[267] The Time of Hunt

"Hmm?"

Barthomeloi Lorelei's expression changed slightly: "Dead? Impossible!"

She felt the connection between herself and that Servant, Berserker King Vortigern, severed!

How could this be? Even if Alucard could defeat Vortigern, it would take at least several days and nights of continuous battle to wear him down!

How could he be taken down so quickly?

Barthomeloi Lorelei's face turned unpleasant, but she could no longer sense the situation there. She hadn't deliberately established sensory contact with Berserker. The reason was simple—because the opponent was Alucard!

The battle could last for several days.

She just wasn't going to let Kurokawa Kazuya rest. Let Berserker pursue for a night.

After that, with everyone together, find a way to free Alucard from the River of Death or simply kill Kurokawa Kazuya... that should have been the plan!

But why?

Taken down?

Why was Berserker taken down? Did she miscalculate? Was Alucard actually stronger than she imagined? Or was it... Kurokawa Kazuya?

Did he use that technique when defeating DIO?

But what came down wasn't a god, but something else.

Was it his magecraft? Or something else...

"Once could be considered a coincidence, but the second time... the third time... Did I underestimate him? Did I underestimate that mangaka?"

...

"Hoo—"

Magic gradually receded, and the immense power slowly withdrew from his body.

Ironically, as the power diminished, his stature grew taller and more robust.

He clenched his fist forcefully... Kazuya breathed out.

Almost every time was like this... every time he used this technique, a thought emerged deep within him— he too had to become this strong!

It might have been because Kujo Jotaro wasn't as strong as he is now.

After becoming Kujo Jotaro, his strength didn't weaken, of course, it didn't get stronger either.

In other words... even if he summoned a Servant with particularly low strength, that Servant's weakest aspect wouldn't be weaker than Kazuya now, only stronger.

Like now, feeling the slow extraction of his strength...

It was truly unpleasant.

Made him uncomfortable...

"Did you swallow it?" Kazuya flexed his fist, expressing some dissatisfaction, waved his hand, and then, to shift his focus, asked to Alucard.

"Of course." Alucard smiled. "It has been completely swallowed up. Now this Berserker is mine, firmly within my river. Ready to use at any time, ready to unleash this power's brilliance."

"Good then."

Kazuya nodded in satisfaction. "Now, let's go back."

"How do we go back?"

"...Ha." Kazuya sighed helplessly, looked at the distant car that had turned into a pile of scrap metal, and said, "Of course, we'll walk back."

Barthomeloi Lorelei's thoughts were, to some extent, realized.

Kurokawa Kazuya, Alucard, returned to Cairo only when the sun was about to rise.

...

Avalon.

Not the conceptual weapon in Kurokawa Kazuya's hands, but the real Avalon, the inner sea of stars.

Merlin was in a dilemma.

He had indeed obtained Artoria...

Obtained this parallel world's Artoria, but he didn't know what to do. Now Artoria's soul was on her body, completely within this inner sea of stars.

Although, she was just summoned out for a moment.

However, these weren't the things Merlin cared about.

He cared about another thing.

Now Artoria's body and soul could connect, which meant, as long as Merlin wanted, Artoria would wake up and come alive at any time.

But... he couldn't do it.

Because Artoria's obsession hadn't been eliminated, she still wanted to obtain the Holy Grail, change the fate of Britain.

This couldn't work... this kind of ending...

Merlin just didn't want Artoria to become that Alaya's counter guardian, this kind of ending. But... it couldn't go on like this in confusion, he had to find an opportunity...

That's why Artoria was in confusion.

Summoned here, she would feel unstable. She didn't know what she was doing. She should have been pursuing the Holy Grail, but... why was she absent from every Holy Grail War?

She was contemplating, she didn't understand why it was like this.

Even that Vortigern had been summoned by someone. Why wasn't she summoned?

...

"There are currently... eight remaining. Two for the Black Faction, six for the Red Faction, and the Ruler serving as the saint."

Inside the Great Temple.

Ozymandias smiled and said, "No good! Those guys on the Black Faction, how come they've retreated so quickly! It's truly unpleasant!"

He originally wanted to see that, on this side, only he remained.

While the enemy had all seven Servants intact.

In that case, he could perform a one-against-seven drama, let them truly witness what a Pharaoh was!

But now... with this situation, he lost interest.

What is this... now...

It's almost like a crushing situation. How can he radiate his brilliance as the supreme god-king like this!

Only when the enemy is strong can the brilliance shine.

Otherwise, it's just weaklings playing house.

"But... I've gained this power now."

He was the Pharaoh, and he also had a portion of the authority of the underworld, limited to this pyramid. So, he attracted DIO's soul over, seized his power.

However...

This part of the power could only be used within this temple, and there were some other restrictions.

There was still a gap from being almighty.

But even so— he obtained it.

Next, what he needed was... a formidable opponent! Before that, he wouldn't do anything.

"I am Ozymandias! The supreme! Come—display your brilliance in front of the Almighty King, hahaha... hahahaha!"

...

Cairo.

Now, as the decisive battle time approached, finally... it was time for the hunt!

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