Fate's Choice: Livestream at the Start Summoning Billions of Ravens

Rome, hotel suite.

On the virtual screen, the pure white sun that had purified everything slowly dissipated, and the Tokyo night sky returned to tranquility, leaving only the devastated ruins of the city, silently telling the story of what had just happened.

Jiang Ming finished the last drop of red wine in his glass and casually placed the wine glass aside.

His attention was completely absorbed in his own mind.

On the system panel, the number representing the emotion value is increasing at a frenzied pace.

[Current Emotional Value Balance: 48,125,600…]

【51,339,780...】

【55,672,130...】

Eventually, the speed at which the numbers were changing gradually slowed down.

[Emotional Value Balance: 58,970,000]

A top-tier showdown that swept the globe, a disaster that destroyed half of Tokyo, brought Jiang Ming over 40 million points of pure emotional gain.

Jiang Ming showed no regret whatsoever at the departure of Shuten-dōji.

This investment of one million emotional points has already exceeded its target.

Furthermore, from the perspective of the rules, Berserker Shuten-dōji was forcibly suppressed by Ruler due to serious violations, which constitutes "disqualification," rather than dying in the regular confrontation of the Holy Grail War.

This means that the Berserker rank is actually vacant.

Adding another berserker later would be perfectly reasonable.

However, there's no rush now.

Jiang Ming examined his plan and decided to first comprehensively upgrade the existing "actor" performance.

To avoid a power gap between later characters and the initial characters, which would affect the entertainment value of the show.

His gaze first fell upon Mirror Doll No. 1, which was far away in China.

This "perfect alibi" responsible for playing himself has extremely high intrinsic value, but his strength remains at the initial level of 10,000 emotional points, which is just the level of an ordinary Jiang Ming.

On this stage where "gods and demons" are beginning to appear, such "ordinariness" is itself a flaw.

It must be strengthened.

Jiang Ming brought up the system panel and precisely selected the entry "Mirror Doll No. 1" with his mind.

Should we upgrade 'Mirror Doll No. 1'?

"strengthen."

A completely new interface unfolded in Jiang Ming's mind, listing all the abilities he possessed.

He checked four of them without hesitation.

【Raven Summoning Spell (Advanced)】

【The Voice of the Soul (Advanced)】

Plant Control (Advanced)

Weathering With You (Advanced)

Immediately afterwards, Jiang Ming entered a number in the section for "emotional value input".

One million.

[The system detected that the host has selected to infuse 'Mirror Doll No. 1' with four advanced abilities.]

[This enhancement is a fundamental upgrade and requires 1,000,000 emotion points. Confirm?]

"confirm."

[Emotional Value Balance: 57,970,000]

……

at the same time.

China, Ninth Bureau's Supreme Command Center.

The atmosphere inside the huge conference room was somber.

Chen Jianguo and a group of top experts from the military, intelligence agencies, and research institutes are conducting an intense debriefing and analysis of the images frozen on the central screen.

The scene depicts the final moment of Jeanne d'Arc unleashing her Noble Phantasm, "Crimson Saintess".

"From the perspective of energy reaction, the power released instantaneously has exceeded the peak power of small tactical nuclear weapons, but no nuclear radiation residue was detected afterward."

"This is a higher-dimensional form of energy that purifies not only matter, but also the 'concept' itself."

"That Berserker is as dead as can be."

Each conclusion reached by the experts weighed heavily on the hearts of everyone present.

Jiang Ming, who plays the role of "advisor," is sitting idly in the corner of the conference table, listening to these debriefing analyses.

Just then, his body stiffened for a moment.

"Consultant Jiang?"

Chen Jianguo keenly noticed his fleeting unusual behavior, turned his head, and asked.

Jiang Ming, mirror image number 1, seemed to have just come to his senses. He raised his hand and yawned, his face showing just the right amount of fatigue.

"It's nothing, I'm just a little sleepy."

He waved his hand, indicating that everyone should not worry about it.

"I haven't had much rest these past few days, working non-stop with you guys. You guys keep going, don't worry about me."

Upon hearing this explanation, Chen Jianguo and the experts around him did not give it much thought.

After all, since the Tokyo incident, the entire Ninth Bureau has been in a state of high tension, and it is common for people to go without sleep for several days and nights in a row. It is perfectly normal for a young man in his early twenties to feel tired.

Everyone's attention quickly returned to the analysis of the battle situation in Tokyo.

……

Rome.

After completing the upgrade of Mirror 1, Jiang Ming did not stop, and then turned his attention to two other important "actors".

Saber Li Bai, and Ruler Joan of Arc.

He first selected Li Bai's portrait, clicked the "Enhance" option, and directly allocated one million emotion points.

The instruction has been confirmed.

[Upgrading 'Mirror Doll: Saber Li Bai'...]

……

Yuzhang, the summit of Longhu Mountain.

Behind the Celestial Master's Mansion, shrouded in mist, lies a thousand-year-old pine tree.

Zhang Ruoxu and Li Bai sat facing each other, engaged in a silent game of chess.

On the chessboard, black and white pieces intertwine, concealing a deadly intent.

Just as Zhang Ruoxu picked up a piece, preparing to place it, Li Bai's finger holding the white piece paused slightly.

A sharper and purer sword intent than before suddenly rose from Li Bai's body.

This sword intent was formless and intangible, yet it made the surrounding air creak as if it were being cut. A falling pine needle silently split in two three feet away from him.

Zhang Ruoxu's movement to place a piece froze in mid-air.

He raised his head and looked at the swordsman in blue robes opposite him, a hint of surprise showing in his insightful eyes.

After a moment, Zhang Ruoxu spoke slowly, his voice calm and still.

"Your 'roots' seem to have become even more vast."

Li Bai gently placed the white piece on the chessboard, making a crisp sound, cutting off a large black dragon.

He nodded slightly, acknowledging the change in his power.

"Yes, I just received some additional information."

"I am stronger now than when I cleaved the river with a single sword."

……

Inside the Rome Hotel.

Jiang Ming confirmed that Li Bai's enhancement was complete.

At this point, the total investment in Saber Li Bai has reached two million emotion points.

Jiang Ming nodded in satisfaction.

He then selected Ruler's portrait and added one million emotion points to enhance it.

The instruction has been confirmed.

[Enhancing 'Mirror Doll: Ruler Jeanne d'Arc'...]

[Emotional Value Balance: 56,970,000]

……

Vatican.

A prayer room that is not open to the public.

Joan of Arc, clad in silver armor, stood with her eyes closed and her hands clasped in front of her chest.

Suddenly, a holy light, far more magnificent and purer than when she descended, burst forth from her body, illuminating the entire prayer room.

The authority of the "arbitrator" is fundamentally expanded at this moment.

She could feel her own power being strengthened once again.

……

Jiang Ming looked at the panel and saw that Joan of Arc's total investment had reached 2.5 million points.

A clear benchmark of strength was established in his mind.

As an overseer, a Ruler should be a level above other regular classes in terms of strength.

The difference of 500,000 emotion points is just right, not too much, not too little.

As for other Servants created later, two million emotion points will be used as the basic standard.

Jiang Ming wanted to ensure that every participant in this "Holy Grail War" possessed terrifying power capable of influencing the world's格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall situation or landscape), and that there were absolutely no incompetent or mediocre characters among them.

After doing all this, his emotional value balance still had more than 56 million.

A huge sum of money that he could squander several more times.

At the same time, Jiang Ming also began to think about who should play the remaining six job classes.

Archer.

Lancer.

Rider.

Caster.

Assassin. Berserker.

Jiang Ming's thoughts moved slowly on the virtual Earth projection.

Finally, his fingertips rested on the North American continent.

That superpower that has always tried to control the situation, but has always been one step behind.

"Then let's start with Archer."