Why are all of us who transmigrated at the same time demons?

The so-called "heroic spirits" are a very special kind of spiritual entity in this world, or rather, an extraordinary "summoned object".

Its origin lies in the unique worldview of Type-Moon—the legendary heroes who have left a glorious mark on human history, or beings who have been sublimated by faith, whose essence transcends the timeline, and whose true form resides on the mysterious "Seat of Heroes" outside the world.

This is why they were able to respond to the call of different eras, whether in the dusty past or the distant future, their manifestations can be found everywhere.

What people can summon through specific rituals are the avatars of these heroic spirits, known as "Servants." In the formal terminology of mysticism, they are also called "Ghostliners."

As the name suggests, this "record tape" is the form in which a Heroic Spirit exists on the Throne of Heroes. It is a replica of the shining name in human history and the strongest existence at the top of the familiar category.

Each time a summons is answered, it is equivalent to copying a record from the "seat" and bringing it to the mortal world. When the mission is over or the spirit dissipates, this copy returns to the seat with the experience as a "record", while its "memories" are not retained by the original.

Each tape carries the historical facts, mythological interpretations, and even the collective impressions passed down through generations of the person behind that name. There are many peculiar cases: sometimes, multiple independent individuals share the same name; sometimes, a single tape contains multiple contradictory legends.

The concept of Heroic Spirit Summoning was originally intended as a decisive magical event to prepare the world for a massive crisis capable of destroying civilization, much like Odin's Valhalla in Norse mythology. The so-called "Holy Grail War" of later generations was merely a downgraded and simplified application of this sublime system.

Servants are divided into different "classes" based on their characteristics, including seven regular classes such as Saber, Archer, and Lancer, as well as special classes such as Ruler and Avenger. Different classes grant Servants specific skill preferences and ability limitations.

This also explains why in some "gacha" games, you can always see a large number of Servants with the same name but different classes, personalities, and Noble Phantasms. Loran remembers that his "warehouse" used to be full of all kinds of "Dog Brother" Cú Chulainn, such as the young version, the blue Lancer with spinning charge, the Sage of the Caster class, and even the Berserker form!

However, if we're talking about the ultimate master of the "cloning" technique, King Arthur is truly unparalleled. Simply changing into a swimsuit and calling it a brand new Servant card is simply outrageous and deserving of divine retribution... Uh, my thoughts are wandering.

Getting back to the main point, Loran now has three Heroic Spirits under his command: two Berserkers—Lu Bu and Darius III, and one Lancer—the great hero from the Trojan War, Prince Hector.

In accordance with the consistent "balance" nature of the Type-Moon universe, the summoning of Heroic Spirits often follows the basic pattern of the Holy Grail War, with the number of the seven regular classes usually being close.

Since two berserkers have appeared here, it means that there are probably a considerable number of other heroic spirits wandering outside Luoyang City.

Faced with Loran's overwhelming mental strength and vast magical knowledge, the memories of these captured heroic spirits were completely exposed, revealing all relevant information.

As expected, there were a total of fourteen Heroic Spirits who descended this time! Two of each of the seven regular classes.

Loran paid little attention to this, merely relaying the relevant intelligence and countermeasures to the Imperial Guard and the Five Schools of the Northern Army before ignoring it further. The three captured heroes, like frozen statues, were silently transported to the underground palace.

There, Lorraine will conduct a thorough, almost anatomical, in-depth study of them.

"Interesting... It can transform freely between flesh and spirit!" Loran used his mental power to condense an invisible yet incredibly precise "scalpel" and "probe," skillfully guiding Darius III's muscles, which resembled black rock, to shift back and forth between physical and spiritual states, savoring the mystery within.

“Hmm… soul materialization. Speaking of which, the Einzbern family, one of the three founding families of the Holy Grail War, seems to have initially pursued the materialization of the soul, a process known as the ‘Third Law.’ The Holy Grail system was built by incorporating their technology.” Loran unearthed relevant information from the depths of his long-buried memories and analyzed it silently.

"As expected of the Throne of Heroes, which is said to be located outside the world, I'll accept this 'surprise'!" Loran's eyes gleamed with the fervor of a researcher, and his mouth stretched wide, revealing two rows of white teeth. His smile was exceptionally... "radiant".

Darius III was as quiet as a lamb to the slaughter, his mind completely controlled by Loran's "spirit binding" decree.

Although heroic spirits are extraordinary, they ultimately cannot escape the category of "spiritual bodies," which is quite similar to the "ghosts and gods" in Eastern concepts. Since they are spiritual bodies, methods specifically designed to restrain them are naturally effective.

As it happens, Loran has a deep understanding of this subject.

At this moment, the "Spirit Binding" technique he is currently practicing is being continuously optimized and iterated as the research deepens. It is expected to be upgraded to "Spirit Binding and Commanding Generals" in this world, achieving an almost unreasonable absolute control over spirits, just like what is shown in "Under One Person".

“Although you have simulated organs and tissues that are extremely similar to those of flesh and blood, the core is still different in the end!” Loran “dissected” Darius III’s chest, staring at the powerfully beating heart and the core structure beside it that was different from that of ordinary people—the spirit core.

"I see. When your heroic spirits manifest in the world, the first thing they condense is this spiritual core. Magic then uses this spiritual core as a blueprint to weave and construct the physical body that envelops it, thus achieving materialization. To truly defeat a heroic spirit, you must damage this spiritual core."

“This spirit core contains all the basic information about your spirit body, and magic uses this information to weave your body…” A bold idea flashed through Loran’s mind, “What would happen if I artificially modified the information within your spirit core?”

He cautiously extended his spiritual power, attempting to touch and modify the spirit core. However, the spirit core's fragility exceeded his expectations. Loran applied only a "slight" amount of force, and the spirit core shattered instantly.

Darius III's spirit body instantly froze, then dissipated into specks of light and returned to the Throne of Heroes.

Although Hector was completely immobilized, Loran could clearly sense the surging fear deep within him. Even the seemingly mindless berserker Lu Bu was unexpectedly quiet at this moment, appearing quite "at ease".

"Don't be afraid! I'll be gentle this time!" Loran grinned as he reconstituted a gleaming spiritual blade, aiming precisely at Hector's back of the head.

A few moments later………

Looking at the empty lab bench again, Loran pouted unhappily.

There are still too few experimental materials!

However, this is not a difficult problem.

Loran stated that through this "research," he had essentially mastered the method of summoning Heroic Spirits in this world. As for the catalysts (Holy Relics) needed for summoning? He had plenty!

Inside the laboratory, Loran skillfully drew the corresponding summoning circle and began to ponder which type of Heroic Spirit to summon first.

The easiest people to establish contact with were none other than the successive emperors of the Han dynasty.

With the royal bloodline carried by Liu Xie's body and the many royal artifacts preserved in the palace, it is estimated that all the heroic spirits related to the Han Dynasty can be "rescued". Even Liu Huangshu, who is still alive at this time, would probably be no exception.

However, his original intention in summoning the Heroic Spirit was to use it as experimental material. Summoning his "own ancestor" and then dissecting and studying it... it just felt a little strange, and he couldn't help but feel a tiny bit guilty.

After a moment's thought, Loran decided to adhere to the principle of "befriending distant states while attacking nearby ones" (actually, "purge distant ones while keeping nearby ones safe") and start by "harming" the heroic spirits from abroad. After all, they were still on Chinese soil, and if they went too far with the local heroic spirits, they might attract the attention of certain ancient beings and even besiege them.

Some might ask, where did Loran, as the Emperor of Han, get so many relics to summon foreign heroes? If you have such a question, then your thinking is too limited.

It should be noted that the most supreme artifacts are not snake molt fossils or cloak fragments, but the summoner himself!

This was also demonstrated in the Fifth Holy Grail War, where the Holy Grail War's widow... no, I mean, Rin Tohsaka, personally demonstrated it.

Loran is an existence who has gathered the divine essences of all the major pantheons in the world of Godslayer.

Following the convention in the Type-Moon universe that "mysterious beings from other worlds" are often given high recognition as "noble outsiders," these otherworldly deities might very well have a miraculous effect in this world.

"Eight-Nine Arcane Arts, activate!"

With a thought, Loran's figure suddenly changed. A one-eyed deity with a white beard reaching his chest appeared beside the magic circle.

He wore an eagle helmet, golden armor, and held the renowned Gungnir, the eternal spear. He wore the golden ring of Dropnir on his wrist, and two fierce wolves, Kili and Kulich, lay prostrate at his feet. On his shoulders stood two ravens, Fokkin and Wuni—he was none other than Odin, the chief god of the Aesir!

"Limited by the foundation of Liu Xie's mortal body, what has been conjured up is only a 'showpiece' in form for now, but the aura originating from the divine source alone is probably enough to deceive... no, to attract the corresponding heroic spirits." Loran thought to himself, "I'm also curious about the similarities and differences between the 'Primordial Runes' of this world and those I obtained in other worlds."

However, the summoning incantation needed to be modified to better suit the local style, in order to showcase the majesty of the Han emperor. He cleared his throat and chanted in a grand and majestic tone:

"I have received the mandate of Heaven in spring and ascended the imperial throne in the Purple Palace."

The land of the nine provinces is divided among all subjects of the king.

I hereby proclaim to the world that I command you to submit your forms and spirits to my command, and to attach your swords to my destiny.

Those who possess signs of responding to sacred objects, adhere to the principles of propriety and righteousness, and follow the way of Yin and Yang should respond swiftly!

I tread the righteous path of Heaven and Earth to manifest all goodness, and wield the power of chaos to subdue all evil. The Threefold Mantra revolves around the Seven Luminaries, and the Ninefold Wheel of Dharma breaks through the threshold to descend.

—The guardian of the Heavenly Balance, reveal your form swiftly! Proclamate this throughout the vast void, so that all may know.

As the incantation ended, the summoning circle erupted with a blinding white light, and a powerful surge of magic swept through the entire chamber. Within the light, a tall and graceful figure gradually solidified. She possessed long, silky white hair that reached her waist, and in her hand she held a sturdy spear with a unique design and a full heart-shaped spearhead.

"Lancer, Brunhilde, I have come as ordered. Are you my master?"

The beautiful Valkyrie bowed slightly, her words clear and firm. However, when she raised her eyes, her gaze piercing through the fading white light of the summoning, and she saw the summoner's image clearly, she was instantly struck dumb, frozen in place.

This image, this majesty, this familiar aura that originates from the depths of one's blood...

“Father…Father God? How could it be you?!” Her voice trembled with disbelief.

A flicker of helplessness crossed Loran's single eye, but his actions did not falter in the slightest. The tip of Gungnir (the replica) trembled slightly, and an extremely condensed golden thread shot out, instantly piercing Brunhilde's spirit body and completely sealing off the flow of magic throughout her body.

“I’m sorry, Brunhilde.” Loran’s voice was calm and composed, with the composure characteristic of a researcher. “For now, I don’t… give ladies preferential treatment.”

Chapter 275 Type-Moon: Fully Automated Heroic Spirit Summoning Machine

Brunhilde, daughter of Odin, the eldest of the Valkyries, and a Valkyrie whose legends are immortalized in myths and epics, now lies helplessly on the cold laboratory table like a sculpture frozen in time. Her eyes, which once reflected battlefields and glory, are now filled with humiliation and a trace of bewilderment.

However, at this moment, Loran had no romantic thoughts whatsoever.

Compared to this near-perfect divinely created body, he was more interested in the ancient knowledge and secrets deep within Brunhilde's memories, about Asgard, the Norse gods, and the World Tree system.

"Primordial runes? Hmm... Odin really taught you that?" Loran stroked his chin, his divine sense combing through the information extracted from Brunhilde's spirit origin. "I vaguely remember that the Valkyries in the Type-Moon world seem to be set up as something like 'divinely created weapons', right?"

His gaze focused on the analyzed skill description, and he raised an eyebrow: "Hmm? 'Primordial Runes created by the great god Odin'? Isn't there something wrong with this description?"

A touch of historical research was stirred within Loran, who fell into thought: "According to older records, the primordial runes were not so much 'created' by Odin, but rather 'discovered' and 'understood' the universal truths he discovered at the great cost of one eye and hanging the World Tree upside down for nine days and nine nights... This thing should be considered a manifestation of objectively existing rules, rather than a product of subjective creation, right?"

After a moment, he shook his head, setting aside this academic dilemma: "Forget it, forget it. Perhaps it's a subtle difference due to the convergence of world lines, or an evolution of later legends... Let's just consider it an official secondary creation, it won't affect the research value."

His attention returned to Brunhilde's unique spirit origin.

“Valkyrie’s ‘Unit-01’…” Loran’s divine sense was like the most sophisticated scanner, deeply analyzing every detail of this divinely created body. “The structure is indeed very different from that of humans, and even vastly different from the three human heroic spirits we studied before.”

"The divine level is only the lowest, E? Is it because it is mixed with other factors, resulting in impure divinity, so it is defined as a 'demigod'?" Loran seemed to understand, gaining a more concrete understanding of the gods and creation system of the Type-Moon world.

With the experiment concluded, Loran activated the summoning circle once more.

This time, he used the lingering aura of Brunhilde as the core catalyst and modified the summoning incantation, limiting the scope and nature of the summoned target.

Amidst the flashes of light, what responded to the summons was not a single Heroic Spirit, but a group of Valkyries with similar appearances, aloof demeanors, and distinctive "Takeuchi-like" features. They appeared like a well-trained army formation.

Without any hesitation, Loran instantly unleashed the large-scale "Spirit Binding" spell he had prepared beforehand. Like an invisible net, it captured all the mass-produced Valkyries, providing him with ample comparative samples for his research.

With enough "Valkyrie" series as research material, the technical secrets of Odin's creation of these Valkyries were revealed to Loran layer by layer, like an onion being peeled back.

From the framework of the spirit origin to the embedding of divine factors, and then to the functional limitations of the "weapon"... the core technologies are gradually being analyzed and reconstructed.

“I see… So, I also have the ability to create my own ‘Valkyrie’ in Loran.” He murmured with satisfaction.

The research was conducted, and then new volunteers were recruited.

Next, Siegfried, Sigurd, Beowulf... a host of heroic spirits with deep ties to Norse mythology were "invited" down by Loran in various "optimized" catalysts and spells. Without exception, they all went to the experimental table to contribute their spirit origin data to Loran's "Encyclopedia of Heroic Spirits".

Once the research is complete, Loran will "mercifully" send them back to the Throne of Heroes, giving them a quick death and avoiding unnecessary painful memories.

However, this period of prosperity was short-lived. Loran discovered that the Nordic Heroic Spirits were becoming increasingly difficult to summon, with a significant drop in response rate.

"Tsk... News spreads so fast? These guys on the Throne of Heroes are actually colluding and exchanging information in private?" Loran was quite surprised. "They've even developed an awareness of anti-fraud?"

This forced him to invest in new research and development, and he developed a set of "deceiving the heavens" techniques.

The principle behind this technique is similar to frequently changing IP addresses and virtual identities on the internet to interfere with the Throne of Heroes' "caller ID," making the summoning requests appear as legitimate invitations from different times, places, and people. This deceives the Heroic Spirits' vigilance mechanisms, causing them to respond again and then... fall into a familiar trap.

But Loran quickly frowned: "Changing 'aliases' so frequently is certainly feasible, but it's still too inefficient. If we deceive them one by one, how long will it take?"

He needs a more efficient way to "harvest".

After some thought, a bold plan took shape in his mind—to build a fully automated Heroic Spirit Summoning Machine! It would enable the mass summoning and instant capture of Heroic Spirits, record all their Spirit Origin information, and establish a vast "Spirit Origin Storage" to temporarily store them.

The core idea is to swindle as many "suckers" as possible with lightning speed before the Servants realize what's happening and spread the "This is a scam, do not respond" warning message. As long as these Servants haven't returned to the Throne of Heroes, their "scammed" records cannot be updated, the warning mechanism will be delayed, and subsequent summoning can continue smoothly.

"Stockpile first, research later, and continue the crimes once the heat dies down! Perfect!" Loran was very satisfied with his plan. He was always exceptionally efficient and immediately began designing the corresponding system.

"Hehehe... Gentlemen of Valhalla, are you ready to receive my 'equal distribution of favors'?" He let out his signature laugh.

Manufacturing the automatic summoning machine was not difficult for Loran. Soon, a prototype machine stood in the dedicated workshop.

However, new problems arose.

“The energy source cannot support large-scale continuous summoning,” Loran said, his brow furrowed as he examined the machine’s operating data. “Relying solely on the dragon vein beneath Luoyang City is no longer sufficient to satisfy the appetite of this ‘energy-devouring behemoth’.”

"Insufficient energy..." This problem seemed familiar to him.

"I think I encountered a similar bottleneck before. How did I solve it back then?" He recalled the treasure trove of knowledge spanning many worlds.

He quickly recalled his experiences in the Naruto world. Back then, in order to forge a powerful "Star God Body," he used the Grell Stone vein to develop the Parallel World Interference Technique, directly extracting almost unlimited energy from countless parallel worlds to synthesize the necessary chakra.

"Speaking of which, the creative inspiration at the time actually came from the second law of the Type-Moon world—parallel world interference! What a coincidence!" Loran smiled.

He decided to return to his old profession and practice and upgrade the technology again in this "place of origin".

"Perfect timing. I wonder what the difference is between the 'Second Method' that I independently deduced and combined with knowledge from multiple worlds back then, and the orthodox 'Second Method' in this Type-Moon world, which is controlled by the Jewel Elder? Hmm... Practice makes perfect, let's give it a try first."

Now, having absorbed and integrated the knowledge of a large number of Servants (including many top magicians), Loran can be considered a grandmaster of magic from Type-Moon.

Many heroic spirits had dabbled in the study of magic during their lifetimes. Although none of them mastered the complete Second Magic, their theories, ideas, and even their failures have become valuable lessons for Loran.

With his profound experience and extraordinary wisdom, Loran quickly and successfully reconstructed and optimized the technology, creating a brand-new, more powerful "Gem Sword".

This sword, like an energy hub, began to greedily draw almost limitless magical power from countless parallel worlds, transforming it into a surging torrent that flowed into the fully automated Heroic Spirit Summoning Machine.

Immediate results!

Massive numbers of Servants are brought down by the light of the summoning circle. Often, before they can even see their surroundings or utter the classic question, "Are you my Master?", they are precisely hit and firmly bound by a pre-set, all-encompassing "Spirit Binding" spell.

Immediately afterwards, their entire spirit origin, along with the core spirit core, was forcibly compressed and sealed, and then, like cargo, it was transported by conveyor belt into the massive "spirit origin warehouse" for categorized storage.

The entire process is efficient, cold, and automated, like a ruthless production line.

Of course, occasionally there are Servants who react extremely quickly or have special skills and are able to dodge the first wave of "Spirit Binding" spells in that instant.

"Ouch! What are you doing?"

"Master! Why are you doing this?"

"My lord, why? Why won't you accept my allegiance?"

"You scoundrel! How dare you offend the majesty of the king! Your crimes are unforgivable!"

"Shameless scoundrel, come out and face me!"