Super God: If I punch you, you will die

"Ahaha, sorry, sorry. Anyway, what you just said 'that' is something anyone would encounter, so you don't need to worry too much. It's okay, I'm here. You are my Master, and I am your Servant. Ah, I never thought I could say that so openly. It wasn't in vain that I was summoned here! Although it's a bit pitiful for the former Master!"

That was practically a confession of love, and Rider, radiating joy, lay back down. Seeing this, Lin Yan laughed too.

"I think so too. I'm also very fortunate to have you as my Servant, it's wonderful."

"Hehe, it's too early for you to say that, Master... When everything is over, I will definitely make you say, 'It's so good to have me as your Servant.'"

After saying that, Rider suddenly showed a gloomy expression.

"However, I can't deny that I'm weak. But even so, I will still try my best."

There's absolutely no need to feel resentful about this... Lin Yan thought. Powerful, weak, swift, slow, hard, soft—all of these are completely unnecessary. Even if he were just an ordinary human...

"You are very strong, at least that's what I firmly believe."

That's right.

The unwavering power to save oneself, the kindness to pick up a pebble from the roadside that should have been discarded—these are perhaps unnecessary qualities for a Heroic Spirit. A true Heroic Spirit should understand the greater good rather than be fixated on a small pebble, and possess the resolute will to sacrifice those who have perished.

That must be correct. At least in that situation, saving his own life would have brought him no benefit whatsoever.

Therefore... Rider, who saved him despite all gains and losses, is someone Lin Yan respects from the bottom of his heart.

Hearing Lin Yan say that, Rider laughed and vigorously ruffled his hair with his hand... He seemed a little embarrassed.

"Haha, thank you, Master. Alright, go to sleep now, morning will be here soon. If you don't go to sleep now, it will be night again when you wake up."

That makes sense… Lin Yan thought to himself. He closed his eyes… Perhaps it was because the morning light filtering through the surroundings created a hazy sense of brightness, but his fear of the dark had unconsciously disappeared.

This situation is just like last time… Lin Yan thought to himself. Although he didn’t sleep very comfortably back then because the bed was too narrow, this bed is spacious now. He shouldn’t have to worry about falling out of bed.

What is she like now?

The last thought that crossed my mind was that consciousness ceased.

Upon returning to the church, Joan of Arc was taught by a gentle voice.

"When I woke up this morning, I found the fortress in such a state. I was so worried because you haven't come back since you left."

Alma Petoresia spoke to Joan of Arc with a worried expression, just as she had said. But Joan of Arc could not possibly reply with something like, "I was directly involved in that incident. I was targeted by that thing and stood very close to it. In the end, I was only safe thanks to the Holy Banner and my faith."

"In short, you are all thanks to God's guidance, so you should be very grateful."

"Yes, thank you."

"But then again, I never expected something as terrible as a meteorite falling to happen."

It seems the residents of Torifas all believe it was a meteorite. Since the implication was intended to prevent panic in the city, this was naturally something Ruler was more than happy to accept.

"So, I plan to take a nap today and then go back."

"Oh dear, is the investigation finished? But that makes sense. The castle has been turned into that state, there's no way to investigate it now."

"Yes, that's right. Yes, the investigation is coming to an end."

Speaking of which, Ruler realized that his character was a student. Alma smiled kindly and added, "Don't push yourself too hard just because you're a student."

"Well then, you should get some rest. I have to go to church next."

"Yes, I'm going to rest."

Back in the rooftop attic, Jeanne collapsed onto the bed. While sleeping and eating were certainly a bit inconvenient... it was precisely because of this that she felt more "alive" than simply being present as a Servant.

Amakusa Shiro Tokisada.

Joan of Arc recalled the unwavering gaze in the young man's eyes. It wasn't the dreamlike feeling of a child, but the gaze of someone harboring lofty ideals.

Joan of Arc was certain of this the moment they met in the chapel.

He will not stop because of what anyone says, nor will he stop just because he has been defeated in battle. Even if he wipes out all the Servants on the "Red" side and takes back the Greater Grail, he still will not stop.

Originally... his consciousness fundamentally lacked the ability to "stop". Unless he fully accomplished his plan or his life functions were completely stopped, he would only keep moving forward.

The Third Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City took place approximately sixty years ago. In other words, the boy had been searching for the Holy Grail for sixty years since he regained his physical body.

Indeed, the Greater Grail in Fuyuki City is quite special. The only thing that can rival it is probably the "Genuine"... that is, the relic of the Divine Child, a mysterious item that everyone dreams of but can never obtain.

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Shiro was also a believer in the Divine Child, and that's why he sought that... no, it wasn't like that. Jeanne, who shared the same faith, knew very well that while the relics were indeed very important, they weren't something to be risked one's life to obtain.

No, it's absolutely forbidden to do that, because the object of faith should be God, not the Holy Grail. Such a simple truth could not possibly be misunderstood by Amakusa Shirou, the boy hailed as a "miracle child."

Furthermore, even calling it an omnipotent wish-granting machine has its limits. For a magician, it is an inexhaustible vortex of magical power. At the same time... it is also a signpost on the path to the realm of "magic," so calling it an omnipotent wish-granting machine is not a problem.

However, Amakusa Shirou is not a magician, nor does he seem to have any interest in magic. Therefore, he likely intends to use the immense magical power of the Holy Grail to trigger some kind of "miracle."

No miracle, however miraculous, can save all people. History is replete with saints and superhumans who have attempted this challenge, only to fail. Heroes have made the decisive choice to save only those within their power. Vlad III, for example, was undoubtedly a miracle hero of Romania. However, while he may have saved his people, to the outside world—specifically, the invading Ottoman Turks—he was a "devilish" figure.

Saving one person means causing suffering to another.

One person is sacrificed to save nine. Or nine people are killed just to save one.

That's the law of this world. No matter what kind of hero you are, you should fight only after fully understanding this extremely ruthless ethical rule.

Given all this, why is Amakusa Shiro so completely unperturbed? What kind of groundbreaking, or rather, insane method is that? If it is insane, I must stop it at all costs.

But...if his methods are correct...

"What should I do then?"

At that time, what judgment would I make, and what actions would I take? Would I continue to stop him, or...?

Just as she thought of this, Ruler instinctively covered herself with the sheet. As she tried to continue thinking, her unease grew stronger.

That is the ideal that all saints have dreamed of. Faced with such temptation, can one truly say that one will never succumb?

"I absolutely cannot lose," Ruler muttered as he closed his eyes.

Suddenly, she remembered another boy.

Did that boy actually come into being in Shiro's claim of "human salvation"? The moment this thought crossed my mind, my previously agitated mind immediately calmed down.

Although it was just a vague estimate, she still felt that Shiro's beneficiaries did not include androids like him.

In that case, there was no way I could assist his relief efforts.

The moment she was certain of this, the girl drifted off to sleep with a sense of peace.

"Red" Saber hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to sigh or express her feelings in another way. Finally, she decided that this was more in line with her style, so she slammed her fist on the ground and said:

"Why did you come back to this godforsaken place?!"

"Red" Saber originally thought that Master Lionheart would choose to stay in that fortress, but Lionheart firmly rejected the suggestion and insisted on returning to this underground cemetery.

Although there shouldn't be any major problems once I become a spirit, I still really want to get a good night's sleep on a soft bed, or rather, I want to take a bath in a real bathtub that is completely different from this shower room that only sprays lukewarm water... Even if doing so doesn't actually make much sense, it's a very natural desire.

As Lion Robber crawled into his sleeping bag, he replied to the vehemently protesting "Red" Saber:

"I'm telling you, that's enemy territory. Who would be stupid enough to sleep in a place like that?"

That's what they say.

“I really can’t do anything with you, Saber. You have to understand. We do need to cooperate with them, of course. If we just leave them alone, we’ll really be driven into a corner. It was the right thing to do to rescue Ruler and ‘Black’ Archer. But acting together and cooperating are not the same thing.”

"There's no difference in how they're phrased, is there?"

"Of course. Acting together is tantamount to revealing a weakness to the other side; in other words, it's an expression of 'I trust you.' In any case, we absolutely cannot expose our weaknesses to those people in Yggdmirena."

"Does that mean they can't be trusted?"

"Red" Saber showed a surprised expression. Indeed, magicians are the kind of people who don't completely trust anyone. After all, they're a race that even their own brothers will fight each other; it's not surprising...

"No, no, it's actually the other side that doesn't trust us. If we let them see that we trust them, they will become distrustful of us instead."

"Right, let me give you an analogy to make it easier to understand. Imagine there's a tiger with a collar here. And the keeper assures you, 'It's very well-behaved, a good boy.' Then, you have to spend a night with it. You have a pistol. Although you first have to go hunting with the tiger, the worst part is that at the very end, you have to have a life-or-death duel with it..."

"Are you saying we are tigers?"

"That's exactly how it is. The more we trust someone, the less they trust us. People who work for money can be trusted as long as they can afford it. But if someone offers help for free, the other person will worry, 'Maybe I'll be bitten in the back someday.'"

Humans are inherently like this, so it goes without saying that those who are opposed to each other are even more so. And right now, Lion's Burrow isn't in a position to demand monetary compensation from Yggdrasil.

"So, you've decided not to spend the night in that castle?"

"Well, there's an even more important purpose. Since we need to discuss how to get ahead of them, it's not appropriate for us to stay there."

Seeing the sly smile on Shishio's face, "Red" Saber smiled as well.

"You should have said that from the beginning. So, specifically, what are you going to do?"

"First, we need to split up with them. They should be willing to accept that traveling with them on the same plane is too dangerous. Then, while 'Red' Archer and Rider are engaged Ruler and the others..."

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"Obtain the Holy Grail."

The two of them laughed in unison.

"Hmph, I didn't expect Master to still be so persistent even at this point!"

Upon hearing Saber's words, Shishigake suddenly lowered his voice:

Do you think this is shameful?

The girl shook her head silently.

"There's nothing shameful about it, but... I still have some doubts. You once said that your wish for the Holy Grail was for the prosperity of your family and descendants, right?"

"Yes, I did say that."

"That's a lie, isn't it? I don't think you'd be so fixated on such a vague wish."

Saber's laughter suddenly stopped. She was staring intently at Shishi's face with an extremely serious expression, as if she were telling him something.

"So tell me, Master, what is your true wish?"

Lion Robber slightly averted his gaze, letting out a sigh as if in surrender. Then, he took out a cigarette from his pocket.

"I'd like to start a fire, is that alright?"

"I don't like being smoky, but I have no choice if it's necessary."

In response to Saber's reply, Shishio smiled slightly and then lit a cigarette. He took a deep drag and exhaled the smoke into the air.

"You seem to have misunderstood something. I wasn't actually lying. But even so, I didn't tell you everything. Well, once you go to the Sky Garden, you'll never have this chance again, so I'll tell you now."

And so, Shi Zi Jie Li began to tell his story.

The Shishikatsu family appears to be a family of magicians who migrated from Europe to Japan several generations ago. Of course, the name Shishikatsu was adopted after they arrived in Japan.

At that time, their magical crests were nearly gone, and the children's magical circuits were pitifully few. Moving to Japan under such circumstances would clearly be a fatal blow to them. For a magician, leaving the land where their magical foundation lies is such a devastating act.

As expected, before a generation had passed, their decline had reached a point where they could no longer call themselves magicians.

This can't go on. If we leave it alone, everything will be over. We have to find a way; there should still be time. Right now, they still have the miraculous power of magic to rely on. Developing from one to ten is easy, but creating from zero to one is extremely difficult.

So what should they do? Having left their magic foundation, they can no longer even learn new magic tricks.

What should I do.

What should I do.

what to do……?

In conclusion, the Lion's Den family decided to sell their souls.

“I’m telling you, fairy tales often have those so-called contracts with demons. Our ancestors did just that.”

As for what exactly they made a contract with in Japan, only the head of the Shishigaki family, who made the contract at the time, knew. Whether it was to turn back time, simply to resurrect, or to obtain a new mark and physical body, even this was a mystery.

What is certain now is that this contract has an incredibly powerful binding force, similar to a self-enforcing certificate, and that their wishes have not been misinterpreted but have been fulfilled normally.

In short, the Shishikage family achieved a miraculous resurgence through this method. Their magic crests were revived, even surpassing their former power. The quantity and quality of their previously nearly extinct magic circuits were greatly enhanced, allowing the Shishikage family to regain its prestige as a prominent magician family in the Far East.

Although I have almost forgotten all the magic I learned in the past, and instead mastered necromancy, it is inevitable to make this sacrifice for the sake of the overall situation.

Then, naturally, such a miracle must come at a price.

"The price to pay is me."

In the end, that contract was probably a curse. It meant sacrificing the future to compensate for present deficiencies—a fatally foolish act for humans, but unavoidable for magicians. Because what they sacrificed was "the future of humanity."

Such things are unacceptable to proud and arrogant magicians. We don't care about the future; the most important thing is whether the Shishikai family can achieve great things as magicians right now, nothing more…