The establishment of the Time Travelers Alliance began in the first year of Conan

Chapter 320 Two Counterforces Battle to the Edge of the Universe... (Seeking monthly votes at the end of the month)
It remains to be seen which Heroic Spirit, and of what class, could have caused such destruction.

Weber and Rider argued for a very long time.

They repeatedly reviewed those news clips and deduced from the traces of what happened on the battlefield.

In the end, they all agreed that this was the result of a Lancer or Archer-class Servant using some kind of area-of-effect Noble Phantasm.

However, they probably never expected that—

Perhaps the truth is ten thousand times more bizarre than the outcome of the heated discussion between the master and servant.

……

Fuyuki Church.

Compared to those elegant and magnificent European cathedrals with towering domes, this small church nestled in a remote mountain town appears exceptionally simple, even somewhat rudimentary.

However, regardless of its appearance, for the clergy or the devout worshippers, the majesty and mercy of God are not diminished by the size of the church.

In fact, this simplicity might make people feel more solemn, perhaps even adding a touch more sacredness and dignity.

But for some reason, the preaching hall today seemed to have lost a certain sacred gaze.

Perhaps God in the unseen realm temporarily averted His gaze.

From early morning until noon, the four rows of neatly arranged brown benches remained unoccupied, eerily empty.

A biting cold wind blew through the archway, following the statue of the saint standing at the entrance. The sound of the curtain being lifted and the wooden door being blown seemed somewhat discordant and jarring.

However, the two clergymen standing next to the pulpit did not seem surprised by this scene.

Perhaps this silence was created by them.

Hanging lamps dangled from the pillars, casting a dim, warm orange-white light that overlapped the blurry shadows cast by the two figures.

Looking at the young man before him, Father Li Zheng's eyes showed a rare hint of gentleness.

This priest, who had a son late in life, doted on Kiri. In fact, due to his son's past outstanding performance and devout demeanor, he remained convinced until his death that his son was a saint.
But now, he felt a sense of unease about the impending storm, and there was even a hint of worry in his voice.

"...Fate is unpredictable."

Kirei did not respond to his father's sigh immediately.

Because today's meeting was not part of the plan.

According to Tokiomi Tohsaka's plan, in order to prevent the other contestants from having doubts about his relationship with the church.

He shouldn't have come to church until Assassin faked his death and the teacher's plan was completed.

Kirei scanned his surroundings warily.

There was no damage or bloodstains in sight.

Even the church's emblem still hangs on the altar, as solemn and serene as ever.

After confirming that he had not found any signs of an attack on the church, he looked at the air beside him.

“Assassin,” he whispered, his gaze sweeping across the empty space beside him. “Has anyone else been here?”

The air trembled slightly, and a dark shadow immediately appeared on the empty seat in the front row.

Hassan's response came from beneath the white skull mask.

“Master, there is no sign of any familiars or Masters nearby, nor any other signs of surveillance.”

Kirei nodded, and only after confirming that his whereabouts were not being monitored did he turn his gaze back to the old man in front of him.

"Father, has something happened?"

The priest nodded, his right hand gently folded on the cross in front of his chest, his voice low and slow:
"According to the latest intelligence from the church, two [Ancestors of the Dead Apostles]... are on their way to Fuyuki City."

The air fell silent for a moment, Kirei's pupils contracted slightly, and his body tensed up involuntarily.

"Two founders of the Dead Apostles?"

Even someone like Kirei, who could be described as "fearless".

Upon hearing that word, he couldn't help but feel a slight stagnation in his blood.

However, his reaction was actually quite normal.

Because this is actually unrelated to personal courage, bravery, or even faith, such a physiological reaction is actually a kind of instinctive tremor.

For humans, the Dead Apostles, or rather, the "vampires," are more like natural enemies.

In the past, he served as an agent of the church.

Throughout his long career as a mission man, Kirei Kotomine has also had several experiences fighting against Dead Apostles.

Terrifying regenerative abilities, agile movements and speed, immense strength...

Using the [Black Key], which can penetrate iron bones, it can only barely pierce the muscle;
The robe, made of thick fibers and decorated with protective talismans, is as thin and powerless as paper when attacked by enemies.

However, if ordinary Dead Apostles can be successfully killed or captured even when surrounded or ambushed by well-trained agents...

[The founder of the Dead Apostles] - That's another matter.

In a sense, they are already a completely different entity from the Dead Apostles.

Each "Ancestor" possesses an essence called the [Principle Blood Ring].

—That is, the blood of the ancestors.

This almost mystical "principle of existence" not only defines why they exist but also in what form they exist in the world.

More importantly, the phenomenon of temporarily altering the laws of planetary physics can be created simply by focusing on "ancestral blood".

Of course, this also makes it easier to understand why the Church of Sanctuary is considered one of the two major supernatural forces in the world, alongside the Magic Association.

The key reason why the Church of Sanctuary can stand on equal footing with other magical organizations in the world, and even be designated as a "neutral zone" in the Holy Grail War, is that these Ancestors of the Dead Apostles are usually eliminated or sealed away by the Church.

However, Fuyuki City is clearly not a church stronghold with personnel of that caliber stationed there.

Therefore, for Fuyuki City, if the [Ancestor of the Dead Apostles] truly arrives...

Even if there is only one, the situation will still change drastically.

Both Kirei and Risei knew this very well.

Whether it ultimately leads to large-scale intervention from the Church, a potential war between Heroic Spirits and Dead Apostles, or attracts the attention of the magic world...

Clearly, the opinion of the Tohsaka family, the owners of the Fuyuki City ley lines, is not important in the face of these two major powers.

If these two powerful forces ultimately gain insight into the "true nature" of this Holy Grail War, then the secrets hidden beneath this ritual will no longer be able to be concealed.

Kirei asked in a low voice, "Father, do you know which two are the progenitors of the Dead Apostles?"

Kotomine Risuke shook his head slightly, indicating that he was unaware of the matter.

"I am merely an overseer of the Holy Grail War. The Church would not tell me such confidential information that could be crucial to the outcome of the war."

He paused, a helpless expression on his face.

"Furthermore, the Eighth Secret Society, which is responsible for the collection and management of holy relics, actually has little interaction with the Burial Agency, which is responsible for punishing heretics."

"...The burial facility?"

Kirei Kotomine said he knew, and that this former proxy knew even more than his own father.

That department is one that only the strongest among the agents can join, and its independence is astonishing.

Kirley even heard that if the Pope were to become a dead apostle one day, they would have the power to execute him on the spot.

Then, Feng Lizheng went on to express his true concerns.

"Although the church has now sent its agents and the Burial Agency along the way to stop the two Ancestors of the Dead Apostles from getting here."

"But the key question is, why did they come here?"

Qi Li nodded slightly; he already understood his father's true meaning.

"So, you suspect it's the influence of the Holy Grail War?"

Father Li Zheng did not answer immediately.

He simply stared silently at the narrow stained glass window above the podium, as if the image of a saint casting shadows in the sunlight could provide some answer to his inner questions.

After a moment, the priest slowly nodded.

"Kirei, do you think it's possible... in this Holy Grail War, you..."

Although he had only studied magic for three years, Kirei Kotomine was perfectly clear that the Holy Grail War had absolutely no connection to this matter.

“Father, the Holy Grail War has already been fought three times, and there was an agreement between the Mage's Association and the Church before—”

“I’m not asking about that,” Li Zheng interrupted him, her voice low and firm. “I’m a little worried about your safety.”

Kirei was stunned.

Father Li Zheng lowered his gaze. When faced with the choice between the church's secret order and his son's life, he chose the latter without hesitation.

Thus, the secret order from the church was passed on by the loving old man to his son, who had theoretically left the church and joined the Magic Association.

"Kiri, the Church's order is—to have all the agents in Fuyuki City find the [hole] that exists in Fuyuki City."

"Therefore, if you encounter anything related to this word in the future, be sure to stay away from it as soon as possible."

Li Zheng paused for a moment.

The church's mission and his friend's request prevented him from revealing his true feelings—the old man actually hoped his son would stay away from the impending conflict.

He kept this to himself, then looked at Kirei and told him what the church really needed to communicate with Tokiomi Tohsaka about.

"Furthermore, please convey this message to Mr. Tokiomi, Kirei."

"The final work of the Holy Grail War will likely have to be done by him and the Mage's Association this time."

"I understand, I will tell the teacher."

And so, under the gaze of the saints depicted on the stained glass window above the sermon hall, the empty church fell silent once more.

……

The magic workshop in the basement of the Tohsaka Mansion.

Faced with this unexpected turn of events, Tokiomi Tohsaka stood before his desk, his expression gloomy, his brows furrowed, revealing a face full of sorrow.

"Ugh……"

He sighed deeply, pressing his fingertips together to try and relax his tightly furrowed brows.

But as a magician, Tokiomi clearly knew more about what the "ancestors" of those Dead Apostles meant than Father Risei and Kirei.

The petal-shaped chandelier overhead illuminated the magic book lying open on the table.

His gaze lingered on a description in the magic book, and he read it aloud unconsciously in a low voice.

“Each Ancestor can use grand magic similar to a Reality Marble, and can change the environment, even the principles of the world, through their own abilities…”

This is no longer an enemy that can be "dealt with," but rather one that "must be avoided in direct confrontation as much as possible."

These descriptions made Tokiomi frown even more, until his gaze inadvertently fell on the mark on the back of his hand—

Those were three bright red Command Seals, symbolizing his contract with the Holy Grail and his Servants.

I was actually thinking about dealing with the possible "Ancestor of the Dead Apostles" myself. How foolish of me.

His tense body relaxed, and Tokiomi let out a soft breath, his expression finally softening a little.

Yes, he also has Archer.

He still remembered the first time he summoned that blond king, the panel told him about the heaven-splitting treasure that Archer possessed.

[The Star That Created the Separation of Heaven and Earth].

Before that divine artifact from the creation epic "Enuma Elish," capable of separating heaven and earth and severing the world—even a dead disciple like [Ancestor] would surely be reduced to ashes.

Moreover, according to Kiri's information, the church should be the main force in dealing with this incident.

He only needs to fulfill his responsibilities as one of the "Big Three" and handle the aftermath, cover-up, and cleanup of the Holy Grail War.

Tokiomi's mood calmed down a little.

But at the same time, another uncomfortable feeling emerged.

Yes, that must be a kind of... economic discomfort.

A feeling of "pain" when facing upcoming expenses.

The Magic Association is not as united as the Church.

In fact, if it weren't for the principle of "mystery," and the fact that magicians are accustomed to working alone and immersing themselves in their own research, there wouldn't be any large-scale organizations at all. Just like how Tokiomi spent a fortune to acquire the relic capable of summoning Gilgamesh from someone else—

To obtain any resources or support from the Magic Association, one must obviously pay an "equivalent price".

The services offered by the Magic Association are clearly never free.

Although the Tohsaka family controls the sacred land in Fuyuki City, and because he and the previous head of the family have come up with the idea of ​​converting the sacred land into commercial land for rent.

—Tokiomi, as the largest landowner in Fuyuki City, was undeniably wealthy.

However, the magic practiced by the Tohsaka family is precisely the expensive [Jewel Magic].

It is the result of years of meticulous refinement and storage, sealing magic power within gemstones to serve as the detonating core for instant magic.

Therefore, each use means the gem is ruined, such as the ritual to summon Gilgamesh—which costs an astronomical sum.

If it weren't for Tokiomi's own efforts in making many magical innovations and acquiring considerable wealth through the management of the magic patents at the Clock Tower, he wouldn't have been able to achieve such success.

Perhaps the Tohsaka family, like those impoverished European noble families of the past, has long been struggling to maintain the facade of a "magical family" by selling off ancestral property, teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.

Furthermore, if the successors are not good at managing the business, they might squander the entire family fortune within just one generation.

However, concealing the traces of magic is also a necessary expense.

"Yes, I need the association to send another batch of people to take charge of the cleanup work of the Holy Grail War."

"Yes, let's use gems to pay for the service."

A moment later, a brief, affirmative reply came from the other end of the line from the "Magic Association".

Tokiomi breathed a sigh of relief, leaning back in his chair and tapping his fingers lightly on the armrests.

The next steps began to emerge in my mind.

"Hmm, it seems that the Church's withdrawal might not be beneficial at all. Without the Church's supervision, we and Kirei can be more open in our actions."

“Then…” His gaze lowered slightly, sweeping over a stack of intelligence papers collected by Assassin on the table, “it’s about the [hole].

Unlike Waver and Tokiomi, who were speculating about which Heroic Spirit had created the masterpiece, Tokiomi, as the manager of the Fuyuki City ley lines, knew more information than the others.

That's definitely not something a single Heroic Spirit could achieve.

Because of those magical nodes scattered throughout the city—

"Those spiritual veins have indeed disappeared."

In some ways, this matter may be more important than the success or failure of a single Holy Grail War.

After all, if you were to force Tokiomi Tohsaka to choose between "the opportunity to travel to the Root" and "the magical inheritance of the Tohsaka family"—

He will likely choose the latter after a long period of silence and hesitation.

The Fourth Holy Grail War, in the final analysis, is merely an opportunity to travel to the Root.

The Tohsaka family represents his bloodline, honor, and the faith of his ancestors.

Furthermore, if the spiritual veins of Fuyuki City were fully developed, the Holy Grail War could be held again every 60 years.

But if the spiritual veins were completely severed—

The Tohsaka family is destined to decline, fall into depravity, and be forgotten in the not-too-distant future because they have lost their foundation in the world of magic.

……

Then, the golden radiance seemed to descend from the sky.

Tokiomi Tohsaka placed his right hand on his chest, his posture so respectful it was almost pious.

He knew that even as a Master, he had to lower himself before this "King of Kings".

"Your Majesty, I have a favor to ask of you."

After listening to Tokiomi's explanation and plea regarding the significance of the spiritual veins and the Tohsaka family in an barely suppressed tone of anxiety,

Gilgamesh's ruby-like eyes, which had always looked down on everything, finally took on a hint of amusement.

In the eyes of this arrogant and self-centered king, his master had always been dull, boring, and as rigid as a mechanical device.

They were single-mindedly focused on reaching the Root, devoid of greed, interest, or even ambition.

It's as if they don't even deserve the identity of "human".

—It's absolutely boring.

However, looking at the anxious expression on Tokiomi's face, Gilgamesh felt a sense of pleasure.

It seems that my Master isn't without other emotions and desires after all.

Archer chuckled, but an impatient expression appeared on his face, and he made his voice sound angry.

"Tokiomi, do you mean... that I, the King, should be responsible for cleaning up the stage before putting on a good show for you?"

"How dare I! King of Kings!"

Tokiomi's voice carried a hint of fear. He lowered his head, indicating that he had not meant to offend the king in any way.

Gilgamesh's amused expression deepened as he looked down at Tokiomi, who seemed to be struggling with something.

He waved slightly, preparing to end this boring conversation.

"Well then, if there's nothing else, I will—"

Seeing that Archer was about to disappear again, Tokiomi gritted his teeth, raised his head, and a look of urgency and calculation flashed in his eyes.

The minister then offered his advice again:

"King of Heroes! The magic power that the Holy Grail provides to you comes from the spiritual veins of Fuyuki City. If those veins disappear, wouldn't that mean that thieves are stealing your treasures!"

As Tokiomi finished speaking, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Archer's smile vanished.

Perhaps Tokiomi Tohsaka will never understand this.

This hero, who sought all treasures and pleasures and found joy in them, was also a cold-blooded and ruthless tyrant.

No one likes to see themselves lose their dignity, and this is especially true for a king.

To Gilgamesh, Tokiomi's words were tantamount to this vassal whom he had reluctantly acknowledged pointing out to his face that his treasure trove was being stolen.

However, the "laws" he himself established as king did indeed prevent him from turning a blind eye to such "great disrespect".

Perhaps the word "capricious" is just right to describe this golden-haired king.

Now, Archer exuded an unapproachable kingly aura, and a chilling rage suddenly appeared in his burning pupils.

"Tokiomi... are you telling me that someone dares to steal my treasures in my city?"

Tokiomi held his breath and dared not answer at this moment.

To be fair, in the past, Tokiomi's behavior of exploiting the king's laws and wrath should have long ago earned him Gilgamesh's punishment.

After all, in the eyes of the King of Heroes, Shichen should have taken the initiative to inform him of this matter, rather than using it as a "blackmail".

However, considering this guy became somewhat interesting the first time.

Furthermore, most people in this era have lost their reverence for kings.

The heroic spirit clad in golden armor merely glanced deeply at the Master before him, a person with whom he shared a rather incompatible interest.

Archer slowly spoke: "Very well. Since someone dares to disregard my authority and plunder my territory without first submitting and offering tribute."

"I will personally tell those thieves who dare to lay their hands on the King's treasures how much reverence they should have for the King."

Gilgamesh vanished in a flash of light amidst Tokiomi's respectful demeanor.

……

"Well, the experiment was successful."

Looking at the images projected in front of him—the church in Fuyuki City and other locations—Conan nodded in satisfaction.

"The two inhibitory forces are indeed fighting each other."

Yes, what could possibly be the reason that would cause the two progenitors of the Dead Apostles to fall on Gaia's side?

Why not send the tenth Ancestor Nero Chaos and the fourteenth Ancestor Van Fem from Ehrenfeld Forest in Germany and the British Isles to Fuyuki City respectively?
Do you remember Conan mentioning that the Alliance's current environmental RSI and individual RSI values ​​are both slightly over 100?
“Gaia and Alaya are not always on the same side.”

For the League or Conan, their biggest mistake, or rather misunderstanding, in the past was placing the entire Type-Moon universe against the League.

Even in this universe, didn't Detective Conan ultimately support the Alliance?
The holes in the ground that Weber and others were wondering about were the result of the jump seat terminal.

"This reaction to Gaia's theft on the [Great Source] indeed provoked its own reaction."

"Gaia's reaction, based on its own [settings], will obviously provoke a similar counterattack from Alaya."

Conan smiled; it seemed that being a "Heroic Spirit" had its advantages.

"In Gaia's view, it is probably Alaya who took the initiative to send Holmes to personally plunder him, so He had no choice but to send someone to check the situation."

"And as for Alaya, He would also think that this was Gaia's attempt to test Him or a random attack."

"But it seems that if the Holy Church intervenes, those two Dead Apostles should be kept out of Fuyuki City, right?"

Looking at the top-secret intelligence that should belong to the Church, Hasegawa Tsuki reached out and projected the movement path of the Church's forces onto the screen.

"After all, the Burial Agency dispatched its twentieth ancestor, Melian Solomon, and also hired its eighteenth ancestor, Anhans, to block their path."

Conan nodded, indicating that this was within his expectations.

"It doesn't matter whether those Dead Apostles can get to Fuyuki or not, and besides, the historical inertia shouldn't be easily broken."

"Of course, it would be best if we could make it in time."

Conan paused, then added, "This way, in addition to the Heroic Spirits, we can also study the Dead Apostles' own Reality Marbles."

"But most importantly—"

Glancing at the screen beside him, Conan casually sent letters to both sides in the name of the "Mage Association" and "Tokiomi Tohsaka," offering to send more personnel and accept employment.

"After the church's influence withdrew, the entire city of Fuyuki is now in our hands."

The current alliance can truly say that it controls everything in Fuyuki City.

Earth veins, magicians, channels of communication with the outside world...

Those holes were caused not only by the disappearance of the spiritual veins, but also by the almost extinct magicians in the entire Fuyuki City.

—Otherwise, why would there be those strange holes in the streets? Right?

Currently, 33 individuals have been captured.
Analyzing the magic crest held by the relevant entity.
The magical circuits symbolizing the five elements are being analyzed.
Initiating analysis of a soul manifestation known as the "Spiritual Structure".
……
Based on the RSI fluctuations of the entities named "Spiritual Vein" and "Magician," we are attempting to construct and analyze the elements that cause the "Mental Image World."
That long list, which almost filled the TDD analysis program, undoubtedly demonstrates the alliance's substantial gains.

"Now... it all comes down to who moves faster before the cut, or before some crucial moment."

Staring at the plan that led to the end, Conan muttered to himself.

As for why the alliance suddenly loosened its grip, the reason can only be attributed to the latest clues provided by Hisayu Maiya, who recently joined the alliance.

She confirmed it with the help of the spy Kiritsugu Emiya had planted in the Clock Tower.

"Yes, there is no such person as Rafe Lenore Floros in the Clock Tower."

More importantly, those familiars who used the base body to travel to Kanbuko City and Misaki Town discovered:
The "roads" leading to those two cities have disappeared.

"This... is really giving the League too much credit."

"Use the [Heroic Spirit] panel to trap me in Fuyuki City, and then immediately block all other possible routes..."

Who would have thought that Kanbuko City and Misaki Town are now just some kind of illusory reflection?
Conan can't even get Hasegawa Tsuki to leave Fuyuki City to check the specifics of the situation.

Perhaps, the severing of this world has come to an end.

The person behind the scenes was just waiting to use their Noble Phantasm so they could make their final judgment.

Or maybe...

Conan couldn't help but think about a question.

He was now somewhat grateful to the person behind the scenes who had helped him verify the existence of the "cutting matter".

At the very least, if the other side is intentionally blocking the way to those two cities, this shouldn't be the [Fate/Zero universe].

otherwise--

Who knows what will happen to the universe after the inertia of history has run its course?

(End of this chapter)