Type-Moon: The Human Love Simulator

Bonus Chapter!

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"First, we'll separate this harmonious pair of ruler and subject..."

Ritsuka stretched out her arm, the intricate patterns of three Command Spells intertwining into a radiant design.

"By the Command Spell, I order you: the Formless God, Kama—manifest as the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven!"

Kama possessed two EX-ranked Noble Phantasms—Formless God and Mara, the Demon King. Destined to counteract the Flower Magician, Kama was the perfect foil to the Dream Demon, who toyed with illusions and roamed the dreamscape.

The Formless God symbolized Kama's omnipresence, while Mara represented her mastery on the spiritual plane.

The Demon King of the Sixth Heaven, a being who obstructs enlightenment, could only be subdued by one who attained ultimate awakening.

According to Buddhist scriptures, Mara, the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven, resided in the Desire Realm's sixth heaven, the domain of hedonism and boundless freedom. Hence, she was also called the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven or the Great Lord of Freedom.

Without a doubt, Kama might lack raw destructive force, unable to slay thousands of Asuras and demons like Durga, but in terms of cunning methods, the Formless God surpassed even the greatest warriors.

The timid Servant, called upon by the orange-haired Master, blinked in confusion.

"Me?"

The one Ritsuka referred to as the "Demon King" looked more like a delicate, fragile girl than a warrior. Her short, snowy white hair was tied with a crimson ribbon, and her gentle demeanor couldn't hide her breathtaking beauty.

Granted, every Servant present was a stunning figure, each unparalleled in charm.

But this girl, in particular, evoked an inexplicable urge for destruction—a primal impulse.

The more beautiful something is, the stronger the desire to destroy it. Perhaps such is human nature.

"Tch~ If it were up to me, I'd rather go after Kali…" Kama muttered, pouting. Whenever she saw Parvati's Durga form, she couldn't help but feel an itch to strike.

Luckily, she wasn't currently in her Avenger class. And thanks to Ritsuka keeping them apart these past few days, they had avoided an internal conflict—for now.

"Fine, fine. Alaya came crying and begging for help, and honestly, that guy's arrogance is starting to irritate me. I'll begrudgingly lend a hand..."

With those words, Kama disappeared.

Or rather, she became omnipresent.

"An A-ranked illusion? How extravagant," Caster Merlin remarked.

Before the battle had begun, the Dream Magician had vanished into the shadows. Yet, a sultry voice suddenly whispered in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

"But you know, this kind of trick won't work on me, the Demon King!"

Startled, Merlin spun around, only to be met with an overwhelming sight. Shadows of demonic figures blanketed the sky, filling every corner of the world. Wherever she looked, there were monsters, and behind them, the unmistakable will of the Demon King.

"Little Dream Demon," the same voice teased, playful and melodic like a lover's whisper. "How about we start with an appetizer?"

The voice continued, honeyed and threatening:

"Do you know? In a single moment, the Enlightened One subdued 8 billion demons. He even turned the weapons and rocks I hurled into fragrant flowers."

"If you can do the same..." Kama's voice stretched languidly, "then congratulations—you're ready for the third stage of my Beautiful Temptation!"

Kama's nature as the Formless God allowed her to act as a mirror to the heart, reflecting the anima and animus within her opponents.

The anima represents the feminine essence within a man's soul, embodying all the beauty and allure he associates with women.

Conversely, the animus is the masculine essence within a woman's soul, drawing her toward a man who mirrors her inner ideal.

In simple terms, Kama was the embodiment of the perfect partner—whether the ideal woman in a man's heart or the ideal man in a woman's.

But Kama was more than a reflection. She could materialize the opponent's most cherished image of their perfect companion, no matter how specific or unusual.

Only her encounter with the Enlightened One left her truly powerless. Transforming herself three times into flawless female forms, she failed to shake his resolve.

"Little Dream Demon," Kama said, her smile wicked and enchanting, "I am the one who obstructs enlightenment—the divine embodiment of love and the enemy of Buddha."

Her crimson eyes narrowed as her grin widened.

"If you can't overcome the Sixth Heaven of Desire, you may as well admit defeat now!"

Caster Merlin's usual mischievous smirk was absent. For once, she looked genuinely serious. Staring at the endless sea of demons, she sighed.

"My, my... these love deities have become quite impressive nowadays."

"By the way," she quipped, "what should I call you?"

"Kama, Mara—they represent the duality of love's good and evil sides." Kama replied matter-of-factly. "Haven't you heard? When faced with the tyrannical force of love, even thought and reason must take a step back."

"How pretentious," Merlin muttered under her breath, unimpressed.

"Maybe in your prime as the Formless God and Demon King of the Sixth Heaven, you'd have been far beyond my little tricks." She smirked, his confidence returning.

"But now, constrained by the Assassin class and degraded into a Heroic Spirit, how much power do you have left?"

Merlin chuckled, glancing at the countless demons.

"And why haven't these 'terrifying' demons attacked me yet? Have they converted to Buddhism and sworn off violence?"

Kama tilted her head, her expression almost playful.

"If you believe they're real," she explained, "then they will be real."

As a purely idealistic existence, Kama functioned beyond modern comprehension as a "thought-being."

Cogito, ergo sum.

If you believed these demons were the ones that once hindered Buddha's enlightenment, then they would indeed be those very same demons.

But Merlin, as the Flower Magician who assisted three generations of Britain's wise kings, wasn't so easily deceived.

Though her power couldn't match Kama's at her peak, he could still see through the tricks of her current weakened state.

"And by the way," Merlin said lightly, "do you really think I'm just chatting with you?"

She grinned mischievously.

"I've been waiting for my ultimate spell to finish its cooldown. What about you?"

With sufficient magical energy gathered, Merlin unleashed her Dream-Link spell, connecting her dream to…

Linked to Su Kai.

"In a dream duel against the Demon King, the risk is just way too high for me!"

The mischievous Merlin, also known as the "human-shaped Fou," gave an adorable wink. Instead of engaging in head-on combat, she chose to toss her most troublesome opponent right into the hands of her allies.

"I might end up toast if I'm not careful, so I'll leave it to that guy to handle you!"

"And you practically delivered yourself to their doorstep~."

Unlike the legendary Flower Magician who once bore witness to Kaelar's great deeds, this iteration of Merlin was a cheeky, unrepentant troublemaker—someone utterly shameless when it came to selling out her teammates.

An unrefined brat desperately in need of a lesson.

"W-What?! Wait a second!"

Kama was completely thrown off. Caught off guard by Merlin's cunning, she now found herself outplayed.

"This… wasn't…"

"Huh? I'm fighting Su Kai?"

Is this for real…? Should I go for it?

Dreams are a realm of the mind. You may feel as though you've spent hours in a dream, only to awaken and find mere minutes have passed—or experience the opposite, where a fleeting dream stretches across countless hours.

While the Formless God Kama and the Dream Demon Merlin clashed within their dreams, the Holy Grail War between the Black and Red factions began in earnest.

Without the Flower Magician's support and suppression, the Black faction lost its buffs and eye-catching advantages. Meanwhile, the Red faction felt an immediate relief as Merlin's magical energy absorption and oppressive presence vanished without a trace.

With no hesitation, Chaldea's most brilliant Master, Ritsuka Fujimaru, launched a decisive offensive.

"Durga, unleash your strongest Noble Phantasm! By the Command Spell, Ryougi Shiki—activate your innate skill!"

Using a single EX-ranked attack wouldn't require a Command Spell, but consecutive EX-level assaults demanded magical energy supplementation. Otherwise, the recovery rate wouldn't keep up with the consumption.

Truthfully, Alaya had provided as much support as possible, but the cost of maintaining and supplying Chaldea's forces was immense. This left Ritsuka far less freedom to lavish magical energy compared to the Black faction's Master.

Still, there was enough for her Servants to release their True Names and fire off multiple EX-level attacks.

"All Servants, unleash your strongest Noble Phantasms! Target the Black Saber!"

Ritsuka played her hand fully, leaving nothing in reserve. Like a gambler placing her last bet, she went all-in.

For such a desperate player, there were only two outcomes: everything, or nothing.

"『Oh, goddess of wrath, of desire, of slaughtering demons—』"

"『Immaculate Perception · Boundary of Emptiness』"

"『Spear of Death Flight』"

"Do your best, everyone! Tama will cheer you on~ migu!"

Ritsuka's commanding gestures brimmed with authority, but the hand she kept hidden behind her back trembled slightly.

Can… we win?

To execute this bold strategy, Ritsuka had staked everything. She had poured her heart and soul into this plan, even weaving deception into her commands.

Yes, even her last directive was a lie.

Her order to "focus all attacks on Saber" was actually a prearranged code. Only Durga, with her devastating offensive power, and Ryougi Shiki, with her instant-kill capabilities, were meant to target Saber. The rest of the Servants were instructed to exploit the distraction and attack other Black faction Servants.

After all, hearing Ritsuka's command, anyone would instinctively focus their attention on Saber, neglecting the other combatants.

"Damn it, why are their Luck stats always so high..."

Scáthach, the Queen of the Land of Shadows, gritted her teeth in frustration.

All the Black faction's Servants had abnormally high Luck stats. Even Morgan, with the lowest Luck among them, had a B-ranked stat—more than enough to crush a spearman with E-ranked Luck.

Sensing her dilemma, Ritsuka glanced at Scáthach, the teacher of countless Celtic heroes. That one look was enough for Scáthach to realize something crucial.

"Of course! I'm bolstered by a Ruler's innate skill. Right now, I'm no longer an E-ranked spearman but someone connected to the fate of great destiny!"

Her doubts vanished. Scáthach set her sights on her chosen target.

It was Rider Nero—the accursed Emperor of Rome, whose EX-ranked Luck nearly caused Scáthach's own Noble Phantasm to backfire during the previous ambush.

That damn Roman Emperor—a true-blue luck-bringer! EX-ranked Luck? Go perish already!

Scáthach's Spear of Death Flight pierced Nero's chest, straight through her heart. A clean strike, ensuring Nero's death.

Preparing to withdraw her spear and choose her next target, Scáthach froze as Nero shook her head and smiled faintly.

"Queen of the Land of Shadows, Red Lancer, your compatibility with me is... unfortunate."

"Tell me, are you familiar with the term, 'Return of the Saint'?"

"『Even as the sun sets for the third time!』"

According to legend, three days after Nero's death, her soldiers found her body. When they draped a cloth over her, she briefly opened her eyes and spoke words of comfort to them.

This rare resurrection ability, an A-ranked innate skill, allowed Nero to revive even against instant-death effects, causal attacks, or otherwise fatal blows.

In other words, even Ryougi Shiki's "Immaculate Perception · Boundary of Emptiness: EX" couldn't fully kill this Roman Emperor in a single strike.

Even if she were completely obliterated, Nero could still rise again.

"Barbarian of Celtica," Nero declared, her fiery beauty shifting to an imposing regality.

"You will not have a second chance to defile my divine form."

Her golden theater rose from the ground, its brilliance illuminating the battlefield.

"Behold the ultimate light of my empire! I am Rome's greatest and most resplendent emperor. None in this world can rival me!"

"This is… Imperial Privilege!"

Scáthach, whose martial prowess bordered on the divine, was instantly trapped within Nero's EX-ranked skill—a manifestation of absolute power that defied logic.

Imperial Privilege allowed Nero to temporarily possess any skill, even those she wasn't meant to wield, purely by her will. For three glorious minutes, Nero became a perfect being, unmatched in any art or discipline.

Though short-lived, those minutes were enough to change the tide of any battle.

Ritsuka sighed in relief.

While things hadn't gone perfectly, her goal was within reach. Nero's obsession with punishing Scáthach distracted her from working with her allies.

If trading the Queen of the Land of Shadows for Nero was the price, it was worth it.

However, this was just the secondary battlefield. The true objective of Ritsuka's assault was none other than the invincible Knight King of the Black faction—Saber Artoria.

Durga, having assumed her wrathful three-eyed, ten-armed form, had already entered her killing state—a form that once defeated a demon so terrifying that even the gods trembled before her.

This was Durga, the Unapproachable One.

Mahisasuramardini: Slayer of the Demon Mahishasura.

The demon Mahishasura, through rigorous asceticism, had received a divine boon from Brahma, the God of Joy: he would not be slain by any man in existence. With this blessing, Mahishasura led an army of Asuras in a hundred-year war against the gods. He even conquered the heavens and humiliated Indra by seizing his mount, tarnishing the name of the King of Gods.

Yet, this mighty demon ultimately fell to Durga, an incarnation of the goddess Parvati, known as the "Unapproachable One."

Mahishasura transformed repeatedly—into a lion, a man, an elephant, and even a buffalo—in his desperate battle against Durga, but he was defeated and slain.

Durga's EX-ranked Noble Phantasm is the crystallization of this legendary tale.

When Durga's Noble Phantasm's True Name is released, the True Names of the ten divine weapons bestowed by the gods also activate. Shiva's Trident, Vishnu's Chakram, Indra's Lightning, and more—each weapon awakens in unison to annihilate Durga's foes without mercy.

Meanwhile, Ryougi Shiki's Mystic Eyes of Death Perception link directly to the Root, the origin of all within the Nasuverse. Even against the seemingly invincible Avalon, given enough preparation, she can forcibly locate the death points in the flow of Saber's magical energy.

In truth, nothing in this world is truly invincible. Limitations are determined solely by the scale of power involved.

As long as there's sufficient output, even the limits of Avalon can be broken—this has been proven before.

"Master, even Avalon won't withstand their attacks!"

Saber Artoria spoke with calm resignation, making it clear she couldn't endure the onslaught.

"Hah! My foolish little sister, when will you stop relying on your elder sister for help?"

Morgan le Fay stepped forward, accompanied by her summoned Servant—Berserker.

Just as no defense is absolute, Artoria's Avalon is no exception, and neither is Ryougi Shiki's Immaculate Perception: Boundary of Emptiness.

Morgan's summoned Berserker possessed a Noble Phantasm specifically designed to counter Saber's Avalon. Its effect? To directly pierce through Avalon's defense. These rival sisters, locked in eternal conflict, were truly destined enemies.

Morgan's Noble Phantasm, "The Lost Utopia," stands as the equal and counterpart to Avalon.

The stronger Avalon's defensive power, the more devastating the attack unleashed by Morgan's Noble Phantasm.

By this point, Saber had already endured two EX-ranked Noble Phantasms, one A-ranked Noble Phantasm, and had even deflected Persephone's Cycle of the Underworld.

This unimaginable strength only amplified the power of Morgan's Noble Phantasm to its peak.

However, Morgan wasn't the only one with an incomprehensible trump card.

"Kiara Sessyoin!"

Ritsuka Fujimaru's voice rang out, her commanding tone showcasing her mastery of strategy. Only a top-tier Master could so adeptly counter every move from the Black faction.

"Understood… All the World's Desires!"

All the World's Desires is Sessyoin Kiara's sole Noble Phantasm. Without a formal rank, its power scales infinitely—it grows stronger when facing a strong opponent and weaker when faced with a weaker one. At its peak, it can affect a scale as vast as the solar system.

This Noble Phantasm represents Kiara Sessyoin offering her perfect body to the entire world as a devilish bodhisattva. It embodies her absorbing and reflecting the desires of all living beings—humans, animals, and even plants.

EX-ranked?

Sessyoin Kiara defies classification by any conventional metric. As a Mahayana practitioner second only to the Enlightened One within the Buddhist pantheon, her power is unfathomable—even if her methods appear twisted.

In truth, Alaya had not fully entrusted Kiara with free rein. Her presence on the battlefield wasn't owed to any bargain with Chaldea but to Kiara's personal decision to oppose Su Kai.

In Earth's past and Su Kai's future, Kiara had witnessed many of his great achievements. As fellow Beasts, their ideologies were inherently incompatible, and this irreconcilable conflict made confrontation inevitable.

Just as Kaelar saw Götia and immediately recognized him as his mortal enemy, a single glance was enough for Su Kai and Kiara to acknowledge their destined opposition.

This was the ultimate clash of principles, the source of the greatest conflicts, and the deepest discord.

A battle of ideologies, where neither side could rest until the other was destroyed.

Morgan's Berserker unleashed her Noble Phantasm, but it proved futile. It struck an endless tide of flesh and desire, dissolving into nothingness.

Morgan's cold expression faltered. Her eyes widened as the reflection in her azure irises revealed an overwhelming, boundless sea of flesh.

Countless forms—male, female, young, old, beautiful, grotesque, human, non-human, organic, inorganic—merged into a mass that seemed to stretch infinitely.

Desires flooded forth in an unstoppable torrent. Anyone engulfed in this planetary orgy of physicality and lust would be reduced to a mindless fool, knowing nothing but servitude and training.

Pleasure. Endless, boundless pleasure.

Billions of pulses of ecstasy formed a massive vortex, dissolving the rationality of every intelligent life form it touched.

The more sophisticated the intellect, the greater the suffering inflicted.

This anti-planetary Noble Phantasm was Sessyoin Kiara's most infamous weapon—a depraved artifact born from her transformation into a Beast, harnessing the entirety of the world's lust for her own ends.

"Incredible. The monster of the Red faction… you've won."

These were the first words Morgan spoke as Berserker—and the last. Without hesitation, she withdrew.

The thought of being dragged into this sea of depravity was enough to shatter her resolve. Not even the EX-ranked Madness Enhancement of a Berserker could cleanse such mental contamination.

Sessyoin Kiara's Noble Phantasm continued to expand, threatening to engulf the entire world. Starting from the Aegean Sea, it began to spread across the globe.

It sought to transform the planet into her personal paradise of chaos and unbridled ecstasy, unleashing primal instincts and desire upon all six billion inhabitants of Earth.

"A true Beast, untrustworthy to the core!"

Ritsuka's eyes were icy cold as she prepared her contingency plan. A brilliant strategist always anticipates failure, and Ritsuka had long foreseen this turn of events.

"By the Command Spell, Berserker—end your own life!"

Sessyoin Kiara's strength was unparalleled, but so was her weakness. Unlike other Servants, who could act independently of their Masters, Kiara possessed only an E-rank in Independent Action. She was utterly reliant on her Master's magical energy.

This final Command Spell had been reserved for this exact scenario.

"First Command Spell: I order Kama to manifest as the Formless God and Mara, the Demon King."

"Second Command Spell: I order Ryougi Shiki to unleash her Mystic Eyes of Death Perception once more."

"Third Command Spell… this one is for you, Sessyoin Kiara."

Kiara smiled faintly, her serene expression unchanged.

Sessyoin Kiara remained calm, her serene voice unwavering.

"A truly impressive strategy. Even while facing a Beast whose very existence I find daunting, you managed to reserve enough mental energy to plan against me…"

"Ritsuka Fujimaru, the Savior of Humanity—acknowledged by both the strongest Beast of the Beginning and the wisest Beast of the End as a peerless hero."

She smiled faintly.

"This is not my battlefield. My task here is complete."

"Ritsuka Fujimaru, Master of the Chaldea Security Organization… I'll be waiting for you in my domain.

"When you arrive, I shall prepare a grand ceremony in your honor."

Sessyoin Kiara withdrew from the battle, and the grotesque flood of flesh and desire that had begun to spread vanished entirely. The world returned to its clear and pristine state.

Before departing, however, Kiara ensured that Morgan's Berserker—equipped with the strongest offensive Noble Phantasm present—was taken out as well.

Had Morgan been able to unleash her Noble Phantasm, "The Lost Utopia," just once, the battle could have ended in a single blow.

The Black faction's Saber, Artoria, possessed the strongest defensive Noble Phantasm, Avalon. But the Red faction lacked any equivalent defense.

Or, to put it another way, any defensive Noble Phantasm they had would have been torn apart by Morgan's power.

Ritsuka Fujimaru massaged her temples, her orange hair now thoroughly disheveled.

This is exhausting, she thought, but at least we managed to eliminate another one of their top pieces.

Sessyoin Kiara, in Ritsuka's eyes, was nothing more than a disposable pawn. Otherwise, Ritsuka wouldn't have reserved an entire Command Spell just to force Kiara to self-destruct at the critical moment.

Meanwhile, Persephone was still locked in a badminton-like exchange with Tamamo-no-Mae.

Their attacks were no longer limited to the controlling Cycle of the Underworld spell. Now they clashed using one of the most destructive Noble Phantasms among the Twelve Olympian Gods: Artemis' Moon Goddess' Cluster.

Persephone's current vessel was Atalanta, a favored servant of Artemis. It was only natural for her to borrow her goddess's Noble Phantasm.

In fact, this didn't violate any rules. Within the Holy Grail War, as long as a Servant's spiritual foundation was compatible, any Noble Phantasm they could wield was fair game.

For instance, Persephone could also summon Hades' Noble Phantasm if needed, and this would still be considered legitimate. Otherwise, such power-borrowing Servants wouldn't stand a chance in these battles.

That said, Persephone's inherent skills consumed vast amounts of magical energy, making her ill-suited for prolonged fights.

Tamamo-no-Mae's Noble Phantasm, "Eightfold Blessings of Amaterasu," was undeniably powerful but similarly resource-intensive. By contrast, Artemis' Moon Goddess' Cluster had significantly lower consumption, allowing Persephone to maintain her attacks with greater efficiency.

Were it not for the Heaven's Luck Aura Ritsuka had activated over her entire team, Tamamo would have faltered long ago.

Facing a god-possessed foe head-on in her three-tailed form was already pushing her limits.

At the very least, she would need to ascend to a six-tailed form to match Persephone's borrowed divine power.

In many ways, Ritsuka Fujimaru's ability to lead a team of lower- and mid-tier Servants into an even battle against the Black faction's overwhelmingly superior lineup was a testament to her talent.

She was a Master blessed with unfathomable luck, capable of making decisive and correct choices when that luck shone brightest.

No one could match her prowess. Ritsuka Fujimaru was a born Master.

"Well done~! I can't help but praise you for this," Nero quipped, shaking her golden hair.

"You've exploited my all-too-human flaws to perfection, tangling up that Rider with a mere barbarian and creating an ideal opening for the Red faction."

"This leaves Saber with only one choice—sacrificing herself to save the team."

Artoria's Avalon, used as a one-time tool, could eject itself to repel Durga and Ryougi Shiki's attacks.

But in doing so, the flawless Knight King would be left with nothing but her holy sword.

While still formidable, she would no longer be the unrivaled figure she once was.

"Tsk, tsk~. Reduced to a lower plane of battle!" Nero mused aloud.

Wasn't this exactly what it meant to be outmaneuvered? The opponent had fully anticipated her every move and trapped her with a simple scheme.

If Ritsuka weren't so preoccupied, her strategies would have worked against even Rider flawlessly.

"You're too kind," Ritsuka replied modestly, showing no hint of pride at Nero's compliment.

"I only have a basic understanding of 'Nero the Emperor.' However, when it comes to the Beast capable of triggering the Great Judgement, 666… I'm utterly clueless."

"Ha~ Red faction… do you think you've won?"

"…Your Majesty Nero," Ruler Ritsuka calmly replied, "I'm afraid you've misunderstood something."

She raised her hands slightly, a determined glint in her eyes.

"I, too, am a Servant capable of attacking."

"The referee is blowing the whistle way too hard. Kai wouldn't allow it," Artoria muttered, leaning against the wall with a half-lidded, unimpressed gaze. She spared a glance at her dejected elder sister and then shifted her eyes to Ritsuka.

"You're fine when you stick to buffs and tactical commands, but if you unleash another EX-ranked Noble Phantasm…"

Artoria trailed off before adding, "Do you really think your EX abilities can outmatch Kai's contingencies?"

Nero chimed in, her tone dripping with playful sarcasm.

"Let's try to keep the game fair, shall we, Ruler? Adjudicator extraordinaire?"

She deliberately stressed the word Ruler, her voice heavy with mockery.

Though Nero's tone was light, the jab was sharp—an accusation. A referee playing favorites, blatantly leaning toward the Red faction, not even bothering to hide her bias.

Ritsuka was momentarily at a loss for words, caught off guard by the cunning provocations from Nero and the others.

For a fleeting moment, she actually started to doubt herself.

But Ritsuka Fujimaru was no ordinary Master. Brilliant and sharp as ever, she quickly pieced the situation together.

"No," she said firmly, her eyes narrowing at Nero.

"Kai wouldn't care if I stepped in. If he had an issue with it, he'd have limited me long ago. Why would he let me act freely until now?"

She shook her head, a wry smile forming on her lips.

"One EX-ranked Noble Phantasm or two—what difference does it make to him?"

Her gaze grew cold as realization dawned.

"You cunning Beast… you used your silver tongue to deceive me!"

She paused, bitterness creeping into her voice.

"In the end, I was one move behind… too late."

Ritsuka couldn't help but sigh, silently berating herself. She was still too inexperienced. She still hadn't shed all of humanity's weaknesses.

Though she was only a young girl, not yet eighteen, the weight of humanity's survival had a way of eclipsing her youth. People often forgot her age, focusing instead on those steadfast eyes—unyielding and resolute.

Moments earlier, Ritsuka had exploited Rider's arrogance with precision, using Scáthach to restrain her. Outwardly humble during her exchange with Nero, inwardly, she hadn't seen the subdued Beast 666 as much of a threat.

This was stereotyping at its worst—judging based on preconceived notions, blind to the deeper truth.

Beasts were thought to lack perspective not out of negligence but because of their intrinsic nature.

However, Nero, though subdued by Su Kai, was far from a conventional Beast. With Beastly power but without the excesses of unrestrained logic, she was a contradiction—a Beast who defied expectations.

And reality wasted no time slapping Ritsuka in the face.

She had fallen into Nero's linguistic trap without realizing it, that brief lapse costing her the perfect opportunity to eliminate Saber.

By the time Ritsuka regained her composure, it was too late.

Caster—the Flower Magician Merlin—had already returned from the dreamscape to the battlefield.

This meant that the Black faction's top-tier combatant was now free to act, tipping the scales decisively.

Knocking away Saber's Avalon was a minor victory at best, falling far short of achieving the desired strategic outcome.

"So, the Black faction's Caster has arrived," Ritsuka muttered, her brows furrowed in frustration.

"That must mean Assassin has failed…"

Yet, her thoughts faltered.

"Why haven't I felt Kama's presence vanish?"

"Ah, that's because she hasn't been defeated," Merlin replied nonchalantly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Come on now, she's the Formless God and the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven. How was a little dream demon like me supposed to take her on?"

The Formless God, true to her name, lacked a tangible form. While Kama had successfully awakened Shiva's passion, her actions had disturbed Shiva's meditation, leading to her incineration by the third eye on his forehead.

Even so, this didn't mean Shiva had destroyed her entirely. Not even the mightiest of the Trimurti, the Destroyer himself, could fully annihilate Kama. Her power was beyond measure.

Merlin was certain of one thing—only a greater monster could deal with such a being.

While Kama could not be destroyed on a physical level, Merlin believed in Su Kai's intellect to find a solution.

"It's not over yet."

After a moment of silence, Ritsuka raised her gaze to the Black faction's Master and their Servants, her voice icy.

"As long as I can breathe, as long as I can still fight… I will never back down until I secure victory."

She took a resolute step forward, her eyes blazing with determination.

"In the name of Chaldea, I will overcome every enemy of humanity!"

---

On the other side of the battlefield, Su Kai gripped Kama by the scruff of her neck like an unruly cat.

"Have you lost your way?" he asked calmly.

"...Fascinating. Truly fascinating!"

Kama wriggled weakly in his grasp, unable to resist, yet her words flowed ceaselessly.

"You seem like a human consumed by desire… fallen, pathetic, and powerless.

"But when I take a closer look, your soul—it shines like gold! So dazzling, it's sickening!"

Her expression flickered between delight and disgust, her delicate face twisting as if she were suffering from a split personality.

"What exactly is the real you?" Kama tilted her head, glancing at Su Kai from different angles. As both a god and a demon king, she had never encountered anyone quite like him.

"You resemble the Enlightened One, yet you are utterly unlike them."

Kama's tone shifted into something almost analytical.

"The Enlightened One is one who has grasped the true essence of life, but you...

"You're more... pure. Purely arrogant, thinking you can shoulder the burden of all humanity!"

"You speak endlessly before me about such things…"

Su Kai's fingers brushed against her cheek as his dark gaze seemed to pierce through her.

"Kama—or should I call you Mara, the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven? I'm curious... do you have feelings in that heart of yours?"

At those words, Kama fell silent. The lively expressions vanished from her face, replaced by an emotionless, deadpan demeanor.

It was a long moment before she finally replied, her voice detached.

"I am the Great Lord of Freedom, the one who delights in the joy of others and rages in their anger. That is all."

The Formless God could not possess vibrant emotions. Those were qualities reserved for beings of substance, for things that had form.

"Kama," Su Kai said with a smirk, leaning back as he glanced at Hestia, who was still groggily resting nearby. He tapped her gently.

"You're not much for small talk, so tell me—what's truly on your mind?"

Then, as if suddenly inspired, Su Kai asked with interest, "Oh, by the way, do you know who this is?"

Kama turned her gaze to Hestia and replied with indifference, "I don't. But the divine aura surrounding her suggests she is a goddess of considerable stature."

"That's correct~" Su Kai nodded mischievously. "She's the goddess of the sacred flame!"

"Kama, I'm curious—can the Formless God withstand the flames of the Greek goddess of fire?"

Hestia raised her hand silently. At her fingertips burned the Flame of Civilization, the Flame of Creation, and the Flame of Life—distinct from the destructive fire that emanated from Shiva's third eye.

Kama stiffened.

She wasn't merely the god of love Kama right now. She was the Formless God, an existence particularly vulnerable to flames that acted upon intangible concepts and formless beings—her natural nemesis.

"Kama, I may not be able to act directly, but surely you don't believe yourself invincible?"

"...Pardonne-moi~!" Kama interrupted with sudden urgency, dropping into a dramatic slide of submission.

Her speed was almost comical as she knelt before Su Kai, pleading.

"Please, O mighty one! Forgive me!"

Kama wasn't one to cling to concepts like morality, pride, or loyalty. Her allegiance was solely to herself.

Su Kai's lips curled into a bemused smile. "Ah, I see. Betraying others is how you stay loyal to yourself, is it? Very well—you've earned a prize. Consider this your reward for loyalty."

Seeing Su Kai fall into a thoughtful silence, Kama grew nervous. She spoke quickly, her tone increasingly desperate.

"My lord, I beg of you, spare me! I'll do anything!"

"You really only think about yourself, don't you?" Su Kai remarked, shaking his head.

"To be honest, I've never thought much of this Holy Grail War nonsense."

He shifted his grip, tilting her chin upward, forcing her to meet his gaze. Even Su Kai, accustomed to beauty, had to admit there was something dangerously enthralling about Kama's appearance—her charm could drag anyone into the abyss.

"You're free to withdraw now," Su Kai said coolly. "But remember this: you've lost. That means you owe me a favor.

"When the time comes, I'll collect it."

At Su Kai's signal, Hestia raised her hand high, the sacred flames burning brightly. With them, she sent the Formless God back to the void where she belonged.

By this point, the battle had little reason to continue.

Ritsuka Fujimaru, whose strategy had faltered, was now racing against the clock.

Moreover, Ritsuka's understanding of Alaya only scratched the surface. She had yet to experience the bitter frustration of realizing Alaya's support was not unconditional.

Alaya's patronage of Ritsuka came with limits. It would not exhaust every resource or pay any price to grant her the tools she needed.

Alaya had chosen Ritsuka because of her exceedingly rare talent as a strategic commander, a gift that surfaced perhaps once in millions of individuals.

Ritsuka was the perfect candidate for the role of Master—someone born to lead.

That was why Alaya had gambled on her, providing what seemed to be limitless support. This, however, created an illusion for Ritsuka.

She believed Alaya was trustworthy. That Alaya was on her side.

She saw Alaya, humanity's collective unconscious, as a steadfast ally of mankind.

For the preservation of humanity.

For victory in the game Su Kai had agreed to play.

For the hope of defeating Su Kai in the future…

Even at the edge of despair, Ritsuka Fujimaru refused to give up hope. Humanity, after all, was a species that believed in miracles, fighting with everything they had to seize even the faintest sliver of a chance at victory.

But unlike humanity, Alaya, the collective unconscious of humankind, harbored no notions of courage, willpower, or honor. It cared only for calculations—risk, cost, and probability.

If the odds of victory were favorable, Alaya would stop at nothing, using every means at its disposal to secure triumph.

But when the probability of success dwindled, Alaya would not seek to go down with a blaze of glory or destroy its enemy in a desperate final act. Instead, it would prioritize self-preservation. And if all efforts to protect itself failed, Alaya would accept its elimination with quiet resignation.

Ritsuka's innate skill was extraordinarily powerful, but the cost of using it was equally immense. This skill consumed magical energy not at a fixed rate, but in proportion to the adjustments it made to probability.

What Ritsuka perhaps didn't realize—what Alaya likely never told her—was that Alaya no longer saw value in spending more resources or paying a steeper price to support her in what it deemed an unwinnable war.

Out of options and with no chips left to wager, Ritsuka, humanity's Master, was forced to take the field herself.

She activated her EX-ranked Noble Phantasm: "Aegis of Humanity."

As expected of the most exceptional Master of the Chaldea Security Organization, Ritsuka's innate skills and Noble Phantasms were nearly all large-scale aura effects designed to bolster her allies.

This particular Noble Phantasm didn't just suppress the stats of opposing Servants; it also stripped them of some of their legend, while restoring her own Servants to the peak of their abilities in life.

It was important to remember that classes in the Holy Grail War were inherently restrictive. Take Artoria, for example. She could be summoned in any of the seven standard classes, yet none of them could match the full power of the Knight King at her height during life.

And for divine spirits degraded into Heroic Spirits? Their strength was often diminished to an even greater degree.

"Tch… Nero. That cunning Beast. If it weren't for her interference, the Knight King would already be out of this war…"

Just a few breaths.

That was all the time Nero had stolen from her, yet it was enough to turn the tides. The situation had grown so dire that Ritsuka herself was now forced to take desperate measures.

She clenched her fists, frustration creeping into her thoughts.

She was still too young.

Compared to the great figures whose names had been etched into human history, whether for good or ill, she lacked their experience and polish.

Her will was unshakable. Her resolve was absolute.

But humans were inherently flawed beings—creatures who grew stronger and more formidable through their mistakes, learning and evolving each time they stumbled.

Even Su Kai was no exception.

He made mistakes.

He revised and corrected his actions upon discovering those errors.

No matter how many simulations he ran, Su Kai continued to gain new insights and experiences, reshaping his ideas and behaviors…

Refining himself.

If it was true for him, it would also be true for Ritsuka Fujimaru.

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T/N: 6,242 words 38,707 characters

I am not translating another chapter today sorry (WEAK WHO IS THIS???)

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