Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 1459: Chapter 1458: One More Battle (Really Craving Pork Knuckle)

”Kiritsugu, what should we do?”

After returning, Irisviel immediately sought out Emiya Kiritsugu to relay everything she had heard from Fang Zheng, word for word. After listening to Irisviel’s account, Emiya Kiritsugu remained silent for a long time, not uttering a word. He just stared blankly at the table, like a statue. However, Irisviel also said nothing, waiting for her husband’s decision.

It was only after a while that Emiya Kiritsugu spoke.

”There’s no evidence proving what she said is true.”

”But Kiritsugu...”

”We can’t just retreat like this, Ellie.”

Kiritsugu interrupted Ellie’s words.

”Indeed, what she said makes sense, a lot of sense, but there’s no evidence to prove it. We can’t be certain it’s true, and even if it were, it doesn’t mean the Holy Grail has lost its ability as a wish-granter.”

”But... if that’s the case, why would she even say these things?”

”Maybe she wants us to choose to end the Holy Grail War early, given her abilities...”

As he said this, Emiya Kiritsugu thought for a moment, then looked at SABER.

”SABER, if you release your Noble Phantasm, can you defeat CASTER’s MASTER?”

”It’s hard to say...”

Faced with Emiya Kiritsugu’s question, SABER shook her head.

”I haven’t directly competed, so I can’t judge for now.”

”I see... in that case, we’ll need to team up with RIDER at the very least. The enemy is indeed strong, but we’re not completely without a chance of victory. Whether what she says is true or false, we’ll only know when the Holy Grail is summoned.”

”..........”

Seeing Kiritsugu and then looking at SABER, Irisviel couldn’t find anything more to say. She understood their feelings well. Regardless of the circumstances, both Emiya Kiritsugu and SABER came for the Holy Grail, but now, without any evidence, it was absolutely impossible to ask them to easily withdraw from the Holy Grail War.

Especially Kiritsugu, who has sacrificed so much for all of this...

But for Irisviel, she yearned more for the future that Illya described, a future where she, her husband, and their child could live a peaceful and happy life, which was what Irisviel truly hoped for.

However, it seemed impossible to persuade Kiritsugu to give up now.

With this in mind, Irisviel sighed deeply.

The night was deep.

Kotomine Kirei stood silently, looking at Tohsaka Shichen lying in the hospital bed. At this moment, Tohsaka Shichen lay on the bed with lifeless eyes, as if he had suddenly aged twenty years. And it’s no wonder, given how much effort he put into this Holy Grail War. He even summoned the most powerful Heroic Spirit. Just a few days ago, he was certain he would win the Holy Grail War.

But now... everything was over.

On just the first day of the Holy Grail War, ARCHER, in whom Tohsaka Shichen had placed great hopes, was eliminated swiftly by CASTER’s MASTER, dead beyond dead. Tohsaka Shichen couldn’t accept this blow, and to make matters worse, he was severely injured in the previous battle.

Although Fang Zheng’s forty-meter Greatsword strike didn’t directly hit Tohsaka Shichen, he hit his head on the corner of his table, causing massive intracranial bleeding. Whether he would survive was still unknown. Now, Tohsaka Shichen could only lie in the ICU, relying on a ventilator to maintain his life.

But even so, it’s uncertain how long he could hold on.

So... what should be done next?

Staring at his teacher, Kotomine Kirei fell into silence. The original plan was to assist Tohsaka Shichen in achieving victory, but now, Tohsaka Shichen had been forced to withdraw from the Holy Grail War and might even die. In such a situation, what was left for him to do? He had no wish he wanted to fulfill, which is why Kotomine Kirei felt lost.

Should he continue?

Use ASSASSIN to secure victory in this Holy Grail War?

Or abandon the Command Seal and return to his original life? Honestly, he had never thought about these questions, but it seemed he must consider them now.

While pondering these issues, Kotomine Kirei left the hospital, heading toward the Church.

”Click, click...”

The lonely footsteps echoed on the deserted street. Under the dim streetlights, only Kotomine Kirei’s shadow was visible. But just as he was about to step onto the slope leading to the Church, he suddenly stopped and looked ahead.

”You finally returned; I’ve been waiting long enough.”

Not far ahead on the slope was a girl with a fiery red ponytail, holding a bottle of cola, biting a habit, and glaring at him displeasedly.

”But alright, now that you’re finally back, this boring wait should end.”

With these words, the girl threw the empty cola bottle backward, which fell perfectly into a nearby trash can with a clang.

”What do you mean by this?”

Eyeing the red ponytail girl warily, Kotomine Kirei spoke, and the girl shrugged her shoulders.

”It’s simple. I intend to take down ASSASSIN. But this ASSASSIN has too many duplicates, making it like a whack-a-mole game—tedious and time-consuming. So, I plan to solve the problem conveniently. You see, aren’t you the MASTER of ASSASSIN? As long as I take you down, ASSASSIN will be finished too, and I won’t have to waste effort searching all over town, right?”

”—————!!”

Upon hearing this, Kotomine Kirei clenched his fists immediately, placing them before him. Though he didn’t know how she found out he was ASSASSIN’s MASTER, it was clear that she came prepared this time and must not be underestimated! He knew well just how formidable this red ponytail girl was. If he let his guard down for even a moment, it might cost him his life!

”By the Command...”

”Swish...!”

Just as Kotomine Kirei began to speak, not even having the chance to use the Command Seal, his world was suddenly split in two before his eyes.

A line of blood appeared on Kotomine Kirei’s forehead, gradually spreading from top to bottom. Subsequently, his body split in half on the ground, falling silent.

The red ponytail girl behind Kotomine Kirei, who appeared at some unknown time, lifted Frostmourne. Soon after, a white spiritual essence was drawn from the corpse, emitting a mournful scream before vanishing into the magic sword.

”Alright, job done.”

Snapping his fingers at the corpse, Fang Zheng soon summoned a fire that swiftly consumed Kotomine Kirei’s body completely. He yawned, then turned and vanished into the pitch-black shadows.

Softly I left, just as softly I came. Waving my hand, without taking a cloud away.

No one knew ASSASSIN’s MASTER had died so quietly, just as his Servant had, disappearing into the dark without a trace.

And no one cared.

Until early the next morning, on Fuyuki Bridge, Fang Zheng encountered the group of RIDER again.

Only this time, alongside RIDER were also SABER and LANCER.

”So, you’ve decided to ally?”

Seeing the Three Riders before him, Fang Zheng wasn’t surprised. Upon hearing her question, the three Servants exchanged glances and nodded.

”Indeed, I have sworn to present the Holy Grail to my master.”

LANCER was the first to speak, and SABER also nodded.

”We won’t believe everything you say just based on your word, whether it’s true or false, can only be determined after the battle.”

”You did say you’d give me a more interesting battlefield, little lady.”

RIDER laughed heartily and forcefully patted his chest.

”My Conqueror King is getting impatient!”

”Alright then.”

Looking at the three in front of him, Fang Zheng shrugged his shoulders. He didn’t care about their choice, just as she said, whether they understood or not, these Servants couldn’t just obediently commit suicide, obviously, the only path left was to reveal their true strength through combat.

”Since you all have made your decision, there’s nothing more to say.”

As he spoke, Fang Zheng reached out and took Frostmourne from behind, then forcefully stabbed it into the ground.

”Seal!”

With Fang Zheng’s roar, the ice wind howled, and a bone-chilling gale rushed against them, enveloping everyone within.

When they reopened their eyes, the scene before them was a surprise to the three Servants.

”This is...?”

Looking at the scene, the trio appeared somewhat shocked. Initially, they thought the other side would show the same dilapidated King’s City and those terrifying entities as before. But this time, what greeted them was an endless, frozen wasteland.

The wind was howling, and snow was falling.

Everything before them seemed to be frozen solid.

”Warriors of the frozen wasteland, rise up!”

Accompanied by Fang Zheng’s roar, the next thing the three Servants saw was a ”shhh” sound. From within the frozen wasteland emerged tens of thousands of undead spirits, each wielding weapons, with brilliant azure soulfire flickering in their pitch-black eye sockets.

”Welcome to Icecrown Fortress.”

At this moment, Fang Zheng stood upon the Lich King’s Daimon, holding Frostmourne, smiling as she watched the three Servants before her.

”What you face now are the undead and Scourge Legion. They once brought death to every corner of this world, and these are the enemies you must confront.”

Having said this, Fang Zheng looked toward RIDER.

”Conqueror King, is this enemy to your satisfaction?”

”Hahahahaha!”

Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s question, RIDER immediately burst into laughter.

”Good, good! This is the enemy I want! Undead? Scourge Legion! Great, let me see what these moving piles of bones can do in front of me!”

Saying this, RIDER suddenly raised his longsword.

”Come forth, my subordinates, my subjects! The time for attack, invasion, and plunder has arrived once again!”

”Boom!!!”

With RIDER’s words, an endless desert emerged behind RIDER, and soon, the Macedonian army once again assembled before their King.

”As for you... SABER.”

After glancing at RIDER, Fang Zheng looked toward SABER not far away.

”I have another enemy to send your way.”

After saying this, Fang Zheng snapped her fingers, and soon, a pitch-black mist condensed on the ground, followed by a shadow clad in pitch-black armor emerging from within.

”BERSERKER?!”

Seeing this, SABER was taken aback.

”You actually teamed up with BERSERKER?”

”Of course not.”

Fang Zheng shook her head.

”Actually, BERSERKER’s MASTER gave it to me as a reward...”

Upon saying this, Fang Zheng smiled slightly. Actually, yesterday, Matou Kariya found Fang Zheng. As a reward for her driving Shichen and ARCHER out of the Holy Grail War directly, Matou Kariya happily handed over BERSERKER to Fang Zheng.

Unlike the animation, this time Matou Kariya participated in the Holy Grail War not because he was forced by Old Bug Man, but because when he returned home, he found his house had been bombed, and upon learning from Tohsaka Aoi that Little Sakura had been sent to the Matou Family, he mistakenly believed Little Sakura had been killed in the explosion. Thus, to avenge Little Sakura, Matou Kariya proactively summoned BERSERKER, intending to give Tohsaka Toki a hard time.

Unexpectedly, before he could act, Tohsaka Toki had already been ousted from the Holy Grail War.

This greatly relieved Matou Kariya, and later, when he found out Little Sakura was fine, he decisively chose to sever the Command Seal and handed BERSERKER to Fang Zheng, choosing to flee.

”Moreover, this BERSERKER has some connection with you, after all...”

After saying this, Fang Zheng paused for a moment.

”Well, you’ll know once you fight.”

Since spoiling the surprise would be no fun, Fang Zheng also looked forward to seeing SABER’s reaction upon learning BERSERKER’s true identity.

”Go, BERSERKER, do what you’re meant to do.”

”Arthur!!!”

As Fang Zheng’s words fell, BERSERKER roared and charged toward SABER. Its action seemed to signal an activation, as at this moment, the previously silent Scourge Legion on the wasteland also screamed, raising their weapons and rushing forward!

”The enemy has arrived!!”

Riding his beloved horse, RIDER raised his weapon high with excitement, facing the undead army crashing like waves.

”Our enemy is the undead and Scourge Legion; this will be a battle worthy of the annals of history...!”

Having said this, RIDER gripped his blade tightly and swung it forward!

”Trample them!!”

”Ahhh!!!!”

With RIDER’s roar, tens of thousands of soldiers emerged from the desert wasteland, taking large steps forward. Facing the undead before them, they raised their weapons high and charged with a roar.

And so, on this cold, frozen wasteland, the army of humans clashed heavily against the undead.