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

"Are future Servants involved?"

Actually, for Semiramis, most of the Servants were from her future, but the Holy Grail only provided legends relevant to the current era when summoning them. "In the case of Jewel, he's probably from a much later era. Even if we knew his general direction, we wouldn't be able to figure out his weaknesses. This puts us at a significant disadvantage in terms of intelligence."

"There's really no way for future Servants to get information, but as the heir to the Second Law, and possessing summons capable of dealing with Atalanta, Chiron, and Achilles, he's a formidable opponent... I'm afraid he's the most dangerous under Beast."

Amakusa analyzed the current situation. Beast had not yet figured out what its true form was, and a lot of new opponents had appeared.

"If possible, we should probably ask the people at the Clock Tower for help. Ordinary monarchs are not qualified. It seems that we can only ask Mr. Gem."

"Will they agree?"

You can find out Bao Shi Weng's character by just asking around.

"Since this involves the Second Law, even he shouldn't be able to stay out of it. As far as I know, there is no clear successor to the Second Law. Even if there are only two families using gem magic, the Magic Marshal would at least find it very interesting."

Amakusa felt the need to ask for strong external assistance. "But we also have to make backup plans. Even if the Clock Tower is willing to help, we may not have enough time. The Servant summoned by that Servant has a very powerful dragon attribute. It just so happens that we have a Servant who can deal with this legend."

"You mean... Saber from the Black side?"

"Indeed, as a dragon-slaying hero, he should be able to completely restrain the opponent based on his compatibility."

Tiancao felt that this was the advantage of having more people, as there was a high probability of being able to bring out a character that could counter the opponent. Next, they had to integrate all the people together. Given the opponent's strength, this scattered layout would only make them be broken down faster one by one.

"Also, you should prepare your Noble Phantasm. I'm afraid the other party can no longer hold back."

"Don't worry, Tiamat's son, Barshom, has completed his summons and is ready to attack at any time."

Semiramis was fully prepared. Bashua's poison could even kill gods, and ordinary Servants were no match for it. When the time came to deploy the Hanging Gardens, she would be able to defeat any Servant. She would show the world just how terrifying a well-prepared Assyrian queen could be.

"Also, the Black team has agreed to join the fight. Do we need to..."

Semiramis meant to poison them, but she didn't intend to use an immediate poison (?), but rather to capture everyone else after the war. At least until Beast was dealt with, these poisons were completely harmless.

"Of course, this is all for the ultimate relief."

In fact, Amakusa doesn't care about the means, as long as it is the ending he wants. If he fails, these poisons can also have a final effect.

……

"So, your appearance in this world was an accident?"

Colles looked at the incredibly relaxed Beast characters with a feeling of disbelief. When Amakusa explained the existence of the Beast, he described it as a catastrophic disaster rejected by human history, nurtured by human civilization, growing stronger with human development, and ultimately destroying civilization from within like a "cancer cell." A single such creature could sever human history, and numerous texts attest to this. Colles was still deeply puzzled. "So, is the description of the Beast actually a misconception?"

"Not really. Tima had actually planned to destroy the world, but not your side."

Jiang You looked at Tima who was stewing mushrooms and said that he could actually take everyone to another world or the library for dinner, but seeing that Tima looked eager to try it as if it were a picnic, he gave up.

"It's just that I made a bet with her and she lost to me, so now she is technically on the side of humans."

"After all, I was a mother and was thrown into a rage because my child had abandoned me."

Ti Ma looked indifferent, of course, she usually didn't have any particularly obvious expressions.

"Now that my children acknowledge my existence, I'm naturally not angry anymore."

“…It’s completely different from what I imagined.”

Colles glanced at Dimlett, who was tied up like a dumpling. This guy wasn't treated as well as he was. He had resisted fiercely and made some rather excessive Dark Game demands, which had led to Black Jeanne beating him up. The power of the Servant was too much for a second-rate magician, and Dimlett's bones were broken in several places.

"But since it's just a misunderstanding, there's no need for us to have a conflict, right?"

"Look what you said."

Jiang You took a sip of the mushroom soup, and a sudden duel invitation was triggered. Jiang You looked around and saw that Tima seemed to have mixed poisonous mushrooms into the stew. The toxicity of these things would be useless against Bai Zhen, who was very resistant. Black Zhen should be similar, and Tima was no exception. As for Yao Lan, she was a dragon, so she would definitely be fine. After briefly considering the toxicity, Jiang You didn't say much. What Tima fished out of her own Primordial Sea was a great tonic for magicians, the kind that could increase their mana limit. They would definitely not mind a little suffering in exchange for the benefits.

"I've already said it. Will you believe my one-sided statement? For example, this bowl of soup is highly poisonous."

Coles thought Jiang You was joking. Would they need to poison him if they wanted to kill him? He had already drunk the poison himself, so he didn't take it seriously.

"You're right, but why do you have to go to Amakusa?"

"Because something is really going to happen to this world."

Jiang You said that because of his appearance, the two sides did not fight, so a certain android could not get the inheritance he deserved, and would not be able to fight against Amakusa in the end.

"If we leave this unchecked, human history will indeed be over."

"But didn't you say you weren't here to destroy the world..."

Collis became nervous again.

"If we don't do it, there are plenty of people who will."

Jiang You smiled as he filled a bowl of mushroom soup and handed it to Colles. Colles subconsciously thanked him and took a sip. He had to admit that Tima, as a conceptual mother, was quite skilled in cooking. The soup was perfectly warm, and Colles drank it all in one gulp without a second thought. Seeing that the young man hadn't wasted food, Jiang You nodded. "So, Tima has turned over a new leaf. Someone who does this kind of thing deserves a beating."

"You're not allowed to use that word to address your mother."

Ti Ma knocked Jiang You's head with a bowl. Hei Zhen, who was standing beside him, had an indescribable expression on her face, because Ti Ma had prepared a lot of soup for her.

Seeing this, Koresh smiled and was about to say something, but then suddenly foamed at the mouth and collapsed. Colorful light (excessive magic power) continuously poured out of his seven orifices, as if he had been blessed by Slaanesh.

"Then you're next."

Seeing this scene, Dimlett's eyes were filled with fear. He twisted like a maggot and wanted to escape, then he saw Jiang You coming over with another bowl of soup.

"Be good, Pan (Te Er) Da Lang, it's time to drink soup."

"No! No!"

495

Chapter 495: Everyone has their own ulterior motives.

"We've already lost four Servants before the battle even officially began. You guys in the Clock Tower are no better than that."

As soon as Serenika arrived at the church where Amakusa was, she bluntly belittled the red camp.

"You should be thankful that this happened, so you don't lose so badly."

"You guys lost an Assassin before we even started, and you still have the nerve to say that? We were the ones doing the hard work when we were hunting Jeanne down, and even then, three of you were unable to continue the fight. You're such useless bastards!"

Xia Biku was annoyed by his brother's "sacrifice" and retorted without hesitation.

"I can't believe a Clock Tower magician would say such nonsense without any scruples."

Danic, the leader, spoke. He joined the Thousand Worlds Tree because he was ostracized by traditional magicians due to his thin bloodline. Naturally, he would not have any good feelings towards the traditional aristocratic magicians of the Clock Tower camp.

"I think we need to reconsider our partnership with you. The magic field we've been operating for a long time isn't necessarily any worse than your 'Sky Garden'."

Facing the arrogant second-rate magician, Semiramis wanted to say something but was stopped by Amakusa.

Amakusa knew that now was not the time for a conflict, so as the representative of the church and the referee (as he called himself), he tried to smooth things over with a smile.

"Everyone, please be patient. We both lost comrades, and this is deeply regrettable. However, this was all done to save the world, and it wasn't a meaningless sacrifice. We should remember them, not argue over this matter."

Shizijie listened to Tiancao's official rhetoric and blew out a smoke ring in boredom. He originally didn't like attending these kinds of gatherings, preferring to be alone, but in the current situation, he couldn't avoid it, so he had to endure it no matter how uncomfortable it was.

But Modred didn't think too much about it, she just stomped her feet.

"You're saying this is a matter of life and death, yet you're still rambling on about this and that. Do you want to fight or not? Aren't you annoying with all this nagging? Who's in charge? Give me a clear answer!"

The magicians on both sides were enemies, and Modred's words had no effect at all. Instead, they aroused more dissatisfaction, and the two sides immediately became tense.

Faced with this situation, Grand Duke Vlad III, who was fighting at home, raised his hand to suppress the hostility of the crowd.

"Both sides have suffered significant losses. It would be unwise to start a civil war at this time. However, selecting a leader is indeed a top priority. One group does not need two voices."

"I also think so."

Danic stared at Amakusa. "Since this was an accident caused by the Holy Grail War, we have to solve it ourselves. The Beast problem is not something we can solve alone. Cooperation is inevitable, so choosing a recognized commander is also necessary. Don't think that you have the final say just because you own the War Fortress. We are also well prepared to influence the outcome of the battle, so don't act like you are the boss. Now that we both have an equal number of Servants (Caster's Noble Phantasm is half ready and there is no time to move it here), how about a 3v3 match?"

"Best of three? That's definitely the best way to decide the winner."

Of course, Amakusa understood that the Chikaiju family held the Holy Grail ceremony because they were dissatisfied with the Magicians Association's desire to become independent, so they would definitely not obey the forces here, mainly the Clock Tower and the Church.

"But this is just a waste of manpower. Beast could attack at any moment. This is unwise."

Danic just felt that Amakusa was running away, because they had Siegfried and the Grand Duke playing at home, and victory was almost certain.

"Are you unwilling to hand over command? This is not up to you!"

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Semiramis smiled and tapped the handle of the chair. "We actually have the advantage in numbers."

"Danik, don't go any further."

Danik's forward steps were halted by the Grand Duke. Before he could ask, he noticed a gigantic, monstrous snake coiled around Amakusa. No, calling it a monstrous snake would be an understatement. The magical energy emanating from this monster sent tingling sensations through him. Even without knowing what it was, he knew for sure it was a mythical beast.

"Amazing--"

Astolfo showed no signs of nervousness and began to circle around Basium.

"It feels so strong, I feel like I'm no match for it. Can I touch it? Will it poison me?"

"Barshom, one of the eleven sons of Tiamat."

Siegfried recognized the monster's true name. "It's best not to get close. Its toxicity surpasses that of the legendary nine-headed Hydra. Even servants with poison resistance are not immune to its venom."

"Is it possible to summon a creature of this level?"

Danik took a few steps back. The grassy smell emanating from Bashum made his nose feel hot. It seemed that even the smell was highly toxic.

"She is truly worthy of being the Empress of Assyria, famous for her poisons, the oldest poisonous woman."

Semiramis snorted in response to Danic's sarcastic compliment. It wasn't a sarcastic comment to her, and these fools were already under her poison, ready to unleash it at any moment. However, it might not be enough for Servants. At its peak, her poison had limited effectiveness against Servants like Siegfried and the Grand Duke (local bonus).

Danic's expression darkened. From Siegfried's words, it became clear that even if he faced Barshomon alone, he wouldn't be able to easily defeat him. Fuku was likely no match for him. Furthermore, his Servant, the Grand Duke, couldn't use his Noble Phantasm for his own reasons, so he was probably truly at a disadvantage. However, he was reluctant to voluntarily relinquish command. The merit of defeating the Beast would easily allow their family to become independent and even bring them considerable fame.

"My thoughts are different from yours."

Amakusa finally spoke, "It's clear that there's no way for both of us to coordinate quickly. Our previous joint actions have only cost us both quite a few Servants, so I don't think there's any need for unified command. We can just cooperate as before. Defeating the Beast is everyone's responsibility, and I'm sure your Thousand Worlds Tree Clan wouldn't lie about this."

"Of course you don't need to say more."

"Then there's no need to force it. We've all gathered together for one goal. We're gathered here primarily so that our Assassin's Noble Phantasm can be used to its maximum effect."

Amakusa didn't ask for command. "Next, I will show you the structure of the Sky Garden. We can't hold back when facing Beast."

Since the other party gave him a downhill slope, Danik couldn't say anything more: "That's the best."

At this time, the Clock Tower instructor, Finder, also received a signal from the familiar: "The Clock Tower has responded."

496

Chapter 496: Bao Shi Weng: Don’t touch me!

"!!!"

Everyone was startled when they saw Finder suddenly leap up. As a first-level instructor at the Clock Tower, Finder had always exuded a calm demeanor. Even the Master of the Thousand Worlds Tree initially considered him the most dangerous target, and indeed, he was. The Lancer Karna he summoned was truly at the pinnacle of Servants, with few drawbacks aside from a high mana cost.

This behavior was in stark contrast to his personality, causing everyone to be unable to react for a while.

"Sorry, I was too excited."

Finder also realized that his behavior was inappropriate, but the excitement on his face did not fade.

"But if you were in the same situation as me, you would behave the same way."

"Stop being so pretentious."

Finder's attitude also aroused the interest of others. Given his status, there wouldn't be many situations that could make him so excited.

"Because this is a letter written by the Demon Marshal himself."

Finder pointed to a mark on the envelope. This mark was only used by the Jewel Master. Besides being difficult to copy, no one in the magic world dared to impersonate the Jewel Master.

"So that's why it's so fast."

The other magi looked as if they had realized what was happening. "It seems the Mage Marshal is also concerned about the survival of the world. In that case, even the Beast issue is nothing to worry about."

Except for Amakusa and Danic, everyone else's expressions relaxed a lot. In fact, the pressure brought by Beast was still quite great. Before the official battle started, everyone lost 6 riders (not counting the missing Assssin). Even if they united together and had a positional Noble Phantasm, they were still somewhat uncertain.

However, Finder's bright expression soon dimmed, and everyone's heart skipped a beat. The content of the letter was obviously not good news.

"What exactly is written in it?"

Gold asked a little impatiently, he already had enough troubles.

"It says in there that the Demonic Marshal..."

Finder opened his mouth, as if in disbelief.

"They say we're looking for trouble... Why don't we tidy up our appearance so we can die in a more elegant manner?"