The villain's journey from the Type-Moon world

"So everyone should be clear about the extent of the threat that the alien Masters and Servants headed by Emiya Kiritsugu pose to us," Tōsaka Tokiomi said slowly. "If we continue to fight on our own, we will not only be defeated one by one, but we will even suffer pain worse than death. I believe that any qualified magus here should understand the implications of destroying magic circuits, destroying one's foundation and severing one's inheritance."

"..." For a moment, almost everyone on the scene was silent. Even Mrs. Irisviel's face was a little pale. She remained silent and did not make any defense for Emiya Kiritsugu. Only Matou Kariya, who had just entered the industry and was an insider, seemed a little disdainful.

Irisviel was in a terrible mood at the moment. Just now, Tōsaka Tokiomi had brought up two more things that had been used to prove Emiya Kiritsugu's crimes. This meant that her husband, Emiya Kiritsugu, would do anything to achieve victory, even resorting to extreme and despicable means.

However, if it were the original Irisviel, even if she knew how "hateful" her husband was and how deep his crimes were, she would still stubbornly support him. After all, Irisviel was aware of the choices Emiya Kiritsugu had made, so she could understand and firmly believed that what Emiya Kiritsugu wanted to fulfill was the right thing to do.

Unfortunately, a dream had torn Irisviel from her illusory ideal of "saving all humanity." Her conviction about Emiya Kiritsugu's rightful surname began to waver. And what she had witnessed now only accelerated Irisviel's growing doubts. She was increasingly unable to defend Emiya Kiritsugu.

"Madam... Madam Irisviel!" A steady voice awakened Irisviel's consciousness from her chaotic thoughts, and she saw Tōsaka Tokiomi looking at her with an oppressive look.

"What...what happened? Master of the Tohsaka family." Irisviel asked.

"Mrs. Irisviel, you and Saber should not have been invited to this meeting. After all, you are not Saber's true Master, and you have a close relationship with that man." Tōsaka Tokiomi said slowly.

"Here it comes... Are you finally going to put pressure on me about this?" Irisviel immediately understood what Tōsaka Tokiomi wanted to do.

As expected, Tōsaka Tokiomi continued, "Mrs. Irisviel, due to the friendly relationship between the three great families, you now have another chance to prove yourself. If you are willing to sever ties with Emiya Kiritsugu, tell us about him, and help us eliminate this external threat, I can promise that your life will not be in any danger during this Holy Grail War. Even after we eliminate Emiya Kiritsugu, the supervisor of the Holy Grail War will use his authority to strip Emiya Kiritsugu of his Command Seals and grant you the qualifications of a Master again."

Chapter 157 Tit-for-Tat

After hearing what Tōsaka Tokiomi said, the expressions of the people present changed slightly, and they began to think about Tōsaka Tokiomi's purpose.

As for Irisviel, the person involved, she remained silent for a long time before slowly shaking her head. She said, "Not to mention that I've long lost contact with my husband and I know nothing about his plans. Even if I did know some information, my husband and I are now tied together. We rise and fall together. Let me ask you, if you were in my shoes, would you sell this information?"

"What's more, the so-called granting of Master qualifications is completely groundless. I would like to ask Master Tōsaka, what gives you such confidence that the Supervisor will use such authority? He is the Supervisor who supervised this Holy Grail War with an attitude of 'absolute fairness'. The Supervisor did not even say such words, and Master Tōsaka actually blatantly violated such a promise. Do you think that I am just an ignorant woman who can be fooled at will?" Irisviel asked sternly.

As soon as these words were spoken, the attention of the Masters present shifted from Irisviel to Tōsaka Tokiomi. Irisviel's words were truly powerful. Not only did she trivialize the other party's attempt to force her to reveal Emiya Kiritsugu's story, but she also shifted everyone's attention to the fact that the Supervisor was biased towards Tōsaka Tokiomi.

"I once investigated this Einzbern android, a mere few years old from the time she was manufactured. I had assumed she was completely inexperienced, and with the recent revelation of the crimes of her most trusted figure, I'd be able to force her to reveal Emiya Kiritsugu's secrets and plans. But I didn't expect her to remain calm and articulate, effectively outmaneuvering me. Truly impressive... No, is this a sign of this lady's exceptional adaptability, or did Emiya Kiritsugu foresee this happening and deliberately tell her the right words?"

Tōsaka Tokiomi's eyes grew deep, and after a moment's silence, he spoke with a faint smile, "This is naturally the Supervisor's intention. I am merely conveying it on his behalf. If you do not believe me, Mrs. Irisviel, you can ask in person. Everyone present can serve as witnesses. Naturally, the so-called transgression is absurd. However, Tokiomi still greatly admires Mrs. Irisviel's courage and loyalty. Even to such an extent, she is willing to protect a man like Emiya Kiritsugu. It is truly touching and enviable."

"Master Tōsaka, there's no need to pressure me with these words. I've already made it very clear. First, I have no news about Kiritsugu. He has cut off contact with us since last night. Second, I don't believe in the promises Master Tōsaka made, unless you have the ability to transfer Saber's contract to me right now."

"And let me mention one more thing. This Holy Grail War was originally launched by your Tōsaka family and the Overseers. You should have ensured its foolproof success, preventing these incidents from occurring. Instead, not only did you start the Holy Grail War almost a year early, but now there's this unusual Master appearing. Now, after summoning us, instead of concentrating our efforts on identifying and dealing with these people, you're pinning all your hopes on oppressing a woman like me. Is this how your Tōsaka family works?"

Irisviel's calm words immediately heightened the tension, causing Tōsaka Tokiomi's face to darken, and he felt a sense of unease. However, Jeanne, who had been listening, had a strange expression on her face. She felt that these words didn't seem like Irisviel's character, but rather... that of one of her own Casters, who enjoyed taunting others.

However, Jeanne's premonition proved correct. She saw a faint black aura clinging to Irisviel's left ear, quietly transmitting a message to her. It turned out that, as Irisviel was about to enter the Tōsaka residence, Wang Chong had unleashed a wisp of black aura onto her while she was unnoticed. This was not only to protect her, but also to facilitate control over the meeting's content and manipulate it.

The series of words that Irisviel just said were all Wang Chong teaching Irisviel how to say from a distance.

"Fortunately, Caster is helping from afar, otherwise I really don't know how to deal with Tōsaka Tokiomi's aggressive words." Irisviel felt relieved when she saw Tōsaka Tokiomi's somewhat embarrassed expression.

"Mrs. Irisviel. This time, the teacher gathered everyone together to deal with those abnormal Masters. The teacher naturally wants to unite everyone's strength to eliminate those abnormal Servants and Masters. But I think you should know that the leader of those guys is your husband, Emiya Kiritsugu." But at this moment, a cold voice suddenly sounded. A group of people looked towards the source of the voice. It was Kotomine Kirei who had led everyone into the mansion before.

"What do you want to say?" Irisviel asked.

"You said you didn't believe the promises made by Tōsaka-sensei... Ha, Mrs. Irisviel, did you misunderstand something? From the very beginning, it was you, Mrs. Irisviel, who should have proven your trust, not Tōsaka-sensei," Kotomine Kirei said coldly. "Whether you know anything about that fellow Emiya Kiritsugu or not, it doesn't really matter to me. After all, in my eyes, it's an indisputable fact that you and Emiya Kiritsugu are in cahoots, and everything Emiya Kiritsugu does is simply to win this Holy Grail War."

"And now, since we want to unite everyone's strength to eliminate those alien Masters and Servants, we must completely eliminate some unstable factors. Remember, in order to resist foreign aggression, we must first stabilize the country!" After saying this, a murderous and cold gaze was fixed directly on Irisviel, which made Irisviel suddenly recall that she almost died at the hands of Kotomine Kirei last night, and even remembered the demon who tortured her in her dream.

Irisviel clenched her fists, forced herself to meet that gaze, and said angrily, "What? Is Kotomine Kirei planning to break the contract and take action?"

"Hmph, I am naturally restrained today and will not take action. But Mrs. Irisviel, the contract only states that you cannot engage in any fighting or fighting against the Master. But it does not state... that you cannot attack Servants." However, Kotomine Kirei went a step further and said with a cruel look in his eyes.

"What? Are you thinking of doing this?!" Irisviel suddenly felt something was wrong.

"Everyone, I don't think you want such an unstable factor to explode at any time when we are united against the outside world. Since the Heroic Spirits have gathered here today, we can completely eliminate Saber first. Doesn't Emiya Kiritsugu want to win the Holy Grail War through such despicable means? Then we should first cut off the conditions for his victory. Eliminate his identity as Saber's Master!" Kotomine Kirei said.

"Furthermore, if we do this, Emiya Kiritsugu will inevitably be forced into a corner. He will no longer be able to hide and will eventually face off against us. As long as the rats hiding in the shadows are completely exposed to the sunlight, we will be able to catch them all in one fell swoop."

After hearing Kotomine Kirei's words, everyone fell silent. Irisviel also grew anxious, calling out to Wang Chong again, hoping he could help her once again.

"Let's first question Tōsaka Tokiomi's intentions. Let's see if this is just a play orchestrated by the master and disciple or something else... If the two of them team up to deal with you, don't be afraid. As long as not everyone intends to kill Saber, they will have no choice but to back off. By then, the initiative will be in our hands. Don't worry, my Master will definitely be on your side."

Wang Chong's words echoed through the black mist, reaching Irisviel's ears, undoubtedly calming her anxious mood. After expressing her gratitude in her heart, Irisviel looked at the Tōsaka Tokiomi, who had remained silent, and asked, "Does the Tōsaka family head also mean this?"

Chapter 158: Reversal of the Situation

Tōsaka Tokiomi was a bit bewildered at the moment. His original plan had called for Kotomine Kirei to help put pressure on Irisviel, but he hadn't considered pushing her this hard. You have to understand, Tōsaka Tokiomi wasn't just concerned about the Alien Master; today he also had to be wary of being targeted by a mysterious True Ancestor! Therefore, Tōsaka Tokiomi didn't want to start a fight among his own group before the Alien Servant or True Ancestor arrived.

But now, his own disciple, Kotomine Kirei, has suddenly spoken out in such a pointed and diametrically opposed manner, practically putting himself on the spot. Tōsaka Tokiomi even glanced back at Kotomine Kirei's confident expression. Good fellow, he still thinks he's done a good job of forcing him, huh? He's really a traitor to his master! You only need to think about how to force him, don't you know that a teacher has so many things to consider? What a useless help!

Now the arrow was on the string and had to be released. The moment he invited everyone, he had already indirectly declared that he and his apprentice, Kotomine Kirei, were on the same side. Now that Kotomine Kirei had said this, he had already represented his position. Even if he denied it, he was afraid that no one present would believe it. It would be better to go with the flow and see if Kotomine Kirei's method would work.

After all, Tōsaka Tokiomi, as a seasoned shrew, after carefully considering Kotomine Kirei's decision, ultimately approved of it. He spoke in a deep voice, "Mrs. Irisviel, don't blame Kirei for his harsh words. You should be aware of the severity of your husband's actions. Putting aside other matters, if you don't show your sincerity, do you think the victim this time—the new Master of the Lancer Group, Diarmait's fiancée, Lady Sola—will be willing to put aside past grudges and work together with all her might?"

"Huh?" Sora originally participated in this meeting simply to see if there was a chance to win the Holy Grail War and to collect information. She had no intention of avenging Kayneth at all. Rather, she wanted to thank the man named Emiya Kiritsugu for giving her such a chance to ascend to the throne and seize the "Universal Wishing Machine".

But Sora wasn't a fool. Her current status was there after all, and she knew that the host of this meeting was Tōsaka Tokiomi's side. So she could only suppress her dissatisfaction and pretend to be angry, saying, "Emiya Kiritsugu has harmed my fiancé to this state, and he wants me to cooperate with this shameless guy. Forgive me, Irisviel, you are not even Saber's Master. If we really have to fight against those alien Servants, will Saber obey your orders and stand on our side? What qualifications do you have to dare to make conditions here?"

"The Holy Grail War is originally a matter between the seven of us Masters. Since Emiya Kiritsugu has resorted to such evil means, it is originally the six of us against one of us! In my opinion, we should take action now and eliminate Saber first, as a symbol of our determination to unite and fight against the aberrant Masters!"

Sora's words signaled an irreversible situation. Now, they had to either side with Tōsaka Tokiomi and kill Saber, or side with Irisviel. Seeing this, Tōsaka Tokiomi glanced at Kotomine Kirei, signaling him to take control. Kotomine Kirei nodded in understanding, then said, "Mrs. Sora is right. Now that things have come to this, let's eliminate Saber together as a symbol of our resolve and unity."

"Wait! You don't..."

"Heh, stop talking. You have no right to speak at all, Einzbern family. Everything is your own fault!" Sora interrupted Irisviel's defense.

"Everyone, be quiet!" Suddenly, a female voice, soft yet powerful like a spirit, echoed throughout the conference room. In an instant, no one, whether Sora, Kotomine Kirei, or Irisviel, spoke again, and the entire conference room fell silent.

"What a terrifying fluctuation of magic power. I didn't expect that Leticia, who was just a magic apprentice in the intelligence, could actually burst out with such power." Tōsaka Tokiomi felt it the most deeply. It was the oppressive force of magic that forced everyone present to keep silent.

"Master Tōsaka, do you think you, just the three of you, can decide the fate of Mrs. Irisviel and Saber? That's far too overbearing, and you don't take the rest of us Masters seriously." Jeanne was already fuming. She had spent a long time conversing with Irisviel and Saber, and had come to understand their true natures during the day. Therefore, she felt it was unworthy for them to suffer at Kiritsugu's hands, and she couldn't bear to see Saber and Mrs. Irisviel meet such a fate.

However, Jeanne's true anger lay in the fact that the Holy Grail War's host, Tōsaka Tokiomi, along with Kotomine Kirei and the overseers of the Holy Church, had manipulated the war. The Holy Grail War was supposed to be a fair duel between seven players, and even if some tactics were employed, it remained within the rules. Yet, they colluded with the overseers to manipulate the game, manipulate the rules, and even band together to exert pressure... Had Jeanne not realized that her manifestation wasn't due to them, but to the Unnatural Masters, she would have targeted only the Unnatural Masters and Servants. Otherwise, Jeanne would have long ago prepared to bring justice to this unjust Holy Grail War.

However, now that Jeanne is a Master, she naturally chooses to defend Irisviel.

"Ms. Letitia, do you want to protect Einzbern and Saber?" Kotomine Kirei asked.

"Caster and I have formed an alliance with Irisviel and the others. Forget about protecting her. If you intend to attack Saber, Caster and I will fight you to the end." Jeanne d'Arc offered no unnecessary defense, only a simple explanation. However, she powerfully bound herself to Irisviel and the others.

"How stupid! You clearly know that Saber's Master is that Emiya Kiritsugu and not the Irisviel in front of you! And yet you still dare to protect them! Don't let that Master let Saber stab you all in the back while you are still blocking the knife for them." Sora said with a sneer.

"Saber's resistance to magic is A-rank, which means that as long as she doesn't want to do something, she cannot be forced to do it, even at the cost of a Command Seal. And your Servant knows Saber's character better than you do. She will never do such a treacherous act, even at the cost of a Command Seal. And if two Command Seals were to be used, we would be discovered in time by the use of the first Command Seal, and the so-called backstab would be impossible."

After Jeanne finished speaking, the black mist ring she had been wearing on her ear reacted slightly, transmitting a voice into her ears. Jeanne was stunned at first, but quickly reacted and continued, "Furthermore, my Caster already has a plan for this matter. If Emiya Kiritsugu issues a Command Seal that Saber is unwilling to perform, he can use this opportunity to activate a special Noble Phantasm and sever the contract between Saber and Emiya Kiritsugu."

"What!?" As soon as these words came out, not only Tōsaka Tokiomi, but even Irisviel, who was still grateful to Jeanne for standing up for her, was shocked. Tōsaka Tokiomi's face darkened. If what Caster's Master said was true, then this decision was a foolish one.

"In that case, are you still going to decide to kill Saber, leaving us with one less powerful ally to fight against the alien servants? Even if the three of you still insist, it doesn't matter. You might as well ask the remaining two Masters what they think. We can't just let a few of us have the say and make the decision." Jeanne looked at Waver, then at Matou Kariya, and said.

Seeing this, Tōsaka Tokiomi could only sigh, hoping the remaining two Masters would make the right choice. With a 4-on-2 situation, they could still defeat Saber. However, a mocking voice soon shattered his fantasy.

"Heh, I voted against it, too." Matou Kariya was the first to stand up, sneering at Tōsaka Tokiomi and saying, "Don't get me wrong, I didn't vote against it because of what Miss Letitia said. I simply can't stand the hypocrisy of some guys. Not only are you bullying others by taking advantage of your power, but how did you just say you envy this lady for protecting her husband? What? Do you also want Aoi to be like this lady and drag her into this battle?"

"How foolish!" Even though Tōsaka Tokiomi had a good temper, he was still quite angry at Matou Kariya's words. If it were any other time, he would have just brushed it off as an ant's words, but to say it in this situation was undoubtedly a slap in the face to Tōsaka Tokiomi.

But thanks to Matou Kariya's statement, the situation had become three against three, with Waver remaining alone. Everyone on both sides looked at Waver, as if waiting for his decision. Seeing everyone looking at him, Waver felt a surge of pressure.

"I choose……"

Chapter 159: Theory of Lifting the Roof

"I choose..." Weber looked at both sides and wondered in his heart what choice he would prefer to make if Iskandar was by his side at this moment.

"No... I should have my own opinion. On the surface, it seems that Tōsaka Tokiomi's side has the more reason, and Emiya Kiritsugu's forced control of Saber is indeed a point that cannot be ignored. But Miss Letitia has also explained the countermeasures, so we can give it a try. And now in a three-on-three situation, it seems that my decision is important, but in fact, when two people stand up to support Saber, it is destined that Tōsaka Tokiomi and his side can no longer do anything to Saber. Even if I join in. Plus, last night... we have already formed an alliance with Saber and the others... then the answer is already obvious."

After Waver calmed down, he immediately replied, "I also choose to stand on Mrs. Irisviel's side. I also want to give that Saber a chance."

As soon as he said this, Tōsaka Tokiomi sighed, knowing he'd made a wrong move. He'd anticipated that Matou Kariya would likely oppose the move, but the others were clearly wavering. He'd thought Sora's resolute stance would rally the others to his side, but unexpectedly, Leticia showed up, firmly siding with Saber and the others, refusing to abandon their alliance. Furthermore, due to Leticia's resistance and the addition of Matou Kariya, the three-on-three situation had already made it impossible for them to touch Saber.

"That makes it four against three. Master of the Tohsaka family, are you still planning to impose sanctions on Saber?" Jeanne said slowly.

"Wait a minute." Just as Tōsaka Tokiomi was about to speak, he saw Kotomine Kirei wink at him, then stood up and spoke.

"What? Does Assassin's Master have any objections?" asked Joan of Arc.

"Heh, I now have reason to suspect that Caster's Master has ulterior motives and is deliberately saying such confusing words to mislead other Masters in their decisions and directions," said Kotomine Kirei.

"Can you slander others like this just based on your empty words?" Joan of Arc said in a deep voice.

"Of course, I have no evidence. But isn't it the same for you, Master Caster? You just said that you have a way to activate a special Noble Phantasm to separate Saber from the contract between her and Emiya Kiritsugu." Kotomine Kirei finished speaking, then looked at Tōsaka Tokiomi and said, "In the final analysis, both my master and I are most worried that Saber will not only fail to be our teammate, but will instead become a sharp knife in the enemy's back. If all the Servants are entangled, and Emiya Kiritsugu uses the power of the Two-Transformation Command Seals to let Saber kill all the Masters present... Hehe, Heroic Spirits may be able to react and dodge, but do you have the ability to avoid the attacks of the Servants?"

"Since Caster's Master said there's a way, why not give it a try now and prove it to us? If you can truly transfer Saber's contract partner, then our differences will naturally cease to exist. I'm even willing to apologize for my gaffe just now." Kotomine Kirei finished speaking, his eyes narrowing as he spoke coldly, "But if you can't do it, not only will the vote just now be invalidated, but the sanctions against Saber will also be implemented immediately. Do you have any objections?"

"Kirei." However, Tōsaka Tokiomi interrupted him at this moment. Kotomine Kirei immediately stopped talking, returned to his seat, closed his eyes, and fell silent.

"Hehe, Kirei has been putting a lot of thought into investigating the matter of the alien Masters and Servants these past few days. This is his usual style. Miss Letitia, Mrs. Irisviel, please forgive me." Tōsaka Tokiomi first avoided the main point by removing Kotomine Kirei, then said, "How about this, we each take a step back. The previous sanctions can be dropped, but I also hope to witness Caster's approach. If the contract can be terminated, I will give you two an explanation for my previous disrespectful behavior. But if that's not possible... Mrs. Irisviel, your Saber is not allowed to enter this manor tonight. Anyone who intrudes will be considered an enemy and will be killed. How do you say that?"

After seeing Tōsaka Tokiomi's overtures, Irisviel looked towards Jeanne, as she wasn't sure if Caster possessed that kind of power. Jeanne nodded, however, confirming her earlier words were true. Irisviel sighed. At this point, after all the pressure, transferring Saber's contract to herself was the best outcome. Otherwise, Saber would likely be eliminated. Furthermore, Irisviel had been helped by the Caster team, so despite her misgivings, she felt compelled to compromise.

That's why Irisviel said, "Okay, I agree."

This is perhaps what people often call the "roof-lifting theory." If Irisviel were to directly ask for a contract transfer, she wouldn't necessarily agree. However, if Artoria were to be directly sanctioned and eliminated, Irisviel would accept the result. This wasn't just Irisviel; Tōsaka Tokiomi was also at odds. He first wanted to control the Irisviel-together pairing, but ultimately, he could only compromise and achieve this point of reconciliation.

Throughout the meeting, Irisviel, Jeanne, Matou Kariya, and Kotomine Kirei were all Wang Chong's mouthpieces. While Tōsaka Tokiomi appeared to be presiding over the meeting, the real controller was Wang Chong, who remained absent, quietly sipping wine outside.

"So this is what Wang Chong-jun said, the right time. In other words, Wang Chong-jun had already foreseen during the day that there would be such an oppression against Mrs. Irisviel in the evening, so he worked so hard to create such a Noble Phantasm?" Jeanne also breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the current hurdle was forcibly reversed with the help of the Noble Phantasm made by Wang Chong, and now they were preparing to transfer Saber's contract to Irisviel.

"Don't be impatient. Don't forget the conditions I mentioned to you before. I will only use this Noble Phantasm when Emiya Kiritsugu forcibly controls Saber." However, Wang Chong's voice rang in Jeanne's ears at this moment.

"Huh? Why is that?" Joan of Arc was stunned. She remembered that there didn't seem to be such requirements on the Noble Phantasm panel she saw at that time.

"First, this is a Noble Phantasm that can revoke contracts. If there are no restrictions, who do you think Tōsaka Tokiomi will focus on next after he gets through tonight? Second, the current timing has only allowed Irisviel to accept the contract, but it hasn't completely allowed Saber to actively betray Kiritsugu. The Knight King is like this. Unless Kiritsugu really does something that completely betrays her will, I think she might still refuse this proposal. Especially since Saber's mentality is quite bad right now." Wang Chong said.

"Huh? Saber is in a bad mood? What happened over there?" Joan of Arc asked in confusion.

"It's just that the two kings accidentally broke his mentality. It's no big deal. I'm here. Anyway, I estimate that they will take action immediately. You can use this condition to delay for a while. When the alien masters and servants can't help but take action, those guys will not have the mind to engage in internal fighting. We can also wait for the opportunity and take action immediately when Emiya Kiritsugu is ready to control Saber." Wang Chong said.

"Okay, you guys pay attention." Jeanne responded, coughed twice, and just as Tōsaka Tokiomi was preparing to immediately execute the Saber contract transfer plan, she interrupted, "Wait a minute, didn't you hear the conditions I said before? My Caster's Noble Phantasm is only..."

……

"Ding—Congratulations to the host! You've successfully manipulated the meeting, controlling the situation and invisibly influencing everyone's fate. You've even cast the entire meeting under your shadow, fitting the bill for a behind-the-scenes villain. 500 Villain Points awarded. Current Villain Points: 7440."

The perspective now shifted back to Wang Chong. Seeing Altria, her fists clenched and her head bowed, Wang Chong couldn't help but shake his head. Sure enough, the classic Three Kings' Meeting scenario was playing out before him. Altria remained the same, baffled and speechless.

Chapter 160 I will play the role of the First Emperor

Not long ago, after three rounds of drinks, the classic meeting of the three kings unfolded before his eyes. Iskandar first raised the question of the Holy Grail's ownership, then Gilgamesh and Iskandar engaged in a fierce debate, each presenting their own arguments. Meanwhile, Artoria questioned Iskandar's methods of conquest and dominance, believing them unbecoming of a king.

It was during this period that Artoria expressed her wish for the Holy Grail War: to save her hometown and use the Holy Grail to change the fate of Britain's destruction.

Artoria even questioned and regretted her choice as the King of the Kingdom of Britain, due to the destruction of her country. Such remarks drew ridicule from Gilgamesh and questioning from Iskandar, leading to a serious conflict between Artoria and Iskandar regarding the ideals of kingship.

Artoria argues that a king should protect his people, save his subjects, and strive for the prosperity of his country. However, Iskandar believes that it is not the king who should sacrifice himself, but the country and the people who should sacrifice themselves for the king.

Even when Artoria criticized him for his tyrannical rule and questioned Iskandar about whether he would regret knowing that his kingdom had been divided and perished, Iskandar remained calm and honest, admitting that he had gone down in history as a tyrant. He stated that the king should not regret his past rule or the fate of the kingdom. He stated that he would mourn and shed tears for such a demise, but would never regret it, let alone change or overthrow it. He believed that such a foolish act would be an insult to all those who had built this era with him.

In the end, Artoria believes that a king should sacrifice himself for his ideals, and directly mocks Iskandar, saying that people like him who pursue the Holy Grail only for the desire of obtaining a physical body and become an overlord only to satisfy endless desires will never understand.

However, such dismissive words infuriated Iskandar, who declared that only a king filled with desire could inspire the longings of his subjects, allowing them to understand what they desired. He concluded with these iconic words: "You have always saved your subjects, but never provided guidance. You have never demonstrated a king's desire, and you have ignored your lost subjects. You have simply maintained aloofness, lost in your seemingly beautiful ideals. Therefore, you are not a true king, but merely a little girl bound by an idol called 'King' that exists only for others."

It was this one sentence that completely shattered Artoria's pride, awakening the curse that lingered in the hearts of every Round Table warrior: King Arthur does not understand the human heart. At that moment, Artoria once again saw herself on that hill of swords, a shimmering mass of bones, watching the despair of the British Kingdom's destruction.

"Have you heard everything? What are you going to do?!"

"Master... I beg you... let me... ha... let me fight her alone."

Wang Chong's mind heard a voice that mixed a complex mix of heaviness, anger, sadness... a thousand emotions. He was silent for a moment, then said, "Go. Get them ready too. It's time to go on stage."

"Yes……"

Wang Chong picked up a glass of wine and watched the entire spectacle without any emotion, even using the power of the black mist to broadcast it remotely. He felt that this conversation between Altria and Iskandar was important to a certain Servant... Even if it might hurt that Servant, he had to do it. Because it was necessary to help someone who had always admired his father break that filter of admiration.

"The feeling furthest from understanding in the world is admiration. Only in this way can you take the first step towards understanding your father and truly grow in character. Mordred." Wang Chong sighed in his heart.

"Hehehe..." At this time, Gilgamesh's laughter was heard. For a moment, Altria's face, which was originally gloomy and depressed, was irritated by the laughter and became angry. She asked, "What are you laughing at, Hero King?"

"Hehe...it's just that your distressed expression is really interesting. It's almost like..."

"Alright," Wang Chong suddenly interrupted Jin Shanshan's insulting words. He slowly continued, "Every era has its own unique problems to solve. Clashes between differing perspectives are inevitable. But don't let this ruin the fun of this banquet."

"Hmph..." Gilgamesh glanced at Wang Chong with some displeasure; he hated being interrupted. Altria, in turn, sat back in her seat, somewhat annoyed. Iskandar, the man who had caused this awkward situation, sighed once more, then smiled again. He looked at Wang Chong and said, "You are right, Ruined King. It's fitting that you are the only one who hasn't said what wish you would make for the Holy Grail."

"No..." Wang Chong replied calmly.

"Ah? No?" Iskandar was stunned when he heard it. According to his previous speculation about this "Ruined King", the other party should also be that kind of heroic lord. How could he not have a wish that he wanted to realize with the Holy Grail?

"My life's wishes have all been fulfilled through my hands, my sword, my army, and my country. Whatever I desire, whatever I pursue, I will obtain at all costs. All under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people are his subjects. After all the glory, I have only one wish: that my rule be immortal, that my gaze may forever gaze upon this land. Mandated by Heaven, may you live forever!"

Wang Chong naturally knew that Iskandar had mistaken him for the First Emperor, so he went along with it, imitating the words that the emperor might say and expressing his own desires.

"Wow, did you have such a powerful wish when you were alive? Then why do you say you have no wishes now?" Iskandar asked curiously.

"Because it's no longer necessary, Iskandar. Didn't I just say that? I will only fulfill my wishes with my own two hands. As the King of Conquerors, you should understand this best." Wang Chong smiled faintly and continued, "If you want my rule to be immortal, or for you to forever overlook my territory, there is only one way... eternal life."