Constructing a Holy Grail normally requires extremely rich magical aptitude and many precious materials.
Takatsuki obtained sufficient data for the former from Einzbern and generously shared it with Aozaki Touko. Relying on Aozaki Touko, he barely managed to grasp this part of the knowledge.
For the remaining operations, Takatsuki had a more direct method.
Mages in the Type-Moon World channel magical energy by relying on rituals or pre-made Mystic Codes and Crests.
But Takatsuki didn't need such trouble; he could directly manipulate the flow of magical energy and Honkai Energy, just like solving a math problem, skipping the process and directly reaching the result.
"It actually succeeded..."
After constructing the Holy Grail ritual at Chiyou's heart, the Lesser Grail at its heart had truly become a real Holy Grail.
Takatsuki's ritual did not require the method of drilling the Greater Grail, so it did not need to strictly follow the original Holy Grail. It only required a large amount of energy and the support of the Third Magic to realize a limited wish-granting machine.
He even thought about simply changing the Holy Grail War, canceling the war aspect and directly granting wishes like in Dragon Ball, but found he couldn't do it.
It was like a procedure; the war aspect was unavoidable.
But it was good enough.
With the Lesser Grail in place, the Honkai Energy within Chiyou's body no longer chaotically spawned Honkai Beasts everywhere, but instead purposefully gathered into the Lesser Grail.
This convergence also had a speed; Takatsuki observed that it would take about a year for it to officially activate.
This was also based on the fact that the Lesser Grail already contained a large amount of divine power and Chiyou's body was rich in Honkai Energy.
"Hope it goes smoothly."
Having done everything he could, Takatsuki exited the area of Chiyou's heart.
As soon as he stepped out, he saw Hestia comforting Ji Lin.
"Uh, what's going on?"
Takatsuki was a bit bewildered by the scene in front of him, and Mei, beside him, also sighed and told Takatsuki what had just happened.
Ji Lin was an ancient ancestor to them, and her thousand years of resentment and negative emotions were something Takatsuki and Mei couldn't comprehend.
But speaking of age, the goddess in front of them was even older.
Of course, Takatsuki wouldn't dare to say that.
Hestia radiated maternal radiance, comforting Ji Lin, for in her eyes, even an immortal who had lived for ten thousand years was just a child.
It was only because Ji Lin's current state was between life and death—she had a physical body, but her essence was a consciousness condensed from obsession—otherwise, Takatsuki felt she might have been directly transcended by Hestia.
"Takatsuki-kun, you're back. This child is willing to sign a contract with you."
"Huh?"
Takatsuki couldn't understand, nor could he imagine.
He even wondered if the corrupted Ji Lin was playing along with Hestia, given that she had no real power at the moment, so feigning submission was normal.
But the actual result was that Ji Lin really signed a contract with him.
In the Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes is located outside the world, and even the Counter Force does not have too strong a control over it. Only signing as a Guardian is a true servitude contract.
But it's different with Takatsuki.
The Throne of Heroes in Type-Moon is a concept, but it's not here with Takatsuki!
Although he wouldn't be like the Counter Force, signing a contract with him was equivalent to half a servitude contract.
This was not something that could be feigned.
Takatsuki still hadn't fully processed it even when they left Chiyou's body.
Returning was much simpler than coming. As Takatsuki opened the passage and arrived back at the entrance, he saw Durandal and Siegfried reminiscing about the past.
At this time, unlike her original self who had permanently lost her memories, she had recovered her childhood memories. Every little detail of her life with her father was a precious treasure to her.
"When we went to rescue your sister, it was thanks to you that we broke through the defenses."
Siegfried had just finished speaking when he saw Takatsuki and the others appearing through space in front of him.
"You startled me. It's just as Welt said, has the matter been resolved?"
Siegfried put the disassembled pistols of the Judgment of Shamash back on his waist.
"Yes, it's over. Chiyou can stay here. Bianka, please have the Hyperion return. I'll send you back first. I'll set up some more things here to hide Chiyou."
After its heart was controlled, combined with the seals already within its body, Chiyou was like a dead being, completely transformed into an island.
It reminded Takatsuki of Kronos Island, formed by the Flame Devourer Antun in the Dungeon Fighter Online game.
Takatsuki naturally couldn't leave his achievement just sitting there, so he planned to find a way to hide the place.
But before that, he'd send the others away.
"St. Freya Academy, huh? I haven't been there in a long time. You don't have transportation, do you? Then let's take my ship."
Siegfried remembered that the few of them had just flown over on Chiyou and suggested.
"No, no, I'll help you take your ship over later. You just wait for us at Saint Freya. I'll go back once I'm done here."
Saying that, Takatsuki opened a passage to Saint Freya. Siegfried then slapped his forehead upon seeing this: "I forgot! What a convenient ability."
Amidst Siegfried's exclamations, the four passed through the passage and returned to St. Freya Academy, leaving Takatsuki alone.
Watching the others leave, Takatsuki took out a skill book and slapped it onto himself.
[Ainsworth Displacement Magecraft LV3: A sorcery that can replace space and concepts, already surpassing the original, and even surpassing the concept of sorcery.]
This was something that had been broken down from a character card named Julian Ainsworth, which he had drawn previously.
Takatsuki had originally treated him as an ordinary passerby mage and hadn't looked closely before throwing him into the disassembler.
As a result, he obtained this skill and several magic circuits.
Originally in the Type-Moon World, Displacement Magecraft, like Projection Magecraft, was an inferior form of sorcery, capable only of simply replacing magical energy. However, Ainsworth's Displacement Magecraft had become so absurd that it could replace concepts and space.
Takatsuki had already figured out a way; even the strongest defense would be broken.
So, wouldn't it be better to make the space itself unreachable?
After leveling the skill up to LV7, Takatsuki looked at his greatly diminished crystals. The crystals, which had once exceeded ten thousand, now only had 3850 left after spending so much on leveling skills.
Indeed, the bulk of crystal expenditure was on leveling skills.
Takatsuki looked at the function of the 'Battle Echoes'. He had never played this before, and it was about time to make a withdrawal.
After so many battles, not only existences like Cocolia and Phantylia, but also Servants who had fought against Takatsuki and Durandal in the Holy Grail War, were added to it.
Oh, that's not entirely accurate; at least Hassan wasn't among them.
Even the system discriminated against such a thing.
Using LV7 Displacement Magecraft to completely envelop this area, and leaving his thoughts within it, he opened a passage and left this "small island" in the middle of the ocean.