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As the screams reached their ears, Shirou and the rest quickly dashed towards the main hall.

As they entered, they found several people already gathered there.

Resting against an angel statue, there stood a young man with golden hair, donned in silver armor, giving off an aura of nobility and knighthood. His face appeared calm, almost as if he were peacefully asleep.

Yet, his limbs were absent, and blood spurted out from his wounds. A massive claw mark marred his once pristine armor, while his right chest lay open, exposing three severed organs.

Tears streaming down her face, a golden-haired girl choked back her sobs and murmured, "Brother... Brother..."

The lifeless body before them belonged to Heine Istari, the alchemist renowned for his repeated triumphs against the Church's Executors. Among the remarkable individuals gathered here, he stood as the mightiest, second only to Shirou and his companions.

But now, he lay lifeless.

Just moments after Adashino Hishiri pretended to be dead, he met his untimely end!

What's worse, he was gruesomely butchered, turned into nothing more than a human stick!

As if the brutality wasn't enough, several other magi lay in the same grotesque state, butchered and transformed into human sticks.

These were none other than Lorelei's formidable elite forces.

The contrast of their serene, slumbering expressions with their horrifying deaths was chilling to behold.

The sight of the sacred angel statue, standing tall amidst the blood-soaked scene, intensified the indescribable sense of horror and eeriness.

To add to the tragedy, hidden within Heine Istari's body was the prized possession of the Istari family—the "Living Stone." Once fully activated, it granted him the ability to transform into a formidable knight adorned in impenetrable armor. Combined with the spear forged by the "Living Stone," surpassing even the hardness of diamond, and the unique combat techniques passed down through the Istari family, his power could rival that of a lower-ranked Heroic Spirit.

And yet, in a cruel twist of fate, he met his demise in such a manner.

He was mercilessly butchered, reduced to nothing more than a lifeless human stick. Alongside him, several of Lorelei's elite forces also perished.

Every member of Lorelei's elite forces possessed exceptional skill, standing among the finest of the finest, capable of matching the prowess of lower-ranked Ancestors. But even they couldn't escape the grip of death.

And the one who could do such a thing...

The gazes of the people shifted slightly, suspicion and fear intertwining in the air, eventually landing simultaneously on the beautiful face of Altrouge Brunestud.

Altrouge crossed her arms and snorted disdainfully. "The lives of humans are like worms crawling on the ground. A slight touch is enough to kill them."

Their expressions filled with shock and fear. Lorelei's expression also turned cold.

Lorelei had never crossed paths with Altrouge before. One reason was their limited interaction, but the other was her unwavering commitment to hunting down the White Wing Lord. It wasn't that she feared Altrouge, though.

How could someone who relentlessly pursued the King of Dead Apostles Ancestors cower before another Dead Apostle Ancestor?

In the face of Lorelei's frosty demeanor, Altrouge responded with a disdainful snort, emanating an overwhelming sense of contempt.

As a princess of the Dead Apostles and True Ancestors, Altrouge not only held a high status but also looked down upon everyone present in terms of power.

That was until Shirou approached with Waver and the others.

Altrouge panicked, hastily saying, "No... It wasn't me! I didn't kill anyone! Please believe me, I'm innocent!"

Shirou: "..."

So embarrassing.

He didn't even want to acknowledge her and simply turned to Waver, remarking, "Keep an eye on my body. I'm going to take a quick five-second nap."

Waver nodded with a serious expression. "No worries. I'll make sure to watch over you."

While the others were still speculating about the mysterious deaths of Heine Istari and the other magi, Shirou had already settled into a cross-legged position, bowed his head, and drifted off to sleep.

These magi, who had gathered from distant lands, couldn't help but find it odd that this person seemed to have a great fondness for sleeping.

Lorelei cast a glance at Shirou and advised her elite magi, "Don't disturb Fujimaru-sama."

"Fu... Fujimaru-sama?"

The magi were left dumbfounded, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

The Barthomeloi family belonged to an incredibly aristocratic lineage that believed even their fellow lords should submit to those of higher noble bloodlines. In the eyes of the Barthomeloi family members, only those on par with wielders of the Second Magic could be considered their equals.

As the current head of the Barthomeloi family, Lorelei stood out even more due to her unorthodox and radical nature.

Unlike the typical members of her lineage, she did not adhere to the belief that superiority was solely determined by bloodline. Instead, she assessed individuals based on their abilities and worth. In other words, she only engaged with people who possessed value and noteworthy skills.

However, even when dealing with someone of immense importance, Lorelei never used honorifics or any other form of respectful titles or terms.

This... was genuinely unprecedented, breaking all norms and expectations!

After sleeping for a mere five seconds, Shirou woke up, and Waver asked, "How did it go?"

"It's difficult to say. There are numerous factors to consider. Regardless, come with me for now..."

Luvia asked, "Shi- Fujimaru-sama, have you already discovered the answer?"

"Yes."

A magus interjected, "If you already have the answer, why don't you share it? Could it be that you are the cul..."

Before the magus could finish speaking, Shirou swiftly manifested a projection of Caliburn, clutching its hilt and imbuing it with magical energy. With a swift motion, the sword shimmered like a star as it swung toward the magus.

"Boom boom boom boom boom!!!!"

A pillar of radiance surged forth, crashing into an angel statue with a thunderous impact.

"Crack, crack, crack..."

The angel tumbled down, shattering into countless pieces with a resounding boom.

However, in the blink of an eye, the statue restored itself, as if it had never been destroyed.

The Caliburn projected in his grasp dissipated like ashes.

A shiver ran down the spines of everyone present, causing them to break out in a cold sweat. The magus who had dared question him now lay collapsed on the ground, his face etched with pure terror.

"I can easily kill someone at will. Don't provoke someone who can effortlessly kill you."

Pausing for a moment, Shirou looked around and continued, "If you want to stay alive, hide yourself like a little mouse. As for the rest, I will handle it. You bunch of mongrels."

...

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