[Sakurako]
Type: Anti-Army Noble Phantasm
Combat Strength: A
Summoning Cost: 50 Mana
[Akahime]
Type: Anti-Army Noble Phantasm
Combat Strength: A
Summoning Cost: 50 Mana
In this world, the two women were akin to Servants with all attributes averaging A-rank, lacking a Noble Phantasm.
If their nature as living beings was ignored, the power Sakurako and Akahime could unleash was comparable to an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm.
"Kijin require 50 mana to manifest."
Damien considered the 200 Kijin in his Monster Kingdom space. "10,000 mana to manifest 200 A-rank Servants."
In some ways, Damien's [Monster Kingdom of Another World] resembled Gilgamesh's Gate of Babylon.
From the weakest hobgoblins to the mid-tier wolves and the high-end Kijin, they corresponded to Gilgamesh's C-rank, B-rank, and A-rank treasures.
"By this calculation, 5,000 hobgoblins need 5,000 mana, 400 wolves at 5 mana each total 2,000, and 200 Kijin add another 2,000, making 9,000 mana."
"And above that, we have A+-rank Shuna, Shion, and Souei, A++-rank Ice Empress, and the even stronger Ogerpon and Snow Empress."
"To manifest everyone as Servants, I'd need at least 25,000 mana."
Mana collection aside, how to utilize his subordinates' power would be key to winning this Holy Grail War!
"Sakura, Sakura."
Damien gently woke the girl. She opened her eyes, dazed at first, then leapt into his arms like a frightened rabbit.
"Don't be afraid, Sakura."
After calming her, Damien said, "Go take a bath and get some rest."
"Onii-san, where are we?"
Only then did Sakura notice the change in surroundings and the presence of Sakurako and Akahime.
"We're at a hotel."
Damien didn't explain further, urging her to bathe and rest.
At her most vulnerable, Sakura instinctively obeyed.
With Sakurako and Akahime's help, she bathed and changed into pajamas Shuna had bought for her.
After a night's rest, Sakura's spirits improved significantly.
Damien took the chance to explain his origins and the current situation.
"Holy Grail War."
"Servants and Masters."
"An early-arriving Voyager."
The information was beyond Sakura's comprehension.
But that was fine.
She only needed to understand one thing.
"Whatever Damien-nii asks, Sakura will do!"
She agreed without hesitation to Damien becoming her Servant.
No, it was perfect!
Servants stayed by their Masters, meaning they'd never part.
Clutching Damien's hand, Sakura felt an overwhelming sense of security.
"Girls shouldn't say things like that."
Damien lightly tapped her nose.
Sakura nodded as if acknowledging a mistake, though whether she truly understood was unclear.
"Alright, Sakura, I'm starting."
Damien linked his mana to her, establishing a Servant contract per the Nasuverse's rules.
"Ah!!"
As the contract formed, Sakura let out a pained cry.
"What's wrong?"
"My hand!"
Sakura looked at her hand. "It hurts."
On her delicate hand, a strange red tattoo slowly appeared... the Command Seals, symbolizing her role as a Master.
"It's okay. These are Command Seals, a sign of our bond."
"Really?"
Hearing this, Sakura's pain vanished, replaced by deep affection and care.
In her simple mind, as long as the Command Seals remained, her Damien-nii would never leave her.
"Hm?"
Damien paused, then looked up sharply.
A faint smirk curved his lips.
"The rules… they're changing?"
He didn't know the cause or consequences of this shift.
But as an invader, any change in the Nasuverse due to his actions would yield rule fragments.
These were prime fuel for Violet, the building blocks of his soul barrier... his Unique Skills.
"Violet, what do these changes mean?"
[Analyzing]
Violet immediately reported the changes in the Holy Grail system to Damien.
[Analysis complete]
[Due to your early descent, the Holy Grail War has started ahead of schedule]
"Ahead of schedule?"
"The Holy Grail War can start early?"
Damien was surprised. He hadn't expected his actions to cause such a massive shift in the world line.
"Unexpected."
"But…"
"It saves us some trouble!"
Originally, Damien planned to exploit the 2.5-type descent loophole.
Violet would manipulate the timeline, fast-forwarding to a year later when the Holy Grail War began.
Now, that was unnecessary.
"With the Holy Grail War starting early, what happens to the original Masters and their Servants?"
[No need to worry]
[History has inertia. Alaya will handle any issues]
[Even if they don't intervene, I'll subtly ensure everything aligns with our needs]
"Impressive, Violet."
In the Kijin village, Damien's true body gave Violet a thumbs-up.
The girl remained expressionless, but inwardly, she was quite pleased.
'See that?'
Violet glanced smugly at the Snow Empress, standing close to Damien. 'That's the power of Lady Violet!'
Tch…
Though Violet said nothing, the Snow Empress felt her provocation.
As for Damien, he ignored their friendly rivalry.
"Good, the lineup hasn't changed."
Damien's goal in this Holy Grail War was none other than Gilgamesh and Iskandar.
The former's Noble Phantasm and the latter's Reality Marble were powers he urgently needed to analyze.
It didn't matter if other Servants changed, but these two had to stay.
Saber?
Damien certainly liked the King of Knights.
If he could take her with him, he wouldn't refuse.
If not…
Well, it didn't matter.
The Nasuverse wasn't going anywhere.
If he could enter once, he could do it again, and eventually, he'd claim those Heroic Spirit girls!
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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