Chapter 101: The Soul Battle of All Eikou
「Murasaki Shikibu threw out another item — it was a haunted house video of you and Tezcatlipoca!」
"Damn it, the opponent's methods are really filthy..."
Gawain watched the battle on the screen and couldn't help but break into a cold sweat for him.
"They actually dared to use a『haunted house video』— that's clearly an act of cheating strictly prohibited by the Holy Grail League! These guys are insane to so blatantly defy a taboo...!"
"W-what, what, what is that even used for?"
Eikou asked in confusion.
"Sir Eikou, since you're new to this game, you might not understand yet — the 'haunted house video' is one of the most powerful tools in the game, second only to the 'sunset high-jump clip' (Note: Shirou, if I remember correctly). It can instantly take complete control of an enemy Servant, plunging them deep into obsession..."
"To put it simply, doctor Ash's mind has fallen into a state of extreme instability!"
I don't get it — how can watching some video have that kind of effect? I don't see anything interesting about it at all. Why can't I even escape that damn video even in a virtual game?!
Eikou was completely speechless.
「...」
「Ash is watching intently.」
She clearly had no intention of fighting anymore — was she seriously planning to just sit there watching videos all day in the middle of the battlefield?
Wait, doesn't that mean...
A sudden ominous feeling crept over him.
The battle quickly moved into the next turn.
「Ash is still reading.」
「Murasaki Shikibu used the skill 'Persuasion' on her.」
「They share the same interests and are kindred spirits, so Murasaki invited Ash to join the 'Eikou Club'!」
「Oho, Ash is deeply swayed...」
"Don't you dare join them, Morgan!"
Eikou shouted in panic.
"If even you join them, won't I end up getting captured by those guys?!"
「Ash has joined the 'Eikou Club'.」
Holy shit, is that even allowed?!
This game is terrifying — players can not only recruit enemy Masters' Servants, but the enemy can do the exact same thing back!
"Excellent," Tristan beside him clapped in delight, "this is exactly the kind of NTR storyline I wanted to see!"
「...」
「This is bad — Ash has defected to the enemy.」
「Baobhan Sith soon followed in her mother's footsteps.」
"No!!!!"
「'Eikou Club' has gained two more powerful members. Next, all they need to do is capture the real 'Eikou', and it's over.」
「Perhaps they no longer even need that so-called 'Eikou Perfection Plan', because you're already here — they just have to let the club members split you up among themselves.」
Split my ass — do they really think I'm some kind of immortal iron kidney or something?!
"Ughh..."
Eikou was burning with frustration, hastily grabbing the controller and stubbornly continuing the battle.
「You sent out your reserve Servant, Saber Charlemagne.」
「The enemy temporarily switched Servants and sent out Berserker Ash.」
Great, now she's literally become the enemy's ace card...
He thought to himself — how the hell am I supposed to fight this? There's absolutely no chance of winning anymore.
「...Something's wrong. The battle atmosphere has suddenly turned extremely tense.」
「Though you haven't even reached the League finals yet, you must now face your greatest nemesis — the 'Eikou Club'!」
「A life-or-death duel!」
「The Soul Battle of All Eikou (Final Boss Battle Theme)」
Why did the game music suddenly change? Wait, is this the final boss theme? The "Eikou Club"'s song?! Why the hell am I fighting the final boss right after leaving the beginner's village?!
「...You command Charlemagne to hold his ground.」
「But doctor Ash is simply too powerful — even giving it your all, you can't defeat her.」
「One by one, your Twelve Paladins fall, until only you remain...」
"Ah..."
Eikou's hand gripping the controller was drenched in sweat from tension.
On the game screen, the pixelated figures of the female Servants surrounded him — the defeated player — tightly from all sides.
「It's over. You've been surrounded by the members of the Eikou Club.」
「...After that, no one ever saw you again. They only remember that there was once a young man who aimed to become the champion of the Holy Grail League.」
「You all lived happily ever after.」
「True Ending Unlocked: 'I Love Ash, and Everyone Else.'」
「Fin.」
Seeing the game screen roll into the staff credits, Eikou felt nothing but endless sorrow.
"This makes no damn sense… How is that supposed to be a True Ending..."
He tiredly put down the controller.
"Just what kind of twisted design is this game supposed to have..."
Gawain and the others all gave a thumbs-up in unison, "Sasuga Sir Eikou — you speedran straight to the True Ending right after leaving the beginner's village!"
"This looks more like a humiliating bad ending to me — getting blocked outside the beginner's village by a bunch of lust-crazed girls..."
Eikou said helplessly, then slumped back onto the sofa.
"Next up is probably 'Rune Ring: Shadow of the Fantasy Tree,' huh? I'm done. You guys play. It's about time for Artoria and Baobhan Sith to have their turn — call them over."
[Baobhan Sith, who was doing her nails in her room, was called out to play the game.]
[She looked at the credits rolling on the screen, utterly puzzled, unable to understand what on earth you had done.]
"You cleared it that fast? How did you even do that?"
A confused expression appeared on Baobhan Sith's snow-white face.
"Don't ask. That kind of gameplay's bad for your kidneys." Eikou said with a deadpan expression. "You two go ahead — I want to see how skilled you actually are."
"Um..."
Beside them, Artoria was so nervous she'd started to sweat. She seemed to have reverted to the timid, awkward self she'd been when she first transferred schools.
"I've… almost never played video games before..."
"Almost?" Baobhan Sith raised an eyebrow, asking calmly.
"Alright, I've never played them at all..."
She admitted, blushing.
"Because I used to live in a small mountain village, where there were hardly any electronic devices. Games like these were basically urban legends to me."
"I see..."
Eikou nodded thoughtfully.
Letting someone like Artoria — who had practically never touched a video game — suddenly jump into an action-adventure game as tough as Rune Ring might be a bit much.
But on second thought, maybe that would actually make it more fun?
After all, it's not like Artoria's going to fight a "Lostbelt King" in Rune Ring or anything. They're just playing for fun — what could go wrong?
He himself had just served up a humiliatingly miserable ending that made everyone laugh — wasn't that pretty fun too?
"Alright then, just give it a try,"
Eikou said casually,
"Don't overthink it. Don't worry if your controls are clumsy. If you don't like it, switch games. What matters most is having fun!"
"Um..."
Artoria looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded lightly.
After that, she smiled.
"Then I'll give it a try!"
...