Chapter 17. Waking Up

I Will Eventually Embark on the Path of No Return Called a Hero [Arc2] - 17. Waking Up

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This feeling...

Though I couldn't sense the sun, it felt like lying on the grass, but it was a bit narrow...

Jeanne slowly opened her eyes. The flickering candlelight brightened the narrow space somewhat, but it gave off an inexplicable horror movie vibe. Although no one was visible, she could hear low murmurs and the sound of bones clashing. She even smelled the stench of decaying food.

Jeanne moved her arm, feeling cold and hard, confusing her. Her fingers seemed to grasp something cylindrical, which she instinctively brought before her eyes.

It was a bone.

"Ah!"

Jeanne screamed and sat up, causing the weeds entangled in her golden hair to fly into the air.

"What the heck? You scared me to death," Mordred complained, making the skull in her hands chatter.

"I was scared to death! I'm holding a baby Hydra in my hands right now!" Sisigou carefully set down his tweezers, clutching his chest and gasping for breath. Jeanne's scream had almost made him throw the Hydra baby away.

"This is..." Jeanne looked around the narrow space she had been lying in, then her eyes widened, and she jumped up. "A coffin!"

Yes, she was lying in a perfectly fitted coffin, with the bottom thoughtfully covered in grass.

"Good evening," Cyd waved.

"Good evening... that's not the point! Why am I lying in a coffin?" Jeanne carefully placed the bone back in the coffin, complaining.

"It doesn't matter; the original owner won't mind," Mordred said, making the skull move again.

"You should show respect for the dead!" Jeanne took the skull from Mordred, placed it in the coffin, and clasped her hands together. "Sorry."

"Boring!" Mordred sulked, like a child whose toy had been taken away, and started rolling on the ground.

"Hey!" Sisigou, almost bumped by Mordred, was about to collapse.

He was doing something very dangerous! Why was everyone around him so jumpy?

"Master, stop fiddling with that little toy. Let's go find the Black Faction's Servants," Mordred stood up and tried to drag Sisigou away from the workbench.

"Don't rush, let me finish this," Sisigou sighed. He felt like a miserable father pestered by a bratty child, except this child was very strong!

Cyd patted Medusa's head in his lap. "Based on the information I gathered, we might need your help."

"But before that..." Mordred stood up and pointed at the small purple-haired girl in a black robe lying motionless on Cyd's lap, "What is that?"

"The Red Faction's Archer's Master," Cyd blinked.

"You've got to be kidding! She was so big just now, and now she's shrunk! That's not something a human can do!"

Mordred voiced Sisigou' thoughts. When he saw the cold, purple-haired woman shrink into a girl, he almost choked. But the nerve-wracking feeling didn't lessen despite her cute appearance.

"I never said I was human," Medusa lifted her head, her eyes glowing mysteriously, making Mordred instinctively hide behind Sisigou.

"A non-human!" Jeanne gasped. Could this be the anomaly in this Holy Grail War?

"My current identity is that of a magician," Medusa slowly took out an ID card from her robe, clearly marked "Medusa."

"This must be fake," Sisigou wiped his hands.

"Just a little charm was enough," Medusa pulled her hood over her head and nestled into Cyd's embrace.

"You... you're really the legendary Medusa, aren't you?" Sisigou remembered the shadow beneath Cyd's feet on the ancient stone tablet.

Medusa didn't respond, but given Cyd's familiarity and Medusa's attitude, they clearly knew each other. With all other possibilities ruled out, the remaining answer, however unbelievable, was the truth. They were facing a monster that had lived since ancient times.

"This is too strange! A monster surviving since the Age of Gods participating in the Holy Grail War is absurd!" Jeanne exclaimed.

Medusa glanced at Jeanne, then looked away, clearly uninterested.

"With Command Spells in her hand, she's a legitimate participant," Cyd said, squinting.

"This is so unfair to the other participants," Jeanne stammered.

Sisigou nodded unconsciously. Facing a notorious figure from the Age of Gods was like dealing with a demon. She didn't need any Servants to win this Holy Grail War alone.

"The Holy Grail War isn't a game. As long as it doesn't expose the Mystics, it's not our concern. From a certain perspective, I've helped the other Masters by ensuring she won't wipe them all out in a day," Cyd rubbed Medusa's head. "Didn't I mention this in the Black Faction? You haven't forgotten that in your sleep, have you?"

"No, I haven't! But the Holy Grail War has never seen anything like this," Jeanne raised her voice.

"Neither has a seven-versus-seven war."

Jeanne hugged her knees and drew circles in the corner.

She should have known she couldn't outargue Cyd.

"Never mind her," Cyd poked Medusa's cheek, "Is that person coming?"

"Any moment now," Medusa raised her hand, "By Command Spell, appear before me now, Archer."

Sisigou' jaw dropped.

Is that how you use Command Spells?

In a burst of golden light, Atalanta appeared, holding a newspaper and looking resigned.

"I was just outside the cemetery..."

"This is faster," Medusa adjusted herself to a more comfortable position.

Atalanta's mouth twitched. "Command Spells are valuable resources!"

"I could solo the Holy Grail War. I only need Command Spells for eligibility," Medusa pouted. "I never intended to summon you; you're in the way."

Sisigou lit a cigarette, trying to clear his mind. Knowing an ancient monster was after the Holy Grail, his goal had shifted from victory to survival.

"Did you bring the stuff?" Cyd squeezed Medusa's cheek.

"Here, your newspapers!" Atalanta pulled out a bundle from her quiver and tossed it to Cyd, then sat beside him, locking eyes with Medusa.

"Ahem, we need to meet the Black Faction's Assassin next," Cyd said, spreading out the newspapers. "If my guess is right, there's a problem with them. If unchecked, it could expose the Mystics."

"What! When did you find out?" Jeanne turned her head in shock.

"While you were sleeping, from those who love gossip," Cyd smirked. "Yes, while you were slacking off!"

"Why mention it twice!"

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