurance, and agility, and even as a knight, he’d been more renowned for his wealth than his fighting skills. He wasn’t a combat-focused Servant. 

Still, even a weak Servant was leagues above a normal human. Unfortunately for Gilles, he faced Riku—a non-Servant with formidable combat power. 

Slash! 

Under Gilles’ wide-eyed stare, Riku swung his blade. Gilles tried to dodge, but he couldn’t evade the attack. 

At that moment, the Prelati’s Spellbook flared with light. A thick cloud of crimson mist erupted, enveloping the area. Within the dense fog, Gilles and Ryūnosuke vanished. 

“Run all you want. Where can you go?” Riku muttered, shaking his head. He’d already placed a shadow mark on Ryūnosuke. Gilles couldn’t escape unless he abandoned his Master. Marking Gilles directly risked detection, as the Prelati’s Spellbook was no trifling artifact. 

“This fight in broad daylight probably caught some attention. Time to move,” Riku decided. He sensed Ryūnosuke’s location but couldn’t use his Blood Demon Art in the sunlight. For now, he’d have to pursue on foot. 

In a way, the Holy Grail War’s tendency for nighttime battles was a huge advantage for Riku—night was his domain. 

Finding a shaded spot, Riku activated his Blood Demon Art, connecting to the shadow mark on Ryūnosuke. 

Meanwhile, Gilles had taken Ryūnosuke to a dark, sprawling sewer. As a Caster, one of his key abilities was creating a magical workshop—a mage’s equivalent of a fortified tower. Gilles’ workshop, however, was rudimentary. Reliant on the Prelati’s Spellbook for his summoning magecraft rather than his own skill, it was little more than a lair guarded by numerous summoned creatures. 

Such a workshop might deter ordinary people or mages, but against Heroic Spirits, it was practically defenseless. Still, something was better than nothing, and the sewer was Gilles’ chosen hideout. With Ryūnosuke owning no territory, Gilles had to make do with an inconspicuous location. 

“Lord Bluebeard, who was that guy? Is he even human? Was he summoned too?” Ryūnosuke asked in the vast sewer, still completely clueless. 

“Indeed, he was summoned to fight for the Holy Grail. To claim it, we must eliminate the others,” Gilles replied curtly, uninterested in explaining the Holy Grail War to his ignorant Master. 

“Oh, got it,” Ryūnosuke said, scratching his head, still confused. Then, his attention was drawn to a strange shadow. 

The shadow slithered from his body, rapidly expanding. A familiar figure stepped out from it. 

“Lord Bluebeard, this guy—” 

Ryūnosuke’s jaw dropped. A depraved serial killer he might be, but this was beyond anything he’d ever witnessed. His already warped worldview was thoroughly shattered. 

Zzt! 

Before Ryūnosuke could finish, Riku struck. A bolt of lightning flashed from his hand, hitting Ryūnosuke. 

Without a hint of resistance, Ryūnosuke—barely a mage with his faint magical bloodline—collapsed. Electricity coursed through him, stopping his heart and frying his nervous system. His death was swift and clean. 

Riku had chosen this method deliberately. Ryūnosuke sought the “art” of blood. In his final moments, the killer smiled at his own spilled blood, believing it to be the world’s most beautiful art, dying without regret. But for a monster like him, such a death was too kind. Riku ensured he died with lingering dissatisfaction. 

“What have you done?!” Gilles roared, stunned. His Master, whom he’d just met—a rare soul who understood him—was gone, killed so effortlessly! 

“Want revenge? Then show me something real. No more small fry—bring out the big guns,” Riku taunted, sparks dancing at his fingertips. The dark sewer was a perfect battlefield; even in daylight, he could freely use his Blood Demon Art. 

“No rush. I’ll give you time to prepare,” Riku added with a grin, eyeing Gilles’ frenzied expression. He hoped Gilles would summon a massive sea monster—something worth a hefty chunk of experience points. 

Chapter 225: Who Brings a Nuke to the Holy Grail War?! 

Under Riku’s relentless provocation, Gilles de Rais had completely lost it. If Riku wanted something big, fine—he’d give him something huge! Screw this Holy Grail War! Nobody’s playing anymore! 

The R’lyeh Text in Gilles’ hands surged with mana, an eerie purple energy enveloping his entire body. His hair and beard flared out wildly as he raised his hands, howling with a crazed expression like he’d overdosed on something wild. The R’lyeh Text kept spewing mana, whipping up a whirlwind of magical energy. 

“Nice, nice, that’s the spirit!” 

Riku, watching from the sidelines, clapped in approval. Finally, some real action! Time to heat up this Holy Grail War! 

By now, pretty much all the factions had gathered in Fuyuki City. Caster Gilles de Rais was the last Servant summoned, marking the official start of the Holy Grail War. 

Due to some unwritten rules, battles typically happened at night and were kept under wraps to avoid public attention. So, the daytime before everything kicked off was relatively calm. 

Well, mostly calm. There was that incident where a Servant fought in broad daylight and demolished an entire house. 

The fight’s location was unexpected—no faction had set up familiars to monitor the area, so nobody knew the details or who was involved. 

The destruction was chalked up to a “gas leak,” naturally, since the magecraft world stays hidden from regular folks. 

The Holy Grail War has just one rule: maintain the shinpi no inpei—the secrecy of the mystical. Beyond that, anything goes. It’s a no-holds-barred deathmatch. 

“Unacceptable. They can’t even follow the bare minimum of rules.” 

At the Tohsaka estate, Tohsaka Tokiomi, the manager of Fuyuki’s spiritual leyline, frowned as he commented on the incident. The man had sharp, refined features and a calm, dignified air. His blue eyes glinted with displeasure, his brown hair neatly styled, and his well-groomed beard added to his polished look. 

Tokiomi stood and walked to the window, gazing out at Fuyuki under the twilight sky. Dressed in a deep red suit with a blue silk tie, he radiated elegance and sophistication. 

“I hope this doesn’t derail my plans.” 

Tokiomi muttered to himself. He hated surprises and rule-breakers, but it was clear this Holy Grail War had attracted some unruly types—maybe even outsiders who didn’t know the magecraft world’s etiquette. Those were the types he despised most. 

Sadly for Tokiomi, his hopes were doomed to crash and burn, because Gilles de Rais had been thoroughly ticked off by Riku. 

“Hm?!” 

Tokiomi’s expression shifted sharply. He sensed a terrifying surge of mana from the Miyama River area. Someone was unleashing a massive spell, not even trying to hide it. 

“Is that Caster?” 

Tokiomi couldn’t be sure who was causing the chaos, but the earlier disturbance had coincided with Caster’s summoning, making Gilles the prime suspect. 

This new, overwhelming mana output seemed to confirm it—Caster was likely the culprit. 

“What a pain.” 

Tokiomi sighed. Should he even stick to his plan? 

In daily life, Tohsaka Tokiomi was practically superhuman—flawless in every way. But when it came to handling unexpected chaos, he was noticeably clumsy. The Tohsaka family’s infamous “choking at critical moments” trait clearly hadn’t skipped him. 

For Tokiomi, the Holy Grail War was the defining moment of his life. Years of preparation had led to this, all to win this ultimate battle. 

Having drawn an SSR-tier card, Tokiomi was confident he’d end the Holy Grail War for good. So, plans changing? Fine. He’d still come out on top. 

BOOM!!! 

A massive tremor echoed from the Miyama River. Tokiomi’s frown deepened. That jerk was going too far. 

After a brief hesitation, Tokiomi decided to check out what was happening at the river. As Fuyuki’s manager, he had a duty to stop these reckless participants from tearing the city apart! 

The moment Gilles de Rais started casting his spell, nearly every Heroic Spirit, Servant, and Master in the war sensed it. The mana output was just too staggering to miss. 

BOOM!!! 

A colossal creature emerged from the river, swallowing Gilles de Rais into its massive body. 

Purple flesh, writhing tentacles, and an enormous frame—it looked like it wandered in from the wrong set. This thing belonged in a tokusatsu show, duking it out with a giant of light who shoots beams! 

“Now that’s an intimidating beast.” 

Standing by the Miyama River, Riku marveled as he watched Gilles complete the summoning of the sea monster. 

This was a grand magecraft—a ritual-level spell requiring lengthy chants and ceremonies. But thanks to the R’lyeh Text, Gilles barely had to lift a finger. He just flipped through the book, and it did the heavy lifting. 

“That book’s pretty interesting. Be nice to get my hands on it.” 

Riku flexed his wrist, wondering if his “NTR Hand” could snag Noble Phantasms like that. If it could, things would be way easier—just a quick “Gimme that!” and he’d have the R’lyeh Text. Plus, there was that guy who loved tossing his stuff around. 

“Running into two knights who don’t die by bare hands—wonder if that’ll make Goldie stop throwing his toys?” 

Riku’s thoughts wandered as the sea monster fully emerged. It was a terrifying giant octopus-like beast. 

It was twilight, the night not yet fully fallen. The sudden appearance of this deep-sea horror left nearby humans dumbfounded. Some ran screaming, but the bold ones edged closer, probably thinking it was a movie shoot. 

The purple mist blanketing the area didn’t help—most people were too confused to realize what was happening, so they got curious instead. 

“In the long history of the Holy Grail War, there’s never been such a scandal! What is that Caster doing?!” 

At Fuyuki’s church, Kotomine Risei—the priest and overseer of the Holy Grail War—was floored. 

The old man slumped on a sofa, head bowed, too embarrassed to face anyone. How could this happen in his jurisdiction? 

The war had barely gathered all its players, and Caster had just been summoned. How was he already going berserk? What kind of strategy was this? Did they not take him, the overseer, seriously at all?! 

“At this point, we can’t handle it alone. Like Tokiomi said, we’ll have to pause the war and rally the other Masters to take down this Caster.” 

Though inwardly cursing up a storm, Kotomine Risei kept his priorities straight. This situation was beyond him and the Church’s local forces. A monster summoned by a Heroic Spirit needed other Heroic Spirits to handle it. 

Tokiomi’s suggestion was solid: offer Command Spells as a reward to unite all Servants against this rogue Caster. 

Tokiomi had his own motives, of course. With his Servant’s power, taking out Caster was a sure thing, and those reward Command Spells would likely end up in his hands. Sure, his original plan got derailed, but this Plan B could yield even bigger gains. 

Risei saw through Tokiomi’s selfish angle but went along with it. As the overseer, he was Tokiomi’s collaborator. 

Their approach was technically against the rules—ganging up on a single Servant was unprecedented and broke tradition. 

But Risei had an excuse: no one had ever dealt with a Caster and Master this unhinged before! These two weren’t just ignoring Holy Grail War rules—they were trampling the entire magecraft world’s code. The Church and Tokiomi’s Mage’s Association had zero tolerance for this. 

“Kirei, has Tokiomi already left?” 

After making his decision, Risei looked at the man before him—his son, Kotomine Kirei, a participant in the war and the Master of Assassin. 

Kirei had short brown hair, brown eyes, and wore religious vestments with a cross necklace. His brown boots matched his calm, unreadable expression. 

“Sensei headed to the battlefield with Archer right away,” Kirei replied coolly. 

Tokiomi was his mentor. Originally a Church executor, Kirei had been “loaned” to the Mage’s Association, studying under Tokiomi for three years to join the Holy Grail War as his covert ally. 

“Handle the covert work. Go support Tokiomi.” 

Risei nodded, satisfied with Tokiomi’s dedication as Fuyuki’s manager—a model leyline overseer. 

“Yes, Father.” 

Kirei agreed without hesitation, though he wasn’t sure how much he and Assassin could help. That monster didn’t seem like something Assassin was suited to fight, let alone himself. 

At the Miyama River, Riku shifted into his three-form demon mode. His massive demonic body was still just a speck compared to the giant beast, which barely noticed him. 

The creature surged toward the shore, ready to devour everything in its path. 

Its gaping maw, like a gate to the abyss, bristled with writhing tentacles. Countless tendrils lashed out, aiming to ensnare Riku and swallow him whole. 

“Hungry, huh?” 

A grin spread across Riku’s face as the sun fully set, blanketing the sky in darkness—his home turf. 

“Hold on, I’ve got something big for you!” 

Riku’s thermal katana extended, shifting into its oni-fied state. With a swing, he sliced through the tentacles, flames racing along them to repel the attack. 

His shadow spread outward, and Riku flickered, reappearing above the beast’s open mouth. From the shadows, he pulled out a small tactical nuke. 

Its yield was low—he wasn’t that extreme, especially in the heart of Fuyuki City. 

“Here, catch!” 

Riku hurled the nuke into the beast’s maw. 

The monster, not caring what it ate, didn’t dodge. It let the nuke fall into its mouth, looking like it might even chew it. 

BOOM!!! 

A second later, an explosion roared, a small mushroom cloud rising. The blast tore the sea beast apart, vaporizing its body. Even this abomination from the abyss, a tentacle of an otherworldly evil god, stood no chance against this pinnacle of human tech. 

“What was that?” 

Thunder rumbled in the sky. On a chariot pulled by divine oxen, a towering, muscular man spoke slowly, puzzled by the scene. 

He had short red hair, a bushy beard, and fiery red eyebrows. His red eyes gleamed under a red cotton cloak, with reddish-brown vambraces and a battle kilt, paired with leather sandals. His vibe screamed bold and festive. 

“A… a nuke?!” 

Behind the man, a youthful figure with black hair and eyes, looking almost androgynous, gaped in disbelief, voice trembling. 

It was 1994—Weaver Velvet knew about these terrifying weapons born from scientific progress. But why the hell was one going off here? 

“A modern weapon?” 

The burly man stroked his chin, thoughtful. As times changed, technology had reshaped warfare. To conquer the world again, he had a lot to learn. 

“Rider! Let’s get down there!” 

Weaver Velvet was shaking. All he could think was regret—deep, burning regret. What kind of freaks were in this Holy Grail War?! Who brings a nuke to this fight?! 

Having stolen his mentor’s relic to join the war, Weaver now just wanted to go home. Forget proving himself—he needed to survive first! I’m done with this! 

(Chapter End)aks!