~ Support & Read 10 Advanced Chapters on My Patreon!
<><><><>
As Haru's words echoed through the courtyard, the festive atmosphere evaporated, replaced by a heavy tension.
Sharp glares, puzzled frowns, surprised gasps, respectful nods—a mixture of reactions, all directed at Haru.
He swirled the wine in his goblet, its clear liquid reflecting his calm, indifferent face as he looked at the five Servants.
The Holy Grail War was a ritual, a complex magical working designed to achieve the Third Magic, [Heaven's Feel].
The Greater Grail, a vessel filled with magical energy and possessing a fraction of the Third Magic's power, combined with the souls of slain Servants, their heroic spirits returning to the Throne of Heroes, would create a stable pathway to the Root, allowing for the completion of the Third Magic.
And the Grail, the wish-granting artifact the Servants sought, was the completed Lesser Grail.
By making a wish upon the Lesser Grail, filled with the souls of Heroic Spirits and connected to the Greater Grail's boundless magical energy, one could, to a certain extent, have any desire fulfilled.
But for Haru, the Grail's wish-granting abilities were meaningless. He sought only the pathway to the Root, the means to complete the Third Magic. His offer to grant their wishes wasn't an empty boast.
As Haru considered this, Rider's gaze, sharp and intense, pierced him.
"So, you're saying—if our wishes impress, you'll grant us the Grail? You consider yourself—the judge of this war?"
"That's right, Heroes. State your wishes. Let me see who among you is worthy of the Grail," Haru replied with a smile, taking another sip of wine.
"Worthy? And who are you to judge us?" Rider's eyes narrowed, his voice laced with anger, his body pulsing with barely contained magical energy.
Gilgamesh and Saber's faces also darkened. Though they hadn't reacted as viscerally as Rider, they, too, were displeased by Haru's arrogance.
With the exception of Kiyohime, whose gaze was fixed on Haru with unwavering devotion, and Hassan-i Sabbah, who sat quietly, her expression respectful, knowing something the others didn't, the three kings bristled at Haru's self-proclaimed role as judge.
Servants were heroes, legends in their own time, their pride a natural consequence of their accomplishments. And Rider, Gilgamesh, and Saber, as some of the most renowned Heroic Spirits, were particularly proud, even if they didn't always show it.
They respected Haru, acknowledged his power as a True Magic user, a being worthy of their attention. But for him to presume to judge their worth—to deem himself above them…
It was an insult, an affront to their very nature as kings. Nothing stood above a king.
Hassan, looking at the displeasure on Saber and Gilgamesh's faces, then at Rider, who seemed ready to explode, spoke, her young voice laced with a hint of mockery. "You find that—laughable, King of Conquerors? If he isn't worthy to judge us, then who is?"
Rider's sharp gaze met Hassan's, the air between them crackling with tension.
"You know something, don't you, Assassin?" Rider asked, his voice low.
Hassan, her small legs dangling from the chair, swung them playfully as she replied, "What is the Grail, King of Conquerors?"
"The holy chalice that held the blood of Jesus Christ. It is said to grant youth, resurrection, the fulfillment of any wish, even immortality. That is the Grail." Though unsure of Hassan's intentions, Rider answered truthfully.
Saber nodded solemnly, confirming his words.
Gilgamesh, however, looked at Haru, her eyes narrowed, as if she'd just realized something.
"The purpose of this banquet is to determine which hero is worthy of receiving—the Grail of Jesus Christ. And who better to judge us—than its creator?…" Hassan said, her voice calm.
Rider and Saber stared at Haru, their eyes wide with shock. Kiyohime gasped, her hand covering her mouth. Waver's jaw dropped.
They weren't idiots. They understood.
Hassan leaped from her chair, landing gracefully on the ground, and bowed deeply before Haru.
"Welcome, Yahweh-sama."
Silence descended upon the courtyard.
Then, Rider, stroking his chin, spoke, his voice serious. "If you are that God... then yes, you have the right to judge us. But are you?"
Saber's gaze shifted to Illyasviel, her expression serious. "Illyasviel, is this true?"
As Saber's Master, Illyasviel should know the truth.
"Um well…" Illyasviel, flustered by Saber's intensity, stammered, unable to answer.
"She has no Original Sin. The mark of a Saint," Gilgamesh said, glancing at Illyasviel, then turning her gaze back to Haru, her crimson eyes narrowed.
"I seem to recall, King of Heroes, that you—saw through Kiyohime's Noble Phantasm yesterday. You possess some form of—omniscience, don't you?" Rider asked, slapping his forehead.
Seeing Gilgamesh ignore him, her attention solely on Haru, he continued, "So, it's true. And if his wife is a Saint—then he must be…"
"Is this real? The God of the Bible—participating in the Holy Grail War? Has He come to reclaim the Grail?" Waver muttered, his voice filled with disbelief, his hands clutching his hair.
"You claim to be Yahweh—yet you carry Enkidu's blood. Who are you? How did you obtain Enkidu's blood? Answer me!" Gilgamesh's voice was cold, filled with regal authority, despite her casual posture. She seemed to be sitting on a throne, not a chair.
The other Servants' gazes were fixed on her, the courtyard silent, awaiting Haru's response.
"Whether you believe it or not, in this world, I am Yahweh. As for Enkidu's blood—she gave it to me." Haru's voice was calm, indifferent. And technically, he wasn't lying. The Enkidu of the Campione! world was still Enkidu.
"Mongrel, you have that lie-detecting skill. Is he telling the truth?" Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed, her gaze fixed on Kiyohime.
"He's not lying," Kiyohime replied softly.
Gilgamesh's expression softened slightly, though confusion still clouded her eyes. "So, he is Enkidu's child. But he also claims to be a god? Impossible. H-how are you even alive? The Counter Force wouldn't allow a god to exist in this era."
"Indeed. It goes against their very nature," Rider said, scratching his head.
"Explain," Saber said, her voice blunt. If she didn't understand something, she asked. It was simple.
"Then—perhaps—this will help you understand." Haru shrugged, closing his eyes as he reached out to the Counter Force.
Two invisible presences, emanating a terrifying power, responded to his call, their wills traversing space and time, descending from beyond the world, into the Einzbern Castle, their auras enveloping Haru.
Gilgamesh froze, Hassan stared, Saber's eyes widened, and Kiyohime, closest to Haru, felt the full force of the Counter Force's presence, her vision blurring.
Clang!
Her goblet slipped from her grasp.
Rider, sensing the overwhelming power, stared at Haru, his voice filled with shock.
"Holy crap... you're their son? Y-you can command the Counter Force?!"
<><><><>
Support & Read 10 Advanced Chapters. Ahead of the rest!
https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
There is 9 Exciting Fanfics already available on my Patreon!