Type-Moon: The Human Love Simulator [149] [40 PS]

Bonus Chapter!

---

Over in Su Kai's corner of the world, he found himself pondering thoughts eerily similar to those of Alaya, who was far away on Crete.

"Athena, Hestia, and Persephone—who's pretending to be Atalanta over there…"

"Seriously, even if it were Poseidon or Apollo, that'd make more sense! Why you? What's the Queen of the Underworld doing here stirring up trouble?"

It was baffling. How had Persephone even managed to squeeze herself into this mess? Did Hades lend a hand?

Sweating profusely, Su Kai slumped back on the sofa, rubbing his temples as he muttered weakly, "That's the situation in a nutshell. If you're so bent on this, why don't you three head off to some distant galaxy, duke it out, and come back when you're done?"

Lancer Athena twirled her Spear of Victory—a weapon forged from the very essence of her divine authority over triumph. Its EX-rank brilliance made it unparalleled.

Meanwhile, Hestia, an Assassin, held a chalice brimming with flames. To Su Kai, the fire felt warm and comforting, yet it made every other Heroic Spirit in the vicinity visibly uneasy.

And Persephone?

She adamantly denied her identity as the Queen of the Underworld.

The green-haired cat-eared figure shook her head. "Persephone? Are you talking about the great goddess of the underworld, seasons, growth, and seeds? No, no, that's not me. I'm Atalanta!"

"…Alright, you do you," Su Kai waved her off. "Artemis Cat, take your bestie Persephone Cat and go play somewhere else."

It wasn't hard to see why Persephone and Artemis got along so well—their personalities were strikingly similar in their sugary sweetness and obliviousness.

Now, both of them had taken possession of Atalanta's form. While they looked identical, their auras couldn't have been more different. It was entertaining, to say the least.

They say three women make a drama. Su Kai used to think that was just a sexist stereotype born of a patriarchal society, painting women as irrational and flighty.

But now?

He understood. It wasn't a stereotype; it was spot-on. When you put more than three women together, chaos was inevitable!

These ladies and goddesses, taken individually, were extraordinary beings—superhuman sages, enlightened monarchs, or deities far removed from the mundanity of mortals. Even Nero, often called a tyrant and beast, possessed talents that far surpassed those of ordinary humans.

But put them all together? They'd cancel each other out in an instant, devolving into petty rivalries.

Yet, oddly enough, despite their endless squabbles, none of them ever tried to curb Su Kai's tendencies or admonish his harem-building ways. Instead, they lavished him with indulgence, casting aside all principles to prioritize his happiness.

What made it even stranger was that their competition wasn't driven by a desire to monopolize him. They seemed to have silently accepted the premise of sharing and were now just trying to outdo one another within those bounds.

The British trio, with Nero as a wildcard.

The Greek deities, with Atalanta and other gods still waiting in the wings.

They naturally formed cliques—it was human nature, after all.

Su Kai had no intention of mediating their drama, nor did he hold any illusions about them coexisting peacefully. Clapping his hands, he drew their attention.

"Ladies, listen up. Whatever schemes you've got cooking, I won't interfere. Just… don't blow it out of proportion, alright? I'll pretend I didn't see anything. Deal?"

"To be fair, I never explicitly expressed a desire to build a harem. I'm merely responding to you all… But seriously, what makes you think I'd never say no?"

The room fell quiet as his words sank in.

Su Kai sighed, continuing, "I have zero experience managing a harem, so when it comes to you lot—these problem children—I'm completely out of my depth."

"I have nothing to bargain with besides myself, so here's my offer: I'll issue a bounty. Any group that manages to take down an enemy Heroic Spirit gets one unconditional request from me, so long as it's within my power to fulfill."

Did he really just put himself on the line as a reward?

Athena and Hestia, both newly summoned, were stunned. But before they could fully process it, the other Heroic Spirits and their Masters had already started whispering among themselves, forming little factions.

"This is unfair, Kai!" Nero's sharp voice broke through the chatter. The shrewd emperor practically leapt three meters high. "We Masters don't get to fight, and all the credit goes to the Servants! I might as well grab my Rider and storm your base for an impromptu Nero Fest!"

Her signature catchphrase forgotten in her urgency, it was clear Nero was very upset.

"An attack isn't a 'surprise' if you announce it, Nero!" Su Kai rubbed his temples, attempting to soothe her. "Alright, fine. Masters and Servants will each receive a reward. Happy now?"

It didn't matter to him—he was equally doomed either way.

Nero nodded in satisfaction, her temper quelled.

Su Kai, however, couldn't resist a jab. "But Nero, let's be honest. Your Servant isn't exactly top-tier. Your Rider is only slightly better than the little idiot Lily summoned!"

Having been sulking in the background ever since summoning her Servant, Artoria Lily snapped to attention at the insult.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Artoria protested vehemently. "My summoned Servant may be young, but she has both the Holy Sword and the Sheath. 'Invincible' isn't just a catchphrase for us!"

"Oh, invincible, huh? Remind me, who knocked your 'invincible' sheath flying?" Nero smirked, digging a pinky into her ear in mock indifference. "Oh, right. It was me!"

"You ≠ Nero!" Artoria crossed her arms with a huff. "If you're so confident, let's see who comes out on top—"

Before their argument could escalate, another Saber stepped forward, glaring furiously at Artoria.

"You? Me? The King of Britain? Give me a break!"

The younger Saber's voice dripped with disdain. "Where's your dignity as a king? Acting so shamelessly, pandering to a man. Have you forgotten what it means to rule Britain?"

Artoria's expression hardened. She gave a dismissive wave, clearly uninterested in engaging further.

"Dignity as a king? What's that? Something that'll make my beloved love me more?" she quipped sarcastically.

"I'm nothing like that feudal remnant over there—the so-called Roman Emperor still clinging to outdated ideals. Seriously, it's the modern era! Time to move on!"

Her words left Saber stunned, but Artoria pressed on.

"Back when I was king, I already did my part for Britain. Whether or not the Age of Gods had to come to an end was out of my hands. I've earned my peace. It's my life now, got it?"

The centuries of waiting had worn down the stubbornness that once defined Artoria. She'd come to realize that there was only one thing she could never bear to lose—the deep love that had become the core of her being.

Her duties as a king were over. Now, all she wanted was to live her life as a woman beside her beloved.

"As for Kai… I love him. And if pleasing him makes you think I'm some kind of harlot, then so be it."

Saber's face twisted in disbelief as Artoria turned her piercing gaze on her.

"Let me ask you something," Artoria said coolly. "Are you even a complete human? A human king isn't some unfeeling machine. If you can't embrace your emotions, then you're not fit to rule—you're just another pretender."

With that, Artoria released a fraction of her memories—her victories, her sacrifices, and her eventual surrender of Britain to humanity's era.

It wasn't that Artoria had failed to preserve Britain's fading Age of Gods; she had chosen to let go, to entrust the future to humankind. The so-called "invincible" King of Britain had not been defeated—she had transcended her role, making peace with herself.

Standing tall, the warmth she reserved for Su Kai was replaced by the cold majesty of a true ruler. Artoria's mere gaze made Saber falter, her confidence crumbling like a fragile façade.

"Do you understand now, little girl?" Artoria's voice rang out. "I am a king."

"…I—I'm not worthy to judge you," Saber stammered, her bravado shattered.

Artoria hadn't even unleashed her full power. The memories alone had been enough to humble the younger Saber.

Is this… me? No, it's impossible! This is just my imagination, right?

Artoria's victory did not bring her joy. If anything, her frustration grew. The sight of Saber—the spitting image of her younger self—left her unable to face the judgmental gazes of the others in the room.

Is this really me? Artoria thought bitterly. My reputation, my dignity, my everything—all of it dragged down by this unfortunate variant from another timeline?

Even Saber's half-hearted insults would have been preferable. At least then, Artoria could have acknowledged her as a ruler with her own convictions.

But this? This was unbearable.

Su Kai, ever the peacemaker, finally stepped in.

"Alright, Lily. That's enough. Endless timelines mean endless possibilities. You just got unlucky this time and summoned the wrong variant."

He gave a small shrug. "But hey, at least she has the Holy Sword and Sheath, right?"

"She may not be the strongest Saber," he added with a sly grin, "but she's certainly not the weakest. With the right strategy, Lily, you might just surprise everyone and come out on top."

Su Kai's words worked like a charm. The tension eased as the other onlookers shifted their focus back to the challenge at hand. For Artoria, it was a much-needed reprieve.

Throwing out such an enticing prize had managed to defuse the brewing storm. Su Kai let out a sigh of relief, stretching lazily.

"Now then, once all the Heroic Spirits from both sides are in place, the Holy Grail War officially begins."

After a moment's thought, he continued, "The rules say we Masters can't directly intervene, but who's to say we can't bend them a little? If no one catches you, it doesn't count, right? Subtly take out the opposing Master, and the strongest Servants will fall like dominoes."

"…Why are you all staring at me?" Artoria snapped, clearly annoyed. "I'm not some stepping stone!"

"Of course not, of course not. Whatever makes you happy," Morgan chimed in, sidling up to her sister and patting her on the back. "But think about it, little sis. Even if you exchange pieces, it still counts as eliminating an enemy Servant, right?"

"…That makes sense, but why are you pinching me while you're talking?" Artoria swatted away Morgan's wandering hand, glaring at her with suspicion.

Morgan's grin widened as she leaned in closer. "Oh, don't mind me. Just getting some practice in! If you win, I'll help you with your reward claim, won't I?"

Artoria's sharp instincts told her exactly what her sister was plotting.

Morgan wanted her to charge into the fray, bearing the brunt of the battles, only for Morgan to swoop in and claim the glory at the last second.

"Hmph. As if I'd let you manipulate me so easily," Artoria thought, crossing her arms and fixing her sister with a knowing glare.

Meanwhile, two shadowy figures loitered in a secluded corner of the room.

One exuded an air of mature charm, while the other had a mischievous, almost infuriating demeanor.

"Hey, Master," Caster Merlin teased, nudging his counterpart. "Don't tell me you're aiming for a spot in the prize pool too?"

"Not a chance!" protested Caster Melly, folding her arms. "And if you're planning to sell me out, forget it!"

"Relax, I wasn't talking about that," Merlin replied innocently. "Kai said it's any request, after all…"

Melly narrowed her eyes. "Do you really think I'd believe you? I know you."

"Come on," Merlin coaxed with a sly grin. "Why don't we discuss this in a dream?"

"…I'm not falling for that," Melly muttered, torn between curiosity and the urge to punch him.

"Just give it a try~"

"…Fine."

The two dreamweavers vanished soon after, their plans remaining a mystery.

Athena sighed softly, addressing the group.

"Hestia, Artemis, Persephone… we should probably strategize like those other girls. But Artemis, you and Persephone can take a break. I don't think this concerns you two."

Her tone was gentle, almost motherly, but her commanding presence left no room for argument.

Every time Persephone returned to the mortal or celestial realms for a break from the underworld, she always dragged Artemis and Athena into her mischief. Athena had grown used to it by now.

"…"

Artemis clenched her fists in frustration. "Ugh, Athena! Fine, if you won't let us in on the plan, I'll just go straight to Suren!"

As Artemis and Persephone were shooed away, Hestia shook her head. The goddess of the hearth, ever serene and neutral, remarked, "Athena, you're still as domineering as ever. Don't you think you're a little hard on them?"

"Perhaps," Athena said with a faint smile. Her golden eyes sparkled with wisdom. "But between this farcical Holy Grail War and preserving what's left of Suren's humanity, I know which is more important."

Hestia's expression shifted. "You mean…"

Athena leaned in, whispering her plan.

---

Over on this side of the battlefield, all the Heroic Spirits and Masters were busy familiarizing themselves with the situation and devising their strategies.

Meanwhile, Nero was already gearing up for an ambush.

The Roman Emperor was not one to mince words—when Nero said "ambush," she meant it. No games, no pretense!

"Hmph! Rewards? Who needs those? I only trust myself!"

Dragging a reluctant Rider along, Nero crafted an intricate plan for a night raid. Rider didn't look thrilled, but for reasons even they didn't seem to understand, they begrudgingly agreed.

However, Nero stopped just a few steps into their mission. Her sharp eyes scanned the surroundings as a mocking smirk spread across her lips.

"Oh? Interesting. Are you all trying to use me as a stepping stone?"

"Do you really think—just because that so-called savior, with Kai's indulgence and assistance, managed to defeat me once—that I'm someone insignificant?"

Nero shrugged nonchalantly. "Fine. Let me stretch a bit before I feast on you."

"Offering yourselves up to please me? That's delightful. But disrupting my ambush plan? That's not!"

Standing still, Nero allowed her ominous crimson mana to radiate outward. A corrupt and oppressive aura seeped through the area—a testament to her unique nature.

Unlike other Heroic Spirits who merely had the potential to become Beasts, Nero was the real deal: a fully realized Beast held in check by her incarnation.

Beasts embody humanity's love—a weighty, destructive love. Humans themselves cannot perceive this corruption, but to non-human entities, the sensation is suffocating. It's a love so twisted and overwhelming that it could annihilate humanity.

Despite the oppressive display, Nero didn't lash out. Bound by the contract Kai and Alaya had established with Ritsuka, she restrained herself.

Perhaps Ritsuka's strategy had been to provoke Nero, hoping her wrath would cause her to break the rules and be disqualified.

The amusing irony was that Alaya had handpicked the most powerful possible Heroic Spirits to join this battle. Nearly all of them were gods, demons, or otherworldly beings. The only purely human participant was Ryougi Shiki—one who had mastered the death of all things.

But even Shiki, for all her power, couldn't discern a death point on a fully realized Beast. Such a creature was beyond her reach.

As Nero's ominous crimson energy swelled, its oppressive force finally flushed out those hiding in spirit form nearby.

Scáthach's previously calm eyes glinted with excitement as she stepped into view, a smile tugging at her lips.

"This… this is the kind of pressure I've been waiting for. Perhaps only a monster like you can grant me the death I've long sought."

Beside her, Martha remained silent. She hefted her oversized cross with one hand, the reinforced gauntlets on her arms gleaming.

To an outsider, she might have looked more like a Berserker than a saint.

Martha's expression was grave, her eyes burning with battle fervor. Her demeanor was growing so wild that it was hard to believe she wasn't a Berserker. Yet, neither she nor Scáthach made the first move.

"You want to die so badly? That's easy enough to arrange," Nero said, breaking the tension with her usual confidence.

Her gaze swept the area before she laughed.

"Miss Ruler, you really are a prime example of a biased referee. Everyone's targeting me right out of the gate…"

"But you're not planning to defeat me, are you?" Nero tilted her head, a sly grin forming.

"You're trying to exploit the rules to eliminate me instead, aren't you?"

"Tell me, do you think I'll play by the rules? Or that I can't crush you all and consume this fragment of 'history' in a heartbeat?"

"…"

Ritsuka, monitoring the battle and issuing commands from afar, felt a chill run down her spine.

Her immediate thought wasn't whether Nero could do it—it was that she had gravely underestimated the Roman tyrant.

The battlefield shifted rapidly. Ritsuka, unable to micromanage every detail remotely, had outlined a broad strategy:

Provoke Nero. If she could be goaded into attacking, it would be ideal. If not, focus on overwhelming Rider. While Rider's stats were impressive, they couldn't withstand an assault from three top-tier Heroic Spirits for long.

The plan was solid—retreat once the deed was done, before reinforcements could arrive.

But Ritsuka had underestimated Nero. Or rather, she hadn't taken the tyrant seriously in her Beast form, assuming her to be a thoughtless brute.

Even worse, the limited preparation time had left Ritsuka unfamiliar with all the Servants' personalities.

As Nero made a gesture that seemed to signal flipping the proverbial table, the three Heroic Spirits confronting her did something unexpected: they retreated instead of advancing.

Yes, all three of them—because hidden in the shadows was a third figure. Saber Ryougi Shiki emerged, her azure Mystic Eyes of Death Perception fixed on Nero.

"What a perfect lifeform…" she murmured.

"This is my first time witnessing such beauty, such perfection, such exquisite craftsmanship in a living being."

As a human, Shiki couldn't see through Nero's Beast core. Beasts, born from humanity's love and desire for self-destruction, were manifestations of human instinct.

Just as one cannot see the back of their own head, humans cannot perceive the true essence of a Beast.

To non-human entities, Nero's human façade was easy to see through. But to Shiki, all she could perceive was the flawless exterior.

"No grotesque death points, no disgusting death lines… How radiant," Shiki mused. "How does one kill a creature this beautiful?"

While Shiki marveled, Scáthach was already unleashing her Noble Phantasm.

"The spear that, in perfection, can slay even gods—'Barbed Spear That Pierces with Death'!"

Martha, meanwhile, raised her massive cross. With the ancient martial arts of Jacob's Limbs—techniques said to have allowed the patriarch Jacob to wrestle an angel—she swung the cross with monstrous strength, aiming directly for Nero's face.

This ancient combat style, passed down from Jacob to Moses, and through the saints of Christianity, was said to be powerful enough to defeat even archangels. Legends spoke of saints using it to bring down angels commanding legions of thousands.

"Beast of 666, your sins are unforgivable!" Martha declared, unable to forgive the Roman tyrant who had persecuted Christians during her reign.

To Martha, Nero's very existence was an abomination.

The concept of the Beast of 666 originates from early Christians who were persecuted by Nero. The cryptic references and writings about her were their way of cursing the Roman emperor in secret.

However, in a surprising twist, Scáthach's magic spear didn't target Nero. Instead, with a sharp flick of her wrist, the spear spun and shot toward Rider. The spear, capable of reversing causality itself, materialized directly at Rider's heart.

Unfortunately for Scáthach, Rider's Luck stat was an absurd EX rank, while her own was a pitiful E. Attempting to pierce an EX-ranked Luck stat with an E-rank attack was sheer folly.

As the spear neared Rider, Scáthach's foot suddenly slipped, in a ludicrously comedic fashion, disrupting the spear's otherwise guaranteed trajectory.

A guaranteed hit didn't mean a guaranteed kill. Add to that the notoriously bad Luck stats of most Lancers, and the odds of success were slim.

With a slight flick, the Primordial Flame Rider wielded deflected the spear. It grazed her chest, leaving a shallow cut barely a centimeter deep before dissipating.

Ryougi Shiki was already preparing to follow up with a decisive strike. Unlike Nero, Rider had weak points that could be exploited. But before she could move, Ritsuka's voice echoed in her ears.

"With a Command Spell, I order you: Saber and Lancer, return to my side immediately."

Confusion painted Shiki's face as she hesitated, while Scáthach's expression was one of understanding. Nero, meanwhile, wore a smirk of disdain, completing what could only be described as a tableau of conflicting emotions.

As for Martha, who had attacked Nero, she found herself suddenly dissolving into particles of light.

Only then did the saint, blinded by her own rage, realize the truth: Nero had stood motionless the entire time, spouting nothing but taunts. She hadn't even taken a single step forward.

By violating the terms of the agreement and attacking an opposing Master, Martha had broken the rules. Alaya wasted no time in removing her from the battlefield.

Alaya couldn't afford to break the rules, as the constraints it placed on the Black side Masters were even stricter. If Alaya itself were to disregard these rules, Kai would have free rein to act, something Alaya couldn't allow.

If breaking the rules would lead to mutual destruction, Alaya might as well have gone all-in from the start. But since it hadn't chosen that path, it was clear the Counter Force wasn't going to risk everything.

Unlike humans, who could be rash and impulsive, Alaya was purely logical, incapable of emotional outbursts or desperate gambles.

It was Ritsuka's arrogance in dismissing the Beast as a mindless brute that had led the Red side Servants to take such a significant loss in their first engagement.

"Hmph. Did you really think such a cheap trick would work on me?" Nero scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain.

"Inferior! Not even a shadow of Agrippina's brilliance!"

"Well~ as expected of me, I've already eliminated a Red side Servant with my supreme wisdom and without even lifting a finger!"

Hands on her hips, Nero struck a triumphant pose.

"Rider, forget the night raid. Let's go claim our reward~!"

"W-wait a moment!" Rider protested, squirming like a reluctant kitten being dragged home. "Um, I'm injured! I can't go! I need to recover, or I'll die!"

Nero had long banned Rider from referring to herself as "Ore-sama" or "I, the Great One." That privilege, Nero declared, was reserved for the one true Emperor of Rome—herself.

While Rider insisted she was also Nero, the original Nero quickly overruled her, relegating Rider to referring to herself in simpler terms.

Taking Rider's hand, Nero gently rubbed it, her tone playful.

"It's just a scratch. Let Kai patch you up—it'll be fine," she said with a giggle.

---

Before her stood Scáthach, calm as ever, and Ryougi Shiki, looking utterly baffled.

Ritsuka's expression darkened. Bowing deeply, she apologized, "My apologies! This was my mistake. I underestimated the Beast, who was so easily defeated and subdued by Kai. I misjudged the effect that Beast would have on Martha."

Scáthach shrugged. "This is what we call exploiting a weakness. That creature is clearly a predator of the highest order. And yet, you sent Martha after her? What's the saying? Adding fuel to the fire?"

Ritsuka's face burned with shame. She had no rebuttal.

"What's going on?" Ryougi Shiki asked, still utterly confused, oblivious to the layers of the situation.

A human's physical senses, after all, could never match the spiritual perception of these non-human entities.

Scáthach glanced at Shiki but didn't offer any explanation. Instead, she continued to press Ritsuka.

"Luckily for you," Scáthach said with a wry smile, "I possess the wisdom of the Mirror of Clairvoyance. Otherwise, I would've fallen victim to that Beast's trap, all thanks to your 'excellent' leadership."

Ritsuka remained silent. She knew Scáthach wasn't one for petty words. If she was harping on this mistake, there had to be an underlying motive.

Sure enough, Scáthach soon revealed her intent.

"Ruler, you've only got one Command Spell left. Save it for commanding others. From now on, I'll act independently—don't try to restrain me."

Clearly, Scáthach still wanted to seek out powerful enemies on the Black side to fulfill her personal goal. The outcome of the war was secondary to her.

"…" Ritsuka didn't respond to the demand. Instead, she said, "It's midnight."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Scáthach blinked, confused, before realizing something that made her freeze.

The faintly dimmed Command Spells on Ritsuka's hand glowed vividly once more.

"My Command Spells don't run out," Ritsuka said softly.

"…"

Scáthach pursed her lips, her argument ending there. Turning abruptly, she walked away. She wasn't one to waste words.

With Scáthach gone, Ritsuka stood deep in thought. Meanwhile, Ryougi Shiki couldn't take it anymore. The feeling of being left in the dark was driving her mad. Grabbing Ritsuka by the arm, she blurted out, "Ruler, what's going on? What were you talking about? And why did you make us retreat?"

"…"

Ritsuka's train of thought was broken. Looking at the confused Shiki, who seemed as innocent as a university student, she sighed and explained.

"Because I know him. Kai is not someone who goes back on his word. If he agreed to our terms, he wouldn't violate them.

"Nero never intended to attack from the start. Instead, she used her terrifyingly twisted aura to overwhelm Martha and Scáthach. It made them lose their composure and act impulsively."

"Scáthach's 'Mirror of Clairvoyance' allowed her to see through Nero's ploy. But Martha succumbed to the pressure of the Beast of 666's presence and was thus forced off the battlefield."

"I only realized this when Nero spoke. Her claim to break the rules was a lie. Her true goal from the beginning was to provoke you into attacking her."

Ritsuka let out a long sigh. "It was my prejudice that caused this plan to fail…"

"Who could've imagined that the Nero we faced—the Beast of 666—could now be so cunning and insidious?"

Ritsuka's impression of Nero was still rooted in the Singularities and Lostbelts involving Britain. Back then, Nero had been a brainless brute, relying solely on raw power to dominate.

Who could've guessed that in such a short time, the Nero consumed by distorted love would master strategy and deception to such an extent?

The original plan was sound: three top-tier Heroic Spirits launching a surprise attack should have been enough to kill Rider before the Black side could react. If Nero could also be provoked into violating the rules, it would've been a perfect victory.

Such a scenario would have allowed Ritsuka to force Kai into granting them a significant concession.

Instead, Nero's words and overwhelming aura drew the attention of all three Servants. Her strategy not only allowed Rider to survive Scáthach's spear through sheer luck but also led to Martha's elimination when her impulsive attack broke the rules.

"Ruler, you're overthinking things," Durga said as the faint outline of a third eye began to appear on her forehead.

Her once gentle and elegant demeanor shifted, replaced by a calm anger that carried an unmistakable weight.

Though she maintained her composure, her very presence exuded a clarity that made it seem as if all evil would be torn apart merely by approaching her.

"Love and gentleness are Parvati's domain," Durga said coolly. "My duty is to annihilate demons."

While Martha's elimination was unfortunate, it wasn't a total loss.

The Red side had started with eight Servants, and as their temporary "Master," Ritsuka herself was a powerful Heroic Spirit.

Martha's removal proved that even the Black side's monstrously powerful Masters couldn't directly intervene.

From Kai to Nero, to Morgan and Artoria, the Masters on the Black side were formidable. While their combat power might not match the gods of the Age of Myths, their individual trump cards meant they were just as deadly.

As Durga shifted into her wrathful Inaccessible Mother form and declared her intent to eradicate demons, Ritsuka sighed in frustration.

"Archer, the Red side Servants barely know each other."

"Martha's elimination was partly because Lancer was too focused on her own battle to warn her."

Ritsuka appealed to reason.

"If we can't build even a basic understanding of one another, this lack of familiarity will cost us every time."

"You've agreed to participate in this Holy Grail War on Alaya's behalf. Surely you didn't come here just to be defeated?"

Lancer Scáthach nodded in acknowledgment of her own failing.

"Ruler, I've lived a long and solitary life. I've never had anything resembling 'teammates.' I'm used to fighting alone, and I have no ties to that saint."

Her voice was hoarse, as though speaking after a long period of silence.

"If fulfilling my wish and winning this war requires it, I will obey your orders completely."

The Queen of the Land of Shadows, Scáthach, was perhaps the easiest to please. She sought death, but in the face of strong opponents, she couldn't help but unleash her full potential. There was no need to worry about her holding back.

As a modern woman, Ryougi Shiki wasn't weighed down by the ancient warriors' obsession with honor. Introducing herself casually, she said:

"I'm Ryougi Shiki, Saber class… though honestly, I should be an Assassin, shouldn't I?"

"In any case, my Noble Phantasm can instantly kill all enemy Servants if it lands. So, please make sure to create opportunities for me!"

Dressed in a pale moon-white kimono, Shiki carried herself with the poise of a Yamato Nadeshiko, though her odd speech patterns somewhat undercut the image.

Durga's third eye, which had been in an angry state, finally calmed. Even so, Ritsuka reminded her:

"Inaccessible Mother, you alone can't defeat all the Black side Servants, can you?"

"As far as I know, their Saber, King Arthur, possesses Avalon, the Ultimate Defense of the Ideal Realm. It's a barrier no one can break through."

Using her authority as Ruler and her connection to Alaya, Ritsuka had detailed knowledge of every Heroic Spirit in this war.

"To overcome Avalon, multiple EX-ranked attacks will need to be unleashed simultaneously to exhaust Saber's mana supply. Only then can Avalon be displaced."

"Additionally, their Caster, Merlin, is renowned as a candidate for Grand Caster. Though he lacks the official title, he's strong enough to create illusions that distort time itself."

Ritsuka sighed. "Grand Servants… their strength defies all logic. Thankfully, Alaya won't grant them the Grand title for this war."

Avalon, the Ultimate Defense of the Moonlit World, was the pinnacle of illogical power. It ensured its wielder was utterly invincible—not only providing absolute protection but also healing injuries and maintaining the user in peak condition indefinitely.

"You don't want to be defeated without accomplishing anything, do you?"

The third eye on Durga's forehead, which had been glowing with anger, finally closed. Though her bloodlust remained palpable, she wasn't entirely immune to reason.

Durga spoke calmly, "I possess an EX-ranked unique skill and an EX-ranked Noble Phantasm. They don't include any instant-kill effects, but I believe they're enough to annihilate all our enemies."

"Mahāmāyā—the Great Illusion—is my alternate divine aspect and the origin of all mystical arts. I'll handle the enemy Caster's illusions myself."

"As for their Saber, I'll need a teammate to help me take her down."

Durga's words carried weight. She was undeniably a formidable Servant, holding two EX-ranked abilities and a Noble Phantasm.

In most cases, a Servant with attributes, skills, or Noble Phantasms ranked A or higher was already considered top-tier. EX ranks, however, signified the apex of a Heroic Spirit's potential—a force capable of turning the tide of an entire war.

In any Holy Grail War, having just one Servant of this caliber was often enough to secure victory.

And yet, this time, all the Servants summoned by Alaya for this war came equipped with EX-ranked trump cards. These were Alaya's best, summoned at their peak potential.

Durga had assumed her strength would position her as the ultimate ace.

Then Tamamo-no-Mae opened her mouth and shattered that notion entirely.

"Migu My stats aren't that high…" Tamamo flicked her orange fox ears, her pale, flawless face tinged with a soft blush. Among the many stunning Servants present, the fox-eared maiden radiated an unmatched feminine charm.

"Let me see… I have three EX-ranked unique skills and Noble Phantasms~"

Her casual announcement stunned the entire room. All eyes turned toward the bashful shrine maiden.

Three EX-ranked abilities? What kind of monstrous power was this fox hiding?

"But," Tamamo continued with a dramatic pause, "I can't use Suiten Nikko Amaterasu Yano Shizuishi Totsuka. Not right now."

Masterfully dragging out the suspense, she added, "As for my spellcasting—Dakiniten's sorcery—I don't really like using it. Every time I do, things just… go poorly for me…"

"Why can't you use them?" Ritsuka's tone turned urgent. If Tamamo could wield all three of her EX abilities, she'd be a magical artillery platform unlike any other.

As expected, the Caster class was brimming with powerhouses!

Before Tamamo could reply, Ritsuka had already used her Ruler privileges to scan the fox's stats. Moments later, she slumped onto the couch, utterly defeated.

"The difference between three tails and nine tails… Even six tails—no! Eight tails would do!"

Unable to contain her frustration, Ritsuka jumped up and grabbed Tamamo's fox ears, shaking her furiously. "Where are your tails?! What happened to the rest of them?!"

"Migu! Let go of Tamamo!" the fox spirit yelped, flailing in protest. "Some tails are mean! The others, I threw away! Ruler, trust me—you don't want to meet the white-faced, golden-furred nine-tailed version of me!"

"I'm talking about eight tails!" Ritsuka refused to relent. "Go find the rest of your tails! Right now! Bring them back!"

Tamamo's tails weren't just for show. With every additional tail, her power multiplied ninefold. Recovering all nine would make her exponentially stronger—millions of times more powerful than her current state with just three tails.

Even now, in her incomplete state, Tamamo possessed several EX-ranked abilities.

Ryougi Shiki hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "I've heard of 'Tamamo-no-Mae.' She's a legendary fox spirit who wreaked havoc across ancient civilizations—India, China, and Japan all have stories about her destroying nations."

"Rude! Wreaking havoc? Destroying nations?" Tamamo protested indignantly. "Why not mention that I'm also the incarnation of Amaterasu Ōmikami, the Great Sun Goddess?"

"…Anyway," she huffed, "the tails are gone, and I can't find them. But I'll still try my best to help everyone, mi~gu!"

Her expression shifted evasively as she turned away.

This, of course, was a blatant lie. While Tamamo's tails were sentient and prone to quarreling with her, she could recall them with a single thought.

When serious, this fox spirit was powerful enough to defeat even sages. She was the ultimate wildcard—capable of completely turning the tide of the war if she chose to give it her all.

But therein lay the problem: Tamamo was a hopeless romantic.

If Ritsuka were the type of Master who could captivate her heart, Tamamo-no-Mae might unleash her full power and secure victory no matter the cost.

Unfortunately, Ritsuka lacked the charisma to inspire that kind of devotion.

And Tamamo-no-Mae wasn't in a Type-Moon mood.

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T/N: Bleugh this chapter's translation might be a little fucky wucky, let me know which parts so I can fix it

Spotted any mistakes or awkward wording? Let me know—I'm always looking to improve!

Also, quick reminder: take a moment to check your posture and sip some water. Stay comfy while you read!

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