Alvin slowly opened his eyes, only to suddenly realize that her aura was completely different from before. There was less of the cold detachment she once had, replaced with a hint of seductive allure.
"The Greater Grail?"
Alvin suddenly realized something.
The existence of the "Holy Maiden of Winter" itself could be considered the Greater Grail. For her to be like this now meant the Greater Grail had probably already appeared.
'It seems, Manaka has done something to the Greater Grail.'
However, even Sajyou Manaka probably hadn't expected that merely "summoning" the Greater Grail would cause "Irisviel" to undergo a kind of "darkening."
From the moment she began acting intimate just now, she had been planning to reverse Alvin's spiritual foundation, turning him into a darkened version of Alvin.
As for the reason, the thing inside the "black mud" had been observing this Holy Grail War the whole time, and Saber's performance had made the black mud feel threatened.
If they could truly make him their own Servant, things would become much easier. Perhaps it was with that very thought that Irisviel, now influenced by the black mud, reacted this way.
In the darkness, the only sound was that of their lips meeting. Irisviel tightly wrapped her arms around the boy's neck. While their magical energy intertwined, the magic from the "black mud" also quietly flowed into Alvin's body.
At some point, the balcony had already been completely covered in black mud.
After who knew how long, their lips parted. Irisviel slowly opened her eyes. Within those enchanting crimson eyes was now a trace of something even more bewitching.
"Saber, let's officially conduct the ritual of magical energy exchange~"
Soon, a charming smile appeared on her face as she pushed Alvin down onto the floor behind him.
From above, she gazed at the boy gently. Alvin looked back at her, and also at the heavy fullness on the woman's chest, then suddenly said,
"You're not Irisviel… but you're not the Holy Maiden of Winter either, right?"
"Irisviel" tilted her head slightly, "What's the difference?"
"We've formed a contract. Once we exchange magical energy, the Greater Grail will fall into our hands… that's enough, isn't it?"
Alvin's originally pale skin seemed to be slowly swallowed by the black mud.
Seeing this scene, the smile on "Irisviel's" face grew even more enchanting. She could hardly wait to see what the white dragon of Britain would look like once his spiritual foundation was rewritten by the black mud and he turned dark.
She reached out and hugged Alvin tightly, as if trying to press the boy completely into her soft and ample body.
Along with it came the magical power from the "black mud," continuously pouring into his body.
Until finally, the black mud completely wrapped around Alvin.
Irisviel slowly stood up from the floor covered in black mud. Her enchanting crimson eyes carried a playful smile.
It went smoothly after all.
"All the World's Evil." Any Heroic Spirit touched by it would undergo reversal. In this Holy Grail War, the most troublesome Servant was Saber.
If Saber could be darkened first and then controlled, this Holy Grail War would become much easier.
Just then, the black mud that had originally wrapped around Alvin began to gradually recede.
Irisviel could clearly feel that Alvin's spiritual foundation had already changed.
What would the white dragon of Britain look like after darkening?
Thinking of this, "Irisviel" looked toward Alvin with a hint of anticipation.
———
[Mount Enzo]
At some unknown moment, black mud had already filled the entire mountaintop. Beneath the night sky, a circular void quietly opened, its edges glowing with a faint blue light.
Sajyou Manaka quietly watched the scene. The smile on her face grew more and more delighted, and her heart filled with anticipation.
Once all the Servants gathered and began fighting, the Greater Grail would receive even more magical energy. Until finally, the universal wish-granting machine known as the "Greater Grail" would truly descend into the world.
When that time came…
BANG!
Just as that thought passed through her mind, a gunshot rang out from the distance. A bullet cut through the wind and snow, heading straight for the back of Sajyou Manaka's head.
Manaka remained standing calmly in place, her eyes slightly lowered as a faint curve formed at the corner of her lips.
However, just as the bullet was about to touch her body, a red point of light quietly lit up beneath her feet.
At first it was just a faint glow.
Then, in a single instant, terrifying flames burst upward with a whoosh!
A wall of flames intertwined in black and red distorted the air with scorching heat, erupting with dazzling firelight. The bullet was stopped effortlessly the moment it touched the flames.
"After hitting me once last time, did you think the second attempt would succeed too? Even though you're called the Mage Killer, your combat experience seems to go only this far."
Manaka turned her gaze slightly to the side.
In the distant snow, a man dressed in black was walking up the steps, holding a black pistol in his hand.
Because this was the top of the mountain, there was no good sniping position. If one wanted the Greater Grail, they would first have to pass through Sajyou Manaka.
Emiya Kiritsugu stared at the blonde girl ahead of him. His voice was low and calm as he spoke slowly.
"Sajyou Manaka. Unknown background. Suspected of being able to predict danger in advance. The relic you used to summon Saber should have come from ancient Britain, right?"
"You're also one of the 'transmigrators,' aren't you?"
Manaka narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly. She examined the man in front of her, smiling brightly.
"Looks like you investigated quite a bit about me, but you probably didn't find anything useful, did you?"
Kiritsugu neither confirmed nor denied it.
"After all, you're a transmigrator. The information you have belongs only to your era."
The sound of a gun being cocked echoed in the night.
Kiritsugu raised his pistol and pointed it at the blonde girl in front of him. His voice was filled with coldness.
"Where did you hide them?"
"And… what does the Holy Grail you mentioned have to do with her?"
Manaka was slightly stunned. A puzzled look appeared on her small face.
"The Einzbern family hired you. Didn't they tell you the truth?"
Kiritsugu frowned deeply, staring at Manaka without speaking.
Manaka pointed toward the "Greater Grail" behind her that emitted a terrifying aura and said with a cheerful smile, "If you want to know the truth... go over there and see for yourself."
"The answers you want are all hidden within that pile of black mud—"
Bang!
Before she finished speaking, Kiritsugu had already pulled the trigger.
From the beginning he had never intended to have a proper conversation with Manaka. In any case, he didn't think this girl looked like someone capable of normal communication.
Compared to all that, there was only one thing he truly cared about right now.
The Greater Grail.
Manaka sighed softly, "So compared to your wife or your daughter, you still chose this side?"
Facing the approaching Kiritsugu, Manaka suddenly raised her head.
"Then there's nothing left to talk about."
Magical energy erupted violently at that moment.
———
At the same time, elsewhere—
Rolling thunder filled the night sky, and along with the thunder came the scream of a boy.
"Rider, slow down! I'm really going to fall off—AAAAHHH!"
"Don't worry. I wouldn't let my Master fall from the sky and die. Just sit tight!"
The King of Conquerors' loud and hearty laughter rang out. Like carrying a small chick, he held Waver by the back of his collar with one hand while gripping the edge of the chariot with the other, heading toward Mount Enzo.
But just then, he suddenly seemed to notice something and let out a small "Eh?" The chariot stopped in midair.
The King of Conquerors stroked his chin as he carefully examined a mansion below.
In the courtyard of the mansion, the King of Gold was sitting there, casually playing with a wine cup in his hand.
As if sensing something, Gilgamesh soon spoke in a cold and arrogant voice.
"In this world, the only one qualified to look down on others from the sky is me alone. Are you seeking death now, Rider?"
In truth, with Gilgamesh's personality, if it were any other day, the treasures within the Gate of Babylon would probably have already been fired toward the King of Conquerors.
But perhaps he knew this rough man had no scheming thoughts, or perhaps for some other reason, he did not deploy any Noble Phantasms immediately.
The King of Conquerors was first stunned, then quickly showed an amused smile as he guided the chariot down from the sky.
"The Greater Grail has already appeared on that mountain. Why are you still sitting here drinking tonight with such leisure, Archer?"
As he spoke, he curiously looked several more times at the golden wine cup in Gilgamesh's hand, then sighed in admiration.
"This Noble Phantasm is really convenient. I didn't expect it to store so much fine wine."
Gilgamesh glanced at the King of Conquerors' admiring gaze, snorted coldly, and tossed a golden wine cup toward him.
Gilgamesh looked toward Mount Enzo and said quietly, "Haven't you noticed yet, Rider? This Holy Grail War has been abnormal ever since that girl appeared."
"You mean the girl called Sajyou Manaka?"
The King of Conquerors took a sip of the wine, savoring its rich fragrance. His expression grew more serious.
"That girl's magic circuits are different from ordinary magi and with Saber's existence added in, it really is troublesome."
"Is that why you haven't gone to Mount Enzo yet?", the King of Conquerors asked.
Because he had no interest in the Greater Grail, even now that it had appeared, the King of Heroes still hadn't made any move… or so the King of Conquerors thought.
Gilgamesh played with the golden wine cup in his hand. A hint of delight colored his crimson eyes.
"I'm waiting for someone. I once told him I hoped he would survive until the end of the Holy Grail War."
"But it seems he has run into some trouble."
The King of Conquerors' eyes flickered slightly, and he quickly seemed to remember something.
"Saber?"
'For Saber to run into trouble, is there some troublesome Servant this time?'
Gilgamesh said nothing. He simply stared at a certain direction with interest.
From the moment the Greater Grail descended, he had already realized the truth behind this Holy Grail War.
The corrupted Grail.
The black mud capable of darkening Servants.
For Servants, that black mud was indeed extremely dangerous.
But trying to use such a thing to alter his spiritual foundation, wasn't that a bit too much of an underestimation of Saber?
Or perhaps, an underestimation of "Mother"?
"Aaaaaa!"
Just as this thought crossed Gilgamesh's mind, a beautiful voice like a siren's song suddenly echoed in the air.
The moment they heard the song, Servants from all sides seemed to shudder at the same time, instinctively looking toward the direction the sound came from.
At that exact moment, Alvin slowly opened his eyes within the black mud.
"Irisviel" wore a sweet smile, watching the chunk of black mud in front of her that was gradually cracking apart with eager anticipation.
Crack!
As the cracks spread more and more, her gaze grew increasingly excited.
Finally, the black mud shattered completely.
Inside it, Alvin quietly stared at the silver-haired beauty being controlled by the "thing" within the Greater Grail.
"You…"
Irisviel parted her lips slightly, staring at Alvin in shock and uncertainty.
"All the World's Evil." It was something capable of darkening any being in this world.
As long as Saber was darkened and turned into her Servant, this Holy Grail War would basically be won, that had been her original plan.
But now… After being baptized by the black mud, there was not the slightest sign that he had darkened?
"Why?"
Finally, after a brief silence, she spoke in a tone filled with disbelief.
Alvin said nothing.
Instead, the one who answered was a head that poked out from behind him.
She had a pair of enormous beast horns on her head. Looking at the writhing black mud on the ground, she tilted her head slightly.
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