C338

High above in the sky, the King of Conquerors rode the Gordius Wheel, leaving a trail of thunderous devastation in its wake.

Perched atop the golden boat Vimana, the King of Heroes commanded the scene, as space shimmered with countless golden ripples. Like a torrential downpour, a multitude of swords cascaded from the sky, descending upon the earth.

Meanwhile, aboard the same majestic Vimana, Gray brandished her sword, launching a fierce assault against the King of Heroes.

Projectiles hurtled through the air, homing in on her.

Undeterred, Gray deftly swung her sword, skillfully parrying each and every blade that rained down upon her.

Shirou furrowed his brow, his gaze filled with contemplation.

The Holy Grail...

Lancer, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne; Assassin, Hassan of the Hundred Faces; Berserker, Spartacus; Archer, Gilgamesh; Rider, Iskandar... It felt as if the Fourth Holy Grail War had descended upon this castle.

If that's really the case, could there also be Artoria as Saber, and him as Caster?

...

Waver reached the room of Orlocke Caesarmund.

"Oh, young lord, amidst all this chaos, what brings you to me?" asked Orlocke.

"I'm here to reconfirm some information."

"Ah, I see. What information do you seek? Apart from matters concerning my family's magecraft, I have no secrets to keep. I'll disclose everything."

"You claimed with absolute certainty that Geryon Ashborn, the owner of this castle, does not possess the Holy Grail. Are you really sure about that?"

Orlocke scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Well, I was pretty certain at first, but now that the young lord is asking, I'm starting to have some doubts. But let me tell you this: even if Geryon Ashborn does have the Holy Grail, he'd never let anyone know. Not even in his death. He'd take that secret with him to the grave."

Waver's eyes narrowed as he considered the information. After a brief pause, he looked back at Caesarmund with a furrowed brow. "Hmm, I see. But if Geryon Ashborn doesn't possess the Holy Grail, then why would he invite you to research Butterfly Magecraft?"

Caesarmund leaned back in his chair and let out a sigh. "Well, you see, Geryon went through a tragic loss when his child passed away early on. Ever since then, he's been desperate to find a way to have another heir. But considering his frail body, it's unlikely he can endure the process. That's likely why he came to me, seeking my expertise in Butterfly Magecraft. Putting all the pieces together, my guess is that he's aiming for resurrection."

Waver furrowed his brows, "But why did you agree to conduct research on Butterfly Magecraft? You know that it's your family's magecraft, and from a magus' standpoint, it's considered taboo to share and explore family secrets with outsiders."

Orlocke shrugged, a wry smile appearing on his face. "Well, young lord, that's a question you should be asking your former head of department."

Waver's eyes widened in surprise. "My previous head of department? What does he have to do with all this?"

The Modern Magecraft Theory department was established with the purpose of bringing together magecraft advancements from the past century in a more accessible and user-friendly form. It was a space where magi could freely discuss and evaluate various forms of magecraft, even sharing images and other media.

Unlike traditional departments, it didn't require the support or recognition of Lords. It was truly a field tailored to the new generation and aligned with modern society.

Despite being a major department, Modern Magecraft Theory was never taken seriously and was often seen as nothing more than a superficial addition to the times. No Lord was willing to assume responsibility for it, and even Waver's former head of department didn't hold the title of a Lord.

Orlocke nodded, "Yes. It's the man rumored to have his heart stolen by fairies, Doctor Heartless."

Waver furrowed his brow.

Heartless, the former head of the Modern Magecraft Theory department, was his predecessor. However, the truth was that Waver had never actually met the man.

Rumors went around claiming that fairies had stolen his heart, and as a result, he vanished mysteriously. But what was the connection between Orlocke Caesarmund's Butterfly Magecraft research with Geryon and this former head of the department? Waver, genuinely intrigued, leaned in and asked, "I'm really curious about this. Could you please give me more details?"

Orlocke nodded, "Our Caesarmund family has been around for ages. While it's true that older mage families gain more prestige within the magi community, the reality is that ancient families often face corruption issues with their Magic Crests. Unfortunately, the corruption has already begun to affect the Caesarmund Magic Crest. That's where Geryon Ashborn comes in—he's an exceptional Tuner."

Orlocke paused briefly before continuing, "In this day and age, finding a Tuner is already a challenging task, even for the Caesarmund family. It's not easy to come across a skilled and reliable Tuner capable of restoring the Magic Crests. And it was precisely during this time that Doctor Heartless recommended Geryon Ashborn to me."

"And when did this happen?"

"It was nine years ago, precisely when I went to the Clock Tower."

"Nine years again..." Waver furrowed his brow.

"Young lord, have you noticed anything peculiar?"

"Not exactly, but there's something about all of this that feels too coincidental."

"Oh? I would like to hear more."

"Nine years ago, the Holy Grail War broke out in Fuyuki City. It was also the time when the Forest of Einashe, a Dead Apostle Ancestor, launched an attack on Fuyuki. Furthermore, it was when the Age of Gods particles in the underground of London started surging. Coincidentally, it was nine years ago that you and Geryon Ashborn started researching on Butterfly Magecraft due to Doctor Heartless's recommendation..."

"Is there any connection between all of these events?"

"To be honest, there doesn't seem to be any direct connection... It's just that the Heroic Spirits we are encountering now are the very same ones I encountered during the Fourth Holy Grail War. It's hard not to overthink and make connections, but in reality..."

"Ahhhhhhhh!!!"

A piercing scream echoed from outside.

Waver swiftly dashed towards the source and was met with a terrifying sight—a colossal black beast assaulting the room where Heine Istari's sister, Rosalind Istari, was located.

"Geryon Ashborn's beast!" Waver's brows furrowed in concern.

The mammoth black creature, clutching Rosalind Istari tightly, locked its gaze onto Waver with an intense glare, then unleashed a thunderous roar before lunging at him, launching a fierce assault.

Confronted with such an immense threat, beads of cold sweat coated Waver's face.

However, in the very next moment—

Waver's body, now infused with Shirou's "evil," materialized a colossal hand that seized the black beast by its throat, compelling it to relinquish its grip on Rosalind Istari.

"Crack, crack, crack..."

With effortless strength, the gigantic black hand mercilessly crushed the beast, reducing it to a mere paste.

He let out a relieved breath, silently acknowledging the undeniable reliability of this power.

Almost as if sensing Waver's commendation, the black hand responded with a thumbs-up gesture before gradually dissipating.

Rosalind Istari collapsed to the ground, consumed by hysterical sobs, tears cascading down her cheeks.

Waver knelt down beside her and gently spoke, "You're safe now, my Lady. Everything is going to be alright."

"Jiroubou has been captured by an angelic-looking evil spirit!" Rosalind Istari sobbed.

"Jiroubou Seigen Tokitou... I see, so that's how it is..." Waver stood up.

Just then, Orlocke Caesarmund, who was being pushed in a wheelchair by a homonculus, arrived and asked, "Young lord, have you noticed something?"

"I've managed to figure out one of the answers, at least."

"What answer?"

Waver took a moment to collect his thoughts before responding. "The answer I've managed to uncover is the true intention behind Geryon Ashborn's invitation. It's not just about conducting research on Butterfly Magecraft; it's about-"

Suddenly, their conversation was shattered by a deafening noise.

"Rumble, Rumble, Rumble, Rumble, Rumble—!!!"

The sky darkened as thunder roared, unleashing its wrath upon the land. Terrifying bolts of lightning tore through the roof, and stones rained down like fiery shooting stars.

Waver quickly grabbed hold of Rosalind Istari and skillfully maneuvered around the falling debris. Shirou's black muds swatted away sporadic fragments, ensuring their safety.

Meanwhile, Orlocke Caesarmund desperately activated his spells, attempting to halt the descent of the massive stones. However, their weight proved to be too much, and they mercilessly buried him alive. The force was so intense that his body was reduced to a horrifying, bloody mess, drenched in gore.

Rosalind Istari screamed loudly, tears streaming down her face.