Chapter 83. Hideyoshi Beheaded, Summoning… the Ninth Servant!
A heavy BGM suddenly resounded, carrying a suffocatingly eerie feeling.
[On the road to Ryuudou Temple.]
[Sasaki Kojirou was madly rushing forward, completely devoid of his previous graceful and carefree demeanor.]
[Exactly as he once described himself, nothing more than a mere mortal who loved freedom and unrestrained living.]
[Naturally, there would be times when that composure was lost.]
["Why… was the contract severed…"]
[On the way, Kojirou gritted his teeth, an ominous foreboding spreading violently through his heart.]
[Under the witness of the Holy Grail system, the contract between Master and Servant was inherently unbreakable. If something like this occurred, it was either due to a Noble Phantasm like Medea's, which could sever the link to the Master—]
[Or…]
[Tap~]
[The footsteps suddenly stopped.]
[Looking at Ryuudou Temple ahead, Kojirou stood frozen, a vague emotion struck straight into his mind, his limbs went cold as though plunged into an ice cellar.]
[His whole body trembled uncontrollably.]
...
"AAAAAA!!"
In an instant, countless girls across Earth screamed in terror, collapsing to the ground uncontrollably, teeth chattering, frightened into a daze.
...
[Hideyoshi closed their eyes, hanging from the flagpole, a lock of hair fluttering in the wind.]
[Their beautiful head had been severed from the neck, suspended alone in front of Ryuudou Temple, fresh blood trailing from the wound.]
[As if… a perfectly still and exquisite painting.]
...
This scene was truly overwhelming!
Even though more people had died before, this was a familiar character followed from the beginning, practically part of the main cast—yet now they were beheaded and hung on a flagpole...
Many people were silent, staring at the image of the head hanging on the pole, their entire bodies shaking.
For the first time, they felt—this really was a war.
And war… is always cruel. There's no such thing as peace where no one dies.
"I…"
Hideyoshi looked at the scene, a chill spreading in his heart, quickly reaching up to touch his own head.
Finding it still intact, they finally let out a sigh of relief, though his body still trembled instinctively.
...
["Hi…de…yoshi…"]
[Sasaki Kojirou's whole body trembled slightly, his gaze dazed, his mind shocked into emptiness, even calling his Master's name became incredibly difficult—the swordsman once famous for his sharpness was now utterly stiff.]
[Although the time he had known Hideyoshi was short, a deep friendship had already formed.]
[The times of joking around, cheerful conversations with Hideyoshi were still vivid before his eyes. He vaguely remembered himself smiling in response to countless tales.]
...
["I have no dissatisfaction with Master whatsoever."]
["Rather, you lack the usual arrogance of a magus, which suits my taste."]
["What do I seek? Just being able to swing my sword endlessly is enough to satisfy me."]
["Though I call myself Sasaki Kojirou, even I am unsure of the truth of my identity… haizz, perhaps this is the end of one who offered his life to the way of the sword."]
["The Holy Grail, huh? From the perspective of moon-gazing and wine-drinking, it seems a bit excessive. Getting drunk might even be more useful…"]
["Sometimes, let's use the moonlight as company and raise a cup together, shall we?"]
["What? Hideyoshi, you're still underage… can't drink? So that's how it is… then I'll patiently wait a few more years. On that day, I—Kojirou—will become the blade that protects you, always shielding you."]
...
[Scene after scene from the past flashed by, the boy who had once lived so vividly and brightly in those memories…]
[At this moment, was hanging high, like a flag, eyes quietly closed.]
[Sasaki Kojirou snapped back to reality, eyes cold, gripping his sword tightly, "My friend… war is cruel, that I am used to… but those who trample your body, I absolutely will not…"]
[Suddenly—]
["Assassin!"]
[A familiar voice made him pause.]
[Right after that, a gale tore through the air.]
["Splurt."]
[A black ribbon pierced straight through the chest of the blue-clad swordsman, his pupils constricted sharply.]
[All his strength was drained in an instant, the katana tightly held in his hand dropped, its cold metallic body clattering down the temple steps of Ryuudou Temple, echoing with a sharp and chilling ring that stirred the soul.]
["Kuh…"]
[Blood trickled from Kojirou's mouth, palm bracing against the ground, brow furrowed as he stared ahead.]
[Tap~ Tap Tap~]
[Chilling footsteps echoed.]
[Atop Ryuudou Temple, a dignified figure walked with a cane.]
[On the cane was an apple-sized head, vivid and lifelike.]
[That youthful face, twisted in agony, screaming.]
["To think it was this kind of monstrosity…"]
[Sasaki Kojirou muttered, and in that moment, his whole body lost all strength and collapsed.]
[Very quickly, the chest of the blue swordsman suddenly bulged, tensed—]
[Crack~]
[A pitch-black hand tore through his chest, reaching outward.]
["Hohohohohohoho~."]
[Accompanied by a spine-chilling laugh, Sasaki Kojirou was immediately disemboweled, blood gushing and innards spilling out, as a hunched figure slowly rose.]
...
The screen gradually turned grim.
Everyone stared in shock at the scene, pinching their thighs hard, and even after feeling the searing pain, remained dazed, beginning to question life.
What the hell is this…
Is Kojirou really dead?!
Team Assassin, both members, completely out of the game?!
This was truly beyond prediction!
"The one who ambushed from the shadows… was it Enoshima Junko?"
Asuna slightly furrowed her brows, feeling that only she matched the characteristics.
However, the mysterious black shadow that emerged from Kojirou's body was even more worrying—born from the body of a Servant, could it be a monster similar to Gorgon?
But the aura… wasn't all that terrifying.
It seemed… rather ordinary?
...
The scene distorted again, shifting to the battlefield where the monstrous Goddess was rampaging.
[Outside the church, Artoria had removed her restraints, holding the Holy Sword in her hand, like a furious lion glaring coldly at Medea:]
["Caster, I'll settle the score with you after dealing with that monster!"]
["…Ara~, someone's angry."]
[Medea didn't care about the threat at all, her lips curling into a radiant smile.]
[Under Raku Sou's persuasion, she temporarily gave up the formation that was restraining Saber.]
[A temporary alliance was formed to eliminate the Goddess of Monsters first.]
[Although Gorgon was only one of the Three Pillars of the Divine, she already possessed immense, boundless power. (Note: hmm, I don't quite understand this—are author referring to the 'Three Goddess Alliance' from Babylon?)]
[If no overwhelmingly strong fighter carried the burden and suppressed Gorgon, she could destroy the world within seven days, pushing human civilization back to the Stone Age.]
[Of course, this wasn't the reason Medea chose to ally—if she left Fuyuki City, she'd struggle to find a leyline to maintain her existence and could even be designated for sealing by the Magi of the Clock Tower.]
[After expelling or suppressing Gorgon, they could dissolve the alliance and let the Fifth Holy Grail War continue!]
[Archer and Assassin were still under her control, and she herself belonged to the Caster class.]
[Three against one—the advantage was hers!]
[Medea's lips curled up slightly, full of confidence, the victory in her grasp.]
["Eliminating Gorgon… I have no objections."]
[Not far away, the white-hair Servant smiled gently, waving indifferently.]
[As if completely uninvolved in the matter.]
[Cu Chulainn was entirely different, helplessly spreading his hands: "Such a hassle…"]
["Even though I'm confident in my Gáe Bolg, with a body that size, even if I unleash my full power, it's unlikely to cause effective damage!"]
[As soon as those words were spoken, everyone instinctively looked toward the Witch of Betrayal.]
["…?!"]
[Medea was stunned for two seconds, then seemed to understand, a faint smile forming.]
[Indeed, as a fortress-style magus, she was suited to start the attrition battle against such a massive creature, while the others cleaned up afterward—then whether it was the 'piercing spear' or 'destructive arrow'...]
[They would all be effective against Gorgon.]
[After finalizing the strategy, the Masters and Servants present moved immediately.]
[Medea, Artoria, Yukinoshita Yukino, Servant Yukino, Cu Chulainn, Raku Sou…]
[Six Servant-class combatants gathered to subjugate Gorgon!]
[Mouri Kogoro dumbfoundedly watched their retreating backs.]
[No way… they left me behind…?]
[I'm a top-tier gunman too!]
...
Many netizens had only just begun to recover from Hideyoshi's death, taking deep breaths, nervously typing with caution as they posted comments.
They were afraid that typing too hard might accidentally crush Uncle Kogoro.
"Uncle Mouri, stop dreaming. That bunch is full of monsters, you're just an ordinary man, you can't keep up."
"Poor Medea still doesn't know. She thinks she has the upper hand, but the Assassin team is already wiped out. Even if she succeeds in subjugating Gorgon and continues the Holy Grail War, it'd still only be a 2-on-1 at best…"
"No, it's very likely to be 2-on-3: Yukino, Raku Sou, Cú Chulainn… the chance of getting wrecked is too high…"
"'The advantage is mine' — Medea."
"Don't be so pessimistic. What if Medea planted some secret technique on the King of Knights that she can trigger at the critical moment…"
"Haizz, don't worry too much. Let me have two seconds of silence for Hideyoshi first."
"For real… that death was insanely tragic..."
"Legendary Dullahan Hideyoshi."
"Or maybe Dullahan Femboy?"
"Hey hey hey, that's going too far now!"
"Whatever, Hideyoshi's gender is just 'Hideyoshi'!"
...
[Fuyuki City has nearly turned into ruins, flames of war burning across dozens of kilometers.]
[The Goddess of Monsters screamed and howled, her massive body crushing large swathes of land. The furious and icy look in her eyes made her state of mind obvious. Amidst the sounds of despairing cries, countless beams of light shot forth in a frenzy.]
[Medea floated in midair, her expression cold. Behind her, waves of purple mana stretched out like enormous wings, each easily ten meters long.]
[Like a torrent of magic strong enough to drown the sky, the mana bullets condensed into dazzling violet brilliance that lit up the entire world, spreading an awe-inspiring aura from the age of myth across the battlefield.]
[A thousand cannons converged—oppressive beyond belief!]
[Even Gorgon could feel it. She turned her head in surprise to look at the 'small creature' floating in the air.]
["BOOM BOOM BOOM...!!"]
[In an instant, the violet mana bullets poured down like a torrential storm, piercing the heavens and splitting the earth. The shockwaves stirred a level-five gale through the city, accompanied by a series of terrifying explosions striking Gorgon directly in the face!]
[Flames roared into the sky, catching Gorgon off guard and knocking her back several meters, the impact shaking her violently and triggering a massive earthquake throughout Fuyuki City!]
[The firepower was over ten times stronger than that of the top military powers in the world!]
["BOOM BOOM BOOM...!!"]
[However… amidst the billowing explosion smoke, Gorgon stood back up in fury, completely unharmed. Instantly, the countless strands of hair on her back twitched. The gigantic snake heads, each as tall as skyscrapers, roared furiously and gathered countless beams of light before unleashing them all at once.]
[In the blink of an eye, a barrage of massive blood-colored energy pillars shot straight at Medea. The crossfire was so dense there was virtually no space to dodge.]
[Deafening explosions echoed, swallowing the sky whole!]
[As if trying to nail the Witch of Betrayal to the heavens.]
[Caster was shaken to the core. She had no time to marvel at Gorgon's defense. She immediately swung her magical staff, "Head and Spine, Aki-kun," and used spatial teleportation to nimbly evade each crimson beam brushing past her, combining it with her aerial mobility!]
[Roughly half a minute later, while continuously dodging, she suddenly spotted an opening in Gorgon's slow movements. Her eyes instantly sharpened.]
[Charging…]
[Charging further…]
[The Mystic Code imbued with Imaginary properties, crafted from Aki Tomoya's skull, spine, and magical circuits, activated with tremendous power at this very moment.]
[An aura so suffocating it spread across the battlefield.]
[In a flash, a murky gray beam of light was launched with a swing of her magic staff.]
[It crossed a thousand meters in an instant, like an unstoppable gray bolt of lightning—like the horizon splitting at dawn, slicing the world cleanly in two!]
[That terrifying force seemed capable of erasing all tangible and intangible matter!]
[The goddess Gorgon showed a hint of wariness. She fired off countless magic cannons in response, accompanied by a sharp "crack."]
[The gray light severed a strand of snake hair—each as thick as a skyscraper—which then plummeted down.]
["BOOM BOOM BOOM...!!"]
[Flattening an entire block.]
["Sssss!!"]
[Gorgon let out a scream of agony, the sound so earth-shattering it tore through the clouds.]
[Medea's ultimate move had indeed turned the tide, wounding the monstrous goddess!]
But...
Looking at Gorgon's colossal face and the countless snake hairs writhing like waves in the sky behind her, even those outside the Celestial Curtain felt a chill run down their spines. Breathless, they clutched their chests, trembling with a crushing sense of helplessness.
[The Goddess of Monsters stared coldly at the "small creature" in the sky. Then, with a pulse of movement, the severed snake head instantly regenerated, once more forming a swarm of massive snakes slithering above her head.]
[Overwhelming power!]
[Power beyond compare!]
How the hell do you fight something like this?
Everyone watching was stunned.
Even a Magus from the Age of the Gods like Medea, putting in everything she had, had only managed to cut off one strand of hair.
Was there really anyone with firepower beyond that of Medea...?
Well…
Maybe there was someone?
Many people snapped out of their daze, turning simultaneously toward the king who had remained on the sidelines since being free.
King Arthur...
King of Knights...
The final sovereign of Britannia, the ruler chosen by fate!
Artoria Pendragon!
The people of Tokyo turned in awe to the heart of the city, where the towering sword Caliburn pierced the heavens like a divine monument.
And at almost the exact same moment—
The Servants within the Celestial Curtain came to the same realization.
...
["Saber, with the scale of your Noble Phantasm… couldn't it destroy an entire city?"]
[Faced with the many solemn gazes upon her, Artoria gave a slight nod.]
[A tension mixed with relief welled up inside her. This moment—shouldering the hopes of everyone—was a scene she had lived before: a glorious yet tragic life where nearly everyone had pinned their hopes on her to save Britannia.]
[But then…]
[A calm voice cut through her memories.]
[Raku Sou looked at Medea with steady eyes: "At this point, witch, are you still intent on indulging your desires and hoarding Saber for yourself?"]
[In the air, Medea snorted coldly, unhesitatingly drawing upon Fuyuki City's massive leyline, unleashing her full power. Dense waves of violet spread out, forming wings that blanketed the sky.]
[Countless torrents of purple mana roared as they converged into a blindingly radiant domain that threatened to swallow heaven and earth, as though the entire city might be annihilated in a single flash.]
[In terms of sheer scale, this moment was no less than the Holy Sword at its peak when activating its Noble Phantasm!]
[But…]
["HUMAN——!!!!"]
[With a thunderous roar that rippled the air visibly, the towering snake-goddess Gorgon tore through the violet heavens, emerging unscathed despite having had over ten snake hairs severed.]
[They had already regenerated fully. Worse yet, she seemed intrigued by the current chaos, beginning to move toward the city itself.]
["Hmph."]
[Medea let out a dark snort. She made no further futile attempts. With a casual flick of her slender wrist—]
[A series of dazzling purple runes appeared, multiplying and assembling on their own, gradually forming a thick, arcane tome.]
["Book of False Attendant. Saber's Master—just pour your mana into this, and you can temporarily become Saber's Master."]