Type-Moon: The Human Love Simulator

Bonus Chapter!

---

On the Red side, preparations for battle were underway.

On the Black side...

They were throwing a party.

A Nero Fest.

Su Kai rubbed his temples, his expression a mix of helplessness and fatigue. Watching Nero, who was clearly in high spirits, he sighed.

"Now is supposed to be human sleeping hours. Can I not just get some rest?"

"Your excuses are meaningless! And it's not like I wanted it—Rider insisted!" Nero declared as she pulled Rider into view, speaking with an air of righteous authority. "After all, we just defeated a Red Servant and forced them to retreat!"

"Su Kai, you're not going to go back on your word, are you?"

Nero leaned forward, pressing her forehead against Su Kai's, her eyes gleaming with a kitten-like mischievousness as she stared at him.

"But normal people should be sleeping now," Su Kai said with a shake of his head. "How about tomorrow?"

He had already indulged Nero enough for one day. She was like a whirlwind of chaos—exhausting, yet oddly endearing.

"What do you think?"

Nero tugged at the delicate fabric of her crimson rose-like evening gown, revealing just enough of her charm to radiate a dangerous allure that could tempt any human to fall.

"..."

What else could Su Kai say?

Rules were rules, and as the Golden King, he had to uphold the ones he set himself—no exceptions.

---

Words, however eloquent, would eventually run out.

With Athena's intellect, it only took a brief moment of contemplation to devise a complex strategy.

"Hestia, what do you think of Hera's past proposal?" Athena finally broke the silence after a long pause.

"It's not worth considering." Hestia shook her head firmly. "I bless all warriors who uphold the sanctity of the home, but in Suren's case, the atmosphere he creates is anything but normal."

"Rather than becoming his pet, I'd much prefer to remain his follower—his goddess."

"If you and Artemis want to follow Hera's harebrained schemes, concocting plans that sound doomed from the start, don't drag me into it."

Hestia had been drawn to Suren's purity, but he was no longer the same Golden King, so pure he bordered on obsession. She still wished to help him but could never sacrifice herself to the extent Athena was willing to.

"Hestia, Hera gave up even the sacred love within her authority over marriage to preserve Suren's humanity!" Athena, lounging lazily on the sofa, spoke with an air of exasperation. "You're not going to let Hera outshine you, are you?"

"What you say doesn't matter, Athena," Hestia said with a shake of her head. "After all, I've always been a solitary goddess. It's only natural for me to be out of sync with others, isn't it?"

Hestia's stubbornness was legendary. On the surface, she appeared detached and unconcerned with the world, but in truth, she cared for little and yielded to no one. Even Zeus himself could not sway her once she made up her mind.

But conversely, anything she truly cherished was deeply etched into her heart and would not easily fade away.

Athena knew this all too well.

"And it's not as awful as you're making it out to be." Athena raised an eyebrow. "Pets, stars, rage—that's all your imagination, isn't it?"

"You can see it too, can't you? Suren's humanity is already faint. Do you think he's still capable of such theatrics?"

"Even the little troublemakers from Britain agree with Hera." Athena gestured toward a corner of the room where the British contingent resided. "Even if it's just for a fleeting moment, keeping Suren's humanity intact is worth it."

"They, like us, don't want to see Suren become the very enemy he once despised the most."

"..." Hestia fell into deep thought, her expression pensive.

Seizing the moment, Athena continued, "Hestia, you don't want to see Suren fall into darkness, do you?"

"...Athena, you're a cunning, terrifying woman," Hestia sighed lightly, her voice tinged with resignation. "But let me be clear—I cannot, and will not, go as far as you all do. I still detest frivolous scoundrels."

"However, you're right. Suren is different. We should do everything in our power to help him cherish every beautiful memory and create a sanctuary that keeps him anchored."

"Knew you'd see sense, Hestia," Athena said with a satisfied smile. "You're far too clever to be left on the opposing side. Just defending against you would've been exhausting."

Hestia gave her a knowing look. "Athena, your paranoid and scheming nature hasn't changed at all!"

"Well, if you suddenly grew horns and decided to charge off with Suren, I might even overlook it," Athena quipped with a sly grin. "In fact, I'd pretend I didn't notice at all!"

The goddess's cheeks flushed slightly, and her voice softened with an air of teasing allure. "A husband who comes home and collapses into bed, with faintly visible marks on his neck and a lingering unfamiliar scent... I'd consider it a non-issue!"

"A man who can only conquer one woman is no man at all. A proper husband of mine ought to have many lovers and concubines!"

Athena's reverence for strong, dominant men was unshakeable. She adored the ambitious, testosterone-fueled warriors who radiated masculinity and encouraged them to embark on great conquests or adventures.

Thus, when she fell in love, Athena transformed into the perfect wife—a goddess who would eternally support her chosen partner.

I won't question what you wish to do or plan to accomplish. I'll simply be here, always.

"But, Hestia," Athena said, her expression turning serious, "if you can't decide what you want to do, that's a problem."

"If your idealism gets the better of you and pushes Suren into some grand ambition, what if it drives him mad? What if he sets human history ablaze?"

A flash of genuine concern crossed Athena's eyes. "You've no idea the horrifying, monstrous designs I've seen in Suren's library—things only a genius with a terrifying mind could conceive."

"..." Hestia remained silent. Yes, given Suren's current state, it was better for him to remain frivolous. The moment he became ambitious, human history—and perhaps Alaya—would face catastrophe.

"Hestia!"

Athena suddenly pulled Hestia close, her lips brushing the goddess's ear as she whispered conspiratorially, "Now that Suren is finally showing a hint of being a proper 'master,' won't you help me?"

"W-What are you talking about?" Hestia stammered, her face flushing crimson. After a moment of internal struggle, she raised her voice, albeit softly. "Athena! I'm not helping you push—mmph!"

Athena removed her hand from Hestia's mouth, feigning exasperation. "What are you imagining? We're both virgin goddesses, and in our Servant forms, no less. Don't think so far ahead."

"It's your fault!" Hestia snapped, her anger obvious.

"But you're adapting quickly," Athena remarked, smiling. "Keep that up."

She turned to face Hestia seriously. "How's your cooking? Can you still make the divine dishes that once captivated the gods?"

"...The skill of a goddess never fades," Hestia replied confidently. Cooking and crafting divine meals were powers refined to perfection within her authority.

"Excellent!" Athena clapped her hands. "I have a plan. Hestia, you'll cook, and I've brought beverages prepared by Aphrodite herself. Make something so enticing that Suren won't notice anything amiss—nor be able to refuse."

"And I, Athena..." She placed a hand on her chest, her expression solemn as though she were about to take an oath. "...will lure Suren here, offer him the food and drink, and bear the brunt of his... wrath!"

Athena's resolute demeanor resembled that of a saint, shouldering the weight of humanity's evils.

"Got it—stealing the credit." Artemis, who had been listening quietly, nodded knowingly. Ignoring Athena, she nudged Hestia. "Why don't you go fetch Suren?"

"..." Hestia hesitated, her confidence wavering. "Artemis, admit it—some things are better left to those with experience. Neither of us is ready. Let Athena demonstrate first."

"..." Artemis fell silent. Truthfully, she lacked the courage to take the lead. If she had, Suren would've been won over before they'd even summoned him as a Servant.

"Fine, let's go with your suggestion." Artemis sighed in resignation. "I have no idea what to do anyway. Athena, show us the way."

"..."

While the three goddesses fervently debated their grand plan, Atalanta, Artemis's summoned Servant, observed silently from a hidden vantage, her presence concealed by spirit form.

---

After the initial confrontation and failed ambush, the Red Servants had remained quiet for some time.

Ritsuka, seemingly retreating to the shadows, was undoubtedly planning something. She hadn't launched an immediate attack, perhaps because her first encounter with Nero had been a sobering experience for the overly confident savior. It had clearly prompted her to grow quickly.

Su Kai was well aware of this. However, he wasn't in a rush. Even though he knew that the savior who had repeatedly saved humanity was no ordinary foe, he refrained from making the first move or interfering with Ritsuka's plans.

To Su Kai, this was another trial for humanity—and for himself.

He believed that the great love and grand vision he sought to achieve would face trials and obstacles a thousand, no, ten thousand times greater than this playful Holy Grail War.

If he couldn't even win this game, if he couldn't defeat his opponent at their peak, then how could he, with his strength alone, embrace the love of all humanity?

"Prepare yourself. Prepare as much as you can, as thoroughly as possible. Only when you are fully matured and stand at the summit will you be qualified to reach for a sky that does not belong to you."

Su Kai's gaze was profound, as though it extended all the way to the Servants on Crete.

"Savior of humanity… You are the challenger."

On the island of Crete, Ritsuka Fujimaru, tirelessly equipping Tamamo-no-Mae with magical tools and rallying all the Servants to assist her, suddenly froze. A shiver ran through her as if struck by lightning.

In that instant, she felt a spark of spiritual resonance. She realized it had come from the fleeting moment when Su Kai's gaze fell upon her.

"Mr. Su Kai…"

Her expression was conflicted, as if struggling to reconcile the man she once knew.

This was the same Su Kai who had forged the gifts of the savior into weapons, who had turned his love for humanity into armor, and who had crowned her, blessing her to triumph over every enemy of mankind.

And now, that same man had become the Beast that Alaya warned of—a Beast that would burn away the old world's humanity.

"Mr. Su Kai… are you simply… exhausted?"

Ritsuka's eyes glazed over briefly, but her unwavering determination reignited. She opened her eyes, their light burning with resolve.

"No matter your reasons, Mr. Su Kai… If you have become humanity's greatest enemy, then I will be the one to stop you here!"

"I will protect the continuation of humanity—no matter the cost!"

Even as she stared into the abyss for what felt like an eternity, Ritsuka was unshaken by its gaze in return.

She knew Su Kai would be the strongest foe she'd ever face. Yet still, she drew her blade with courage.

---

Su Kai was never a dragon-slaying hero. From the very beginning, he was a Beast—a creature meant to fight evil with evil, a poison to combat poison. He was the reluctant choice of the omniscient overseer.

After all, in Divine Britain, Su Kai wouldn't transform into a Beast to join Nero in destroying the world. On the contrary, the unaware Kaelar would have poured every ounce of his being into stopping Nero's apocalypse.

But now, Su Kai was teetering on the brink of awakening. That was why Nero clung to him incessantly, seeking every opportunity to stay close to him.

To Nero, a fellow Beast, Su Kai might be her only peer, her only mate. Just as humans wouldn't waste time educating ants, in Nero's eyes, she and Su Kai were destined to be the Adam and Eve of a new era after the old humanity burned away—the only "original humans" left in the world.

She loved humanity as a concept but would never extend her love or mercy to any individual human.

"My beloved, my husband…" Nero's flushed cheeks radiated affection as she cupped Su Kai's face, locking eyes with him. "I am the woman you have conquered, yours to claim. My love belongs to you…"

"My love, when will you awaken?"

Su Kai, lying under the sleeping form of Rider, sighed and gently pushed her off before grabbing Nero by the back of her neck. As he observed her docile, kitten-like expression, even he couldn't suppress a strange sense of achievement.

To tame a catastrophe capable of wiping out human history, to witness her utterly submissive demeanor—it stirred a primal satisfaction, the kind that reflected a man's innate desire to dominate and control.

"Nero, don't bother trying to provoke me with your twisted ideals," Su Kai said, his tone calm. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and whispered, "My ideals will always remain in my heart."

"It's not time yet. Not yet…"

"Wait a little longer. Just a little longer!"

Give humanity another chance.

If there were another way to bring laughter and joy to everyone—one that required sacrificing his life—he wouldn't hesitate to take it.

But where was that path?

"This… This…" Nero murmured as if intoxicated, curling up in Su Kai's arms. She buried her face against him, inhaling deeply as if his scent were a drug, her voice tinged with longing. "Su Kai… Su Kai…"

"Awaken soon, my only master. Open your eyes and see this filthy world. If I must perish in the final judgment, then let it be you who takes my head."

Gone were her usual quirks, the playful "umu" or exaggerated titles. What Nero showed now was her most authentic, most twisted self.

As a Beast, Nero revered pure violence as the ultimate rule—the primal law above all others.

To her, total defeat on the battlefield was the only way to earn her submission. And while Nero might seem defiant and unyielding, her complete surrender would be unlike that of any other woman.

Su Kai's power had bewitched her, twisting her desire until she yearned to offer him her entire self—mind, body, and soul—to the supreme being she idolized.

To Nero, Su Kai was both her lover and her master, her Adam and her god.

"There will come a day," Su Kai muttered, his expression inscrutable as he turned away.

In the distance, his voice barely audible, he added, "…Perhaps."

---

Su Kai had come at the invitation of Athena and Hestia.

Perhaps Artemis had played a role as well?

Regardless, Su Kai wasn't entirely ignorant of the peculiar factions forming within his so-called harem.

For instance, there was the Holy Britain Sisters' Alliance, consisting of Artoria and Morgan, along with a mischievous dream demon who occasionally snuck in for some "extracurricular activities."

Then there was Nero, an entire faction unto herself. As a Beast, she viewed all humans—including Britain's king, who had defeated her with the holy sword—as insects.

The gods were no exception.

Nero's power surpassed even the most formidable gods of the Age of Myth.

How else could she earn the title of humanity's ultimate catastrophe?

And then there was the Greek Three-Goddess Alliance. After being summoned by Su Kai, Athena and Hestia had quickly grown close to Artemis, forming a tight-knit trio.

One could often see them—or rather, their divine forms—huddled together conspiratorially. Whatever schemes they were cooking up in their little circle, Su Kai could only imagine.

With Athena's intellect involved, they were undoubtedly not planning something as mundane as binge-watching In the Night Garden.

"…Ha? Why am I even overthinking this?" Su Kai chuckled suddenly, realizing he had been influenced by Nero's paranoia. Was he really starting to distrust goddesses too?

With that thought dismissed, Su Kai strode confidently into the goddesses' small cabin, wearing his usual self-assured smile. He took a seat with practiced ease and gestured toward Artemis.

"Sit down. Go ahead, take a seat!"

Artemis's cat-like ears twitched nervously as her gaze darted about. "I'm not that hungry. You should really try Hestia's cooking first!"

"Much appreciated, my dear Hestia, for gracing me with your culinary talents," Su Kai said with a grin. "But since you worked so hard on this, why don't you have the first taste?"

"Me?" Hestia swallowed hard, eyeing the chicken soup laced with suspicious ingredients. Forcing a smile, she replied, "This soup looks divine. You should try it first!"

Hestia had witnessed Athena mixing all manner of questionable concoctions into the soup earlier. She wasn't about to test the potion Aphrodite claimed could overwhelm even Zeus himself.

Su Kai's instincts were on high alert. Something was clearly amiss. His gaze shifted toward Athena, suspicion written all over his face.

Before he could speak, Athena giggled and smoothly perched herself on his lap. Holding the bowl of soup, she met his doubtful gaze with a radiant smile before taking a spoonful herself.

Then, she leaned in and fed the soup directly to Su Kai.

He swallowed involuntarily, his suspicion deepening. The whole scene felt eerily familiar, and he wasn't particularly eager to drink any more.

But rejecting Athena's goodwill outright was proving difficult.

Just as the trap woven by the three goddesses seemed ready to ensnare Su Kai, fate intervened.

Ruler—Ritsuka Fujimaru—had completed her preparations and launched a massive invasion of the Black camp with the Red Servants in tow.

"Black team, come out and face me! Mahamaya is here!"

The incantation carried an overwhelming, commanding power, shaking the very heavens and earth.

Athena immediately sensed the invasion but remained unperturbed.

As the goddess of wisdom, war, and victory, Athena was among the strongest deities. But she had more pressing matters to address.

Turning to Artemis, Athena said, "Artemis, you're the only one here with a Servant. Take Archer and the others to repel the Red forces!"

"...Damn it!" Artemis grumbled, clearly displeased. But as much as she hated it, she understood the situation.

If the Red invasion succeeded because all the Black Servants were busy throwing a party, it would be utterly ridiculous—and far too humiliating.

Such a catastrophic loss would give Su Kai every reason to obliterate the world—or perhaps flee to another planet out of sheer embarrassment.

Gritting her teeth, Artemis grabbed her bow and shouted, "Fine! I'll go!"

Not only did Artemis leave, but she also used her divine authority to shield the cabin from any outside noise, ensuring that Su Kai's reputation wouldn't suffer regardless of what happened inside.

As the door closed behind her, Artemis heard faint snippets of conversation. A heavy feeling settled over her, as if something oppressive weighed on her head.

"Ugh! Damn you, Red team! You've ruined everything!"

The furious moon goddess didn't directly intervene but instead channeled her immense divine power to Persephone.

With Artemis's magic at her disposal, Persephone unleashed her EX-level abilities, recreating the grand cycle of the Underworld's reincarnation.

"This overwhelming resolve—I feel it!" Persephone clenched her fists, ready to wield her power without holding back. After all, Alaya hadn't forbidden divine possession, had it?

---

Meanwhile, Ritsuka steeled herself for the battle ahead. No matter how terrifying her opponent, she couldn't afford to hesitate.

Her goal was simple: victory.

Failure wasn't an option. Losing here would mean losing everything, including herself.

Ritsuka hadn't forgotten Su Kai's terms—every defeated female Servant had to grant him one unconditional request.

Even a novice could understand the implications of "unconditional." It was both too broad and far too dangerous.

She couldn't let herself lose and be subjected to whatever bizarre demands her now-peculiar mentor might make.

"Let fortune guide me…" Ritsuka activated her EX-ranked luck-based skill, The Certain Destiny of Fortune.

"Certain Destiny of Fortune: EX"

As the sole surviving Master of Chaldea, Ritsuka Fujimaru had endured the chaos that swept away nearly all others. By what seemed to be the decree of fate itself, she alone had persisted, becoming humanity's last Master.

Without question, Ritsuka possessed a connection to fortune—a destiny imbued with inevitability.

"Before I achieve my goal, let everything bend toward the outcome I desire!"

Ritsuka activated her bizarre luck-manipulating skill, an ability so potent that even among EX-rank skills, it stood out as a bug-level phenomenon.

Most EX-level abilities were classified as such because EX was the maximum rank available on a Servant's status sheet. However, this skill was EX not because it was the maximum rank, but because no system could adequately measure its scope.

It was a skill that interfered with probability itself, bending events toward the most favorable outcomes. Yet, even Ritsuka, who wielded this power, could not direct it with precision.

All she could do was hope that her wishes would nudge reality in her favor.

However, probability manipulation had its limits. It could enable a scrawny fighter to defeat a heavyweight champion but wouldn't allow an infant to topple a seasoned warrior.

Despite its overwhelming influence—even enough to affect omnipotent gods of Lostbelts—the skill relied on fundamental strength to achieve its goals.

"Eightfold Sunlight Heaven Mirror Stone"

Three orange tails swayed behind Tamamo-no-Mae as she stood poised. Despite Ritsuka exhausting all available resources, Tamamo's spirit origin had only been restored to her three-tailed state. To regain more tails would require the fox goddess's willing cooperation.

But Tamamo, the self-proclaimed lazy fox who once courted disaster in her youth, had learned the hard way about the consequences of manifesting her tails. Without a reason compelling enough to reignite her dedication, she wouldn't even consider reuniting her nine tails.

In truth, Alaya itself likely preferred to avoid the emergence of a fully-realized white-faced, golden-furred nine-tailed fox.

—After all, that too was a Beast.

Using a tiger to fend off a wolf was never a good idea; playing with fire often led to getting burned.

The Cycle of the Underworld was a fearsome domain-type Reality Marble, impossible to evade and only capable of being endured.

Under the combined assault of Ritsuka and Tamamo-no-Mae's Noble Phantasms and Reality Marbles, the fox spirit finally removed the mirror hanging at her chest—the Eightfold Sunlight Heaven Mirror Stone.

Had Tamamo been at her peak, in her nine-tailed form, the mirror would have manifested as a full-fledged world—a self-contained realm known as a Cave Heaven, Blessed Land, or Immortal Paradise.

If applied to Reality Marbles, the principle is simple: a higher-level domain suppresses a lower-level one.

With Ritsuka's Certain Destiny of Fortune skill amplifying her efforts, Tamamo-no-Mae miraculously unleashed an EX-level Reality Marble, successfully pushing back and compressing Persephone's Cycle of the Underworld.

The so-called Certain Destiny of Fortune turned impossibly low probabilities—fractions of a percent—into certainties. However, this was not without limits; the lower the odds, the more magical energy it consumed to ensure success.

If the probability dipped to an unquantifiable level, even draining Alaya dry wouldn't be enough to fuel Ritsuka's skill.

Fortunately, Tamamo-no-Mae's Eightfold Sunlight Heaven Mirror Stone, in her three-tailed state, wasn't operating on such absurd odds. Bolstered by fortune, it quickly devoured Persephone's Cycle of the Underworld.

But it didn't stop there.

Tamamo-no-Mae flipped her mirror, and within her Reality Marble, the setting sun plummeted from the sky, casting a golden radiance. The Cycle of the Underworld returned once more, this time redirecting its power toward the Black faction Servants.

Now, it was their turn to face the devastating attack.

However, only five Servants remained to resist the assault, their expressions calm despite their diminished numbers.

Artoria Pendragon crossed her arms, her golden ahoge swaying as she smirked. "Archers are all cheaters, huh? Well, let's see whose cheat codes beat mine."

From behind her, the younger version of herself—a fourteen-year-old Saber—stepped forward.

"Avalon: The Everdistant Utopia."

This was none other than TYPE-MOON's ultimate defensive Noble Phantasm.

It ignored all physical interference, parallel world disruptions, and any force within this known reality. An absolute defense that even the Five True Magics couldn't touch.

The Noble Phantasm could not be bypassed, broken, or nullified. Within Avalon's sanctuary, no harm could come to the King, who rested in perfect tranquility.

The only way to defeat the flawless King of Knights was to overpower her completely in a single strike, forcing Avalon to eject her from its protection.

The Cycle of the Underworld was once again deflected. Like Tamamo-no-Mae's Mirror Stone, Avalon's absolute defense reflected the attack back at its source.

It wasn't hard to imagine Nero was well acquainted with this capability.

For a moment, the overwhelming destructive force of Persephone's attack—enough to destroy an entire city—became little more than a badminton shuttlecock, batted back and forth by top-tier Servants.

Watching her domain being tossed around so effortlessly, Persephone ground her teeth in frustration.

"You fools! What do you take my Underworld for?!"

"Hm?" Nero scratched her cheek. "Uh… a badminton court?"

"Apologize to my bestie's Underworld, now!!" Artemis yelled, her frustration spilling over.

Even now, she remained a loser in this game of divine power. Not only had she failed to join the goddess party, but now her beloved bestie and Servant, Persephone, had her Reality Marble turned into a plaything.

For goodness' sake, Persephone's attack was immensely powerful—absolutely terrifying!

Had it connected, that single strike could have obliterated the entire Red faction. Yes, all of them.

But the reality of the battlefield wasn't a turn-based game. With the badminton match dragging on, the rest of the Red Servants naturally didn't sit idly by.

6v5.

The high-level clash quickly devolved into a chaotic melee.

Among the combatants, Merlin's summoned Caster unleashed her most powerful skill:

Shore of the Incubus: EX.

As the last dream demon of Earth, this ability represented her true nature—a fusion of illusions and mystic eyes. It disrupted her enemies by interfering with their minds, siphoning magical energy with a mere glance.

Her A-rank illusions blurred the line between reality and falsehood, even distorting time itself. Combined with her EX-level skill, the attack sent her vanishing from sight, leaving a lingering sense of danger hovering around every Red Servant.

This was an unprecedented battle of EX-level Noble Phantasms and Reality Marbles in the history of the Holy Grail War.

EX-level signified power that exceeded limits. In any Holy Grail War, a Servant with EX-level abilities would be guaranteed victory.

But in this Grand Holy Grail War, where the stakes and skill ceiling were unparalleled, EX-level power was merely the baseline for combat.

Ritsuka sighed at the sight. "As expected of Grand-tier Servants. Just these two alone have pushed the battlefield to the brink of chaos."

"No wonder Alaya is so reluctant to release Grand Servants. They only appear when humanity's absolute evil is at full power…"

The invincible defense of the King of Knights. The relentless illusions of the Magus of Flowers.

And then there were two others who hadn't yet acted—silent figures exuding the aura of top-tier Servants. Without even accessing her Ruler-class abilities to investigate, Ritsuka could deduce their identities based on their Masters: Nero and Morgan.

The Roman tyrant and the Fairy Queen—both formidable Servants wielding EX-level Noble Phantasms and skills.

Even with the Red faction's numerical advantage, defeating them would be no easy task.

Wait. Had she forgotten someone…?

Well, probably not important!

"Ryougi Shiki," the eldest daughter of the Ryougi clan spoke, her tone calm and steeped in an elegant Japanese refinement, even as she prepared to kill.

"Mystic Eyes of Death Perception."

No. In this case, it was better to call it "Immaculate Perception: Void Boundaries, EX."

One strike from this skill was enough to eliminate any Servant.

Her ethereal blue eyes shimmered, radiating an unsettling beauty that inspired both fear and fascination. Under the gaze of these terrifying eyes, even the King of Knights and the Roman tyrant felt a chill run down their spines.

This wasn't intimidation or spiritual coercion—it was a primal survival instinct triggered by the presence of eyes capable of reducing even the strongest Servants to nothingness.

"Life persists because of fear," Ryougi Shiki remarked, her tone detached.

"Without fear, life loses its direction."

"These eyes," she continued, "connect to the Root. Red faction, resist me if you dare."

"Be careful. Try not to die."

And so, it was the King of Knights who stepped up to face this ultimate threat.

Life continues through fear, but greatness is born from confronting it.

Despite the overwhelming pressure emanating from Ryougi Shiki, Saber didn't hesitate. She stepped forward, ready to face the Void Boundaries, a skill capable of instant death.

"A strong and formidable opponent," Ryougi Shiki mused. "The legendary King of Knights…?"

"I'd like to witness your kingly path for myself."

"Don't face Saber in single combat!" Ritsuka warned, well aware of the King's tenacity. A fully-realized Saber-class Artoria Pendragon wasn't just formidable; she was the epitome of single-combat dominance.

Some Grand-tier classes had multiple candidates vying for the position. But for Grand Saber and Grand Assassin, there was no dispute.

To defeat Artoria without attacking her Master would require overwhelming force—two or three top-tier Servants simultaneously deploying EX-level attacks to disrupt her Avalon magic supply.

And even then, sacrifices would be inevitable—a painful tradeoff.

"…Two Grand-tier Servants on the Black side…"

Ritsuka couldn't help but laugh bitterly. Whether it was the King of Knights or the Magus of Flowers, both were peerless Servants with the potential for Grand-tier status. Combined with their allies, they represented an insurmountable threat.

Still, she couldn't afford to retreat.

"Do or die," she murmured, her resolve solidifying.

This was a gamble—a high-stakes play with everything on the line.

All or nothing.

With two powerful goddesses, Athena and Hestia, notably absent, Ritsuka saw her chance. If she could take out the King of Knights while the Black side was down two key players, the Red faction might secure victory.

"Bet everything. A cornered gamble…"

Her eyes glimmered with determination. She placed her bet.

If she won, she would eliminate one of the most flawless Servants in existence.

If she lost, there would be no second chances. Victory would slip away, leaving nothing but utter defeat.

---

T/N: bleugh I'll try to push out 5 chapters a day no promises though (thou shall not listen to the past version of me)

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