Those time travelers that year

Kenneth yelled again, and several more mercury-like spears extended from the flowing mercury, piercing towards Charles's barrier.

Clang clang clang clang clang...

Several mercury spears launched a continuous barrage of attacks at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye. In an instant, countless sparks flew from the barrier that Charles had deployed.

"What's wrong? Are you just going to cower in that turtle shell?" Seeing that his attack seemed to have suppressed Ciel, Kenneth shouted, "Don't think you can face me, Kenneth El-Melloi, just because you have a few tricks up your sleeve? Die! Scalp!"

The thrusts of the mercury spears became even faster. For a moment, it seemed as if countless afterimages filled the sky. Sparks flashed one after another on the barrier, and then, with a crash, the barrier shattered like a mirror. Having broken through the enemy's barrier, Kenneth manipulated his Mystic Code, conjuring dozens of mercury spears, which slashed towards Ciel from all directions.

If you get hit, your whole body will be cut to pieces.

"Not bad!" Dark green flames ignited in Ciel's hand, then surged forth like a burst dam, engulfing everything around them. "But, have you forgotten? Mercury is indeed an excellent conductor of magic, but if it's evaporated, it's nothing!"

64. Director Ken, who has completely failed.

Mercury, or quicksilver, is essentially a chemical element. It is a heavy, liquid metal that exists in a liquid state at room temperature and has a shiny, silvery-white color. It is chemically stable, insoluble in both acids and alkalis. Mercury evaporates at room temperature, and mercury vapor and its compounds are highly toxic (chronically). Mercury has a long history of use and a wide range of applications. In medieval alchemy, it was considered one of the three sacred elements, along with sulfur and salt.

It is worth mentioning that, historically, it is said that the actual tomb of Qin Shi Huang was filled with rivers formed by a large amount of mercury.

However, although it is a metal, mercury actually has a low boiling point, and mercury exposed to air will evaporate quickly. Therefore, the mercury used to make the Mystic Code - Moon Spirit Essence Liquid, even after special treatment, cannot defy its inherent properties.

How high is the temperature of fel flames created using fel energy, an energy derived from destruction and the plunder of life? Charles hadn't bothered to measure this, and in fact, it's difficult to do so. Ordinary steel would simply melt rapidly in the face of fel fire. Having traversed three worlds, so far, nothing has truly been able to withstand the destructive power of fel energy. In Harry Potter, if Charles hadn't held back, the Auror would have been reduced to ashes; and in Elder Scrolls, the bone dragon was completely incinerated…

Furthermore, Char had not used the power of fel energy much. But today, as the fel fire spread from Char's hands, its destructive power—devouring, destroying, and plundering—on living beings, finally broke free of its shackles under Char's deliberate control.

Kenneth's magical costume and the mercury spears that shot towards him were instantly engulfed by the fel fire and then vanished without a trace.

"What... what is this?" Kenneth took a step back, his body covered in cold sweat as he stared at the raging flames before him, utterly enveloped by fear. His prized magical costume had vanished like a bubble, and all his arrogance and previous boasts now made him look like a clown.

"A power powerful enough to destroy the world!" Fel flames roared around Ciel, making him appear like a demon king crawling out of a burning hell. The ground beneath his feet, charred and withered, lay as he walked towards Kenneth. "Looks like your Mystic Code isn't all that impressive after all! I was so excited before..."

"...You...it's impossible." Kenneth's pride was ruthlessly crushed by Ciel, and he clearly couldn't accept it. He roared in despair, continuing to manipulate the mercury to launch an attack towards Ciel. However, all of this was meaningless; all the mercury near Ciel was destroyed in an instant. The fel flames roared and surged, and under the intense heat, the space around Ciel constantly distorted, like a laughing demon opening its invisible maw to devour everything.

"Forget it! He's just a hothouse flower, a nobody." Charles sighed, looking at the crumbling Kenneth. "However, tonight, I also ask that you—Mr. Kenneth El-Melloi Archibald—and your fiancée who's always wanted to cheat on you and make you a cuckold, be eliminated as well!"

"No, no, no, I don't want to die!" Sensing the threat to his life, Kenneth began to scream in despair, his mercury continuously forming various attack patterns as it attacked Shire. But no matter the form of the attack, mercury, unable to escape its physical state, was utterly useless against the fel fire that devoured and destroyed everything.

"Kenneth!" Sora exclaimed. "Command Spell, use Command Spell to summon Lancer."

Oh right! Lancer also has Command Seals...

Kenneth suddenly realized that he wasn't without trump cards. In fact, with those two Command Seals, he could summon Lancer and restore her to her full state using their power. Although this would consume all his Command Seals, so what? At this point, facing an enemy wielding the flames of destruction, all pride had to be set aside; survival was the top priority.

As for disliking Lancer or being cheated on, who cares about that when it comes to life and death?

Moreover, with the power of the Heroic Spirit, Lancer, who possesses the exorcising red rose and the annihilating yellow rose as Noble Phantasms, could even take this opportunity to kill the enemy who is threatening his life.

Thinking this, Kenneth stopped hesitating and manipulated his last remaining mercury, transforming it all into needle-like spikes, launching a fierce attack on Ciel like a whirlwind. At that moment, Kenneth raised his left hand, still bearing the two Command Seals, and cried out for help.

"In the name of the Command Seal, Lancer..."

……

Faced with this desperate attack, Sharl completely disregarded the dense, rain-like stream of mercury spikes, simply engulfing them with a single roll of fel fire. At that moment, seeing Kenneth's attempt to use a Command Spell to summon Diarmuid, who was entangled by the berserker, Sharl activated his pre-prepared preventative measures.

A grayish-white soul stone with a dragon-shaped engraving in its center appeared in Xia's hand. Then, a faint light flashed from the soul stone, followed by an ancient and profound voice.

"Tiid Klo UI..." [Dragon Roar - Delay Time]

The world began to distort, a ghastly green curtain of light enveloping it like gilding. The air stopped moving, all movement and operation seemed frozen in place. The world was like a video that had been stuck, frozen without buffering.

At this moment, Ciel, who seemed largely unaffected by the silence of the world, took a step forward. The distinctive black smoke of Apparition enveloped his body, and in an instant, he appeared before Kenneth. At that moment, he had just raised his left hand, which was imprinted with the Command Seal, in an attempt to summon Lancer.

The Sword of Restraint

A magical longsword appeared in Sharl's hand, and he plunged it into Kenneth's chest, piercing him completely. Simultaneously, both the soul-trapping effect of the [Sword of Binding] spell and Sharl's own soul-stripping power began to greedily devour and rip away at Kenneth's soul the instant the magical longsword pierced his chest.

Then, the world returned to normal.

Kenneth, who had just opened his mouth, froze. Blood gushed from his mouth, and the pain in his soul and chest slowly drained away all his life force.

"Aa ...

Charles turned his gaze to the screaming Sora and placed his right hand to his mouth. "Shh!"

Sora's legs buckled, and she knelt on the ground, her face filled with fear and despair as she watched Charles pull the magic sword from Kenneth's chest.

"Goodnight, Kenneth El-Melloi Archibald!" Ciel drew his magic longsword from Kenneth, and at the same time, the power of soul stripping ripped Kenneth's soul out, merging it into Ciel's hand. "Game over!"

“And you, Miss Sora!” Ignoring Kenneth, who had fallen to the ground, lifeless and soulless, Charles turned his gaze to Sora, who was kneeling on the ground. “What do you want me to do with you?”

"...No, no, don't kill me, spare me, spare me!" Seeing Charles looking over, Sora screamed in terror, kneeling on the ground and grabbing Charles's leg. "I'll do anything, please, don't kill me, please... Waaah... please..."

"Really?" Charles bent down, stroking Sora's smooth, tear-streaked face with one hand. "You'll do whatever I tell you to do?"

"Waaaaah, that's right, that's right..."

"Alright, Lancer's Command Seals and Magic Granting are separate, right? Now, if you haven't severed Magic Granting, then please obediently sever the Magic Granting that supports Lancer's existence..."

"Good boy, you'll listen to me, won't you?"

65. Next target: insects.

In the ruins of the collapsed building, Lancer and the Berserker are engaged in a life-or-death struggle. Lancer, wielding two guns, one long and one short, is still wounded and exhausted from protecting his Master from the explosion and building collapse. Even though he is now a Heroic Spirit, he is still quite injured.

At this moment, facing the Berserker at his peak, Diarmuid was already at a disadvantage from the very beginning of the battle, being overwhelmingly suppressed by the Berserker. If it were only that, it wouldn't be so bad, but although he had lost his mind due to his class, the Berserker, possessing boundless martial arts skills, was not deceived by his two demonic spears. Instead, he wielded a one-handed sword and a battle axe, directly attacking him. These swords and axes were not ordinary weapons; they were imbued with a strange, cold energy. Moreover, the Berserker's ability to transform the objects he held into his Noble Phantasms directly elevated these two magical artifacts, which were not originally Noble Phantasms, to the level of Noble Phantasms. In the continuous clash of weapons, Diarmuid felt his stamina being increasingly depleted under the corrosive influence of the cold energy.

Normally, with his B-rank magic resistance, he could easily nullify magic of level three or below, and even grand magic and ritualistic spells would have difficulty harming him. However, tonight, the initial battle had already depleted his strength, and he was exhausted from protecting two magicians amidst the explosions and building collapses.

The berserker's special ability enhances the performance of his weapon...

The situation was becoming increasingly unfavorable to him.

The spear clashed with the sword and axe, the two swiftly swinging their weapons, creating a sonic boom as they collided, the shockwave shattering the surrounding rocks. Lancer's eyes narrowed, and with a mighty thrust, he flicked the two spears upwards, pulling the berserker's weapon-wielding hands apart, leaving his chest wide open.

opportunity!

Lancer seized this hard-won opportunity, swinging her twin pistols at the berserker. The red spears swept past, but the berserker, reacting quickly, blocked them with his one-handed sword. However, the sword was instantly shattered by the exorcising red rose. At that moment, Lancer, wielding the annihilating yellow rose, thrust it towards the berserker's head.

Even the most ferocious warrior, even a Heroic Spirit, is doomed. Seizing this opportunity, Lancer attempted a decisive strike to finish off the persistent berserker. However, at that moment, Lancer froze, a sense of panic washing over the battle-hardened veteran. The magical energy that had sustained him vanished instantly, and more importantly, the contract broke. There was only one possibility: the Command Seal holder was dead.

This is a trap! Lancer, realizing what was happening, had no time to react, or rather, the moment the contract broke, he lost all sense of reason. At that moment, the berserker, seemingly caught off guard by Lancer's counterattack, flashed a crimson light, like blood, beneath his helmet, and then, seizing the instant Lancer was stunned, swung his battle axe.

Clang!

Instinctively, Lancer shielded the inescapably powerful Yellow Rose with his own body, but the Berserker, at the cost of his battle axe shattering, severed the B-rank Noble Phantasm's inevitable destruction of the Yellow Rose. Then, without further ado, he cleaved the remaining axe blade into Lancer's chest.

Boom!!!

Lancer was sent flying by the berserker's blow. The axe blade, lodged in his chest, cleaved Lancer's chest and sternum, causing massive bleeding that rendered him completely helpless.

“…Cough cough, despicable…you.” Lancer, sprawled on the ground, looked at the approaching berserker with angry and desperate eyes. He had always regretted not being able to be loyal to his lord in his previous life, and his only purpose in participating in the Holy Grail War was to fulfill the duty he had failed to complete in his previous life in the name of a knight, to be loyal to a lord until the very end, hoping to be loyal to him, and he had no pursuit of the Holy Grail itself.

However, this final wish also came to an end because of everything that had just happened, just as he had not been able to fulfill his vow while he was alive.

However, the berserker in front of him ignored Lancer's unwillingness and snatched the Demon-Slaying Crimson Rose Spear. The Knight's Undying power was activated, and after staining the demon spear with black patterns, the demon spear was separated from its original master's hand.

The berserker raised his spear and mercilessly plunged it into Lancer's heart. Lancer, his eyes wide with resentment, lost all his life force, and then his entire body turned into specks of light and vanished.

The first night of the Holy Grail War.

The Servant whose Advent Class was Lancer and whose real name was Diarmuid Ua Ua Duibhne has been removed from the game.

…………

.........

……

...

.

Lancer has left the scene.

"It seems we've had a successful start, Matou Kariya!" After dealing with Director Ken and reuniting with Matou Kariya, Ciel congratulated him upon hearing Caster's report, "Well then, congratulations on taking another step closer to your goal of revenge."

"Tch!" Kariya Matou looked at Ciel and asked, "Is your target Lancer's Noble Phantasm?"

“No, no, no, that’s your target!” Charles said with a smile. “Of all the Servants, the biggest threat to my Caster is Lancer and that Demon-Slaying Crimson Rose Spear… and Berserker, who wields the Demon-Slaying Crimson Rose Spear, can completely target my Caster.”

"What do you mean by this? Handing over a Noble Phantasm that poses a great threat to you to Berserker?"

"As allies, we have to show some sincerity, don't we? The Crimson Rose Spear, the Noble Phantasm of exorcism, has an effect that is enough to threaten all Servants and Masters. This is my sincerity, so that you don't think I have ulterior motives..." Ciel replied, "After all, facing Tokiomi Tohsaka, who also has two Servants working together, only through sincere cooperation can we have a chance to defeat him, right?"

"When will we be able to kill Tokiomi Tohsaka?" Kariya Matou asked.

"Soon, don't worry, I told you I'd let you kill Tokiomi Tohsaka with your own hands!" Ciel spread his hands and said, "Lancer's death is nothing. Although he is one of the three great knight classes, to be honest, Lancer is not a powerful Servant... Whether in terms of attributes or in terms of Noble Phantasms, which are the key factors in determining the outcome of a Servant's battle, Diarmuid, as a Lancer, is not at an advantage."

"Then let me know when you can kill Tokiomi Tohsaka!" With that, Kariya Matou turned and left.

“Of course!” Ciel stepped aside, letting Matou Kariya walk past him. “Have a safe journey!” He said, intending to leave the chaotic area as well, but as Matou Kariya passed by, he narrowed his eyes and gave a meaningful smile.

After taking only a few steps, Matou Kariya swayed slightly and then continued to leave as if nothing had happened.

……

'Don't be alarmed, ally, I'm communicating with you telepathically through Caster's magic.'

"I need to tell you something. The worms inside you aren't just providing you with magic; they also monitor you... and, if necessary, control or kill you."

'By the way, let me tell you something that's kept quite secret within the magician's circle.'

"Zouken Matou, oh, so your nominal grandfather is actually a great magician who has lived for five hundred years, haha, surprising, isn't it? His true identity is actually Machiri Zorgen, one of the founders of the Holy Grail War, who abandoned his physical body and used magic to manipulate magical insects to create a temporary body."

Moreover, this method of prolonging life comes at a price.

'Insects cannot sustain a physical body indefinitely; it will still age and break down. The solution is to use a master insect possessed by a soul to parasitize another person, thereby extending their lifespan. The parasitized person's body will be gradually devoured... until finally, they become the master insect's food to prolong their five-hundred-year life.'

'This includes all the heads of the Matou family throughout history…'

'And, Sakura Matou, who was adopted by Tokiomi Tohsaka and will inherit the Matou family in the future.'

Kariya Matou, who was walking towards the Matou family's residence, narrowed his eyes, stopped in his tracks, and began to tremble uncontrollably.

But the inexplicable voice continued to echo in his mind.

"Otherwise, why do you think he would have physically modified Matou Sakura? Or do you think selfish mages would be so generous as to pass on their magic crest to an outsider?"

'Even if the only male member of the Matou family has absolutely no magical talent, aren't there still examples like you? Through physical modification, it's entirely possible to allow someone without talent to inherit a magical crest...'

'If you don't believe me, you can secretly recall and investigate... the behavior of each Matou family head before and after inheriting the family line. Or rather...'

'You can go look for the insect nest that modified Matou Sakura...'