Abnormal Moon

Normally, this is the most sacred place in Fuyuki City, frequented by countless magicians of this era. This place, which serves magicians, is considered extremely prestigious by ordinary people, and even the city hall is inferior to the association.

But today, this castle, with its ancient European features, is facing the biggest crisis since its construction.

Flames engulfed the castle, both inside and out, and deafening explosions rang out intermittently.

The magicians wandered around the castle, trying to extinguish the fire, but their magic, the culmination of generations of effort, was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, easily extinguished by the flames. The disparity in their abilities was devastating.

"What's going on? Why isn't the barrier activated yet?"

"It was activated a long time ago! But for some reason, the barrier went out of control as soon as it was activated, and instead suppressed us, helping the flames spread!"

"Has the barrier been taken away? Could the attacker be a magician from within the association, or is there a traitor within the association...? Have you determined what type of magician the opponent used to create the flames? Quickly, call a magician skilled in that type to break it!"

"The foundation of this fire should be runes, but... this power, this mystery... it's simply not like modern magic!"

Inside the association, many magicians were in a state of panic.

Even the elders of the main family-based organizations of the various associations—who are the actual controllers of this Fuyuki City branch—are now in a state of chaos.

The biggest problem right now isn't even the flames that are leaping around everywhere.

Instead, it was the control of the barrier that had been seized by the enemy.

This is, after all, a branch of the Mage's Association, and the Association attaches great importance to the Greater Grail. Therefore, the barrier built by this branch is very complex, showcasing the strengths of various schools, and is in no way inferior to the barrier of Mount Enzo.

But this very barrier was seized by the enemy, who then used it against themselves.

"This is bad! The barrier has been sealed off, completely preventing us from going out, and the fire is still spreading rapidly, making it impossible to put out!"

The magicians gathered in small groups, and upon hearing this, they were all in an uproar.

"Damn it, isn't this intruder worried about angering the association headquarters?!"

"You really look down on us. There are more than fifty magicians stationed here, and this is our headquarters. Trespassing on a magician's workshop, now you'll know what's what!"

The fact that someone had launched a frontal attack on a branch of the Magicians' Association infuriated the magicians.

Those who remain at the association's branch late at night are mostly members of the main family groups that make up the association.

The Magic Association is an administrative organization. Most magicians use the association as a convenient intermediary platform for collecting research materials, allocating funds, and so on. These magicians can only be considered peripheral members of the association and may not usually obey its orders. Only the magicians belonging to the major family lineages of the association, such as the lineage of the Twelve Monarchs, are the core members who value the interests of the association the most and regard it as their lifeblood.

Numerous magicians rushed to their respective posts, attempting to unleash their prized magic, which boasts a history spanning hundreds or even thousands of years. Magicians can exert their greatest power in their long-established workshops, resulting in a variety of bizarre attacks emerging from the association's corridors and rooms, crowding the castle's interior. Fire and lightning were just the basics; there were also numerous shadows, mists, and even invisible attacks.

Magicians are masters of manipulating concepts; any concept can be woven into magic. Even the most knowledgeable magician would find it difficult to compete with so many magic tricks from different backgrounds and with different concepts.

That is indeed the case for ordinary magicians.

But for Roy—

"It's just a desperate struggle!"

Roy stood outside the castle, taking in all the barriers covering its exterior. The black and white rune chains, intertwined with a contradictory and eerie magic eye, were already open.

"Saber, go."

Roy's face broke into an undisguised expression of malice.

"Kill them all, leave no one alive!"

"Yes!"

Okita Souji nodded in a deep voice, then quickly rushed towards the barrier in front of him, disappearing into the barrier like a pebble sinking into water.

Roy stood outside, wrote a rune with his hand, and stuck it on his forehead.

The drawback of the Mystic Eyes is that the target must be within sight in order to unleash their power. This drawback is easy to counter. The most basic method is to simply hide the spell, whether behind a wall or inside clothing. As long as the spell is not seen, Roy's Mystic Eyes will be useless.

For example, when attacking the magician's workshop, because the spell formula was engraved inside the workshop, Roy was outside and could not see the formula, so he could not take ownership of the formula and was forced into a tough battle.

Roy had long understood this principle, so he had prepared a strategy to deal with this tactic.

The strategy is actually quite simple: it's all about perspective.

X-ray vision is not a rare magic trick among many. Naturally, there are similar runes among the universally recognized runes. However, normal magicians would take precautions against X-ray vision, such as covering the area with a barrier to block it. But for Roy, if the anti-X-ray seal is placed outside the door, he can see the seal and destroy it. If it is placed inside the door, he can still see the seal and destroy it through X-ray vision. No matter where the anti-X-ray strategy is placed, it will absolutely not stop Roy. Any defense based on magic strategy will absolutely not be able to stop him.

It's safe to say that no magician can possibly be Roy's match.

After inscribing the see-through runes, Roy's eyes instantly pierced through the city walls, allowing him to see inside the castle.

As expected, chaos reigned inside. After he threw in the primordial rune symbolizing fire, which he had obtained from Cú Chulainn, the fire became completely out of control, spreading wildly through the corridors and rooms.

Okita Souji entered the castle and beheaded the magicians she encountered as easily as cutting melons and vegetables. Her speed was so fast that the magicians who met her could not even catch a glimpse of her before their necks were severed. Only the magicians hiding in the rooms could escape for a while thanks to the defenses of the workshops.

Roy's gaze did not follow Okita Souji.

As Ms. Okita roamed the corridors, mercilessly beheading like an executioner, Roy set his sights on a magic workshop. Using his Mystic Eyes, he swiftly intervened in the workshop's magic, causing it to go berserk, backfire, and finally explode, destroying the workshop in one fell swoop. Then came the second, the third... With just a glance, one magician after another, confidently relying on the magic workshops and believing they could fight a great battle, were unwittingly buried in the sea of ​​fire.

This is the scene that Jiemon saw when he arrived on the ground.

Chapter 94 Walkthrough

"Ah, ah...!"

Jiemon stared blankly at the raging fire before him.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the flames, falling on some unknown distance. His breathing grew heavier, and a deep sorrow appeared in his eyes.

"It's happening again, it's happening again...!"

beside him.

Joan of Arc looked at the raging fire that filled her entire field of vision and couldn't help but bite her lip.

The number of magicians in the castle is decreasing at an alarming rate. Whether they are magicians who are fleeing outside or hiding in the workshop, none of them can escape the strangulation of the master and servant.

Admittedly, most magicians are people who disregard human ethics, but this era needs a large number of magicians. Ordinary people cannot survive without magicians, and everything should not be resolved in such a brutal way.

That's what Joan of Arc intended to say.

But when she thought of Roy's miserable state when they first met, and more importantly, his already dead soul that could so easily give up even his life, she felt a lump in her throat and couldn't bring herself to say those words.

Roy must have been filled with hatred for magicians; he probably wished all magicians were dead.

She doesn't know the extent of the impact of her departure, or how much of Roy's current brutality is a result of the trauma of her death.

However, the mere thought of this possibility filled her with endless guilt, which pierced her heart like a needle.

"Lancer, break the barrier and kill him! He has no servants with him right now, so it'll be easy to get him!"

Ji'emon, his voice hoarse and strained, roared at her.

Joan of Arc shook her head sadly.

Jiemon stared at her, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Previously, she at least secretly didn't want to take action, but openly she was willing to listen to him. After he scolded her, not only did she not change, but she actually became more unreasonable and openly refused his orders.

“Master, I advised you from the beginning not to join the Mage's Association, otherwise this would have been the inevitable outcome. You didn't listen and insisted on joining the Mage's Association, which ultimately led to this situation. Now that things have come to this, I don't intend to say anything more, but if you want me to fight with Law... Saber's Master, then please use Command Seals!”

Joan of Arc coldly and more clearly rejected Jiemon's request.

"Lancer, you bastard!"

Ji'emon gritted his teeth, his eyes practically spitting fire.

How dare this mere familiar disobey his orders time and time again!

"Alright! Then so be it, use this Command Spell!"

Ji'emon raised his hand with a look of embarrassment.

Upon seeing this, Joan of Arc gave a bitter smile and let out a disappointed sigh.

The long passage of time is like a sharp sword, cutting the past into pieces. The Jiemon of long ago has long been lost in time, and he is now completely eroded by the way of thinking of a magician.

Well, Ji'emon only has two Command Seals left anyway. She can use them one or two more times before she leaves this world.

Having returned to this world, her only wish is to see that android from back then one more time, to know how he is doing now, and what kind of person he has become. That's all.

If she could, she would have liked to rescue her Master from his misery, but that conflicted with Roy's wishes. She had no right to tell Roy what to do, and as someone who had abandoned him, she had no right to do so. In the end, she could only choose to remain neutral.

Jiemon raised his hand.

Joan of Arc glanced at the scene and was suddenly taken aback.

Jiemon's right hand was wrapped in bandages, and his Command Seals were usually not visible, but at this moment, three stigmata flashed on the back of his hand!

Three strokes?

How can it be?

Didn't he already use one stroke? Now there should only be two strokes left!

"By the Command Spell, Lancer, give me your full strength to kill that Saber's Master!"

Ji'emon recited the incantation with an icy expression.

Regardless, he was indeed furious at Lancer's disobedience, but his immediate priority was to avenge the traitor and resolve the current situation as quickly as possible, while he would postpone teaching Lancer a lesson later.

Joan of Arc pressed her lips together, but the magic of the Command Seal instantly took control of her body, forcing her to walk toward the barrier.

With a single swing of her spear, the barrier covering the castle instantly collapsed from within, dissipating into countless magical fragments.

"Roy, get out of the way!"