The villain's journey from the Type-Moon world

Just as everyone's attention was focused on the fortress in the sky, a figure lying on the ground flashed, then stood up. It was none other than Wang Chong, in his Caster identity. He had now switched back once more.

"Is this the power of the Sword of Promised Victory? Without using the power of destruction to resist, I can't defend myself completely with my flesh and blood. If I wasn't worried about the flaw being seen, I could only use a golden body that matches this golden light. Speaking of which, this is my first time using Bard's blessing, and the effect is really good. It feels like my soul has been purified." Wang Chong felt the feeling of using Bard's blessing before. It was as if there was a rhythm tuning his body. A breath of life emanated from the inside out, giving Wang Chong a very comfortable feeling.

"Hmm? You've succeeded, are you ready to escape? Hehe, although I know that taking Emiya Kiritsugu away accidentally is inevitable. But if I let you take him away so easily, it would seem too cheap of me. Smash Varudo--!" Wang Chong suddenly looked in a certain direction, his lips slightly curved, and then a substitute world appeared behind him, and once again unfolded the golden filter, causing the time of the entire world to come to a stand-in.

Then, Wang Chong flashed and appeared at the edge of the forest. Several Hassans had just died here, with holes the size of bowls appearing on their heads and bodies, and one even had his throat cut.

"It's so shameful, Hassan, that you actually lost to a modern person in assassination." Wang Chong shook his head and continued to move forward. He saw a masked figure carrying the unconscious Emiya Kiritsugu away from this place of trouble just at the edge of the forest.

"The two Emiyas went together. Haha, that's quite amusing." Wang Chong came up to the two of them, then opened his system backpack and said, "Since you helped me so much and prevented those two accidents that would have happened, then as a thank you, I have to give you a gift in return. I'm a very vulgar person. I don't have much else, but I have a lot of gold."

Wang Chong took out the Rhine gold, broke off a piece of it, and used his strength to twist it into golden silk thread. He cut it into several pieces and sewed them into the clothes of the two people, hiding them well.

"Huh? How come half of the time stop time was suddenly reduced by a large amount? World, are you suddenly in bad shape? Tsk, this Rhine gold really brings bad luck to you if you touch it. I hope you two protagonists will be blessed and enjoy it. Hehe, let's see whether the Rhine curse is powerful or you, Emiya Kiritsugu, have enough luck." Wang Chong threw the Rhine gold back into the system space, then used purification on himself. After purifying the curse on his body, he immediately returned to his original position before the time stop was about to end.

The moment you get into position, time begins to flow slowly. No one knows what you are doing in the still time. They only care about how long this night's victory will last.

"Semiramis, it's time to end. Let's take the castle up into the clouds. Use the clouds to conceal our position so that ordinary people don't see us." Wang Chong said slowly.

"The King of the Kingdom of Britain, Artoria Pendragon?" Not long after Wang Chong finished speaking, Semiramis used the power of magic to transmit the voice to the ears of everyone below.

"Yes, what's wrong? Queen of Assyria, if you want to fight, then continue." Artoria took a deep breath. Judging from the current situation, the enemy's fortress might have suffered some irreversible damage. At this moment, she must not let them see her weakness. As long as she gave them the impression that she could continue to unleash the Sword of Promised Victory, those people would have no choice but to retreat without a fight.

"Hmph, you are worthy of the legendary King Arthur. Today I have learned the true meaning of the Holy Sword. But, can you really keep fighting?" Semiramis' words came again, but Artoria heard the other party's temptation and said decisively: "Oh, stop talking nonsense. Since this sword can't kill you, then I will strike with the second sword, and the third sword! Until your city is destroyed!"

"...Well, King Arthur, I'll grant you a half-victory this time. I never thought that Lancer would actually give up his own Noble Phantasm to help you succeed. For this reason alone, you deserve victory in this Holy Grail War tonight. Enjoy this hard-earned victory and survival, everyone. Tomorrow, my garden will descend upon you once again, and then it will be time to end all this." After Semiramis uttered these harsh words, the entire castle began to climb upwards until it sank back into the clouds and disappeared from everyone's sight.

At this moment, all the Servants in poor condition and their corresponding Masters breathed a sigh of relief. Only Artoria dared not be careless in the slightest, still holding on, lest the other party discover something was wrong and return.

It was not until someone came up behind her and patted her on the shoulder that she turned around hurriedly and almost fell because she used the wrong force.

"It's done, Knight King. You've done well." Wang Chong came to Altria's side, supported Altria who was about to fall, and said, "I think something terrible has happened to that castle. I can feel it getting farther and farther away from us. It won't come back. This time we won, thanks to the release of your Noble Phantasm, Knight King."

"Really... That's too..." Hearing Wang Chong's words, Artoria could no longer hold on and collapsed onto him. Already exhausted physically, she had to force herself to hold on, and with the mental and physical exertion she had previously expended, she eventually fainted in Wang Chong's arms.

Wang Chong brought Altria to Jeanne's side and said to her, "We've finally made it through tonight, but I'm afraid it's not over yet... Your identity has been revealed, and I'm afraid they'll discover mine as well. I'm afraid the reckoning has begun."

"I understand. Haven't we already made preparations? It just so happens that some things should be settled." Jeanne looked in the direction of Tōsaka Tokiomi, and a hint of disappointment inevitably appeared in her eyes.

Chapter 178 Settlement

"Are you kidding me?" Even the well-mannered Tōsaka Tokiomi's face turned pale. The reason was, of course, because the two men in front of him were trying to seize the right to supervise the Holy Grail War.

"Tōsaka Tokiomi, this is one of the principles of the Holy Grail War. When a Ruler-class Servant responds to the call, the supervisor of the Holy Grail War should be this Ruler Servant. Jeanne has given you opportunities these days, but do you really think that everyone is unaware of your dirty dealings with the Holy Church?" Wang Chong said sternly.

"If it were just that, it would be fine. But just now, the head of the Tōsaka family had a good plan. He let us fight those alien servants in a decisive battle, while he himself stayed away. He should have tried his best to disintegrate the alien servants, but he did this. Could it be that he still wanted to take this opportunity to directly win the Holy Grail War with naive ideas? I can tell you mercilessly that if Saber had not forced those people to retreat today, when we were all killed, you would have been alone facing the siege of so many skilled Servants, and in the end you would have missed the Holy Grail. Even the inheritance of your Tōsaka family would have been cut off because of this!"

Wang Chong's words were extremely sharp, and he directly attacked Tōsaka Tokiomi as if to rip his face off. This made Tōsaka Tokiomi's already sullen face even uglier.

While these Masters were engaged in a heated discussion, Iskandar and Gilgamesh sat together, continuing to drink and chat about random topics. Seeing Wang Chong's sharp words against Tōsaka Tokiomi, Iskandar also felt a sense of relief. He looked at Gilgamesh beside him and asked, "What? If you don't help your Master, he'll be beaten to death by that kid Caster."

"Hmph, that short-sighted idiot, he brought this upon himself, and I haven't settled the score with him yet. Let that Faker bite him to death." Gilgamesh said with a cold snort.

"Faker... To be honest, who could have known that the boy was actually fused with Caster? Even I misjudged him. Hahahahahaha, but don't you think this boy is also a material for becoming the king? His qualifications are not bad." Iskandar laughed and said.

Not long ago, Wang Chong honestly revealed his identity to everyone and revealed that he and Jeanne d'Arc formed a fake master and fake servant in order to hide Jeanne d'Arc's trump card to deal with the abnormal servants. He wanted to use this to lure out the abnormal servants and let Jeanne d'Arc give them a fatal blow at the most critical moment.

"Hmph, he didn't succeed either. Those who deceive me will always have to pay the price... What's more, hehe..." Gilgamesh wanted to say something, but in the end he just sneered twice and didn't continue.

"What? You're so boring. But in this case, our fight will have to wait until we deal with these alien servants." Iskandar said.

"Hmph, a boring trick. After all, there aren't many things in this Holy Grail War that interest me, only three and a half," Gilgashmei said.

"Three and a half, haha, then I would like to know which three and a half things can interest you, the king of Uruk." Iskandar said with a smile.

"..." Gilgamesh did not answer directly, but simply glanced at Iskandar, Artoria, Wang Chong, and Kotomine Kirei one by one.

"Mr. Wang Chong, it's rather ungrateful of you to say this now. If my master hadn't used that contract to drive away that powerful enemy, how would Saber have had the chance to release her Noble Phantasm and force the enemy back? You should be thankful that the True Ancestor didn't take action, otherwise, if it had continued, we would have truly perished." Kotomine Kirei said.

"Haha, really? Then why not hear what Lady Joan of Arc has to say? Lady Joan of Arc, how do you think this duel will be decided? If we fight the enemy with all our strength, who will be the winner?" Wang Chong looked at Joan of Arc and said.

"Masters Kotomine Kirei and Tōsaka Tokiomi, the Holy Grail has granted me the rank of Ruler, and naturally, many privileges. One of these privileges is called True Name Recognition. Barring special circumstances, I can basically see through your Servants' panel data, True Names, and Noble Phantasms at a glance. Therefore, I know very well that with the protection of my Noble Phantasm, which blocks the strange power of that True Ancestor, we possess a Noble Phantasm capable of unleashing a powerful weapon that could overturn this battle. Even if the opponent is a True Ancestor, he will fall to it. I believe I have said enough. This can be considered as a punishment for your selfishness."

Jeanne had done her utmost by not directly revealing Gilgamesh's Sword of Separation. Even so, Tōsaka Tokiomi's sullen face paled slightly upon hearing this. He knew the Ruler wasn't lying; this was the necessary ability bestowed upon this class by the Holy Grail, revealing true information to punish Servants who violated the rules.

"Archer actually has a Noble Phantasm that is even more terrifying than Saber's? If I remember correctly, that guy Iskandar has made a duel with him. Really, he's always looking for trouble. I have to remind Iskandar." Waver immediately wrote down this information after hearing it. After resolving the matter of the alien servants, it would be time for the normal Holy Grail War. By then, he couldn't let Iskandar be defeated like this.

"But after all, this is just a prediction. We shouldn't impose sanctions on a predetermined outcome if there is no result yet. In fact, the current situation is not without merit, the teacher. If we want to punish the teacher for this, is this the fair way of a judge?" Kotomine Kirei said.

"Kotomine Kirei, how dare you continue to speak? You almost forgot who lost a living person like Emiya Kiritsugu? This was originally going to be the key to our defeat tomorrow, but now you tell us that your Servant is dead and you also lost Emiya Kiritsugu? Then what is your crime in this situation?" Wang Chong said.

"That's because..." Kotomine Kirei wanted to make a few more arguments, but at this moment a woman's voice interrupted the endless argument: "That's enough. Is this the time to argue about this?"

Everyone turned, only to discover that the speaker was Irisviel, Altria's Master, who had led this war to victory. Irisviel's face was haggard, but she still looked at Tōsaka Tokiomi with a determined gaze. "Master Tōsaka, I have a question. You gathered us together today not simply to deal with those aberrant Servants, but more to deal with that True Ancestor, right? From the moment you learned of the Einzbern family's demise, you were prepared for a possible encounter with the True Ancestor."

"...Alas, yes." At this point, Tōsaka Tokiomi could only admit this and said.

"As you can see... If you hadn't encountered an invincible opponent, why would you have thought of forming an alliance?" Irisviel said with a hint of sarcasm, but she didn't continue to criticize him excessively. After she finished speaking, she looked at all the Masters present and said, "Since it was my Servant Saber who saved everyone this time, I have a humble request. I wonder if you can agree to it."

"Mrs. Irisviel, please go ahead." Joan of Arc nodded and said.

"I hope that tomorrow night, everyone can join me in fighting against those alien servants and alien masters, especially the one who calls himself the True Ancestor and... Emiya Kiritsugu. I hope that everyone can use all their strength this time, no longer hide anything, advance and retreat together, no longer engage in intrigue and make a contract based on this. This is not only an invitation as the winner of this war, but also a mother's request to everyone." Irisviel said with her head down.

"What are you talking about, Mrs. Irisviel?" Joan of Arc was a little surprised. She didn't expect Irisviel to speak so seriously.

"In fact, I have had vague connections with my daughter Illya several times just now, and I can sense that my child is in the castle. She did not die in the purge of the Einzbern family. After all, even a tiger will not eat its own cubs... Since it was Kiritsugu Emiya who asked the True Ancestor to go, even if he killed everyone, he would not let the True Ancestor kill Illya without a direct conflict. So... I beg everyone to help me. Save my daughter." Irisviel bowed her head again and said.

Chapter 179: The Solution to the True Ancestor

Everyone had different feelings after hearing Irisviel's words. Wang Chong was the first to speak, setting an example: "I agree to assist. Rather, I've always had a good relationship with Mrs. Irisviel. Naturally, I will help her with her affairs."

"I hold the same opinion. For both public and private reasons, we must work together to deal with those alien servants next time." Jeanne said.

"I...I agree too." Waver saw the general trend and stood on the side of Irisviel and the others without hesitation.

Sora glanced at Diarmait at the side, only to see Diarmait nod slightly. Sora could only speak: "Since Ruler and Saber saved everyone this time, I will naturally do them a favor. Besides, I want to avenge Kiritsugu Emiya for injuring El-Melloi. So I agree."

"If you don't mind my servants rioting, then I agree." Matou Kariya naturally obeyed Wang Chong's arrangements and chose to follow without hesitation.

Now, the only ones left standing were Tōsaka Tokiomi and his disciple. But Wang Chong knew Tōsaka Tokiomi had no choice but to compromise. He had already been acting in a bad light in front of everyone, having previously signed a non-interference pact with them. If he continued to defy everyone's wishes, he would likely be eliminated first. Furthermore, even if Tōsaka Tokiomi truly despaired, there was still the inner scoundrel, Kotomine Kirei, who would whisper in his ear.

As expected, Tōsaka Tokiomi finally had to acknowledge this reality and followed suit, intending to use the self-enforced document to force everyone to sign the contract. However, Wang Chong stopped them and said, "Let's not rush the contract. I'd like to have Ruler Jeanne d'Arc customize the specific content and details to prevent any loopholes from being exploited. How about we gather at the Cathedral Church at 7:00 PM tomorrow and sign the contract under the supervision of the Overseer and Jeanne d'Arc?"

Everyone nodded in agreement when Wang Chong said this, believing it was indeed a very suitable option. Tōsaka Tokiomi breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the contract offered some time to settle. As for why Wang Chong wanted to call a halt to this matter, the reason was simple: he didn't want to sign a contract that would restrict his actions when playing the villain.

"Now that the internal affairs have been resolved, we should talk about external matters. How should we deal with those alien servants and that terrifying True Ancestor?" After Wang Chong saw that the internal issues were temporarily settled, he fast-forwarded to the most important occasion.

"Those alien servants are actually easy to deal with. Our servants have fought against each other several times, and both sides understand each other. In addition, Saber has now recovered her full strength, so I think facing them again will not be as difficult as before." Waver also began to analyze the situation at this time and said.

"There are only two problems that need to be solved. The first is that sky fortress. That fortress is actually too tricky. Those magic cannons and magic bullets are powerful, and they also have extremely strong defensive capabilities. Even if these have been broken by Saber, they still have the ability to fly and maneuver. If they avoid fighting, we will have no way to deal with it. The only means to get close to that castle now is Archer, Mr. Caster Wang Chong, and my Servants."

"The second one is about the guy named True Ancestor. His power is still unknown. If we don't figure it out, there's no way to stop him." Weber put the two most important questions in front of everyone, and everyone fell into deep thought.

"Mr. Wang Chong, is there any way you could create a flying device like the enemy's Caster did, and carry everyone to the fortress?" Irisviel asked, looking at Wang Chong. After all, the Noble Phantasm that severed Altria and Emiya Kiritsugu's connection was created by Wang Chong with his bare hands.

"Maybe it's possible, but the things we make in a hurry may not be able to provide both defensive functions. If we are not careful, we may be wiped out." Wang Chong shook his head and said.

"It's a pity that my Servant's chariot can't carry too many people. However, we can take another Servant. If that doesn't work, we can take Saber and let her break the opponent's defensive spell first, and then we can find a way to send people in." Weber sighed and said.

"But this is just a small problem. With Saber here, it would only take a few more sword strikes to deal with that broken fortress. But the key to the problem lies in that monster. He can get close to us in an instant and then cause us heavy damage with inexplicable means. If Jeanne d'Arc hadn't activated her Noble Phantasm for defense, our servants probably wouldn't even have the chance to release their Noble Phantasms." said Matou Kariya.

"Master Tōsaka, didn't you say that the Holy Church and the Magic Association obtained the footage of the True Ancestor destroying the Einzbern family? You should have this record in your hands as well." Irisviel suddenly looked at Tōsaka Tokiomi and said.

"Mrs. Ellie, isn't this too much of a stretch?" Joan of Arc asked worriedly.

"It doesn't matter... Only when we know the enemy's background clearly can we be sure to deal with him." Irisviel shook her head, revealing a forced smile, and then looked at Tōsaka Tokiomi again with a firm look.

"Yes, Kirei, let's go to the basement. Although the mansion was destroyed, the magic workshop below was not damaged too much." Tōsaka Tokiomi looked at Kotomine Kirei and said.

……

Not long after, Kotomine Kirei brought the recording magic stone and projected the footage from it. Everyone witnessed how the "True Ancestor" had massacred the entire Einzbern family. When Irisviel saw the sudden and untimely death of the family head, Ahad, a flicker of pity crossed her eyes. Although Irisviel's feelings for the Einzberns were more of a sense of duty bestowed upon her by birth, rather than a deep sense of kinship, seeing the entire Einzbern family slaughtered still filled her heart with a sense of desolation. It was as if a pillar of support had been ripped away.

As for the others, seeing the carnage was more of anguish and a bit of fear. Faced with such a strange and unpredictable force, they had no power to resist.

"If I'm not mistaken, the True Ancestor's power is related to speed." Jeanne, after observing him numerous times, quickly discovered the clue and said, "He possesses unparalleled speed, a speed not only beyond the reach of ordinary humans but also beyond the comprehension of heroes. This is precisely why he can kill people instantly without them even noticing, or even toy with Archer and me."

"In addition to this, he has an invisible way of attacking, or rather, he controls an invisible humanoid figure to attack. The range should be 10 meters. When we first fought, he walked slowly towards me while keeping a distance of more than 10 meters. Then, as soon as I reached the 10-meter range, I was attacked. From the constant fights, I could feel that it was a hidden humanoid figure fighting against me. But I used various means, but I couldn't see through its invisibility." Joan of Arc said.

"Fortunately, both the extreme speed and this invisible humanoid figure must be controlled by his subjective consciousness in order to be activated. Faced with this method, the only thing we can do is, as before, I will activate the treasure in advance to protect it before it attacks. But this is not a long-term solution after all, and none of us can catch the other party." Joan of Arc shook her head and said.

"It's not that there's no solution." At this time, Tōsaka Tokiomi spoke up, "In fact, as long as we can survive today, the threat posed by that True Ancestor won't be that great."

"Why is that?" Joan of Arc asked curiously.

"The commotion that True Ancestor caused in Europe was too great, and it's already caught the attention of the Holy Church and the Magic Association. It's said that the Holy Church has already begun to deal with the matter," Tōsaka Tokiomi said confidently. "There are some mysterious secrets that you may not be aware of. True Ancestors themselves are subject to certain restrictions and cannot act recklessly. Otherwise, if they go too far and are judged as Fallen, they will be punished and hunted down by a powerful being. Since he dares to appear here so brazenly, as long as we inform the Holy Church of his whereabouts, that powerful being will soon descend upon Fuyuki City. Then there's nothing to worry about."

"I see... Is this why you had the courage to sign that contract? Haha, since you're pinning your hopes on her, just wait and see." A hint of ferocity flashed in Wang Chong's eyes, but he restrained it so well that no one noticed.

Chapter 180: All are Wang Chef

Elquet Brunstad, lord of Millennium Castle and princess of the True Ancestor royal family, was reverently known as White Princess by those who knew her. The powerful being Tōsaka Tokiomi spoke of was referring to this being. White Princess was a special True Ancestor born to hunt "corrupted True Ancestors." Therefore, if she determined that a Corrupted True Ancestor had appeared in this world, she would activate her gifted weapon without hesitation.

However, in the original Tsukihime worldline, she would have been sealed in Millennium City because of Roya. She would only awaken when Roya's reincarnation was pursued. However, in Fate's worldline, due to the predominance of human power and the Heroic Spirit Summoning System, Tsukiji was completely defeated and the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostles were not created. Consequently, there was no subsequent incident of Roya tricking the princess into drinking his blood. Therefore, in the current Fate timeline, Shirohime is, in a sense, a free person, not slumbering in Millennium City.

Therefore, if Elquet suddenly appeared near him, Wang Chong felt it was entirely possible, perhaps the planet's will was behind it. However, Wang Chong did intend to meet the princess. Honestly, aside from a certain Gumpika who had gotten serious, he didn't really feel threatened by anyone else in the Holy Grail War. This time, he planned to face the princess head-on to see how far his strength had come.

Therefore, Wang Chong did not interfere with Tōsaka Tokiomi's plan. On the contrary, after finishing tonight's affairs, he was already impatient to meet the True Ancestor Princess.

Once the two most important issues had been resolved, the entire operation meeting began to devolve into trivial matters. Occasionally, one could hear Matou Kariya and Tōsaka Tokiomi exchanging sarcastic remarks about their past and Sakura's affairs. Jeanne seemed to realize that the meeting had basically gone off the rails and ended it decisively.

Tōsaka Tokiomi naturally sought temporary refuge and rest at the Cathedral Church with Kotomine Kirei. Diarmait left immediately with Sora, as he still had a quadriplegic lord to care for at home. Waver and Iskandar hurried back to recover. Iskandar's injuries were the second most severe of the group; the ripped barrier was a painful experience. According to Iskandar, he might not be able to use his most powerful Noble Phantasm, King's Army, until tomorrow night.

As for who holds the top spot? It's, of course, that mad Lancelot, pierced by numerous arrows and slashed by the Foolish King's sword, ultimately becoming a meat cushion for Gilgamesh. Ever since being struck by Gilgamesh, he's been unconscious, carried on Matou Kariya's back. It's worth noting that after undergoing the black mist transformation, Matou Kariya isn't as weakened as a bug mage. On the contrary, his magical aptitude has been enhanced, and his physique has grown considerably. At least, being fought back by an armored Lancelot wouldn't be a problem at all.

"Lancelot..." At this time, Artoria had already woken up from her coma. Watching Lancelot leave, a trace of sadness rose in her heart again. At this time, Wang Chong appeared beside Artoria, patted her shoulder, and said, "Saber."

"Caster... Oh, no, I should say Mr. Wang Chong." After seeing Wang Chong, Altria said with a hint of gratitude, "I heard from Ellie and Jeanne that it was because you spent the whole day researching today that you created the tool that severed the contract between me and Kiritsugu. Thank you very much."

"It's okay, it's just a piece of cake. Also, be casual with your address, it's okay to call me as before. Anyway, I'm probably the most special one in the entire Holy Grail War, as I'm both a Master and a Servant. It's so tiring and stressful for one person to do two things. I just finished the battle, and now I have to engage in intrigues with those Masters. It's so annoying." Wang Chong complained in front of Altria.

Altria chuckled twice, her mood brightening considerably after being amused by Wang Chong's words. Seeing Altria's faint smile, Wang Chong coughed dryly twice, looking in the direction Lancelot had left, and said, "That's why I admire you so much, Knight King."

"Eh? You admire me?" Altria was slightly stunned, but in the blink of an eye, her smile turned into a bitter smile, and she said, "Mr. Wang Chong, please stop making fun of me."

"No, I truly admire you, Knight King," Wang Chong said slowly. "You faced countless problems back then, far more serious and difficult than any of us face now. Yet, you handled these matters without deviation, and punished the enemy without partiality in war. It was like a scale, calculating the balance of gains and losses with precision to several decimal places. You did everything you could, didn't you?"

"But I am a loser, Mr. Wang Chong. Even my knights could not rest in peace after death. This was true for Mordred and Lancelot. I did not meet their expectations and I failed them. After all, I am not qualified to be king, and this is why I must turn all this around." Artoria shook her head slightly, a trace of sadness flashed in her eyes again, and said.

"Remember what I said before, Knight King?" Wang Chong suddenly said, "Although this is the story of the Caster I merged with, do you really not gain any inspiration from his story?"

"Inspiration?"

"Although the Qin Dynasty fell after the Second Emperor, everything that king did was not in vain. As long as the things he founded are passed down from generation to generation, his Great Qin will never truly perish, and his rule will endure forever." Wang Chong slightly amended the sentence and continued, "Altria, what constitutes the Kingdom of Britain to you? Is it that immortal city? Or is it the eternal rule that belongs only to you, or the Knights of the Round Table? Do you remember what you fought for?"

"Why fight... Why fight..." For a moment, Artoria's eyes flashed with light, and she continued, "I want to continue the kingdom, I want to protect those people..."

"Altria, you should look at the later history. While it's true that the Saxons you resisted eventually occupied much of Britain's territory, the Britons you led were not annihilated. After you left, they continued to sing your name and survived in the cracks. Eventually, they reclaimed new territory, multiplied, and continued to pass on your legend," Wang Chong said slowly. "So, the British Kingdom has never truly ended. Your story is still recorded, your deeds are still sung, and the people of your country continue to multiply in later generations. The British land... has sprouted and grown crops once again. Isn't that enough?"

"...I." For a moment, Artoria was stunned and could not speak.

"This is the outcome you created, Artoria. No one in your position would ever do this. And I think your knights feel much the same way you do. Like you, they are all blaming themselves. The King of Conquerors said you have been saving your subjects without guiding them. This is wrong. You have actually guided them with your actions. Just as you abide by the spirit of chivalry, just as you have fought tooth and nail to protect the people of Britain. It is precisely these gestures that have made them follow you so much, and their character has also tended to be like yours, even becoming like you, blaming themselves for the destruction of Britain."

"Do you believe my judgment of people? Whether it's the berserk Lancelot or the twisted Mordred on the other side, they all, to some extent, hope to be blamed by you. Only you, as the King of Britain, have the qualifications to blame them and judge their sins. This is their unanimous opinion. They love you so much, Altria." Wang Chong finished speaking, and finally added, "That's why I admire you, Altria. Think carefully about what I just said."

Chapter 181 Merlin, you are peeking at me, aren't you?

After Wang Chong left these words, he gave Altria some time to think. He also found an opportunity to exchange places with his clone and return to the Hanging Garden. As for the subsequent discussions with Jeanne and Irisviel, he could completely focus on two things at once and let his clone handle them.

After returning to the fortress, Wang Chong walked towards the core area while recalling his recent conversation with Altria. During that conversation, Wang Chong still felt a sense of disharmony, but this time, Wang Chong finally understood where it came from.

This was all thanks to his previous contact with Jeanne d'Arc using Transcendent Heaven, modifying and distorting her. In reality, Wang Chong had already discovered a degree of distortion within Jeanne d'Arc. The source of this distortion stemmed from human nature, or perhaps even from the power of inhibition. Since then, Wang Chong had clearly identified the frequency of this distortion. Therefore, he easily sensed the same distortion from Altria.

"Heh, no wonder Artoria had such thoughts. She was clearly prepared for despair, and she clearly knew Britain's end... She hadn't even once considered her country's future development. Ultimately, as long as Artoria kept wanting to change the past and remained steadfast in this desire, she would forever be constrained by the restraining force, constantly responding to and fighting in the Heroic War."

Wang Chong was well aware that the Servants of the Throne of Heroes differed fundamentally from the mortals who signed contracts to become a restraining force. For the heroes who returned to the Throne of Heroes, their lives came to a complete end at the moment of death, with no further room for growth. Therefore, each summoned avatar was a clone spun off from the Throne of Heroes, carrying no memories of the previous war. Even their personalities and personalities varied with the age they assumed at the time of the summon. Therefore, the Heroic Spirits of the Throne of Heroes were free, and the Holy Grail War was merely a spectacle for them. They could go when they pleased, and not go when they chose.

But the physical body is different. Not only does it retain the memory of the previous battle, but it also becomes a kind of alternate immortality, perpetuating the battle. The Holy Grail War becomes a twisted continuation of their lives, a final act that should have ended in death. Furthermore, signing a contract with the restraining force is like signing an indenture, obligated to go wherever the restraining force commands. Even their own will is distorted, reducing them to mere labor, effectively becoming the slaves of capitalist oppression.

"So, what do you think, Merlin?" Suddenly, Wang Chong covered his face, turned around inexplicably and pointed behind him, saying, "Merlin, you're looking at me, right?"

Of course, Wang Chong had made sure none of his servants were watching him as he performed this sequence. He deliberately entered a secluded location, hoping to blast out a certain screen-snooping individual. He also fully activated his villain savior aura, unleashing his full aura and authority to the maximum.

However, after a short while, nothing happened before him. Undeterred, Wang Chong activated his magic and retrieved a blue-scabbarded Noble Phantasm from his body: the Distant Utopia—also known as Avalon.

Originally, this was used to summon Artoria's possession. However, Emiya Kiritsugu didn't want to return it to Artoria, and instead placed it within Irisviel's body to protect her. As for why it was now in Wang Chong's hands, it was naturally because Wang Chong had recently used his Transcendent Heaven's ability to stop time and overwrite, easily removing Avalon from Irisviel's body, and incidentally, used his Transcendent Heaven's power to manipulate Irisviel.

For example, Irisviel was able to sense that Illya was in the castle because Wang Chong deliberately used the power beyond heaven to induce her.

"Hmph, you don't want to come out? Then I'd like to give it a try. If I throw Avalon into the Holy Grail, I'll see if I can use the immense magic power to completely infect this thing. Perhaps, I can also get a way to go to Avalon. Then I'll come to your door myself." Wang Chong spoke again.