Chapter 71: The Dutiful Son Inherits the Great Father's Legacy.
The silver light of Clarent merged with dark energy, carrying an unstoppable force as it rushed straight toward the core of the gigantic Sea Demon!!!
Sensing imminent danger, the Black Mud immediately gathered, forming layer upon layer of defensive walls in an attempt to halt the oncoming magical strike!
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!!!
The black barriers shattered one after another, while the crimson lightning, like a ferocious beast, tore through everything in its path.
Anything caught in those razor-sharp fangs would be instantly shredded to dust.
"——————!!!"
Inside the core of the Sea Demon, Caster seemed to sense something. He suddenly threw down his Prelati's Spellbook, lowering his head and mumbling:
"Jeanne… No matter how hard I try, in the end, you still become an enemy of evil? Jeanne… So, you were always…"
BOOOOM————————————!!!
The crimson lightning pierced through the final layer of defense, completely engulfing the core of the gigantic Sea Demon in an instant.
From above, watching everything unfold, Ethan finally breathed a sigh of relief as he confirmed that the Sea Demon's core had been destroyed.
At the very moment Mordred's attack exploded in a blinding light, the live broadcast instantly became more chaotic than ever.
—
[Damn! Bro Tentacle got beamed again! Kono Hito De Nashi!!!]
[This is totally a father-to-son inheritance. The Sea Demon just isn't meant to fight Sabers.]
[A dutiful son inheriting the legacy of a great father. Sniff… so touching!]
[Ah sheeet! I was watching the livestream in a dark room—my eyes are burning!]
[Gas explosion, no big deal.]
[Gilles de Rais: 'Yakamashi! Why do you father-and-son bastards keep beaming me?! Can't you let me chase girls in peace?!']
—
[System: 'British Trouble Kid' has sent 100 Saint Quartz!]
[Message: Calm down, everyone! Mo-chan is just cooking her dinner!]
[System: 'Burger King' has sent 50 Saint Quartz!]
[Message: This kid really looks like his dad. Just don't slice up the Holy Grail later, okay?]
[System: 'The Real Artoria' has sent 50 Saint Quartz!]
[Message: Truly my good son, hahahahaha! ..... Now, remember to cut down Kiritsugu before he betrays you, my son.]
[System: 'Father Kotomine' has sent 100 Saint Quartz!]
[Message: Yare yare. Looks like I'll have to work overtime again. Might need to hire some part-time staff.]
[System: 'Ultimate Joker' has sent 100 Saint Quartz!]
[Message: The Church is hiring part-time workers, Father Kotomine?]
[System: 'Father Kotomine' has sent 69 Saint Quartz!]
[Message: The Church isn't hiring, but I am. I need someone to take care of a few children in the basement. If interested, please DM me. Salary is generously covered by Mongrel-King.]
[System: 'Curse Chef- The Great Sage of the Heian Era' has sent 69 Saint Quartz!]
[Message: Moshi moshi, police desu ka? I'd like to report a crime...]
—
Jeanne Alter urged her wyvern to fly straight toward the ruins of the Sea Demon.
The battlefield before them had been completely reduced to rubble after Mordred's Noble Phantasm had torn through everything.
Only massive chunks of flesh from the Sea Demon remained, all of them lifeless.
Following the faint traces of residual mana fluctuations, Jeanne Alter quickly spotted a lone figure standing nearby.
It was Caster, Gilles de Rais—standing in front of the last remnants of the gigantic Sea Demon.
"Gilles, so you've finally decided to show yourself."
Jeanne Alter immediately mocked Gilles de Rais.
"You were even willing to throw me to that disgusting thing to be devoured? What a dangerous man you are, Gilles."
"Jeanne! Why do you still refuse to understand me?!"
Gilles de Rais suddenly became agitated.
"I have been so loyal to you! For your sake, I took revenge on this country, on this land! And yet you stand in my way! The pain is unbearable! I simply cannot comprehend it!!!"
"The one who can't be comprehended is you!"
With a cold voice, Jeanne Alter ruthlessly cut off his hysterical ranting.
"Just because you wanted to resurrect that peasant girl, you begged the Holy Grail, it did not respond to you, so you used it to create me instead? That's hilarious, so hilarious that I want to burn you to ashes right now!"
As she spoke, Jeanne Alter drew her sword and pointed it straight at Gilles de Rais.
"Because of your foolish wish, I was born. So what meaning does my existence hold? A being without memories, relying solely on fabricated hatred to burn this country to the ground? And then what? Will I just disappear afterward?"
Jeanne Alter's words were filled with rage, yet beneath them lay bitterness.
Ethan's words had, for the first time, made her question: Does my existence truly have any meaning?
However, the mere thought of being just a copy of that peasant girl made an unbearable discomfort rise from the depths of her heart.
"Tell me, Gilles, for someone like me, created by the Holy Grail… what meaning do I have?"
Hearing that question, Gilles de Rais froze.
His entire body trembled, then he began murmuring in a low voice:
"…So it's true… Jeanne cannot be resurrected… Jeanne rejected my plea… Jeanne, from beginning to end, has always fought against evil… A world without Jeanne has no reason to exist!!!"
Suddenly, Prelati's Spellbook in Gilles de Rais's hand released a massive surge of magical energy!
From the remains of the surrounding Sea Demon, countless small Sea Demons began crawling out, writhing all over and gradually enclosing everyone.
"Gilles, you really are a tiresome man. Even now, you still resist?"
Jeanne Alter frowned.
"That's right!!"
Gilles de Rais suddenly raised both hands—and a golden Holy Grail appeared right above his head!
Holy Grail?!
"Come! If you want the Holy Grail, then step over the corpse of this embodiment of evil, this heretic! That is what you call a 'hero,' what you call a 'savior'!!!"
Gilles de Rais spread his arms wide—and in an instant, a massive horde of Sea Demons surged forward like a tidal wave!
Ethan tensely observed the situation, preparing to use his final Command Spell to summon his Servant back to him.
BOOM————————!
At that moment, a figure shot forward, and a massive shield swung up, knocking away the charging Sea Demons!
"Senpai, sorry, I'm late!"
"Mash?!"
While blocking the attacking Sea Demons with her shield, Mash quickly explained to Ethan.
"Johanna-san and Mordred-san are still on their way. I rushed ahead because I was worried about you, Senpai."
"Hmph, even a weak Demi-Servant has arrived? Then I suppose it's time to settle my own matters here."
Jeanne Alter drew her sword and cleaved a Sea Demon in half. Its writhing remains were instantly consumed by black flames.
"This is between me and Gilles. Stay out of it."
Leaving that statement behind, Jeanne Alter advanced straight toward Gilles de Rais.
CRASH————————!!
A barrage of black spears rained down from above, impaling the razor-toothed Sea Demons. They immediately erupted into black flames and were completely incinerated.
Jeanne Alter exuded an overwhelming pressure, steadily stepping forward.
"What a disappointment, Gilles. I once considered you my comrade…"
"KIIIIIEEEKKKK!!!"
A shrill scream echoed as the burning Sea Demons disintegrated into ashes around her.
However, Gilles de Rais remained motionless, as if he were waiting for Jeanne Alter to approach.
THUD!!
A black spear pierced through Gilles de Rais's body—and immediately, hellfire erupted, consuming him.
"Yes, Jeanne! You have vanquished the embodiment of evil, finally becoming the saintly savior of the nation in the eyes of the world! Your light still shines as brilliantly as ever!!!"
His entire body engulfed in hellfire, Gilles de Rais staggered, laughing madly.
"Gilles, stop this madness!!!"
Jeanne Alter tried to halt his crazed ramblings, but at that very moment—
THUD!!
Another black lance impaled him.
Prelati's Spellbook fell to the ground.
In the blink of an eye, all the Sea Demons exploded into a mist of blood.
"…Everything is over now, Gilles."
Jeanne Alter stepped closer to the dying Gilles de Rais.
"…But how unfortunate, Jeanne."
Fatally wounded, Gilles de Rais struggled to lift his head.
"…I was never the true demon… Only by defeating that… That which does not belong to this era… Can the future truly…"
SWOOSH!!
Suddenly, something devoured Gilles de Rais's body entirely.
And right after—
A terrifying surge of magical energy erupted from the remnants of the Sea Demon!!!