Why fight the Holy Grail War? Let's play cards!

"Did you say this?"

Moyi pulled a colorless crystal rod from her bag, its design strikingly similar to that of rubies and sapphires. "Miss Medea was so interested that she made it right away, but it only has enchantments for disguise and a relatively simple Magic Enhancement II, so it's not very useful. It seems she already has an iterative version, but I don't have one here... What's that expression on your face? That's disgusting!"

……

“Maiya, there are three enemies at the five o’clock position. Provide me with covering fire, I’ll flank them from the right!”

After the Fourth War, Kiritsugu returned to his old job. Although he had fulfilled his wishes in some aspects, he was not the kind of person who could sit back and relax. When he thought of the many injustices in the world, he had no way of stopping and had to keep going.

"no problem."

Maiya strictly followed Kiritsugu's instructions, took out her submachine gun and started firing in the direction Kiritsugu specified.

Soon something unexpected happened. The bullets seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier, stagnating in the air and splashing ripples around.

"Kiritsugu, be careful! There's a magician on the other side!"

Maiya immediately relayed her information over the radio, stopping Kiritsugu's attack. Then, she flipped over the windowsill and clung to the edge. As expected, her previous position was immediately struck. A fierce wind swept through the entire space like a blade, chopping the furniture into dozens of unevenly sized pieces.

"It should be a magic related to air currents, but the details are unknown!"

"The intelligence is wrong, but I have seen the other party's position."

Kiritsugu silently pulled out a pistol and solemnly loaded a bullet into the chamber. This was his trump card as a magus killer, a weapon for special attacks against magus that was becoming less and less—the Origin Bullet.

"Being able to block bullets with the wind, if there is no trickery, the strength should not be underestimated, so we must give it our all!"

"Oh!"

A gunshot rang out, and the bullet passed through the wind and hit the magician who had wrapped himself tightly.

The magus merely shook his body, then revealed a rather impudent smile. He used the wind to lift himself up, and, looking down at Kiritsugu, he pressed forward.

Kiritsugu looked at the other person's appearance. If he used magic on such a large scale, his magic circuits would soon be messed up by the chaotic connections in his body, and it wouldn't be long before he would lose his combat power or even die.

Kiritsugu shot and retreated at the same time, trying to make the opponent consume more magic power and die faster.

But what Kiritsugu couldn't understand was that the other person didn't show any pain at all. That confident smile didn't seem to be affected at all. The pain caused by the magic burn and the future wailing would not allow a magus to maintain such a calm appearance.

"You're wondering why I'm fine, right?"

The magician who controlled the air flow laughed and lifted up his cloak, revealing a bulletproof vest tightly wrapped around his body.

"I've long known that today's opponent is the infamous 'Magician Killer.' You, a heretic, have killed countless renowned magi with nothing more than a gun. Those fools thought you were just sneaking up on them, taking advantage of their carelessness. But I'm different. I've studied the bodies you left behind and found that without exception, their magic circuits were destroyed, and the damage matched perfectly with the bullet holes."

The magician knocked the weapon out of Kiritsugu's hand. "So my guess is that your bullets are actually magical equipment, capable of both cutting and connecting. However, to ensure compatibility with magic, the bullets' penetrating power has been greatly weakened. Therefore, I, a rebellious person, have done the same thing as you. You can use technology as a weapon, and I can use it for defense as well."

"Well, checkmate, Emiya Kiritsugu! It's time to say goodbye!"

"Excuse me, it's halftime!"

Suddenly, a discordant voice interrupted the battlefield.

470

Chapter 470: Magical Girl Emiya Kiritsugu.

"Halftime? Do you know what you're talking about?"

The hostile magician stared at the uninvited guest, appearing unconcerned, but secretly on high alert. This guy showed no sign of restraining his magical power, radiating it unreservedly. If a normal magician were acting like this, it would be equivalent to constantly losing their magical power, akin to suicide. However, this guy must be performing some kind of magic trick.

"I'm clearly in the upper hand now. You can take him away if you want, unless..."

So the magus took advantage of the situation and attacked directly. He was a rebellious magus like Kiritsugu, and the magus's pride was completely nonexistent. The gust of wind that spread out directly cut into Jiang You's neck, and the resulting reaction force made him retreat rapidly. If this attack missed, he would gather information about this man and come back to seek advice. This level of magic power was definitely not ordinary.

"Looks like I won."

Kiritsugu watched as his opponent launched an attack on Jiang You, his expression filled with confidence. As Jiang You's first Master, how could he forget the effect of Jiang You's Noble Phantasm? This attack would be negated by Jiang You's Noble Phantasm, and then he would be dragged into the Duel Space. In the Duel Space, Jiang You could be called a god.

However, Jiang You's actions this time didn't go as he'd imagined. He simply faced the attack head-on, completely ignoring the damage that could have cut through steel. He grabbed the opponent's ankle and threw him back into the room. The collision of flesh and concrete made a dull thud, and the magician was so dizzy from the fall that he couldn't get up for a while.

Kiritsugu was momentarily stunned. Was this still the Servant who, besides his Noble Phantasm and Luck, only possessed an E that was only slightly stronger than an average Servant? He was somewhat curious about Jiang You's recent experiences, but he suppressed his curiosity. This wasn't the right time to ask. After dealing with the enemy, he'd have plenty of time to ask.

Kiritsugu unceremoniously pulled out his submachine gun and fired a burst of bullets, but the magician still had some strength, and the air current once again blocked all the bullets. Kiritsugu pulled out another grenade and threw it, but since the opponent's air current could even block high-speed bullets, the thrown grenade would naturally be blocked as well. The opponent even used the wind field to throw it back.

Fortunately, Kiritsugu was experienced and kicked the grenade directly into the empty room next door. The violent explosion caused a layer of wall plaster to fall off the ceiling.

"Caster!"

Kiritsugu warned Jiang You to attack, as he no longer had enough means to launch an effective attack against the enemy. He did have this inherent timing as a trump card, but the air currents around the enemy made it difficult for him to get close. Jiang You's current performance was enough to completely crush the opponent. As long as Jiang You launched an attack, everything would be fine.

"First of all, I'm no longer Caster's."

How could a noble Foreigner turn back into a lowly ordinary Seven Knight? "And then, I'm sorry to bother you while you're working, but I'm actually here to deliver an invitation."

Seeing Jiang You take out an envelope with a blue and white cover, Kiritsugu's face was full of black lines. Although Jiang You was nervous from the beginning, he at least took into account the atmosphere at that time, but now he doesn't even bother to pretend.

"Don't worry, if I say halftime break, I will definitely not let the other side escape."

Jiang You said, "This is your own business. I will absolutely not interfere." He even said hello to Maiya when he came over, and Maiya was even setting up the explosives. It seems that if he hadn't come, he would have to make up for the high-rise explosion incident that he owed to Kenneth. So even if Jiang You didn't show up, Kiritsugu would have found a chance to escape.

"Aren't you curious about what the invitation is?"

Kiritsugu didn't really want to know, as he was still locked in a life-and-death battle. Jiang You was the only one who didn't seem nervous at all, but if he didn't answer, Jiang You would definitely not let him go. With no other choice, he could only pinch his nose and ask, "What's the invitation?"

"It's my wedding with Illya..."

Before Jiang You finished speaking, Kiritsugu's face had turned as green as a dead person, with veins popping out on his forehead. If he didn't understand that he couldn't do anything to Jiang You, Jiang You could guarantee that he would have fired a volley of bullets at him.

"Okay, I won't tease you anymore. It's a duel tournament. This is an invitation to the duel tournament, which serves as a certificate for seeded players to participate."

The magician wanted to take the opportunity to escape, but was dragged back by Jiang You by his feet. In fact, this man's strength was quite good. If Jiang You hadn't turned on the pain reduction, he would have screamed in pain. It was a pity that Jiang You cheated.

Seeing his opponent being manipulated, Kiritsugu realized Jiang You's current strength had likely increased significantly. Back then, Jiang You was capable of battling a Beast capable of destroying humanity head-on. He couldn't believe how far he'd come. Jiang You certainly had the resources to be so willful, but what was a duel tournament? He glanced at the envelope; it looked like a magic trick.

"Duel... is that your Noble Phantasm? It sounds like an invitation to a large-scale Holy Grail War?"

"Holy Grail War? Now that you put it that way, it does seem a bit like it."

Jiang You scratched his chin. After all, the final prize was a wish.

"But it's not as bloody as yours. You know my duel is very safe as long as it doesn't involve risking my life."

No, I can't tell. Although Kiritsugu didn't say it directly, he felt that this kind of ritual where the victor could take everything from the loser couldn't be considered safe at all. He knew where Jiang You got the soul crystal. If they could even take away the concept of soul, let alone personality magic.

"What's with that expression on your face? Even though I'm the one who grants wishes, don't underestimate the power I have right now. If you want to destroy the world or something, I can do it for you in a minute."

This is true. The most powerful being he can call upon now is Bubble. Of course, Yug doesn't even need to take action. If he completely liberates his spiritual base and stands there, the mental pollution will be enough to cause great suffering to mankind.

"You should have known what my wish is, right?"

Kiritsugu knew that Jiang You knew him quite well. His past and future were all displayed on the cards. How could Jiang You not know?

"I know. World peace... Let me think about it. If you give me a specific answer, I can probably do it."

Just like the way Red A does it, using duels instead of violence, the role of weapons will be reduced to a minimum. Everyone wants to arm themselves, and the best thing to do is to build bonds and create history.

"Just like..."

Next, Jiang You told Red A what he was thinking and doing at the time.

Kiritsugu's empty eyes had a little more color. Although this method was far from his ultimate expectation, it was still a big step forward and much better than killing them one by one.

"In that case, I'll keep the appointment. All I have to do is win, right?"

Very good, I've been fooled. Jiang You looked at something in his backpack, and An An showed an expression of having a plan.

"That being said, the opponents you will face next are: the remains of the Crown Dragon Albion, the Priestess of Chaos and Disorder, and the Messiah, the savior of mankind."

Although a certain Messiah has not yet clearly participated, Jiang You can be sure that he will not miss this opportunity.

"Your Einzbern deck and Emiya deck are no longer strong enough to keep up with the latest version."

"It seems there's another very important person here? Did I forget someone?"

When Jiang You was listing numbers, he always felt that there was a very important character missing. However, now Dongmu is in chaos, with so many big characters that it is normal that he suddenly couldn't remember them.

"..."

The only words Kiritsugu could understand were Albion and Messiah. Considering Jiang You's ability to freely move through multiple timelines, he was probably telling the truth. These two were truly heavyweights, so why bother fighting or just surrender?

"It's just a title."

Seeing Kiritsugu's expression, Jiang You knew he was feeling the pressure. "Actually, it's a dragon fairy born from Albion's corpse, and an ordinary high school student who's saving the world. As for the shrine maiden, please allow me to keep it a secret. You don't have to feel too much pressure. They are certainly not ordinary people, but you're not without a chance. You should know that the deck generates cards according to the past, present, and future, right?"

Kiritsugu nodded. This was the basic rule provided by Jiang You's Noble Phantasm. He didn't quite understand why Jiang You asked this question.

"Regarding the cards of the future, I would like to give you an additional reminder. The actual future is not the certain future, but the future that has been determined and observed."

To be more precise, it is the timeline of the anime and comics. "The future is not certain. For example, if you obtain a powerful magic item now, the corresponding card will also be generated in your deck."

"I see. Temporary upgrades will also be reflected in the cards."

Kiritsugu understood Jiang You's intention. If he found a way to become stronger, his deck would also level up. He looked at Jiang You and roughly guessed what Jiang You meant, but he had a bad feeling that Jiang You had come here specifically for some other reason. However, judging by Jiang You's previous behavior, he wouldn't do anything bad. Kiritsugu decided to give it a try, even if it was a trap. "Since you said so, you have something that can make me stronger, right?"

"As expected of Emiya Kiritsugu, the intelligence is impeccable."

Kiritsugu had noticed Jiang You's gaming style at the time, so it wasn't surprising that he could guess this prison.

"But powerful things often come with a price. Are you ready, Kiritsugu?"

"What's the price?"

Kiritsugu looked at Jiang You's malicious smile and felt that this price was not something serious.

"Lifespan, or closest relatives?"

"Let me make this clear in advance. Life expectancy and the like are completely unimportant. But regarding my relatives, please allow me to refuse."

Although Jiang You's personality wouldn't allow him to do such a thing, Kiritsugu still drew a line in the sand. After seeing Illya's disappointed expression, Kiritsugu decided that he couldn't abandon his wife and child even if he had to save the world.

"Don't worry about that. You're the only one who has to pay the price."

Jiang You took out Medea's replica of the ruby ​​and sapphire and made a ceremonial device. This device didn't have the same self-awareness as the ruby ​​and sapphire, and its functions were greatly weakened. However, it used a high-purity soul crystal as a driving force, and its actual effect was more powerful than some low-level treasures.

"Prototype Joyful Magic Costume I. Because it's a poetic model, its actual functions have been enhanced to test its limits. Upon activation, you gain access to enhanced magic meticulously engraved by the Age of Gods magicians, and your costume changes at the same time. The costume you change into has the protective power of an E-rank defensive Noble Phantasm, and also comes with the ability to fly..."

Emiya Kiritsugu took the crystal-like gem. The magic power on it was extremely restrained. Only after touching it could one feel the huge magic power contained in it. Even if Jiang You didn't say it, he could tell that this thing was not an ordinary item.

"There happens to be a good opponent here, you can give it a try."

Jiang You kept this magician to show Kiritsugu how powerful it was. It couldn't compare to the Ruby and Sapphire, but the bonuses it offered to the user were not much less. The Ruby and Sapphire provided parallel world magic, highly correlated with the user's original form. Medea's replica was merely similar in form, its actual amplification functions fixed. Combined with the Soul Crystal Jiang You had provided as a friendly favor, its main feature was a powerful, brick-smashing power. Jiang You didn't believe Kiritsugu would refuse it once he experienced its actual effects. This was the channel for him to realize his own wishes, and Kiritsugu would have no choice but to endure it.

"How does this thing work?"

Kiritsugu looked at the gem in his hand and felt the magic power surge through him.

"Then just put it on your chest and yell 'Transform'!"

By the way, this thing also has its own light effect, which is part of the defensive magic to prevent the transformation from being interrupted.

"I see—transform!"

Kiritsugu decided that if he only paid the price himself, life span wouldn't matter.

Then, a huge amount of magic power directly shattered Kiritsugu's clothes. Then, the light effect flowing out of the gem covered Kiritsugu's body. Under the horrified eyes of the hostile magician, Kiritsugu changed into the same pink little dress as Illya. The pink tight design of the upper body clearly outlined Kiritsugu's body.

"..."

"..."

Except for Jiang You, even the enemies fell silent.

“…This is…the price?!”

Kiritsugu's entire face was twitching. Even he would feel ashamed.

"Who says integrity can't be a price to pay?"

Jiang You silently took out his cell phone. It would be a shame not to take a picture of the magical girl Kiritsugu.

"Well, let's try out the effects on your body. By the way, this thing can release magic bullets. You can just treat this wand as a pistol."

Jiang You made a gesture of invitation to the hostile magician, then smiled at him: "The intermission is over. If you don't want to die at the hands of a magical girl like this, you must give it your all."

471

Chapter 471 Maiya: I haven’t gotten in the car yet!

Medea's Age of Gods-enhanced magic allowed the famous teacher to kill Medusa head-on. While this was partly due to Medusa's underestimation, it clearly demonstrates its value. With sufficient mana reserves, the magic's output was boosted several notches. Even with a replica, the bonus it provided was not to be underestimated.

Now, Emiya Kiritsugu can catch up to about three times the state of the inherent time system just by relying on basic abilities, which makes him feel a little happy. Jiang You really did not lie, this thing did provide him with a considerable bonus. If it were not for this particularly difficult outfit, he thought this thing was almost perfect.

However, he was not someone who cared about this. Power was more attractive. He put aside his shame for the time being and attacked the hostile magician.