A man dressed in blue and black striped clothing, wearing a blue cloak and a bronze mask, stepped forward and respectfully bowed to Hades, saying:
"I am Caster Avicebron. It is an honor to meet you, Lord Hades, King of the Underworld."
Avicebron, whose full name is Solomon ibn Gabirol, was an 11th-century philosopher, poet, and pioneer of 'Kabbalistic' magecraft. He was also known by the sobriquet 'the Jewish Plato.'
To avoid confusion with King Solomon, he used the name 'Avicebron.' He transmitted philosophical thought from the Arab world to Europe. Furthermore, he created the term 'Kabbalah' from the Hebrew word for 'to receive.'
From the Hebrew word for 'to receive,' he created the magical foundation 'Kabbalah,' a figure who greatly influenced the world of Magi. His direct combat ability is low, but he is a rare and exceptional golem user.
Hades looked at this peerless golem master and recalled some of the story's plot. To activate his Noble Phantasm, he used his own Master and his disciple, Roche Frain Yggdmillennia, as the core.
The price was the complete disappearance of Roche himself.
Hades condensed a purple Cosmos orb in his hand and threw it to Avicebron, saying:
"I know the condition for activating your Noble Phantasm. Take this as the core. Don't waste lives recklessly anymore."
"What is this?" Avicebron looked at the purple orb in his hand with confusion, then sensed the terrifying magical energy (Cosmos) emanating from it, sufficient to serve as the core for his Noble Phantasm.
"Thank you for your gift, Lord Hades." Avicebron stored away the purple orb and respectfully bowed to Hades.
"I am Astolfo, one of Charlemagne's Twelve Paladins!" A pink-haired, crossdressing man with braided hair, a longsword at his waist, and knight's attire, undeterred by Hades's pressure, energetically greeted his fellow Servants.
Astolfo, a knight depicted in French heroic epics. The son of the King of England and one of Charlemagne's Twelve Paladins. Despite possessing unparalleled beauty, he is extremely impulsive, even said to have had his reason evaporate. He loves adventure and appears everywhere, often getting caught up in trouble and causing it. He never intends to do evil, and though he acts as he pleases, he never falls into the worst situations.
This knight is beloved by many creators and has many short stories. Though his strength is inferior to other Paladins like Roland and Oliver, he shines on the battlefield with tools like a magic lance that makes those it touches fall, a guidebook detailing how to break all spells, a horn that blows opponents away, and a mythical beast, the Hippogriff (half-eagle, half-horse). In 'Orlando Furioso,' to retrieve the reason Orlando lost due to heartbreak, he even journeyed to the moon (where all things lost on earth reside). He succeeded and returned triumphantly with both Orlando's and his own reason. However, after some time, his reason evaporated once again.
Looking at this crossdressing knight, Hades couldn't help but break into a cold sweat internally: 'This guy's [Inherent Skill]: Evaporation of Sanity seems like a very troublesome skill.'
Unnoticed by them, Rider's Master, Sérényke Ecsell Yggdmillennia—a bespectacled woman with green vertical-slit pupils, a single ponytail, and large breasts—watched Astolfo standing up and Hades. Her face immediately flushed, she panted heavily, and her legs trembled pressed together. It was unclear what she was thinking.
Hades walked up to Berserker. This was a pink-haired, short-haired girl in a wedding dress, with a golden metal cone on her forehead, two large golden screws replacing her ears, holding a weapon resembling a lollipop.
A flicker of pity passed through Hades's eyes as he stroked the girl's face, saying:
"A life created modeled after Eve, the prototype of the first woman in the Bible. Truly beautiful, yet lacking in emotional aspects. What a pitiable, pure white bride."
"Mmm..." The girl bride looked up at Hades, a cute, puzzled expression on her face, making muffled sounds.
The Black Faction's Berserker: Frankenstein.
An artificial lifeform created by Victor Frankenstein. Manufactured as Eve, opposite to Adam, but judged a failure due to defects in expressing emotions like joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.
Frankenstein differs greatly from the novel's depiction. Victor's initial goal was to create Adam and Eve—the original pair. Contrary to the Bible, he conceived a plan to create Eve first, then have Eve give birth to Adam. Unfortunately, Eve, the key to the plan—an artificial lifeform pieced together from corpses—was a failure.
She could not smoothly control or connect various emotions. Her violent acts, like mercilessly slaughtering a wild dog and presenting its entrails as a gift, terrified Victor, who ultimately abandoned her. However, the abandoned Frankenstein's intellect and emotions were honed through contact with the world, and she finally developed feelings of anger towards Victor. Facing her relentless pursuit to the South Pole, a physically and mentally exhausted Victor chose Death.
Her pursuit of a partner is not from instinct but from theory—that is, a desire to imitate living like a normal human. If one could open her heart, there truly might be a possibility for a Master to be chosen as 'Frankenstein's Bridegroom.'
Finally, Hades looked at the man sitting on the main throne, dressed in black noble attire with heavy dark circles under his eyes, and said:
"Are you the master of this territory?"
As the words fell, the man on the throne stood up. His demeanor was filled with noble etiquette as he looked at Hades and said:
"Indeed. I am the King of Romania, Lancer Vlad Țepeș (Vlad III). Greetings to the master of the underworld, Lord Hades."
Vlad III was once the king who ruled over Romania. His fame in Romania rivals that of Greece's Heracles and England's King Arthur. To utilize this high renown, he is considered a strategic linchpin. Possessing overwhelming power, though he deals cruelly with those he deems enemies, he is essentially a leader of noble character.
He is the defender of Romania, but his more widely known name is 'Dracula.'
In reality, due to the influence of the novel by Irish writer Bram Stoker, Vlad's Saint Graph carries the formidable power of a vampire from fabricated legends. However, he himself detests this ability deeply, refusing to use it even if it meant dying in disgrace.
Thus, all Servants of the Black Faction were assembled. The battle would commence tomorrow.
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