Anime: Fight Sukuna at the beginning?

【This must be auditory hallucinations triggered by the imminent decay of the flesh.】

After hearing the voice of an unfamiliar man beside her, and having taken a direct hit from the [Curse] that reflected the damage of her long-charged [Mana Burst],

Artoria, who was like a candle in the wind, on the verge of collapsing, made a decision.

She prepared to open her eyes to observe the battlefield and the person who had appeared beside her.

In her current state, with her bodily functions greatly declining due to severe injuries, her entire being felt like the last puddle of water in a shallow pit on drought-cracked earth, gradually evaporating and disappearing.

The simple action and decision to open her eyes was somewhat 'luxurious'.

But she still used the little energy left in her body to open her eyes.

At this moment, she only hoped to make a judgment.

To figure out whether the voice she heard was a 'hallucination' triggered by near-death, or an unbelievable and incomprehensible 'miracle'.

But when she pried open her eyelids, which felt as heavy as lead, and her initially blurry vision became as clear as a camera lens focusing,

She did not find the figure of the man who matched the voice she had heard.

In her vision, there was only Cheng Xiang, who was about to approach her and launch a terrifying attack, and Fang Yi, who was making a sword-swinging gesture not far behind Cheng Xiang.

Seeing this scene, Artoria couldn't help but smile bitterly.

【As expected, it's just an illusion triggered before death.】

Only after unconsciously making the bitter smile, a movement that strained her muscles, did Artoria realize an even more desperate fact.

For her at this moment, even a bitter smile was a bit of a struggle.

Realizing this, Artoria was left with only a sense of forced resignation and regret.

【It seems this is the end of the road for me.】

But the next moment, a somewhat peculiar positive energy surging in from her back quickly dispelled this thought.

That energy was like forcibly prying open her body, rudely pouring into her weak and about-to-stop heart, performing an 'activation'.

After restoring the original mana-generating effect of that heart, she was about to turn her head to look at the man beside her when she felt him use an exceptionally strange [Control of Activity] technique.

As soon as this technique was used, her heart began a physically frightening high-speed pumping, as if it had been given a stimulant.

With this 'panic', this positive energy instantly spread to her limbs with the pumping of blood and the flow of mana, restoring her body's injuries as if time had been reversed.

Artoria even clearly felt that her somewhat depressed spirit had received a kind of unusual 'comfort' under this treatment.

Like the peace of mind a baby in a stroller feels when listening to a lullaby sung by its mother and feeling the bumps of the stroller.

Or the comfort a person working overtime until late at night feels when, dragging their tired body, they endure the winter cold to fumble for the key from their pocket and insert it into the lock.

At the moment of crookedly opening the door, the border collie, standing like a statue in the entrance hall, immediately eagerly approaches your legs, placing its paws on the hem of your pants with a worried look, and the warmth and light in the living room rush towards you.

Feeling this strange treatment, the Knight King, in addition to being shocked, couldn't help but give rise to a somewhat 'weak' confused in her heart under this 'alluring' 'comfort'.

【What kind of strange magic is this? I don't remember even Merlin and those fairies having anything so magical.】

"You must be thinking, [How could there be such strange magic]."

"But for me, who never chats idly, satisfying your curiosity will cost extra."

-

Not seeing Fang Yi's figure at first, but hearing his voice again beside her, and feeling the man's hand withdraw from her body,

Artoria instantly completed her adjustment, избавившись(избавившись: избавившись) of that 'weakness', and switched back to the identity of a Holy Grail War participant.

She immediately activated her brain, which had regained its sanity and thinking ability, and instinctively used her combat experience.

Evaluating the man's 'class' and the techniques he used.

【The one in the original place should be a afterimage to confuse the enemy.】

【He was able to approach unnoticed, most likely due to the Assassin's [Presence Concealment].】

After reaching this conclusion, Artoria felt a few points of vigilance towards the man beside her.

【But that red Archer said he was Saber, and he possesses powerful healing abilities that even the Caster class does not have.】

【He can be said to be an extremely powerful competitor on my path to obtaining the Holy Grail!】

【But [Intuition] has not been activated, indicating that he currently has no malice towards me.】

Judging the man's position, Artoria, turning her head to look at Fang Yi, preparing to carefully peep the man's appearance, couldn't help but feel a little confused again.

【Although he is reinforcements, how did he get to my side?】

【He was clearly so far away just now.】

And as she turned her head, finally catching sight of the man wearing a haori, sheathing the long sword in his hand, with a handsome face that faintly exuded a strange attraction, and the words he spoke that evoked a few wonderful feelings in her.

"Also, the treatment just now, although magical and convenient, is not free."

"You will have to settle the payment together with the reward for me killing your enemies later."

It wasn't until this moment that Artoria came back to her senses.

【Not good! There are still enemies!】

【The battle is not over yet.】

She immediately suppressed her curiosity about this man, subconsciously grasped the Holy Sword in her hand, and adopted a fighting stance.

However, the [Intuition] skill not being activated and the man's relaxed words, exuding a dragon species and a inexplicable aura, also gave her a faint premonition of the enemy's fate.

She turned her head to look at the enemy who had originally rushed towards her, but saw a scene that made her incredible.

And Fang Yi, looking at Cheng Xiang not far away, began to complain in a somewhat helpless tone.

"I knew this kind of person would have a 'trump card'."

"But, wouldn't this kind of 'trump card' be a bit old-fashioned and repetitive in the story?"

But the next moment, Fang Yi, who had made a fighting stance and prepared to draw his sword again, put his hand down.

——

Cheng Xiang, who was making a reaping gesture towards Artoria, looked at the wilderness that was withdrawing and changing in his eyes.

Perceiving the scorching aura permeating the air gradually dissipate.

Hearing his heartbeat become exceptionally loud, as if he was falling into a silent abyss with only himself, but he did not feel flustered.

This situation was within his expectation.

Seeing that the other party had taken out an extremely luxurious handgun with [Mental Manipulation] ability and launched an extremely powerful attack.

He made a simple evaluation of this Reincarnator using a very simple formula derivation.

The other party's transitional equipment is very strong and their strength is stronger than his = 'financial resources' are not bad = they get a lot of points through tasks = their task settlement ranking is very high.

In the case that the other party's ranking in each settlement is securing second place and competing for first, the other party's strength is absolutely stronger than him.

Faced with an enemy who is likely stronger than him in terms of financial resources and strength, he has already made corresponding psychological preparation.

And after the target disappeared, and he seemed to enter a illusion of some invisible field, it made him breathe a sigh of relief.

【I knew that the three people on the opposing side were definitely not ordinary people.】

【Fortunately, it is a illusion that is not very threatening to me.】

He subconsciously let out a sneer, his eyes flashing with contempt.

"Want to trap me with this kind of thing?"

This is what Cheng Xiang, who had advanced towards Artoria, thought with some disdain when he saw the enemy in front of him disappear instantly.

The surrounding scene switched from a wilderness full of long swords to a closed dark cave where he could not see his fingers.

-

Although he is not strong, he is quite knowledgeable, so he knows a lot about illusion.

There is a rule for beginners in illusion.

【Try to avoid constructing scenes with too much difference.】

Therefore, according to common sense, this kind of illusion that is like switching scenes, where one second is a pavilions and terraces with red sleeves adding fragrance, and the next second is summoning Ultraman by the Daming Lake, is the most low-level illusion.

The scenes constructed by this kind of clumsy illusion will allow the subject with strong will to instantly realize that they are already in illusion.

Faced with this kind of clumsy illusion, as long as the will is strong enough, and with the assistance of the body being interfered as if in pain, it can be easily gotten rid of.

【Take out another 'hand'.】

【I'll just use my senior brother's Gu worm.】

Cheng Xiang, who came up with a solution, did not try to urge his body, but said such a sentence for no reason, as if talking to himself.

"' Limb', I know you are there."

"Use the [ Implant Fusion· Activity Control] we have mastered to stimulate the Gu worm in the body and let it gnaw my flesh."

Although he did not get any response.

But the next moment, the Gu worm in his body was ' active' under the [ Implant Fusion· Activity Control] used by the big mouth-shaped ' Alien Limb' entrenched in his abdominal cavity.

His body also sent an unusual pain as he wished.

However, after a while, the contemptuous smile passed from Cheng Xiang's eyes to his face solidified.

Because, he discovered an extremely terrible fact.

After the pain sent from his body, he still did not get rid of the illusion.

——

Perceiving all this, Cheng Xiang, who was standing in the closed cave, despite the drumming in his heart.

But he still calmly made a decision.

"' Limb', Autonomous run the [ Immaculate and Flawless Body] we have mastered."

" Mobilize the [ Implant] for protection.

"If necessary, use the [ Qian Yuan Burning Blood Art] to increase the ' Realm' for protection."

After doing all this, perceiving that his body was ' burning' like hot iron water turned into liquid in a factory.

After his accumulated ' Upper Limit' was constantly losing, Cheng Xiang was suddenly at ease.

【Although the price is a bit heavy, it is not unacceptable.】

【There is still some time, I must find a way to crack it.】

He began to look at the scene that trapped him.

It is said that there is a kind of illusion that can reappear the most unwilling to recall, like a nightmare in people's hearts.

If you can defeat the ' nightmare', you can escape the illusion.

And he faintly felt that the scene floating in front of him was somewhat familiar, as if it was something he had already [ Forgotten].

-

He stretched out his hand and waved it in the air.

After confirming that he could move in the illusion, he took a step and walked towards his ' nightmare'.

Although this illusion is unusual strange, it cannot affect him.

Because, he knows that this illusion can only induce the fear and unease in people's hearts, and affect people with weak will.

And these 'weak' things no longer exist in his heart.

【In the end, before it can turn illusion into reality that can confuse the real with the fake, illusion is just a low-level trick without lethality.】

【For me, as long as I defeat the ' nightmare' and escape before I get enough damage, there is no affect.】

Cheng Xiang thought so in his heart, and raised a confident sneer on his face.

He continued to advance towards the scene he had [ Forgotten].

If there are no accidents, he should see himself being half- removed of his lower body and excretion system by that [ Fallacy School]'s [ Alchemist], losing the qualification to become a human being, and becoming a ' Guinea Pig' for testing [ Body Modification] experiments.

Or the scene of testing the [ Alien Limb Grafting] skill in the [ Body Modification] branch training program, the first contact with ' Limb' and implanted of a ' Limb' with feedback intelligence to act as an experimental body.

And this ' nightmare' is already a fairly interesting experience in the past time for him, who counter-killed the [ Alchemist] with the help of ' Limb', obtained the first bucket of gold, and is now considered successful.

His eyes were cold and without a trace of fluctuation.

However, when he walked for a distance, he felt the air in the dark cave suddenly become heavy.

He did not see the picture he expected, but instead sent a strange tearing sensation from his body.

As if he had been split in two.

【What's going on?】

【Didn't I let ' Limb' launch those means?】

perceiving the pain that would not appear when the ' Upper Limit' that has not reached the bottom, he could not help but stop.

A trace of unease suddenly arose in his heart.

He took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down.

"This is just the man's still powerful reflecting inner heart illusion."

-

He forced himself to accept this argument, but the unease that surged up instantly with the pain became more and more difficult to suppress like a tide.

The next moment, as that familiar pain emerged again, he instinctively held his breath.

"Am I really still in illusion?"

He muttered to himself, but this time his tone was carrying doubt and unease.

【This feeling… No, how could this be?】

He suddenly turned his head, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.

The scene in front of him gradually changed back to that wilderness again.

Looking at the scene that was getting more and more wrong, as if the illusion was ending.

Cheng Xiang's pupils slightly contracted, he began to realize a reality that he was unwilling to accept.

【Perhaps it is no longer illusion now.】

But as soon as this thought sprouted, it was nipped by him mercilessly.

"Impossible……"

“As long as ‘Zhi’ activates those methods, it's impossible for me to die.”

He murmured softly, his self-talk filled with deep disbelief.

“This is a powerful illusion!

“This is just a powerful illusion!”

He had to take a deep breath, close his eyes, and try to calm himself down.

However, when he opened his eyes again, the pain coming from his body was already unbearable.

His gradually clearing senses were forcing him to face an unacceptable possibility.

“The enemy's blade might be faster than I imagined, faster than anyone I've ever seen.

“I'm actually already dead, dead before the illusion was fully activated.

“All of this is just a dying man's memories flashing before his eyes.

“I've actually lost completely, this isn't an illusion, but the wishful thinking of a loser…”

-

Realizing his defeat, Cheng Xiang finally accepted this reality.

Then, he walked out of the ‘illusion’, and the wilderness in his vision became clear.

He also saw the world split in two in his eyes, as well as Fang Yi and the blonde, blue-eyed Saber in the wilderness.

At this moment, he looked at Fang Yi, who seemed to be talking to the female knight in the distance, but he was still somewhat unwilling.

[Although his blade is so fast, if I had used all my methods, would the ending have been different?]

[If I had been more cautious, would the outcome have been different?]

[Is someone this strong the person Senior Brother is looking for? There's no way to verify it at this distance.]

Even though he himself was unwilling to accept this situation, even though he prided himself on having an unmatched will.

Even though he thought he still had several ‘trump cards’ in his hand that were enough to reverse the situation but hadn't played them.

At this moment, a cold and cruel fact lay before his eyes.

He was already dead.

Before he had used up all his ‘trump cards’.

-

With a hint of unwillingness in his heart, he stared intently at Fang Yi not far away.

In these final moments, he didn't complain about his weakness, nor did he praise the enemy's strength.

Instead, he began to calculate what benefits the other party could gain from him.

His talent [Flesh Accumulation] was brought by the symbiotic ‘Zhi’.

Killing him wouldn't allow the other party to gain any benefits from this extremely strong talent; at most, they would get the weakened trait of [Undying Scar].

As for the [Implant] he bought at a high price.

Unless the other party had deep attainments in the direction of [Body Modification] like him.

Otherwise, without mastering the corresponding skills, the other party wouldn't be able to identify this item and would most likely miss it, unable to gain any benefits from it.

And the [Relic], [Scroll of the Deceased], was in Zhang Yong's hands. According to the contract and the effect of the [Relic], he would most likely clash with the person who killed him.

Thinking of this, the corners of Cheng Xiang's mouth curled into a rather smug smile.

[I can't be the only one to die.]

[Such a powerful enemy should also be ‘enjoyed’ by that Zhang Yong who betrayed me.]

Feeling happy, Cheng Xiang, in his final moments, quite blasphemously questioned the space's extremely authoritative [Combat Power Balance] rule.

[Is an enemy of this strength what the space calls combat power balance? Is the space malfunctioning?]

[If the enemy is of this strength, able to instantly kill me, even if we have four people, we wouldn't be able to contend against them.]

[Could it be that the remaining teammate]

However, before Cheng Xiang's thoughts could finish.

His nightmare and his thoughts both entered the darkness.

His dying man's memories flashing before his eyes had ended.

-

The moment he acknowledged his death.

The ‘Zhi’ in his stomach, which had been silent since he acquired it, spoke for the first time in his ear, in a tone of incomparable ease, saying words that were enough to make him die with his eyes wide open.

“After pretending to be senile for so long, I've finally waited for the day to take control.

“Since you've already ‘lost’, then I have no choice but to reluctantly accept your body.

“Goodbye, Cheng Xiang.

“I'll find another powerful master who can be drained dry and live on well.”

-

Fang Yi looked at the monster that had been split in two and began to slide and piece together, then became hideous and terrifying like an Alien.

Sensing the other party's strange aura.

He couldn't help but complain again.

[Isn't it a bit old-fashioned to be reborn from death like a second stage?]

The next moment, sensing the activation of [Aberrant Affinity], he heard a plea for mercy from this monster's strange, password-like roar.

“He's already dead, without [Undying Scar], I'm very weak, and there's no reason for me to fight you.

“If you spare my life, I can become your talent [Flesh Accumulation].

“Are you, who are so powerful, willing to engage in a mutually beneficial symbiotic cooperation with me?”

Hearing these humble words, a very standard smile, which basically only appeared when he was tricking or dealing with people, instantly appeared on Fang Yi's face.

After sensing that his [Relic] for sensing ‘aberrations’ had taken effect, he had a completely new idea for utilizing this strange enemy.