[FGO]: 151

Who is Sakura, that even Ryou was toyed with by her wisdom?

Had it not been for his Noble Phantasm, Reversal War God, surpassing her calculations, this life-and-death battle would have been entirely under her control.

With her intelligence, deceiving a young girl who had lost all support was far too easy.

Under her brainwashing, Ayame's eyes soon became dull and lifeless, as she began muttering about seeking revenge on the father who abandoned her.

Despite losing her body, Sakura successfully forged a soul contract with Ayame, establishing a unique symbiotic relationship.

A space-time gate, identical to the one that had taken Anastasia away with Viy, slowly opened in the mysterious underground chamber.

Like a puppet on strings, Ayame walked step by step toward the gate.

Sakura approached the gate, but before entering, she turned around with a face full of battle spirit.

"You've surpassed my calculations. What an interesting man. I'm looking forward to crossing paths with you again at the crossroads of fate. I'll be eagerly awaiting that day~"

Leaving these words, Sakura floated into the space-time gate.

Of course, Ryou had no idea that he was already being targeted—not just by one person. Even more, he wouldn't know that in the near future, in that chaotic space-time, at the intersection of cause and effect.

...

At present, Ryou was aboard the Yamato, sorting through the spoils of this battle.

The moment he snapped Sakura's neck, the system sent him a message.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations to the host for completing the hidden core main storyline mission. Mission completion rate: 100%.]

[Since the completion rate reached 100%, the host may choose one of the following rewards:]

[A random B-level Noble Phantasm.]

[Increase any base attribute by one level.]

[Increase any skill by one level (skill level can surpass EX rank).]

At first glance, the second and third options might seem far less valuable than the B-level Noble Phantasm.

However, that's not the case. Since unlocking the [Workhop], he already had a method to reliably exchange for Noble Phantasms.

Moreover, the first option is random, meaning the Noble Phantasm could be something entirely useless.

And a B-level Noble Phantasm, while decent, is still a fairly mediocre rank—not especially useful.

Now, considering the second and third options:

The second option increases a base attribute by one level.

Ryou can already enhance himself through the permanent state of [Reversal War God], so this option seems the least valuable.

But don't forget, [Luck] is also considered a base attribute, meaning the most strategic use of this reward would be to increase his [Luck]!

As for the third option, its greatest value lies in the potential to upgrade a skill to EX rank!

Not only that, but he also deduced a hidden meaning from it:

Skill levels can surpass EX rank!

After hesitating for a moment, he ultimately decided that increasing [Luck] would only improve the probability of good fortune—an uncontrollable effect he didn't particularly like.

So, Ryou chose the third option. At the same time, he requested that the system reserve the use of this reward.

The best use of this reward would naturally be when he could break a skill through to EX rank.

The system agreed to his request but symbolically charged him a storage fee of one million energy points...

"I am not angry. I don't feel like flipping over the table..."

Ryou's forehead veins bulged as he repeated this to himself, trying to calm down.

He then continued organizing the spoils from killing Sakura.

Besides the massive energy points he'd collected, he finally managed to secure a B-level Abyss Crystal.

But the greatest prize was the gem in his hand, resembling a miniature sun.

[Ding!]

[Root Gem discovered. Would you like to appraise it?]

[Appraisal cost: 1 A-level Abyss Crystal and 100 million energy points]

WTF!?

The appraisal cost alone was astronomical! What on earth was this thing!?

But just from the name, it was clear this gem was absurdly powerful—potentially overpowered.

In the Type-Moon universe, anything related to the Root is always absurdly strong, and this gem even bore the prefix [Root].

It had to be something immensely powerful and flashy.

Ryou could already feel its energy pulsing through his body.

If not for the [Reverseal War God] stabilizing him with its high-energy output, he would have burst like a balloon.

This so-called [Root Gem] was extremely powerful but came with severe side effects.

Until he could fully identify its properties, he wouldn't consider it a regular tool in his arsenal.

At the moment, it was a trump card—a high-risk, last-ditch option for emergencies.

Ryou realized, with some sorrow, that he was gradually adopting the playstyle of Shadow Atomic.

First, there was the nuclear cannon from the Yamato sister, and now, he had this highly unstable [Root Gem].

Having defeated the ultimate boss of this world, the journey back was uneventful.

Ryou and his team returned smoothly to Yokosuka.

Due to the full mobilization this time, even though it had been less than 20 days, unrest had begun to stir among his forces.

This is the downside of a non-parliamentary system: if the leader encounters any accident, it will cause significant turmoil.

However, to achieve his two major goals—eliminating 95% of the Kabane and raising faith in the Catholic Church to over 50%—absolute and strong dictatorial rule was necessary to unify the world.

This unrest also presented an opportunity, as it prompted certain hidden, ambitious individuals to reveal themselves.

In a dictatorship, ambition could not be tolerated, no matter how devout the person was to the Church.

So, Ryou did not hesitate to raise the butcher's knife.

For a time, heads rolled and rivers of blood flowed, both in Yokosuka and in the Asia.

Ryou had no habit of giving people a chance of retaliation. The main culprits were sentenced to death by public burning, and their families—women included—were also hanged, without exception, regardless of age.

Before, as an invader, he had occupied territories, sparing most people except the ringleaders and the men.

But now, these individuals have committed treason. Naturally, he showed no mercy.

Every dictator is essentially a tyrant.

This is entirely a matter of policy, not personal will.

Because dictatorship means no democracy, no compromise. If you don't kill ruthlessly, more rebels will rise, which undermines governance.

Thus, a dictator can only kill! Kill! Kill!

Ryou's methods were somewhat restrained. His fake identity placed him above mortals, allowing him to combine brainwashing with executions.

In the end, hundreds perished in the purge, including a newly promoted bishop of the highest standing.

After the bloody purge, his territory returned to stability.

With Sakura—the mastermind behind the scenes—gone, he could finally focus on conquering the world without hesitation.

After the final boss was defeated, Ryou fully embarked on his path to world domination.

He first occupied the whole of Asia and Australia, securing crucial resources like oil, rubber, and iron ore.

In this world, there was no Americans to oppose Japan.

Ryou spent five years rapidly advancing technology, fully implementing a modernized elite soldier strategy. He built a powerful naval fleet and a fully mechanized army.

What followed was a series of conquests.

Even when the occasional amalgamated legion appeared, it was easily dealt with by the three supreme beings: Nguyen Ryou, Jeanne d'Arc, and Ais.

In ten years, the entirety of Asia had been fully incorporated into the territory of the Catholic Church.

At this point, Ryou slowed his pace, focusing on resource management and further advancing technology while steadily attacking the continents of Africa and Europe.

Large quantities of aluminum were mined, and airplanes—those epoch-making machines—evolved from propeller-driven to jet-powered within just ten years.

Missiles were also invented.

The internal combustion engine was replaced by the more compact McRucky Engine.

As the saying goes, with advanced technology, especially in the fields of power and energy, you can do anything.

The next thirty years were spent realizing his grand ambition of unifying the world.

For some reason, possibly due to differences in the world's laws, nuclear reactions couldn't be completed in this world.

Left with no choice, he ordered his scientific teams to focus on the McRucky Engine as their primary research project.

As a result, this world's technological development veered towards a steampunk aesthetic.

The Kabane, tragically, became a rare species.

Research revealed that after special processing, the Kabane's heart could be used as the power core for the McRucky Engine.

This heart, which emitted a blue glow similar to that of the Fused Colony, needed only small amounts of human blood to generate immense energy.

It was practically a different kind of nuclear reactor!

This discovery was akin to humanity's first successful nuclear reaction, propelling the industrial progress of the world to new heights.

A new form of capital punishment was also introduced: convicts were infected by the Kabane, turning them into the cores of the new McRucky Engine, thus contributing to human development.

This execution method was only applied to non-believers of the Church.

Because of this decision, Ryou's reputation as a tyrant reached new heights.

When this law was first implemented, a large number of heretics rebelled.

But it was futile. In a world without nuclear weapons (except for the Yamato's nuclear cannon), no force could resist his power.

Various rebel forces were easily crushed, and the Kabane breeding farms suddenly gained a large number.

The shortage of raw materials for the new McRucky Engine was completely resolved.

Whether out of coercion or fear, a wave of conversions to the Church swept the globe, and the proportion of followers reached an astonishing 85% or more.

Due to this major event, later known as the Month of Purification, Ryou became the arch-enemy of various religious factions in the eyes of heretics.

To Buddhists, he was the Great Demon Lord; to Hindu, the reincarnation of the Demon Lord Rahu; and to Zoroastrians, Angra Mainyu.

But in the eyes of Church believers, he was the Archangel, the Seraph Michael.

By unifying the world, turning humanity's enemy, the Kabane, into livestock in breeding farms, and spreading God's glory across the globe, his prestige reached its peak.

However, he knew very well that in the peaceful world to come, there would be no place for a tyrant like him.

He decisively changed the power structure of the Catholic Church. In name, the Pope would lead the world, alongside a council of up to 200 cardinals, forming a Church-specific parliamentary system to govern the entire world together.

As for himself, along with Jeanne, Ais, Yamato, and Shimakaze, they openly returned to Chaldea under the watchful eyes of the public.

They had even arranged for a globally synchronized live broadcast of their return.

In the eyes of the people, this was God recalling the angels who had descended to Earth, giving the Church another massive boost in faith.

As for Ryou himself, he was completely lost in the euphoria of executing such a grand exit.

As soon as they returned to Chaldea, the system's notification sounds went crazy, ringing non-stop.

Ding!

[Congratulations to the host for completing this instance world.]

[Based on the host's performance, the evaluation is EX-rank.]

[Reward: 23 Gacha draws!]

[Ding!]

[Host's battle rewards are being compiled.]

[Host has gained an additional 8 gacha draws.]

[In total, the host has received 245 million energy points.]

[The skill 'Leadership' has been upgraded to A+++ level and cannot be further upgraded.]

[Ding!]

[Host has reached over 30 gacha draws. Would you like to combine them into a Super Gacha? The conversion rate is 3:1.]

(Note: The Super Gacha has a chance to draw rare Servants, EX-rank Noble Phantasms, skills, special items, and a very low probability of drawing divine artifacts.)

Why even hesitate when you can trade normal gacha draws for a shot at the jackpot?

Ryou decisively chose to convert his normal gacha draws into Super gacha draws.

He didn't immediately start the draw because the system notifications were still coming.

[Ding!]

[The Catholic Church's faith level in this instance world has reached 86.3%.]

[Congratulations to the host for exceeding the mission's requirements. The mission reward has been increased by 300%!]

[Please choose one of the following rewards:]

[Randomly increase one base attribute by one level ]

[One growth-type Noble Phantasm associated with the Catholic Church.]

Ryou was still considering his choice when the system delivered the next piece of information.

It was this notification that made him decide.

[Congratulations to the host for achieving the hidden achievement in this instance world—The Glory of the Church.]

[The host now has the following options:]

[Become the Guardian Deity (Faith God) of this world.]

[Obtain the 'Source' of this world (recommended by the system).]

There were such benefits!?

Ryou immediately began investigating the differences between the two options.

It seemed that this choice would have a significant impact, so the system provided relatively detailed information.

To put it simply, the first option was to become a Faith God, similar to those in a Dungeons & Dragons world. However, because he had an entire world as his backing, he wouldn't be entirely dependent on faith.

The amount of faith would simply influence how much his power would increase.

The more people in this world who believed in him, the stronger the boost to his strength, similar to how the Yamato's faith operated.

For the second option, the system didn't provide much information, only stating that the more Source power collected, the stronger the boost to his strength.

However, the initial boost would be far less than that of the first option.

The choice was clear.

One option would make him powerful immediately but with limited growth potential.

The other option would allow for gradual, sustained growth, with nearly unlimited potential as long as he gathered Source power.

Ryou made his decision almost without hesitation.