[FGO]: 144

"Amatori Biba recently committed the heinous and unforgivable crime of patricide.

This person is no longer fit to be human!

As for the Emperor, as the ruler of a nation, he should treat his subjects like his own kin, but who would have thought he would start a massacre!

He is not fit to be Emperor!

I, as the messenger of my God, have come here on His mission to lead everyone forward with hope, hand in hand, through this thorny apocalypse.

However, these two villains who have sold their souls to the devil, have committed such insane acts for their selfish desires.

One is a beast who killed his father!

The other who treats human life like grass!

Loyal followers of my God, tell me, what should we do?"

Ryou's voice echoed over Yokosuka.

At that moment, a soldier suddenly clenched his fist and raised his right arm.

"Holy war! Holy war!"

Like a highly contagious virus, the word spread quickly, and soon those around him began chanting the same.

Before long, the entire Yokosuka was filled with a single sound.

"Holy war!"

"Holy war!"

"Holy war!"

Three hundred thousand voices joined together, soaring into the sky and shaking the heavens.

'It's done.'

Ryou flashed a sinister smile, though, in the high sky above him, only the moon bore witness to this evil grin.

Yokosuka, being a military port, had its complete operational system, so he didn't need to worry about running it.

Moreover, after Jeanne and Ais took out the three Fused Colony, they quickly returned.

With Jeanne in command, Ryou had even less to worry about regarding the day-to-day affairs.

All he needed to do was apply various effects to himself, continuously boosting the soldiers' morale and ensuring these simple soldiers understood that they weren't going to invade territories but to engage in a just and holy crusade!

Their killing of their fellow countrymen was framed as saving lost lambs, an act that could be forgiven by their Lord!

Thanks to Ryou's encouragement, the soldiers shouted excitedly, determined to drag the Emperor's throne and twist Amatori Biba's neck.

Post-disaster reconstruction was proceeding smoothly, and the preliminary preparations for the military advance were also underway.

Now that he knew who his real enemies were, and since the formidable foe he once dreaded had completely abandoned Japan, he no longer intended to play games with Amatori Biba and the Emperor.

Just as he was about to depart, Jeanne called out to him.

She led him to the training ground, where a figure he had almost forgotten appeared unexpectedly.

It was Anastasia!?

Ryou looked at Jeanne in confusion, only to find her wearing a mysterious expression and hiding something. She said, "Ryou, just watch her performance. It will surely surprise you."

"What's with the mystery..."

Ryou muttered softly, then turned his gaze toward the icy girl.

To his surprise, when he looked over, Anastasia visibly tensed, her face flushed, her fingers twisting nervously as if she didn't dare meet his gaze.

Ryou was speechless.

Princess, what's with this typical lovestruck girl vibe...

Jeanne also noticed something was off and hurriedly encouraged her.

"Go for it! Anastasia, you can do it!"

She even raised her hand in a fighting gesture.

Jeanne's encouragement seemed to work. Anastasia took a deep breath. Although her cheeks remained flushed, her expression gradually calmed down.

Ryou suddenly sensed an unusual flow of magic, and the source was Anastasia standing before him.

Anastasia extended her right hand, and cold mist visibly gathered in her palm.

Swoosh!

In less than a second, the cold condensed into an arrow shape, which she flung toward the target dummy.

It turned out to be the most basic ice magic spell, Ice Arrow!

Thud!

The ice arrow struck the iron-clad target, scattering ice shards everywhere.

From the impact point, frost quickly spread over half of the target's body before slowing down. Not only that but with his sharp eyes, Ryou noticed a small round hole had been pierced through the iron surface of the target.

The spell had both freezing and penetrating power, a textbook-perfect Ice Arrow.

But Ryou's surprise didn't end there. Anastasia continued casting various ice spells, such as Ice Storm, Frost Nova, Ice Armor, and Ice Barrier.

Soon, he realized something extraordinary. Anastasia wasn't just using ice magic.

She was manipulating the ice itself!

This discovery was shocking.

Using ice magic and controlling ice directly were two entirely different concepts.

To draw an analogy, it was like the difference between a Human Torch and Pyro.

"She..."

Seeing Ryou's stunned expression, Jeanne was visibly pleased.

"I only taught her basic healing magic. Everything else she figured out on her own."

Ryou's mouth twitched. Now he truly believed in the notion of innate talent.

Anastasia was a prime example.

He could confidently bet that if Anastasia had been born in a world with abundant magical sources, she would surely become a powerful figure.

Out of curiosity, he had the system check her potential.

As expected, like Ais, she had the highest five-star qualification.

Keep in mind that Ais's parents were both exceptional individuals. Her father was a great hero in Danmachi World, like a heroic spirit in the Type-Moon universe.

Her mother was a spirit with divine attributes, known as the incarnation of a god.

With two such powerful bloodlines, Ais was practically half a cheat character.

Now look at Anastasia. Although her parents were influential, they were essentially ordinary people.

It seemed he had found a gem.

That was Ryou's first thought.

"Keep practicing. You have great potential."

He gave her a rare compliment or two.

"Yes! Ryou-sama!"

To his surprise, Anastasia seemed to be greatly encouraged.

Her cheeks blushed as her sapphire eyes sparkled like jewels.

Her gaze, full of admiration and reverence, was so intense that even he felt a bit overwhelmed.

"Ahem! Ryou-sama, don't you have work to do? Please go ahead."

A certain holy maiden seemed a little jealous.

"I don't have any..."

Ryou, feeling puzzled, instinctively wanted to rebut, but when he saw Jeanne's slightly threatening look, he quickly changed his tune.

"Ah! I remember now, I do have some unfinished work. Well then, see you, Jeanne, Anastasia!"

After waving goodbye, Ryou turned and left.

"Uh~ I think I have some government affairs to handle too. See you later, Anna!"

Not long after Ryou left, Jeanne also remembered that thanks to a certain unscrupulous Master, she still had a pile of paperwork to deal with. She quickly said goodbye to Anastasia and hurried off.

"Wait!…"

Anastasia reflexively called out, but both of them were already out of sight.

A hint of sadness appeared on Anastasia's face.

She subconsciously tightened her grip on the faceless doll in her hand.

However, Anastasia did not notice that the doll's face was turning increasingly black, and at the same time, strands of dark shadow slowly emanated from the doll, wrapping around her like threads.

...

Three days.

What should have taken at least a week of preparation was somehow completed in just three days. The morale in Yokosuka is at an all-time high. Every warrior is fueled by a burning desire to strike back and repay the suffering caused by Amatori Biba and the Emperor.

Before the army set out, Ryou handed over command to Jeanne and went ahead on his own. He had no time for the slow steps of a conquest game—he was busy.

...

Hundreds of miles away, in Kongoukaku, the most fortified fortress in all of Japan, unrest and turmoil shrouded the streets.

Just one day earlier, Amatori Biba, the son of Shogun, had returned with overwhelming force. Led by Makino Masamune, the elders of the Shogun's household declared their allegiance to Biba, supporting his claim to the title of Shogun.

At the same time, news of the assassination of the former Shogun spread rapidly throughout Kongoukaku and reached the front lines. With the Shogun dead, the army was leaderless, and several ambitious daimyos rose in opposition, using Biba's patricide as their pretext.

Biba did not hesitate. He sent elite troops to annihilate the families of three opposing factions in a single night. His ruthless methods temporarily stabilized Kongoukaku, but tensions simmered beneath the surface.

To secure his claim, Biba decided to ascend to the position of Shogun as soon as possible, turning his claim into an undeniable fact.

It's worth noting that the Shogun was not like Lord Kenshou, who had only one wife. The Shogun had many wives and concubines, with several legitimate and secondary wives, and more than a dozen concubines. After severing ties with his son, The Shogun focused on producing heirs to secure the next generation and stabilize his loyalists. As a result, Biba now had a two-year-old brother, a one-year-old sister, and several pregnant wives of the deceased Shogun still expecting.

These children, despite their age, all had legitimate claims to the Shogun's title. Naturally, Biba sought to eliminate these threats, but many of them managed to escape amidst the unrest. Some were quickly taken in by ambitious daimyos and generals.

Historically, figures like Toyotomi Hideyoshi had risen to power by supporting the young heir of the Oda clan, eventually becoming ruler of the land. The Amatori family itself had once usurped control. These precedents fueled the ambitions of those who saw an opportunity to seize power for themselves.

The idea of overthrowing one's superior is romanticized as a samurai virtue, while loyalty has become a rare trait. Amatori Biba, aware of this, was eager to solidify his power before unforeseen complications arose. With legitimacy on his side, the support of elite forces, and influential elders like Makino, he was confident in his ability to crush anyone.

Today was the day Biba would officially ascend to the position of Shogun. Despite the unrest, Kongoukaku was adorned with lanterns and banners in a facade of celebration. But upon closer inspection, the passersby, though dressed in fine kimonos, bore deep anxiety in their eyes.

This was the impact of Biba's patricide and the subsequent massacre. Not only were the residents of Kongoukaku affected, but many of the lords guarding the outer Stations found excuses to avoid attending Biba's ascension. Whether these lords were ambitious or simply terrified of Biba's methods, it was clear that this was the first time in the Amatori family's history that so many had failed to attend a Shogun's succession ceremony.

Amatori Biba, however, didn't care. The ceremony proceeded as planned.

Dressed in the pure white ceremonial robes of the Shogun, he stood atop the highest point in Kongoukaku, gazing down at the bustling city below. Biba slowly extended his hand before him, as though the entire city lay in the palm of his hand.

"Finally, this city is mine. Soon, all of Japan will be mine as well!"

At this moment, Amatori Biba was filled with pride and elation. The demons that had haunted him for years were gone, and even the frustration caused by Sahari's betrayal had faded.

"Father, can you see this? In the end, the seat is mine! Hahaha!"

Biba burst into wild laughter. The castle was a place only the Shogun could ascend to, and no one dared to enter without permission. No one saw Biba's arrogant and unrestrained demeanor.

Soon, the guests gathered, and the ceremony officially began. Biba stood on the high platform, looking down. Besides the guards, everyone present was a powerful figure whose slightest move could cause ripples of disturbance. And yet, today, they were all bowing before him.

After so many trials, Biba now embodied both the youthful energy of a young man and the steady dignity of a Shogun. The elders and retainers of the Shogun's household gazed up at the fiery figure above. Some of the older retainers were moved to tears, seeing in him the young version of the former Shogun.

But just as Biba was about to receive the ceremonial sword, the symbol of the Shogun's authority, a voice echoed through the hall.

"Well, this is quite the celebration. Mind if I join in?"

The crowd turned toward the source of the voice. Hovering in the air, wings of light radiating from his back, Ryou gazed down at Biba with a cold smile.

"It's you!? Kenshou Yomogawa!"

Biba's pupils shrank, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. Though he was a Kabaneri, stronger than most ordinary people, he had his limits. After encountering certain secrets, he developed an instinctive fear of extraordinary beings. Only the ignorant are fearless, after all.

"Guards!"

"Assassin!"

"Seize him!"

Some retainers cried out in panic, representing the ignorant. The guards hesitated, the scene before them beyond comprehension, but they began to advance.

Ryou, however, merely smirked and lifted his hand, drawing a few strokes in the air.

A rain of fire, as if sent from the heavens, descended upon them.

"Ahh!!"

"Help!"

This was no ordinary fire; it was a magical flame, forged by ancient runes. A single spark was enough to set a person ablaze. In an instant, dozens of human torches lit up the ceremony hall.

The most terrifying part? The guards didn't die immediately. They screamed in agony as the flames consumed them, their cries slowly fading into silence.

The hall fell into utter silence.