Xingyue, is Xiaokai also considered Kai?

It was a pitch-black space, but it wasn't entirely dark.

Wisps of light rose along with the flickering firelight, and they all looked exactly the same, regardless of distance.

This is the volcanic site created by Typhon with the Holy Grail, located in the Sea of ​​Oceanus.

Among the various shapes and sizes of lava tunnels and lava rivers, which were formed by the cooling and solidification of flowing magma, they crisscross like a huge maze, and under the influence of high temperatures, they resemble a terrifying purgatory.

Although such an illusion was created, there was actually no magic here. However, in the age of gods, there were indeed buildings in this world that could produce magical effects simply by being constructed, just as perfect symmetry can captivate people's hearts.

The power of the enormous dragon-shaped mech standing deep within the molten lava imbued the area with a terrifying, demonic aura.

"Hey, Typhon, I've brought the person to you. When are you going to grant my wish? I wished to become the strongest!"

Jason's tone was somewhat displeased, probably because he couldn't believe that Hercules had been destroyed. Perhaps he thought it was just an accident, but even so, he was still very unhappy with Chaldea.

"...Your tone makes me very uncomfortable, but it is indeed what I said. So, since I have successfully brought Melosin here, I will grant your wish."

Typhon's tone was slightly pleased, and then a burst of molten lava flowed into Jason's body.

only.

"...What's going on? My power, how...how..."

Jason, who had been eagerly awaiting the results, found it hard to accept how he had suddenly lost all his power.

He then stared incredulously at Medea Lily, who was smiling beside him.

"Medea, didn't you say that as long as I fulfilled Typhon's demands, I would gain invincible power? You... deceived me?"

"I'm not lying."

The girl still smiled. "Taizu Long Typhon's words are indeed true. However, her true nature is an anti-wish machine, so Lord Jason, you should tell her 'I want to become the weakest.'"

"I already told this to this young lady. Your current state has nothing to do with me."

Typhon, now in her dragon-type mech, watched the couple's 'betrayal' with great interest, finding the development quite enjoyable.

The next second, behind Jason, Medea Lily, with an unchanging expression or perhaps a chilling smile, seized the opportunity to stab him without hesitation.

"Remember this, Lord Jason: the pain of turning into liquid, and the pain of betrayal."

"Oh no! No! My body is melting..."

In a fleeting moment, Jason, who was originally a person, instantly turned into a pool of blood. Medea Lily, whose hands were covered with Jason's blood and eyeballs, simply touched her face with her hands, her smile still beautiful.

The sight sent a chill down Ritsuka and Kiyohime's spines, and they both felt that Medea was somewhat terrifying.

"I am extremely grateful for Lord Typhon's wish, and I wish you pain."

After saying this, the girl holding Jason's remaining eyeballs dissipated into spirit particles.

"Hahahaha, not bad, not bad, this is really interesting, it was worth watching for so long!"

After witnessing this scene, Typhon turned around and extended his dragon hand, imbued with extremely powerful magic, toward Melusin beside him.

The two wings on its back intertwined, making a clicking sound. The mecha's shell and dragon wings combined in a complex way, quickly covering 70% of its body, turning into a huge cannon muzzle, gathering magic power comparable to the entire singularity.

Legend has it that Typhon usurped two powers from a certain god: one was the Mortal Scythe, also known as Halep.

Another is power, which can be called a synonym for god. In mythology, there are several powers or artifacts that determine the image of a god.

It was Typhon who usurped Cronus, the thunderbolt that belonged to Zeus, the king of the Greek gods.

"Melushin, finally I can teach you a lesson!"

Normally, even with the local blessing, Typhon wouldn't necessarily be able to dominate Albion. It's just that the Holy Grail makes the seawater special, causing Meloshen to become powerless upon contact, which is why Typhon can act so arrogantly.

If left unchecked, the terrifying power will disregard the laws of physics and allow nothing to stand in its way.

Of course, Melusin won't die, she'll just be seriously injured. But everyone else will be eliminated, since Typhon sees them as nothing more than insignificant things, so let them be eliminated.

"Heh, Typhon, do you want to say it again?"

Melusin's words left Typhon, who was already caught up in the moment, somewhat bewildered.

What does this guy mean? Why isn't he running away like before?

Puzzled, Taizu Long launched his attack while scanning the people around Meilushin.

Damn Melusin, an ordinary human, a snake woman, a human with a shield, a brat, a—

Ah, it's Novia...

Ah! It's Novia?!

Damn it, did Meloshen tell on me? I'm doomed, I'm doomed, how am I supposed to explain this? Am I supposed to say I've been bewitched by the Holy Grail? Yes, that's it! That's right!

In his haste and tension, Typhon forgot to deactivate his attack, causing him to aim it at himself instead of the intended target. Thus—

The roar was deafening.

In the vacuum created by the violent collision, the raging hurricane made the volcano, which resembled a protective barrier, teeter on the brink of collapse.

Conversely, perhaps because the power he had just used was self-inflicted, Typhon was forced to kneel on the ground helplessly. Then, the giant dragon-shaped mech transformed into the appearance of a red-haired girl, who rushed over in a panic, grabbed the silver-haired youth's clothes, and then...

"I was wrong, please accept my Holy Grail, please forgive me..."

The red-haired girl raised her head, which had been lowered, and her eyes, which seemed unfocused, instantly became moist as she bit her lip hard.

"I can do anything..."

This adds another element to Chaldea's speculation about who else is in Novia's shadow—

Echidna, Typhon's wife.

Otherwise, it's hard to explain why Typhon surrendered immediately upon seeing Novia, like a child caught doing something wrong by their parents.

……

"Is Novia the advisor some kind of child caretaker...?"

When Mash, standing with Ritsuka, received the Holy Grail from the Third Singularity and returned to the ship on the high seas, she couldn't help but sigh.

In her vision, Novia was surrounded by girls, except that Kiyohime and Typhon were more girlish in size, while the other two were smaller.

"……yes."

Ritsuka looked on somewhat sullenly.

"But no matter what, let's proceed with the spirit transfer first, since it's all over now anyway."

"Eh, so fast? Why don't we let the advisor spend more time with them? After all, things might change once they return to Chaldea... Okay."

Mashu was initially puzzled, but then, for some reason, looking at Ritsuka's gentle smile, she became increasingly hesitant to speak, and finally agreed.

however.

"It's so boring."

A cold voice sounded.

"Are all beings who possess the Holy Grail like this? You all repeat the mistakes of the times and deteriorate in this way. Only that Dean is slightly better."

A white-haired, golden-eyed man appeared, standing in the sky.

"And also, Fujimaru Ritsuka, what's the point of correcting the singularities like this? Do you think correcting seven singularities will prevent the extinction of humanity? You're so wrong. Even if you correct them, it's meaningless unless you hit me."

"...No meaning?"

"You think you can beat me?"

The next second, the man was in front of Ritsuka, and then his calm eyes narrowed slightly when he saw what was on her neck.

"Oh, I see. So this is what they mean by being equal on the surface... Well then, I'll give you some advice in a merciful way, you naive human being being observed."

"Why fight? Knowing that life will eventually end, knowing that life has already ended, why do you still insist on living?"

"You all know perfectly well that there is no hope for your future... You all know that, don't you?"

"Abandon everything, let the future end in that meaningless death. For you who are left behind, this is the easiest way to live."

"Go ahead and try to conquer the singularity if you want, but if you don't heed my advice, there's only one path left—"

"You'll be burned to ashes, that's your future."

"Oh, I almost forgot, you don't recognize me yet, do you? I was rude this time, after all, I'm not here to fight, I'm just here to observe your progress."

The man laughed. "A certain king had seventy-two familiars, also known as the Seventy-Two Demon Pillars. This king was named Solomon, the third king of ancient Israel. Now he is under the command of the demons and is determined to destroy humanity."

After saying that, Solomon smiled at Novia again, his attitude changing from contempt to friendliness.

"The meaningless efforts of humanity's last hope, versus our taking the first step in God's great work—which 'future' truly deserves our support? It's self-evident."

"It's not the end yet, King Solomon."

Novia responded as follows.

"Fujimaru Ritsuka is humanity's last Master. Even though she's no match for you now, she'll still stand tall. In this situation, she can't run away, she can't move forward, and she can't even cry. Ritsuka, I'm asking you—"

"What kind of expression do you want to wear as you fight to the very end in the sea of ​​flames?"

How can we describe the smile that appeared on the girl's face upon hearing this?

It was a smile that was slightly different from usual; it could be described as resolute. After all, although humans are a ferocious species, there is hope even in their ferocity. Humans possess a power that can never be bound by anything impossible.

Because there will always be young people.

“...Then I will wait and see how far you can go, Fujimaru Ritsuka.”

After saying this, Solomon disappeared.

……

At the same time, in Avalonne.

“Heroic spirits alone cannot reach this king, which is why Fujimaru Ritsuka has to go.”

Meryl watched Novia and Ritsuka on the light screen with great interest.

"After all, what shapes an era is always the humans living in that era, right? Hmm, so that's why she became my sister-in-law? It would be hilarious if her identity were exposed that day. But the girl suppressing her inner feelings is quite interesting now. I'll see what kind of fun the next singularity brings—"

Then, she looked dumbfounded.

"What the hell is this? The London fog and the Tokugawa saga in Japan... is it because of India? Could it be that the Hindu gods who are fighting to the death in America have already fought through the ages?"

Chapter 374 The Great Palace and London.

Ritsuka, severe hardships await you from now on.

However, if my calculations are correct, approximately one thousand Saint Quartz would be enough to secure victory in this long and arduous battle.

Please forgive me.

I am about to subject you to an incredibly cruel trial, perhaps even a curse in some sense. However, I see a possibility in you, who withstood Hercules's fierce attack in the Third Singularity—

"What are you writing, Doctor?"

"Woooooooooooooooo!"

The sudden intrusion into his room and the presumptuous question made Romani, like a startled cat, pounce on the table and cover the note on it.

"Novia, how could you barge into someone's room without permission...?"

The doctor shrugged, looking displeased, but Novia did not back down.

"Because I've already settled things with Leonardo da Vinci and Little Grant, I came to find you right away."

Novia handed a golden apple to Romani.

After returning to Chaldea from the resolution of the Third Singularity, the Chaldea members, upon learning that King Solomon was the mastermind, began to work busily. Centered around Fujimaru Ritsuka, they started improving various facilities in Chaldea. For example, Romani opened the Super Module of the Chaldea Gate, while Da Vinci, Gran, and Novia began researching the Golden Apple as a substitute for Saint Quartz, which could compensate for AP.

"Yes, that's how it is. You've really worked hard..."

"Speaking of which, I remember the doctor's expression after he learned that Solomon was behind it; it was the kind of expression that said 'he had a lot of pent-up anger'."

"Did I make such a terrible face...?"

"Yes."

Novia nodded slightly. "Of course, it wasn't just you. The entire Chaldea, including Ritsuka who faced Solomon back then, had the same expression."

Then, he picked up a Saint Quartz and rolled it around in his hand.

"Saint Quartz is a very convenient resource, not only for restoring the AP of the Chaldea Gate, but also for summoning Servants. However, to be honest, this kind of thing might imprison Ritsuka's heart in Chaldea without her even realizing it."

"After all... while Saint Quartz is theoretically omnipotent, there's nothing better than 'solving a problem without using Saint Quartz,' right? Besides, using Saint Quartz for summoning is a very cost-effective method..."