You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

However, this ability is not without flaws. If it is washed away by a powerful energy attack, some of the free energy that makes up his body will also be annihilated, which is equivalent to weakening himself in a roundabout way.

Secondly, his control is limited. If he remains in a free energy state for a long time, the reassembly process will be slower, and there may be additional losses.

This is undoubtedly deadly in a battle where life and death can be decided in an instant!

Vlad III may not know the nature of his abilities, but he can deduce them based on the vampire's "mist" skill (the two do have similar principles), so he naturally understands what tactics to adopt.

"Ok?"

Vlad III took a half step back, holding his spear horizontally—

Clang!

Brilliant sparks flew across the night sky, and then Iori appeared, sword in hand. In a moment of silence, she left the group of wooden stakes and launched a surprise attack on Vlad III using Shunpo.

However, although there were many wooden stakes, each one was a treasure of the Grand Duke, and he could immediately sense the changes that occurred inside, thus preventing Iori's slash.

"Your abilities are more troublesome than I imagined; you seem even more difficult to deal with than a vampire!"

Vlad III smiled gleefully, his movements exceptionally swift, as he clashed with Iori once more. This time, his attacks were even more ferocious, as if he wanted to see where Iori's limits lay.

With Romanian soil beneath his feet and the World Tree Castle, where the Greater Grail was placed, behind him, Vlad III possessed an inexhaustible source of magical power. He could relentlessly activate the thousands upon thousands of wooden stakes, using various minor techniques at will, and for a time, he put Iori at a disadvantage.

Unfortunately, while Sera is an excellent Master, she can't compare to the Greater Grail. If Iori weren't different from other Servants and could regenerate her own mana, she would have been worn down by Vlad III in a war of attrition long ago.

"Wait a moment, Lancer."

Iori dodged the sharp wooden stakes that appeared beneath her feet, instantly creating distance, and raised her hand in a gesture of warning.

"Could we stop for now?"

"what?"

Vlad III paused, his brow furrowing instinctively: "At this moment, you're not joking..."

Before he could finish speaking, his expression suddenly changed. His eyes first showed an incredulous light, followed by unspeakable anger and shame!

The powerful magical energy fluctuations almost solidified on his body, making the surrounding air viscous!

Seeing this, Iori laughed instead: "It seems I guessed right, something has indeed happened on the other battlefield... What, has anyone from the Black side withdrawn?"

He seemed to be asking a casual question, but in reality he was very interested in Vlad III's reaction.

He only sensed the change in Shuten-dōji's aura from afar and guessed that an emergency had occurred there, but he did not know the specifics of what had happened. However, Vlad III should know the details.

"What I cannot tolerate most... is betrayal!"

Vlad III's eyes were now bloodshot, and a fierce aura suddenly rose from them. His magnificent black robes fluttered without wind, making him look like a ghost wandering in the night.

Iori's smile gradually faded as she secretly gathered her magic power, preparing to deal with any unexpected situations.

Black Lancer is acting a bit strange right now!

However, since "betrayal" has been mentioned, it's easy to understand, because this is what Lancer hates most!

Vlad III Tepes was a man whose life was shrouded in hatred and killing. As a child, he was held hostage in another country. After many twists and turns, he finally returned to his homeland, Romania, and thereafter served as the king and hero of his country, protecting the land.

His image was undoubtedly cold and cruel, but no one could deny his determination to resist invasion and protect Romania!

Despite the vast disparity in strength between himself and the Ottoman Turks, he bravely repelled enemy attacks time and again.

This ruthless king suffered his greatest defeat because of the betrayal of his own blood relatives!

His younger brother's rebellion cost him the throne, and even if he regained it, everything had been completely changed, making it all irreversible...

In life, this was his greatest regret, and after being summoned as a Servant, he would not allow anyone to offend him either—this wound called "betrayal" has never healed!

He had just learned that Assassin Shuten-dōji not only stole the Rhine Gold, but also ambushed and killed Saber Siegfried, who was on the same side.

This not only deprived the Black side of an important combat force, but was also a blatant act of betrayal!

Vlad III already had a tendency toward depravity and madness. His mental state was unstable, and this incident further provoked him, pushing his rationality to the brink of collapse!

"Assassin! Whatever your reasons!"

Visible black smoke billowed from Vlad III's body and shot into the sky: "This sin must be washed away with your blood!"

This guy's spirit origin is slowly transforming into another form—Iori frowned slightly.

However, Vlad III's changes were not what he cared about most. On the other side of the distant battlefield, the strange changes happening to Shuten-dōji were more important to Iori!

If you pay close attention, you'll notice that Shuten-dōji's aura is constantly increasing and changing... It seems that she has most likely stolen the Rhine Gold.

This was expected, since Siegfried wasn't the only one who needed gold; strictly speaking, all Servants with the "Dragon" attribute would need it.

However... the magnitude of this change and the speed of this evolution...

Of course, as the saying goes, seeing is believing, and no matter how many times you guess here, it's not as good as going to the scene to see it for yourself.

Moreover, if Shuten-dōji were to fall into the form of an "evil dragon," then Iori would have to step in to subdue the demon.

-

"Saber!"

When Siegfried tried to stand up but swayed and was about to fall, Joan of Arc appeared beside him and caught him.

"you……"

Joan of Arc wanted to say something, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she realized something was wrong and silently shut her mouth.

It's pointless to say anything now. Although a Servant's Spirit Origin doesn't have as many weaknesses as a mortal body, if their heart and brain are destroyed, they will still die. After Siegfried had his heart ripped out by Shuten-dōji, he could already be considered a "corpse".

This can hardly be called a near-death state; it's merely the last echo of a dead person in the world...

Saint Girl was not good at handling such occasions, and didn't even know what to say as a farewell—using Catholic prayers for Ziegfried seemed inappropriate as well.

Atalanta, on the other hand, also had a complicated expression. She and Black Saber belonged to opposite camps, and now that she no longer had a major enemy, she should have been happy. But it happened in this way, right before her eyes... which was truly a complicated feeling.

This is good news for the Red team, but neither Karna nor Atalanta showed any smiles.

"I'm going to track down the Assassin. This night isn't over yet!"

The huntress glanced at Joan of Arc and Karna, then released Siegfried and leaped into the night like a leopard.

Just as she said, the chaos tonight will continue, and neither the red nor the black Servants will stop!

Although Shuten-dōji seized the Rhine Gold, her act of assassinating Siegfried had already severed her ties with the Yggdmillennium. At this moment, she has become a wandering ghost, a target for both factions!

"Thank you, Ruler."

Siegfried thanked the Holy Maiden earnestly, then broke free of his support and stood on his own two feet, looking apologetically at Karna.

"I'm sorry... it seems I can no longer continue fighting."

"How disappointing, Saber."

Karna's face remained expressionless, and his tone was calm: "The battle with you was very enjoyable, but it's a pity that it was destined to have no ending. If we have the chance to meet again on another battlefield in the future... let's settle this once and for all then!"

"Okay, let's agree on that then."

Siegfried chuckled self-deprecatingly: "I originally intended to win the Holy Grail for my Master, but now it seems I'm destined to fail."

"Lancer, can I ask you for a favor?"

"can."

Karna did not ask what it was, but agreed immediately, clearly trusting that Siegfried would not make excessive demands.

It's strange that the two of them have only met twice, yet they understand and trust each other like old friends.

"I will be leaving this battlefield early tonight. The outcome and final result of this war are no longer my concern. But if the Red side wins in the future... could you spare my Master's life?"

Siegfried said sincerely, "Although my master is not a very frank person, he is not beyond redemption. If the outcome is clear, he will not resist fiercely."

"It's alright, it's just the life of a mere magician. I will do everything in my power to ensure his safety."

Karna agreed without hesitation or delay.

"grateful……"

Siegfried closed his eyes, his body gradually becoming transparent, emitting countless dazzling particles of light, and finally completely dissipating into the void.

Joan of Arc silently witnessed this scene, while Karna's eyes held a hint of pity for this formidable rival: "Saber..."

After that, the Son of the Sun glanced at Joan of Arc. He had previously attacked the Ruler in order to seize the Rhinegold, but now the two had no reason to be enemies.

He nodded slightly as an apology for his previous rudeness, then flames erupted from his body, and he transformed into a streak of light, following Atalanta's path and disappearing into the distance—he had also joined the hunt for Shuten-dōji.

"Could it be that the two major factions are going to join forces to defeat one person? What exactly is going on in this Holy Grail War...?"

Jeanne d'Arc frowned, carefully considering whether Shuten-dōji and the Red and Black factions' actions violated the rules of the Holy Grail War, and what actions she needed to take.

But she soon no longer needed to worry, because an extremely powerful aura appeared in the distant wilderness, and the extraordinary intuition brought by [Revelation] made her foresee the arrival of something evil!

"Something... what is this?!"

Joan of Arc took a deep breath, her almond-shaped eyes wide open as she gazed at the northwest sky, instinctively clenching her fists.

It was neither a Servant nor a Demonic Beast, but some kind of powerful force that transcended both, capable of turning this land into a ghost town—

Gods, or beings similar to them!

We must stop her!

Joan of Arc ran with long strides, her expression serious and resolute.

"Otherwise, the whole of Romania could be destroyed!"

Chapter 130: The Birth of the Izumo Disaster - Yamata Orochi!

For justice to prevail, "evil" must exist in the end!

If mortals become heroes by slaying dragons, then for the heroes, the dragons that die at their hands are also a part of themselves.

Positive and negative, good and evil, heroes and dragons are both opposing and unified entities.

Perhaps there exists independent justice in reality that doesn't require stepping stones, but at least for "myth," the two complement each other.

Just like Hercules and the giants, Hou Yi and the golden crows, Luger and Balor, when an invincible evil appears in the world, the person who steps forward to kill it will become a hero etched in human memory amidst the cheers of the crowd.

The battles between heroes and their nemesis will become legendary tales that will be passed down through generations.

In the Type-Moon universe, these legends possess immense power, and can even be elevated to a concept or a Noble Phantasm. When those destined to meet again encounter each other, they will be guided by fate to reenact scenes from the myths!

For example, if Siegfried were to encounter Fafnir, even if he were an ordinary spirit origin and the other was a god or divine beast that surpassed a Servant, he would surely be able to cut down the evil dragon when the dwarf unleashed the Twilight Demon Sword!

The same applies to the relationship between King Arthur and Mordred. In the legend, Mordred severely injured King Arthur, but was herself killed by a single spear thrust... This means that if the two of them unleash their Noble Phantasms at the same time, Red Saber will be 100% killed!

(Even without considering compatibility, Arthur's raw strength in all classes far surpasses Mordred's.)

From this perspective, Shuten-dōji's encounter with the "Red Berserker" in this Holy Grail War can be considered a very unfortunate outcome.

In its own mythological system, the Japanese warrior Samurai holds a status no less than that of a deity and is considered the ancestor of all samurai. Theoretically, he far surpasses figures like Minamoto no Yorimitsu and Ushiwakamaru, and in terms of "mystery," he suppresses the Far Eastern Servants.

He also wields the Ame-no-Murakumo no Tsurugi, a divine iron extracted from the tail of the great serpent (Yamata). It is the most renowned sword weapon in the entire Far East region. As a descendant of Ibuki Daimyojin (Yamata), Shuten-dōji is almost completely countered by this sword!

Normally, Shuten-dōji would surrender when faced with an opponent like "Warrior," but she is clearly not that docile. Even under such unfavorable circumstances, she still tries her best to create the possibility for the monster to kill the hero!

This is by no means wishful thinking; at the very least, Shuten-dōji was quite well-prepared.

The Golden Fleece from Greek mythology, which can attract dragons; Rhine gold from Norse mythology, which is protected by an evil dragon; and the heart of a dragon slayer who is famous all over the world!

Generally, a Servant's limbs or organs dissipate into pure magical energy after being removed, and cannot be preserved in physical form. However, there are exceptions, such as when a Servant concentrates a large amount of magical energy in an organ and then transplants it into a living person.

Under normal circumstances, this would be no different from murder!

The Servant's organs are far beyond what humans can withstand, and the resulting "rejection reaction" will burn out the magic circuits and nervous system, causing the recipient to completely collapse like a sand city.

—Unless there is a special connection between the recipient and the follower, and the compatibility is extremely high, they can successfully fuse in a form similar to possession or spirit summoning.

Shuten-dōji is neither a living person nor has any connection with Siegfried, but she possesses the legend of "cannibalism," which is how she preserved the heart of Black Saber.

It is said that she consumes the blood and breasts of young girls to enhance her magical power, which is why she possesses this special ability.

Gaining power by devouring the flesh (preferably the heart) of others is an evil ritual that has existed throughout history and across cultures, even in primitive tribes.

As a descendant of Ibuki Daimyojin, Shuten-dōji originally had the potential to become a god, but he ultimately fell into demonhood. The reason for this was inseparable from his indulgence in desires and his consumption of too much blood and food.

If it were a traditional hero, they would probably disdain doing such a thing.

They might obey their Master's orders and kill the innocent, but there are certain lines they will never cross, because that would distort their will and taint their honor.

In the original "FA" series, Vlad III refused to become a vampire even at the cost of his life, which led to his Master's curse.

But Shuten-dōji didn't care about any of that!