Crossover Anime: Edit everything, join the chat group

"I know," Rin replied in her mind. "I just watched his fight with Bsk in the group chat; it was like a natural disaster."

No, you don't know! Arch's voice, for the first time, carried a hint of urgency. His power was far more than that! That guy's arrogance was ingrained! In his eyes, all of us Heroic Spirits were nothing more than lowly mongrels! You absolutely cannot…

However, Gu Chuan's next words instantly turned all of Arch's warnings into a pale, laughable joke.

"Then, let me tell you something else." Gu Chuan put down his teacup, the crisp sound of porcelain clinking echoing in the silent room like the tolling of a judgment bell, striking the hearts of everyone present. He revealed to Rin a cruel truth that could overturn the entire Holy Grail War.

"—That golden Archer, Gilgamesh, his Master, is none other than the supervisor of this Holy Grail War, your father's good disciple—"

"Kirei Kotomine".

boom--!!!!!!

This news struck Rin like a bolt from the blue, exploding in her mind!

Her body trembled violently, and for the first time, her ruby-like eyes, which were always full of confidence and pride, revealed extreme shock and disbelief!

“No…no…how could this be?!” she cried out, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. “Kirei…how could he be Arch’s Mast?! Ten years ago…at the end of the last war, he clearly…”

"He deceived everyone." Gu Chuan said calmly, as if stating a fact, shattering her last shred of illusion. "Ten years ago, he and Gilgamesh were already allies. Together, they orchestrated the final outcome of the Fourth Holy Grail War. And this time, they are also after the Holy Grail."

The truth, like the sharpest dagger, pierced Rin's heart!

The "rules" and "justice" that she had always trusted as the cornerstone of the war were utterly shattered at this moment!

The church, which was supposed to be neutral and act as a "judge," turned out to be the most dangerous and unfathomable enemy from the very beginning!

And her own father, the perfect magician whom she both revered and worshipped, was betrayed and murdered by her most trusted disciple and the servant he summoned!

A complex torrent of emotions, a mixture of anger at being deceived, sorrow for her father's injustice, and disgust for the entire Holy Grail War, surged into her heart, causing her petite body to tremble slightly with extreme rage.

"What did you say?!" Arch's voice, usually so full of sarcasm and composure, completely lost its composure at this moment. Kirei Kotomine... is that the Master of the Golden Pikachu?! This... how is this possible?!

Gu Chuan seemed to see through Arch's shock. He picked up his teacup, but his gaze seemed to pierce through the barrier of space, landing on the location of Arch's spirit. A playful smile appeared on his lips.

"Surprised? Guardian. Don't worry, there's more to surprise you."

He turned his head and looked at Rin again, saying casually in an almost conversational tone, "Just now, when you were fighting Cast, that Hero King also came to see me."

"What?!" Rin, Shirou, and Jeanne exclaimed in unison!

"He came looking for you?!" Arch's voice was extremely tense. "And then?! Did you fight him?! Quick! Rin! We must leave here immediately! We have no chance against that man!"

"A battle?" Gu Chuan smiled and shook his head. "Not really. We just chatted a few words in a friendly manner."

"Then, he left on his own."

Arch: "...Huh?"

Rin: "...Eh?"

Gu Chuan shrugged, looking at the shocked and disbelieving expressions on their faces.

"If I had to say something, it would probably be that I scared him away."

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell into a deathly, absolute silence.

Emiya Shirou and Jeanne d'Arc felt that the man before them was unfathomable and that his words were becoming increasingly outrageous.

After a brief moment of shock, Rin was the first to react! She remembered Gu Chuan's almost godlike deeds in the chat group, and her near-blind trust in him made her accept this seemingly absurd "fact" without hesitation! Her eyes instantly sparkled with adoration!

As for Arch...

This seasoned guardian, who had witnessed countless battles and a lifetime of history, saw his worldview, built upon countless experiences and common sense, completely collapse at this moment.

...Scared away?

That most ancient hero-king who was supreme in heaven and earth, who regarded all living beings as ants, and who didn't even respect the gods... Gilgamesh...

...Were they scared away?

His mind went completely into a state of chaos and malfunction.

"……I see."

After a long while, Rin slowly recovered from the immense shock of her father's death. She took a deep breath, wiped away a tear that had involuntarily seeped from the corner of her eye, and all the confusion and shock in her ruby-like eyes had faded, replaced by an unprecedented, cold killing intent and determination.

Gu Chuan looked at her and nodded in satisfaction.

"It seems you already know what to do."

He refilled his cup of black tea and gave new instructions.

"Now that we know the enemy's true colors, the rest of the game will be much easier."

"Rin, you and your Arch continue to cooperate with Shirou Emiya and the others."

"Perfect, let's use them to help us probe how many interesting secrets that temple, which is inhabited by witches and the dead, holds."

"—Especially that mysterious Assassin guarding the mountain gate."

137. Hope of the past, budding of the future

As the flames of war quietly ignite in Fuyuki City and the destinies of heroes begin to intertwine, a different scene unfolds in a wondrous, otherworldly garden, existing outside of all time and space.

This is the exclusive space that Gu Chuan created for his maid Mengmeng at will, using his power as the "Dominator"—an absolute "divine realm" that belongs only to them.

In the courtyard, there are incredible and wondrous plants from all corners of the universe that grow, defying any physical laws of the world.

Some are like crystals, spontaneously emitting a soft, dreamlike halo in the absence of light; others are like giant dandelions, with soft fluff drifting slowly, each seed wrapped with a bit of starlight.

Further away, a crystal-clear stream, its origin and destination unknown, flows gently around an exquisite palace crafted entirely of white jade and gold. It is not made of water, but rather flows with a pure, liquid magic. The air is filled with a delicate floral fragrance that is refreshing and soul-cleansing.

"—No, no! Sakura, your magic circuits are operating too gently!"

Like a boneless kitten, Mengmeng lay lazily on her side on a huge, cloud-like, glowing plant, swinging her two fair legs, while her signature black devil tail swayed behind her.

While stuffing potato chips into her mouth, making a crisp "crunch" sound, she was giving some rather unreliable "instructions" to the purple-haired girl below who was trying to construct a magic formula.

"The essence of the magic of the Age of Gods lies in commanding, not requesting! You must make the laws of this world obey you, not try to negotiate with them! Just like... just like a master ordering me to do something! Be domineering! Have that aura that says, 'If I tell you to move, you can't not move!'"

Below her, Sakura, who had grown into a graceful young woman, had her eyes closed, and a fine layer of fragrant sweat appeared on her fair forehead.

She was following Mengmeng's teachings, which sounded somewhat strange but were very insightful, and was trying to weave her innate, incredibly vast "imaginary" magic into true divine magic in the most ancient and original way.

Just now, Mengmeng, who was in another dimension, keenly sensed the massive surge of magical power gushing out from the spiritual veins of Fuyuki City.

This seemingly mischievous third princess, who only knows how to eat snacks and watch anime all day, but actually possesses god-level knowledge and the terrifying strength of the Deviluke royal family, immediately realized that the interesting game belonging to her most beloved master, her only "Dad~ Dad," had already begun.

So she decided to stop slacking off and start giving her "little master" real, god-level special training.

"Hoo..." Sakura slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, trying her best to adjust her mindset.

She could feel the imaginary magic within her body, which was like an endless abyss. It was quiet and obedient, yet it also carried an inertia that originated from "nothingness".

In the past, whether learning modern magic or being reformed by the Matou family, she was always passively "guided" and "endured." But now, her older sister, Momo, is telling her to "command" them.

This is undoubtedly a huge challenge for a girl who has been used to being submissive since childhood and even has a somewhat people-pleasing personality.

She tried to forcefully and domineeringly inject her will into that sea of ​​magic.

With a thought, countless purple magical points of light, filled with imaginary energy, began to rapidly converge, rotate, and weave in the void before her! Unlike modern magic, which requires complex incantations and fixed spell patterns, they seemed to possess life, directly responding to Sakura's "will" and constructing the form she desired!

Soon, a lifelike butterfly, made entirely of imaginary magic and seemingly carved from the purest amethyst, fluttered its dreamlike wings, which seemed to absorb even light, and danced gracefully in mid-air.

"Wow! I succeeded on my first try!"

Mengmeng, who had been looking relaxed, widened her eyes in surprise the moment she saw the butterfly. She even forgot to chew the potato chips in her mouth and sat up directly from the cloud!

She had thought that, given Sakura's gentle and introverted personality, mastering the "unreasonable" and domineering power of the Shindai Magic would require at least a long period of practice and mental preparation.

Unexpectedly, her talent was so incredibly high! Her affinity and control over the magic of "imaginary numbers" was practically like a daughter born from the imaginary space itself.

"You did a great job, Sakura!" She leaped down from the dandelion, transforming into a blur as she instantly appeared beside Sakura, affectionately hugging her arm and praising her without reservation, "I knew it, Master's daughter is definitely the best!"

"It's all...it's all thanks to Sister Mengmeng for teaching me so well." Sakura smiled shyly, and as she stretched out her finger, the beautiful magic butterfly obediently landed on her fingertip.

She looked at the butterfly fluttering its wings on her fingertip, and a hint of longing for a distant place flashed in her beautiful purple eyes.

The intense magical turmoil emanating from the real world made her feel a strange palpitation, and it also made her uncontrollably recall the godlike figure who had saved her from hell.

She looked up at Mengmeng and asked softly in a tone full of curiosity and admiration, "Sister Mengmeng... what is Daddy doing right now?"

"Master?"

The moment that name was mentioned, Mengmeng's face, which was always full of playfulness and amusement, instantly lit up with the purest, almost "faithful," and fervent worship! Her pink eyes shone like two of the most brilliant stars.

“My master…” Her voice became like chanting a hymn, full of longing and pride, “He must be like an omnipotent god now, using that small city as his chessboard, leisurely watching those so-called heroes struggle in vain in the game he has set up.”

She described to Ying how great and transcendent Gu Chuan was in her eyes.

“Sakura, do you know? Whether it’s a colossal star beast that can destroy the world or the oldest king who claims to be a god, in front of Master, they are nothing more than interesting toys that can be crushed at will.”

"That guy, all golden and calling himself the King of Heroes, wasn't he arrogant? He dared to call his master a mongrel, and his master used just one finger to turn his most prized treasure into a real toy, shattering it into countless specks of light! That arrogant king, in the end, didn't even have the courage to fight back, and could only slink away with his tail between his legs!"

"And then there's the Greater Grail, that cursed entity that had been corrupted for decades, accumulating all the malice in the world, a hell that no magician could touch. What did the master do? He merely glanced at it, and then, in the name of God, declared it innocent. And then, that overwhelming malice, that endless curse, transformed into the purest light under his sword!"

She gestured wildly, using the most exaggerated yet most genuine language to recount Gu Chuan's great achievements to Ying.

"He can easily warp time and make the past reappear; he can arbitrarily modify the laws and bring the dead back to life (Zhao Nuo's). The knowledge he possesses is more vast than the stars in the universe; the power he wields is enough to make all the gods tremble."

"He is the walking truth, the only omnipotent one."

With her almost worshipful and unquestionable tone, Mengmeng completely deified Gu Chuan's image as a "savior" in Ying's heart, which already trusted him immensely!

Sakura listened quietly, her purple eyes gleaming with an ever-growing light. She etched everything Mengmeng had said deep into her soul. So, the father who had saved her from that hell was such a…great being?

“So, Sakura,” Mengmeng finally reverted to her playful demeanor, gently stroking Sakura’s head, a meaningful smile flashing in her pink eyes.

"You must quickly become stronger. Become strong enough to be worthy of being his daughter."

"Because, very soon... very soon... it will be time for you to return to that stage, back to your master's side, to personally..."

"—It's time to take back everything that rightfully belongs to you."

138 Sword Ideals and God's Classroom

The Emiya residence under the night sky is filled with a tranquility that seems out of place in this era, belonging to a bygone time.

In the old dojo in the backyard, filled with the smell of dust and clutter, a somewhat clumsy training session was quietly taking place under the moonlight.

"No! Your center of gravity is too high!"

Joan of Arc, clad in silver armor, corrected the boy wielding a bamboo sword before her in her clear yet stern voice.

Emiya Shirou was panting heavily, sweat soaking through his thin tracksuit and dripping from his orange hair onto the old wooden floor. He was trying hard, almost desperately, but his movements were still stiff and clumsy, typical of an amateur. Every swing he made focused on power, neglecting the most basic techniques; he had the posture, but no real skill.

Joan of Arc patiently walked to his side, extended her armored hand, and gently adjusted his posture, correcting the way he held his sword.

“Swinging a sword isn’t just about the strength of your arms.” Her voice, like a melodious hymn in a church, was full of soothing power. “You have to feel the power rising from your feet, passing through the twist of your waist, to your shoulders, and finally converging on your blade. You have to make your body, your will, and the sword in your hand one.”

Although Shirou's performance was so clumsy that it left her somewhat helpless, when Jeanne looked into his eyes, which shone with an unusual light under the moonlight and were full of purity and stubbornness, she couldn't help but think of her distant past.

That ideal of "wanting to become a partner of justice" was so naive as to be almost twisted.

That determination to "save everyone" and to carry it out even at the cost of one's own life.

This ideal is remarkably similar to her original intention in 510 when she raised the holy banner, fought for France, and fought for her own faith.

She finally understood why the Holy Grail, despite the Sab class being occupied, made an exception and summoned her, the "arbiter," to the boy's side.

They are the same kind of people.

“Try using your magic, Mast,” Jeanne said after the physical training session at the Basic X-Six Road Training Center. “Let me see your magical projection that can replicate Noble Phantasms.”

“…I’ll give it a try.” Shirou nodded.

He closed his eyes, concentrated all his energy, and pushed his magic circuits to their limit!

"--Traceon, begin!"

As he chanted somewhat awkwardly, magical specks in the air began to converge towards his palm. An ordinary, standard longsword, in his hand, slowly solidified from nothingness into reality.

However, this sword looked so crudely made that the blade was even covered with tiny cracks, as if it would shatter at the slightest touch.

However, when Joan of Arc reached out and gently touched the "fake," a hint of extreme surprise flashed in her usually loving blue eyes.

Because she could clearly sense that what was contained within this seemingly fragile sword was not simply magic, but a purer, more essential "concept".

That was the ideal of the young man before them, the ideal that his very soul had become, called "sword."

He was not "copying" the sword.

He was using his own soul to "become" the sword.