He Tore Through The Holy Grail War, And You Still Call Him A Dragon?

The elevator slowly descended and finally reached the detention block.

When Uesugi Yue and Minamoto Chikashi stepped out, the sparse orange lights cast the place in a dim, dusky glow.

Uesugi Yue thought to himself, Are you guys trying to save on electricity? Can't even install a few more bulbs?

Minamoto Chikashi explained beforehand: the attack from the Ghost Faction had damaged the power and lighting systems of the Genji Heavy Industries building. The current lights were temporary, hooked up to backup power. It would take time before things returned to normal…

As the two advanced, rows of prison cells slid by. Those were filled with lesser criminals. Kazama Ruri, however, had received far "better treatment"—

He was restrained by solid alchemic devices, confined in a wide cell with thick alloy walls on all sides. The security level here was no less than Erii's chamber.

Father and son arrived at a control panel. Using the family head's authority, Minamoto Chikashi cleared verification instantly. The monitor lit up, showing the camera feed of Kazama Ruri's face.

The makeup was gone, revealing a delicate yet ordinary appearance—but it was unmistakably similar to Chikashi's own.

"Ahem…"

As the microphone crackled, Kazama Ruri immediately raised his head.

"Chijo…" Chikashi glanced at Uesugi Yue beside him, recalling their earlier conversation, and began to speak.

"Brother, you came? Do you regret not killing me back then? Or do you want the intel I hold on the Ghost Faction?"

The moment he heard Chikashi's voice, Kazama Ruri became visibly agitated. The heavy alchemic chains binding him to the alloy chair rattled as his trembling limbs pulled against them.

"Calm down, Chijo!" Chikashi drew a deep breath, reminding himself again and again: the incident back then had hidden truths. He had to see the one inside not as an oni to be executed, but as his little brother.

"I'm not here to interrogate you. What I want to say is… I'm sorry!"

The words forced their way out between his teeth, heavy as a mountain.

Kazama Ruri froze. Apology? His brother… apologizing to him? This was the brother who had clung stubbornly to that laughable justice. Shouldn't he hate himself for not killing him sooner?

"Sorry. Back then, perhaps I handled things wrongly. You must hate me to the core… That's fine. It's understandable. That wound between us can't be erased by a single word. But Chijo, my brother, I truly want to apologize for my mistake…"

Boring…

Kazama Ruri's agitation vanished, his face turning blank. His true personality—Minamoto Chijo—longed desperately for his brother again.

That weakling. The moment he heard his brother's pleading tone, he wanted to open up and reconcile. Hopeless brother-con!

But not him. He was colder. Who knew if this apology wasn't just an interrogation trick in disguise?

"Brother, enough with the boring persuasion. If you're sincere in treating me as family, then prove it—let me out."

Kazama Ruri cut him off directly, forcing Chikashi to show his true intent.

If you really see me as a brother, why lock me up like a dangerous criminal? What brother does that?

"This…"

Chikashi was caught in a dilemma. As family head, he couldn't just recklessly free him on his words alone. But as an older brother, how could he leave his sibling in a cell?

He glanced at Uesugi Yue, only to see the man staring back, as if to gauge what kind of person this son of his truly was.

"…Sigh." Chikashi sighed lightly, turning back to the screen. Memories of youth flooded back—his timid brother, his own feigned maturity. Who would've thought time would twist them so far apart?

"All right. I'll do it."

Once more he invoked his authority. Layer by layer, the restraints clicked open.

Kazama Ruri was stunned. The chains fell away, the metal door behind him groaned as locks disengaged and began to open.

Brother actually meant it. He hadn't lied. He truly apologized. He truly treated him as family, not as an oni.

Kazama Ruri rose at once, trembling with disbelief. Was this really Chikashi? Could it be a disguised voice? No—no one else would dare release him like this.

Unless it was the Ghost Faction.

But they knew nothing of his secret with his brother—except the King General.

Overwhelmed, he turned toward the opening door. Deep within, Minamoto Chijo screamed in joy, desperate to reunite with his brother.

Fool! Just forgiving him so easily? What about the blade that nearly killed you?

Kazama Ruri's persona was born of vengeance. If given the chance, he would kill his brother without hesitation. Yet each time he thought it, the true Chijo interfered—

He didn't want revenge. The brother-con couldn't bring himself to strike.

The inner conflict twisted his face with struggle.

Suddenly, the cell's speakers buzzed again—not Chikashi's voice this time, but a rhythmic rattling, like clappers being struck…

The King General's signal!

"You! King General! Damn bastard tricked me!" Kazama Ruri's face warped into fury and despair. The clappers rang, and his body convulsed, collapsing to the floor in helpless spasms.

——

"This… the clappers Emiya spoke of?"

Chikashi and Uesugi Yue exchanged a glance. They'd never heard it before, so they hadn't stopped it in time. Seeing Kazama Ruri's reaction, their faces paled.

"Chikashi, where's that sound coming from!"

Uesugi Yue demanded. He hadn't seen Chikashi play anything.

Chikashi fumbled for his comms. "Not here—it must be the main broadcast room! That place can issue emergency alerts to every sector!"

"Crow! Send men to the broadcast room now! Arrest any suspects and shut down that audio! What—Emiya's visiting? Handle it later!"

He dragged Yue into the side room, passing him several long blades, keeping a Beretta, a shotgun, and spare mags for himself.

These were tools the Fuma used against Ghost Faction prisoners. Chikashi chose only the most practical ones.

They rushed out, intending to smash the audio equipment directly—

But hooves echoed in the dark.

A lone rider emerged.

Both men's eyes widened. A one-eyed god with a spear astride an eight-legged horse—Odin!

Once defeated by Emiya, now returned!

Clad in dark-golden armor, Odin spurred Sleipnir like a streak of lightning, heading straight for the open cell door.

Chikashi and Yue instantly understood—Odin was the force behind the King General. His target was Minamoto Chijo!

"Stop!" Chikashi roared, firing both barrels of his shotgun. The pellets sparked harmlessly off Odin's armor, not even slowing the horse.

As Odin closed in, Yue charged recklessly forward.

Chikashi raised his right hand, a Command Seal blazing. "By my Command Seal, Saber, return to the detention block at once!"

The Heian warrior appeared instantly.

But Yue's blade shattered at Odin's spear-tip, rubble raining down to block his path.

With a single grab, Odin seized Minamoto Chijo.

"Give me back my son!" Yue's eyes split with rage. His weapon broken, he considered invoking Black Sun—but here, it would harm friend and foe alike.

Watanabe no Tsuna lunged in, his invisible-speed slash sharp enough to once sever Ibaraki Dōji's arm—

Clang! Gungnir deflected it with a resonant chime.

Tsuna's face tightened. The god's movements seemed… accelerated, as if time itself sped for him.

Time manipulation?

Odin hoisted Chijo high. The boy wept in terror, personality reverted, Command Seal blazing desperately on his hand.

"Not good!" Tsuna realized.

Ibaraki suddenly appeared, flames erupting, claws of fire reaching for her eternal foe. "Die, Tsuna!"

Their clash unleashed waves of searing heat and blinding light.

Freed of interference, Odin spurred Sleipnir to a thunderbolt sprint, fleeing with Chijo. No one could keep up.

But just then, the elevator door ahead chimed open.

"Why's it so noisy down here… huh?"

A head of unmistakable red hair peeked through.

Odin froze.

Emiya had arrived.

Behind the mask, Odin's face twisted.

Damn it! Why is it always you, showing up to ruin everything!

(End of Chapter)

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