Chapter 122

Angra Mainyu, the spirit known as the Evil of this World, residing within the Holy Grail, was feeling rather depressed due to two recent events.

First, the tenuous connection with the girl transformed by worms, who had the potential to become his Master in this Holy Grail War, was suddenly severed, leaving him in silence.

Secondly, the little girl from the Einzbern family had recently started to distance herself from him! She no longer called him "Mom!"

For the past ten years, through his connection with the little girl, he had assumed the guise and personality of her "mother" to... cough, cough... care for her. But unexpectedly, the little girl had suddenly lost interest in him, no longer calling him "Mom!"

Could this be what they call a rebellious phase? Not listening to "Mom" anymore?

In a special space, Angra Mainyu, clad in the appearance of Irisviel, squatted on a beach, drawing circles in the sand with his finger, lamenting in his heart.

Should he also use a mother's tone to scold her? Spank her?

Before he could finish his thoughts, Angra Mainyu suddenly sensed something and turned around to see a handsome blue-haired youth in a checkered shirt, hands in his pockets, looking at him with a teasing smile.

Hadn't the Grail not descended yet?

How did this guy get in? Was he a deceased Servant?

No, that's not right. Deceased Servants should enter a temporary container, whereas he was in the real Holy Grail—in its spirit form, not yet at the time of descent!

Angra Mainyu was puzzled, thinking for a long time but getting nowhere.

However, as the saying goes, a guest is a guest, no matter how you get here. Since you're here, I should entertain you well (corrupt and lead you). Besides, the little girl hasn't been playing with me lately, making me quite bored.

So, three minutes later...

Looking at "Irisviel" who was holding his arm and smiling happily like a madam drawing in customers, Shinji felt speechless.

Even though his current body was merely a manifestation of the Third Element, even if his true body were here, it wouldn't waver at all! Even if the other's chest really moved, he wouldn't!

Just kidding, even with Irisviel's appearance and personality, he knew the true form was male.

A female body with a male mind?

Thinking this, the self-proclaimed gentleman Shinji suddenly felt the situation was tense, and his mind wavered slightly, finding it a bit more... stimulating.

Damn! No wonder he's called the Evil of this World. Even my iron will almost had a crack, nearly letting him in!

Shinji inwardly cursed the opponent for not playing fair, making him think strange thoughts!

"Hehe~ Why are you staring at me like that, sir?"

Ignoring the deep cleavage and soft touch, Shinji smiled lightly, "It seems you're quite happy here on your own. I thought you'd feel lonely or something, Angra Mainyu, wearing Irisviel's guise and personality..."

Hearing this, Angra Mainyu's madam-like demeanor instantly disappeared. He looked at Shinji in surprise, "How do you know?! And... who exactly are you?!"

Shinji, whose arm was still tightly held by Angra Mainyu, continued nonchalantly, "Don't worry about it, I just know. And who I am doesn't matter. You only need to know... I'm not here for you."

"Not for me?"

Angra Mainyu pressed closer to Shinji, feeling that perhaps focusing on his cleavage might entice the other to reveal more.

However, just as Angra Mainyu was about to change into a more seductive guise (clothing), he heard Shinji sigh softly and withdraw his arm.

"Far from it, far from it, compared to Sakura... cough cough... it's far off~"

With that, Shinji resumed walking towards the vast sea, waving his hand without looking back, "That's enough. Chatting with you is enough. I'm here for something deeper."

"Something deeper?" Angra Mainyu muttered, then suddenly realized, "Could it be..."

Though unsure of Shinji's exact purpose, Angra Mainyu understood he intended to go deeper into the ritual. He stopped pretending.

At the same time, sensing the change in the surroundings, Shinji stopped, glancing at the black mud slowly creeping up his shoulder, and sneered.

"Your vigilance isn't bad, but..." Shinji turned to look at Angra Mainyu, now enveloped in black mist, "Do you think you can corrupt my spirit and will? I stayed to chat with you because I felt sorry for you, not because I couldn't go straight to find that guy. But your pushiness is really annoying..."

At this moment, Angra Mainyu realized something, grinning sinisterly, "No wonder you could infiltrate, your body is purely composed of the Third Element. But even if your consciousness has entered, I will still..."

Shinji interrupted him, "Oh? As the weakest spirit, are you really that confident? Though this isn't my true form, thinking you can corrupt me is laughable!"

Such arrogance was new to Angra Mainyu, who mentally scoffed at Shinji's words!

In his current state, Shinji's mind should be like a clear glass of water; a drop of ink should easily blacken it!

However, surprisingly, the moment Angra Mainyu's ink touched the water, it turned black itself!

Black! Black!

Blacker than Angra Mainyu's own!

Ten times... no! A million times!

No other color but the purest black!

Angra Mainyu's ink had no effect!

"You..." Angra Mainyu stammered, staring at Shinji.

Shinji chuckled, "Good deeds bring good results, evil deeds bring evil results, and sometimes good deeds bring evil results, and evil deeds bring good results. These are common in this world. Pure evil? Don't make me laugh, Angra Mainyu, you're just a mix of humanity's good and bad outcomes.

"In my eyes, the evil you endure is not pure at all! See? This cup of evil representing another side of humanity is far purer than you!

"Good? Evil? I don't care about these. What exists will always exist, no matter how you label or hide it. Desire is desire, whether it leads to good or evil results. I decide!"

Hearing this, and seeing the liquid turn from black to clear, Angra Mainyu finally understood: this young man, like the golden one from ten years ago, was of the same type!

Both had an indomitable personal will, uncorruptible!

"Well, as the saying goes, courtesy demands reciprocity. Are you ready to be corrupted by my evil?"

Facing Shinji, who said this with a grin, Angra Mainyu was shocked. Someone wanted to corrupt him?

Thinking the young man before him either mad or foolish, Angra Mainyu said nothing, but then noticed something, eyes widening in disbelief!

Because the other... the other had invaded his spirit with his own will!

...

In an isolated, peaceful mountain village, a young man was undergoing a special trial or ritual.

Villagers familiar with the young man surrounded him, performing a ritual in an orderly manner.

They sighed, hated, and were angry...

Several villagers were in charge of dealing with the young man:

"Leave the left eye..."

"Don't shout, your throat will get damaged..."

"Yes, just like that, as long as you're breathing..."

"Cut the tendons in his hands and feet, just the tendons, this body belongs to the village, it's for everyone..."

"Cut out the tongue, it won't kill you, endure it..."

Not knowing why he was enduring this, the young man's sanity finally snapped, and he began to struggle and scream, using his whole body to express his dissatisfaction!

"See! This demon still..."

At this moment, the young man's personality was utterly destroyed, his emotions shattered along with the pain from his mutilated body, and his reason collapsed with the sadness of his trampled dignity.

He squatted there for who knows how long, unable to utter a sound, his throat stuffed with rotten branches, his tongue long gone.

His vocal cords, ruined by constant screams, were destroyed.

People he knew and didn't know cursed him, needing no justification of justice. They had their own set of righteous reasons and moral grounds.

No one thought this was wrong, and all hated the demon they had named.

—If only you didn't exist.

Thus, the young man received countless hatred.

Over long years, he accepted all the hatred, his body turning to stone, never finding release.

Perhaps, one might say he became a conscious statue, unable to close his eyes because of his fixed eyelids, staring at the unchanging scenery day after day, year after year, decade after decade...

The young man didn't know when he would be freed, perhaps only at the world's end.

After forcibly revisiting this memory, Angra Mainyu opened his eyes, staring strangely at the youth before him, who was smirking with one corner of his mouth.

Angra Mainyu now understood: the youth before him had a bizarre, extraordinary sense of humor!

"Don't be in a hurry, let's go again."

Hearing Shinji say this, Angra Mainyu wanted to curse.

Again? Are you a demon? My spirit was forcibly taken by you! It hurts, you know!

Angra Mainyu wanted to resist, but then noticed something different this time, that he wasn't the one being placed into the young man's memories...