Comics: Starting from Killer Queen

Roland turned around, looked at the miserable empty space, and sighed poetically.

"Fuyuki City is as peaceful as ever today."

Now that we have lost the guy who drew magic circles everywhere to kill people, most of the remaining masters, except Emiya Kiritsugu, are still principled. It seems that life will be much calmer in the future.

As long as the so-called gravity doesn't do anything strange to you.

"Okay, now it's time to deal with this thing."

Roland took out the last remains of Ryunosuke Uesugi and blew him up. He was just affected by hand fetishism, but his sexual orientation was normal. A man's hand was not worth collecting.

Then he saw a strange sight.

——On that severed hand, three bright red Command Seals lit up slightly, emitting a dark red light.

And he began to feel a slight tingling sensation on the back of his hand where he was holding the severed hand.

Roland was stunned for a moment, and turned the back of his hand, but there was still nothing there. Since he was not even a magician, it was impossible for him to be given a Command Seal.

However, the stinging sensation as if being burned did not disappear, and the red light flashing from the Command Spell became brighter and brighter.

The Command Seals are the ticket given by the Holy Grail to the Master to participate in this battle. In the event of the Master's death or loss of a Servant, they will be taken back directly and await redistribution.

Therefore, in order to seize the Command Seals, the Master must be alive, otherwise the Holy Grail can move much faster than the magicians. After all, it is essentially a crystal block of huge magical power and a precious resource that is almost non-renewable.

Even the Command Seals left behind by the Church were stripped away only when the previous Masters chose to voluntarily withdraw.

So, what is happening?

Roland looked suspiciously at the ruins that had turned into charcoal. The abilities of the same stand in different people's hands would change slightly because of differences in mental strength and personality. In Roland's hands, the maximum power of Killer Queen's explosion was much greater than Kira Yoshikage's.

Being at the center of the explosion, Ryunosuke Uehara's body was no longer visible even in the debris of the explosion.

Although he was extremely shocked, Roland quickly regained his composure and began to think.

The Holy Grail will choose its favorite Master. Apart from the fixed Three Masters, the others are determined by the Holy Grail itself. This time, because the Holy Grail is full of black mud, its preferences tend to be more evil.

"Although I don't have a Command Seal, have my qualities been recognized?"

Even if the supply of magic power is not necessary, the contract is the fundamental reason for determining who the Master is. After all, the Heroic Spirit can also obtain magic power by devouring human souls.

Roland sneered, "But I refuse! What I, Roland, like to do most is to say NO to those self-righteous guys and reject them!"

"Killer Queen!"

With a light touch from the Killer Queen's fingertips, the severed hand turned into ashes that could not be grasped and slowly dissipated in the wind.

I have even destroyed the last carrier, let’s see what the Holy Grail can do to me!

Roland clapped his hands, a hint of pride showing on his face.

But as the ashes dissipated, the magic power that was fixed at the location of the severed hand did not return to the Holy Grail. On the contrary, the disappearance of the severed hand seemed to liberate them.

In an instant, the Command Spell turned into a red shadow and pierced straight into the back of Roland's hand!

When the familiar burning sensation suddenly became as intense as a branding iron, and then slowly dissipated, with no more abnormalities, Roland turned over the back of his hand with an unsightly expression.

Three intersecting marks appeared quietly on his skin, as if mocking him.

At this point, there is no point in saying more. Roland, who was chosen by the Holy Grail, can only grit his teeth and express his cordial greetings to the Holy Grail word by word.

"S.H.I.T!"

Chapter 12 I’m here to negotiate terms

An angry voice was heard in the dark alley.

"That's not right. Isn't this Type-Moon? How can you have the authority of the organizer? Are you forcing others to participate in the game? In the Little Garden, people like you will definitely be treated as demons and conquered!"

Roland rubbed the back of his hand unwillingly. The Command Spell seemed to have merged with his skin and did not change at all despite the rubbing.

Although the nightlife in Fuyuki City was not busy and it was dark now, Roland still took off his coat very carefully and held it with the hand with the Command Seal to cover up the extra traces.

Even after returning home, he was still thinking about his future.

Now that the matter is done and the Command Seal is already on me, there is no way to explain it. Is it too late to leave Fuyuki City now?

But the answer is obvious. The Holy Grail War is a ritual jointly controlled by the Templar Church and the Magic Association. If you don't want to fight in the war and want to withdraw from the competition, you can go to the church to peel off the Command Seals and expose yourself.

If he refused to escape secretly, although he had not encountered such a situation yet, even Roland, who knew nothing about magic, could guess that there would probably be corresponding punishment, and in serious cases he might even be hunted down.

Seeing that the spiritual contract was about to be digested and was about to be interrupted, Roland himself was unwilling to escape like this. He was an honest and trustworthy young man who worked hard to earn money and helped the society to clean up dangerous people in his spare time. Why should he escape in disgrace because of a group of inhuman terrorists!

Moreover, the Holy Grail would not let him go. From the way he was forced to be given the Command Spell this time, it could be seen that Roland knew very well that the seemingly bright and shiny Holy Grail was actually filled with black mud transformed by surging malice.

It would be more satisfying to end one's life on one's own than to pin one's hopes on the goodwill of the Holy Grail.

Even if I really go to the Cathedral Church and choose to withdraw, will I be safe?

Roland fell into deep thought, then flatly denied this.

This year's supervisor, Kotomine Risei, is indeed fair, but in this Holy Grail War, he chose to cheat in secret with Tōsaka Tokiomi, and he cannot completely deny the possibility that they will use coercion or bribery to help him provide magic power in exchange for a Heroic Spirit as a helper.

"Let's go to the Holy Grail War."

Roland spoke slowly, his expression becoming calmer, but this was by no means a desperate act of self-abandonment, but rather an ultimatum issued after a profound realization.

He didn't know whether it was the self-suggestion brought by this sentence, or whether his already thirsty heart was longing for indulgence. Roland only felt the continuous secretion of adrenaline, which ignited a burning and excited flame in his heart, even though he was always calm.

It would be fine if it was something beyond the standards of a Heroic Spirit, but if it was just a Master, Roland didn't think he would lose to anyone if he was well prepared.

The books left by Ryunosuke Uesugi helped him supplement the basic knowledge about the Holy Grail War, but in order to better participate in this war, the supply of magic power cannot be underestimated.

If the Master cannot even maintain his magic power, then leaving aside combat, the Heroic Spirit will have to go hunting just to maintain daily needs. When facing a battle, this consumption will increase exponentially. No matter what the considerations are, Roland needs to find a way to provide magic power.

Roland found two methods based on his own situation.

The first one is relatively simple. It is to get rid of a magician with obsession and see if you can use the power of the Key of All Souls to make him into a contracted spirit.

But the problem is that the judgment of the Contract Spirit is not based on the person's ability. It does not mean that you will be able to get the Contract Spirit by killing a strong man. Only with specific obsessions and requirements will you be qualified to be made in the gap between life and death.

And even if you get it, Qi Ling's ability will be determined by his life experience, and he may not necessarily give you the one you want most.

After Ryunosuke Uryu died, Roland confirmed through the Key of All Spirits that Ryunosuke Uryu was not qualified to become a contracted spirit. Perhaps it was because he had not yet met his true love and completed more works of art to achieve spiritual growth.

However, considering that guy's personality and experience, it's hard to say whether he knows that he has magic circuits. Even if he really becomes a contracted spirit, the abilities he brings are probably the skills of a murderer. The impact may be something like aesthetic abnormality?

Hunting other magicians was even more difficult. After occupying the two magic families of Tousaka and Matou, there were basically no vacant spiritual lands, not to mention the Holy Church here. There were basically no outside magicians staying here.

"So, the only option left is to find an ally?"

Roland sighed. Unlike the relaxed atmosphere of the Fifth War where the Masters who participated in the Holy Grail War could go to school and fight the Holy Grail War at the same time, and could even bring Heroic Spirits to visit other people's workshops from time to time, the Masters in the Fourth War were more serious about fighting a Holy Grail War.

Tōsaka Tokiomi had to be very secretive when looking for an ally, and the other members were even more so, each showing off their own abilities. The weakest one was Waver, but who could blame him for being so lucky? He met the destined Heroic Spirit.

Although he had a strong luck buff, Roland didn't think he was so lucky.

Therefore, in light of his current situation, it would be best to find someone who is ambitious, has a long-term vision, knows how to distinguish between benefits and disadvantages, and is willing to invest in the Holy Grail War, including but not limited to being responsible for providing magic power, finding related relics, and being able to accept Command Seals from others.

After summarizing his conditions and requirements, Roland's disappointment was evident.

"No matter how you look at it, it seems like he's just looking for a sucker. Is there really such a person?"

Roland touched his chin and his eyes moved.

"Oh, no, it seems there really is such a person..."

The next morning, in the central park of Fuyuki City, an old man in a kimono sat quietly on a bench by the lawn. The cool morning dew had already wet the old man's sleeves. In this kind of weather, even healthy adults would unconsciously tighten their clothes when walking on the road.

But the old man seemed not to notice. His back was straight and what he was leaning on in his hands seemed to be a sword instead of a cane.

This is in stark contrast to his decayed, mummy-like appearance.

The old man stared coldly at everything around him. A frighteningly sharp look was condensed in his sunken eye sockets. From his thin body, one could vaguely hear the sound of insects chirping.

Suddenly, the old man raised his head and looked towards the end of the road. In such damp and cold weather, the only person who would stay in the park alone besides him was probably the mysterious person who made the promise.

"Oh, he's really here..." Roland looked at the decayed old man in front of him without any awe. Instead, he showed a frivolous smile.

"Matou Zouken, I'm here to negotiate terms.

Chapter 13 Matou Zouken's Request

"You actually know my name. It seems you are not one of the lucky ones who knows nothing about the Holy Grail War."

The corner of Matou Zouken's mouth curled up in a strange arc, "What do you want to get from the Matou family by sending this kind of thing to me?"

The decayed old man took out an ancient book from the sleeve of his kimono. It was the spoils that Roland got from Ryunosuke Uesugi.

"It's just a tiny bit of help."

Roland smiled, as if he was not frightened by Zouken Matou's appearance at all. Admittedly, the old man had a bald head, skinny limbs, and sunken eyes, and he didn't even need to dress up on Halloween to stand out from the crowd. But after yesterday's incident, Roland's tolerance for disgusting things had increased a lot.

"Want some help?

Matou Zouken narrowed his eyes slightly and tapped the cane lightly with the hand that was holding it.

"This book was left behind more than a hundred years ago, around the time of the Second Holy Grail War. It should have been left behind by the guy who was used to make up the numbers and ran away in disgrace after failing a few days ago."

"But even so, that guy can barely be called an orthodox magician. So, even if he failed, he must be full of reluctance and desire. But I can't sense that kind of clear desire in you, right?"

The old man stared at Roland, his pupils gleaming with a sharp light.

He was the original creator of the Holy Grail War, a major event that affected Type-Moon.

Although they are both one of the three great families, compared to the Tousaka family with an orderly inheritance and the Einzbern family whose entire members are androids, the real ruler of the Matou family has always been this seemingly thin old man.

He abandoned his former name, his former family, and invested everything he had into that sad ambition, but ironically, even that wish was discarded over the course of time. Now, he is just an old monster named Matou Zouken who survived by relying on his obsession.

However, even though his strength has declined, his vision has become more profound.

It is difficult to detect the breath of magic when the magic circuit is deliberately closed, but Matou Zouken is sure in his heart that the young man in front of him is definitely not a magician.

If one has ever devoted himself to the path of evil, no matter whether his ideals are justice or evil, no matter whether his aptitude is excellent or inferior, it is impossible for him to show such a look.

As calm as a plant, as if he was forced to participate and had no interest in it at all.

"Ah, that's right. I'm not a magician. To be more precise, I don't have anything called a magic circuit."

To Zouken Matou's surprise, Roland readily admitted this.

"You can't even build a channel for magic power. How arrogant are you to participate in the Holy Grail War? What qualifications do you have to join this grand event?"

Matou Zouken felt a burst of disappointment. This morning, he suddenly received a note in the mailbox of Matou's house that also recorded the location of the book. He thought he would find new fun, but it turned out to be just an arrogant Madman?

"I am no longer interested in you. Please return this thing to its original owner. Boy, you should live smarter in your next life."

Matou Zouken threw the book in his hand to Roland. Although the other party did choose a good location, in order to prevent the secret from being leaked, the magicians could not cause a big noise, but for a monster like him who survived by sucking life, this taboo was not absolute.

The book is already full of his bugs. When approaching an opponent, they will quickly drill into the body, eat the flesh and internal organs of the host, and finally turn it into a corpse puppet that he can control.

That would be fun.

"hehe--"

Matou Zouken let out a creepy laugh that slowly seeped into the cold air.

The tattered book was flying in the air in a steady arc. The wormholes that originally existed in only a few places were now all over the book. From time to time, black worms would stick their hideous mouthparts out of the holes.

"Really? I don't think so. It's ridiculous to talk about qualifications. If we have to talk about it,"

Roland said with a cold smile: "——That power is my qualification."

Killer Queen's arm stretched out from his body and grabbed the book before anyone else. The next thing was a flash of flame and a silent explosion in an instant.

The item that was transformed into a small insect nest by Matou Zouken and could be called a ceremonial item was destroyed in an instant, leaving no room for resistance.

Matou Zouken's laughter stopped abruptly.

He knew the strength of his own familiars. Although they looked disgusting, those insect familiars had mouthparts as sharp as blades and their bodies were extremely hard. Ordinary weapons could not hurt them at all. They also had excellent resistance to high temperatures. However, they were destroyed by the guy in front of him in an instant.

"Guardian spirit? But its strength and ability are very abnormal. Is it a super power or a supernatural power?"

In Type-Moon, although the main group that wields supernatural powers is magicians, ordinary humans can also possess abnormal powers due to factors such as fairies and innate talents.

Furthermore, in many cases, the strength of this ability is even greater than that of an ordinary magician.

"It's called Killer Queen. Its ability is to turn any object it touches into a bomb that can be detonated at my will. It can be anything, whether it's a small coin or an entire human being."

"Is it okay to expose your abilities so easily?"

"It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if the Killer Queen's abilities are known to others," Roland looked at Matou Zouken and slowly stretched out his right hand. "Besides, I think being honest with an ally can help build a good relationship."

Matou Zouken stared at the three scarlet Command Seals on the back of Roland's hand, and his cloudy eyes seemed to light up.