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

Chapter 388 Extreme Purposefulness and Self-Phenomenology

If someone asked Lin Sheng to list the most dangerous enemy in this [Unique Boundary], he might get an unexpected answer.

— [Weber Velvet].

In terms of actual strength, Weber is the weakest among all the people.

After all, Weber City was built on the outer edge of the world, which means that he should have been the loser who was at a disadvantage in the Branch War and even fled.

Moreover, if we only consider the [Destruction Power] in his hands, [Waveber] has the least of all the "strongest".

"How did you do that...?" At this moment, [Matou Sakura] spoke up at Lin Sheng's prompting.

"True strength does not lie in the amount of power one holds—is it not?"

Seeing the formidable Matou Sakura before him, Waver, who remained at the Matou residence, smiled.

He spoke as if reminiscing about the past, using a tone of voice that suggested he was talking about it all, and began to speak to himself:
"From the moment I, or we, became subjects of Rider, it was a bond destined to be unforgettable."

Lin Sheng noticed something unnatural about his words, or rather, the sentence sounded a bit awkward.

“What a great friendship, isn’t it?” Weber said. “To form a bond with the spirits of the past, to be humbled before an even greater spirit, to realize that the ‘self’ is the most glorious and splendid thing, and to be proud of this spirit.”

Lin Sheng did not allow Ying to interrupt [Waiber]'s words.

Considering his actions just now, Lin Sheng tried to analyze the hidden meaning behind his words.

So, this is Waver who betrayed Rider?
Considering his mention of "Weber City"—which clearly implies that beings like him exist in a plural rather than a singular form.

So, is this a group of Weberians who are tired of the inertia of history?

Or is this "Weber" just one of many special cases?
“They are all on the same path, with Matou as the leader.”

He looked at Matou Sakura in front of him, trying to persuade her to join Weber Castle... or to come to his side.

"Use those things called [Limit Breaking Power] to anchor something fragile and ethereal."

"Ha—what good is it to always focus on the past?"

Weber's words are filled with disdain for those "strong" people, yet they also convey a sense of entitlement.

It was as if some inexplicable magic was drawing Sakura Matou to continue listening.

“I have no interest in beating around the bush with you, [Weber].”

“Then I’ll be frank, Matou will be in charge.” [Wave] was absolutely confident that she could persuade the person in front of her to stand on her side—because she had already done so.

“I can tell that you are more similar to our choice.”

"Isn't it another real possibility that was different from the very beginning?"

Weber looked up and surveyed the room, now free of the dampness.

It was all so wonderful, like the universe outside the house, completely refreshed and free of those disgusting rotten smells.

“Detective, there’s no magic or sorcery…” [Wave] said with a hint of sincerity, “We can exchange technologies.”

In Weber Velvet's view, those who only focus on instant success and on making wishes with the Holy Grail are utterly foolish.

"You are not the same [Wave] as before," [Matou Sakura] asserted with certainty.

Weber neither denied nor admitted it.

He simply said, "With Matou as the leader, what does it matter to you which [Wave] stands before you?"

“Unlike everyone else, we are on the right path, even if the guy in the control room disagrees, and even some people in the city have reservations.”

"But we have already achieved results!"

[Wave] pointed to his own face, a face completely different from the Waver beside Rider.

"Otherwise, why would I suddenly appear here after that [Waber] died, and why would that [Waber] return as before?"

……

If Black Sakura and Black Alice, who had already left the Matou residence, saw Waver at this moment, they would probably be surprised by his reappearance.

After the meeting, which was decided by "each to their own ability," Weber was the first to leave.

Since everyone is fighting their own battles, eliminating the weaker forces first is undoubtedly an underlying consensus.

Nobody wanted to make a move against Merlin.

Not just because he might be the strongest of the four.

More importantly, he has already acquired the Tohsaka family and Rin Tohsaka, who is about to be accepted as a disciple by the headmaster.

Therefore, even if Merlin is defeated, it is very likely that the desired result will not be achieved.

In the current Type-Moon universe, it's quite normal to cause damage before leaving the battlefield, thus thwarting the enemy's plans.

In any case, destruction is much easier than construction.

It's easy for Merlin to use his illusions to make the victor lose everything in the end.

Furthermore, the identities of Black Alice and Black Sakura are very subtle.

In a sense, this was both a mutual threat and, to some extent, an alliance.

It's basically a "we're all bad people" mentality.

Furthermore, Black Alice and Black Sakura are "born" to claim the titles of the Einzbern family and the Matou family.

What do you [Weber] have?
Even Matou Sakura tacitly approved of this murder happening on her own doorstep.

Aside from the fact that she herself had no feelings for Weber, it was also Lin Sheng's way of testing this guy who suddenly appeared.

The situation was pretty much as Lin Sheng had imagined.

Soon, the second [Weber] knocked on the door of the [Matou Residence] alone.

But this time, or rather, this [Weber] clearly looks different from the previous one.

He not only showed no resentment at his own death, but even offered to cooperate with the Matou family.

Furthermore, it seems to be intentionally demonstrating its power.

He confidently told Matou Sakura that he was not only capable of influencing Iskandar, but also of influencing her.

"This should be a fairly important part of your plan, shouldn't it?"

Waver paused, "If Rider suddenly remembers the Holy Grail Wars he participated in..."

"He already remembers, doesn't he?"

Lin Sheng let Matou Sakura expose Waver's disguise, "He already remembered it on the train."

“No, even earlier.” Lin Sheng then gave a more specific assessment.

"Rider had already remembered some of it before entering this [Limitless Marble]."

"So, you modified him on the Throne of Heroes?"

"It seems that Chief Matou has a big misunderstanding about us."

"Or rather, the people behind you, Headmaster Matou, have some misunderstandings about us."

Weber sighed, seemingly without pretense.

"It's just that the king still cherishes the friendship he had with his subjects in the past and is willing to provide them with some extra help."

Immediately afterwards, Weber's cryptic expression turned serious.

"In short, no one else seems to realize the true meaning behind this [Inherent Marble]."

"A world that can more smoothly prevent the [root] from interfering with and restricting this place in order to promote its own ideas."

“Holmes, I need this technology,” Weber said. “As long as you hand over the technology you obtained from Ritsuka, Weber City’s central database, which has been in existence since its founding, will be open to you without any restrictions.”

Weber was certain that the person standing behind Matou Sakura at that moment was Holmes—no one enjoyed playing this kind of "detective game" more than him.

Weber could even easily discern those subtle, imperceptible hints.

"I believe you absolutely need to know the information we've uncovered."

"I can reveal a little bit first: [Da Vinci] has lost control; she is persisting with a plan that is absolutely impossible to succeed."

In fact, the conclusion that "Da Vinci" has gone out of control is not difficult to reach among a small group of people who are trying to think about the essence of "branch war".

First of all, the fact that she stayed in the control room instead of leaving is quite unusual.

To paraphrase Merlin—

"Ritsuka told us that after she left, the door to the [Control Room] would not be able to open or close properly, which meant that everyone would be stuck in that environment that was exactly the same as the [Chaldea] in the past."

"In fact, to prevent any accidents, it was Leonardo da Vinci who suggested that someone be left behind. Looking back now, she should have realized some problems at the time."

Then there's her constantly shifting stance.

The fact that Leonardo da Vinci wiped out nearly 90% of the "strong" Heroic Spirits at the time with a single blow is an act that he can never deny.

Everyone could feel the magnificent power emanating from within the [Root].

The Throne of Heroes has become the current Throne of Heroes, which is part of the Intelligence Repair Mechanism.

At the same time, this directly led to widespread chaos in the [Inner Sea of ​​Stars] - all gods, heroes, primates, or beings that could connect to the [Root] were severed from it.

This is also why Merlin chose to infiltrate the Inner Sea of ​​Stars.

That was the first "turning point" in the "branch war".

It symbolizes that from that moment on, those "gods" of the past, and those powers that were above primates, were cast into the dust.

……

It's important to understand that, unlike the universe where only Detective Conan exists, this is an "unexpected phenomenon."

Within the Type-Moon universe itself, there exist things like magic and sorcery that symbolize "power."

Take Weber as an example. Even if he can break free from the "historical inertia" to some extent, it does not mean that he can defeat an entity that follows the "historical inertia".

If he were to fight Lancer after joining the [Alliance], he would still be completely crushed.

Kiritsugu's Origin Bullet, Gilgamesh's Ea, or treasures like conceptual weapons or Noble Phantasms...

Those former "forces" will not cease to function just because you have "deviated from the path".

In fact, in the early stages of the Branch War, there were instances where some "powerful beings" who had obtained the power to break limits were defeated or even killed by the Heroic Spirits on the Throne of Heroes.

Anyone who leaves the Control Room carries some of the power to break limits, and there are quite a few very weak Heroic Spirits in Chaldea.

It is common for auxiliary Heroic Spirits, such as writers or musicians, to die in "accidents," resulting in their "limit-breaking power" being obtained by others.

Therefore, characters like Merlin are more accustomed to using "illusion" to fight their enemies.

It's not just about saving energy.

More importantly, in the early stages of that "Branch Wars," before everyone had figured out how to use it, "Limit Breaking Power" was indeed not as useful as one's own power.

Of course, everything changed after that turning point.

As just mentioned, the intelligence repair mechanism directly rendered all other forces obsolete.

"From that moment on, no power is as useful as the [Power of Breaking Limits], is it?"

Weber said calmly, “No matter how powerful you are, even if you are God, as long as you are not recorded in the Compilation Items, any power beyond the Items can be easily and directly corrected.”

"Most people are themselves [Heroic Spirits], and the other few are also related to [Heroic Spirit Summoning]."

Yes, in the eyes of most "strong people", the so-called "living as long as heaven and earth" is just inviting the "government" to crack down on them.

What could be more powerful than Chaldea, which wiped out 90% of the "strongest" Servants with a single blow and mastered the "Compilation Matters"?

The power of this move depends solely on how much importance Chaldea places on you.

Of course, there is no need to resort to such extreme methods when dealing with those who are not "strong".

All you need to do is... turn it the other way around.

The [Intelligence Repair Mechanism] was undoubtedly completed by [Limit Breaking Power].

Naturally, other "stronger" individuals who also possess the power to break limits can also try to influence it.

There's a reason why some people feel that the Type-Moon universe is more like a "science fiction" world.

Considering the existence of the "root" as a "master server," if you set aside those strange tricks and magic and simply understand it as relying on "server permissions," then these tense and exciting attack and defense battles are more like programming or instruction cards.

The so-called manipulation of time and burning of human reason can be understood as special effects displayed on the "screen".

Then the question comes-

What if a "strong" individual used their "limit-breaking power" to support the "compilation work"?

……

Therefore, there is a reason why, in the Type-Moon universe today, when discussing "strong individuals," the only factor considered is whether or not they possess "limit-breaking power," and how much of it they possess.

For example, Rin Tohsaka, whom [Jewelcrafter] once encountered, was indeed extremely weak. So weak that even Saber without her scabbard could stand before her and let her attack without sustaining the slightest injury.

Saber's Anti-Magic Shell meant that Rin Tohsaka's attacks were ineffective against her.

But if it really comes to a fight to the death, Saber will definitely be the one who "dies" in the end.

The intelligence repair mechanism is just a mechanism.

Without human intervention, it will choose the least strenuous method to complete its task.

Therefore, if a real war breaks out, the situation will be like this—

Saber attacks Rin Tohsaka.

Rin Tohsaka illegally performed a "Heroic Spirit Summoning".

[Intelligence Repair Mechanism] Upon discovering this, "Intelligence Repair" is performed.

Saber was unhindered and was immediately "repaired".

Then comes [Rin Tohsaka].

However, the root cause of this situation has now been resolved.

As long as Rin Tohsaka hides herself, or pretends to act according to the "compilation plan," the final result will be—

Rin Tohsaka won.

This method can be used when fighting against anything that is not a "stronger" entity.

Having acquired the [Power of Limit Breaking], it becomes easy to discover the characteristic that "time without people does not exist".

Just like in the reverse time, they all have absolutely ample time to use this type of move.

Furthermore, the "strong" can easily utilize the application of the [Third Magic], gaining almost limitless magical power.
They can even conduct their own research and develop technologies similar to the application of "Third Magic".

After that, it became unnecessary to spend a relatively large amount of [Limit Breaking Power] to utilize the [Intelligence Repair Mechanism].

Just like Merlin's "Illusion," Gawain's "Blessing of the Sun," or similar abilities...

In short, perhaps in the very early stages of the Branch Wars, those who are not "strong" can still try to struggle.

But after Chaldea's intervention, those who were not "strong" completely disappeared from the stage of history.

Just like the ordinary Gilgamesh in the "Compilation Matters," it's simply a treasure trove to be used whenever needed.

……

“And that is Leonardo da Vinci’s purpose,” Weber said earnestly.

"Because by using the [Intelligence Repair Mechanism] to do this, [Chaldea] will actually feel more at ease, won't they?"

He paused, "And the Matou clan leader, Merlin, and even every other 'strong' person who can be named, all chose not to use this method, which is naturally..."

“I have never heard of any ‘Weber City,’ nor have I heard of a powerful person like you.”

Pretending as if Sherlock Holmes had temporarily taken over the reins from Matou Sakura, the watch on Sakura's wrist emitted a mechanical sound that was difficult to discern her identity.

“We left the Branch Wars a long time ago.” Weber did not reveal his origins.

The appearance of Holmes finally brought a sigh of relief to Webber.

"Holmes, everything will be answered if you are willing to share with us how you introduced the concept of 'detective' into the universe."

“To incorporate the elements of a detective, a lot of limit-breaking power is needed,” Lin Sheng replied.

"You call it an 'element'?" [Waveper] nodded slightly. "Just tell us the technology. For us, [Limit Breaking Power] is not a problem."

[Power that breaks limits] is not a problem?
Lin Sheng's heart sank. Regardless of which aspect of "not a problem" this "Weber" was referring to, the situation didn't sound good.

If we're referring to the quantity of the [CYZ effect], it means the other party must have at least a double-digit effect value stored up—which is not a good sign given the abundance of "strong" entities in this [universe].

If he means that achieving this "does not require an effect size"...

It seems that the situation is actually less reassuring than the first one.

after all……

Lin Sheng carefully "observed" the situation of [Weber]'s "resurrection" again, and it really happened without any warning.

As for whether the investigation was masked by the effect—

Using the same effect to test these "strong" individuals who are able to "maintain themselves" is clearly a direct way of proclaiming one's "hostility."

I'm talking about you, Merlin.

Not everyone is like Merlin, who, having already "gone rookie," is completely unconcerned about surrendering his lifeline.

However, it is even more impossible to tell Weber about some applications of the element axis.

Based on Merlin's memories, and Lin Sheng's observations of several people during the recent meeting at the Matou residence—

No one has grasped the essence of the CYZ effect.

Even Weber.

If he did not deliberately conceal or mislead, he also believed that the foundation of the [intelligence repair mechanism] was the [compilation matters].

“Holmes, you are not the only person I can trade with.”

Perhaps Lin Sheng's silence led Weber to misunderstand something.

“If we didn’t come from the same main branch and not naturally stand on the same side, I could also go to find that [Emiya Shirou].

"And you must be wondering why I was still able to survive while they were anchored by their [Destruction Power], right?"

At this moment, Weber was undoubtedly extremely sincere.

“I assure you,” a wisp of orange-red light emerged from his body and floated in front of [Matou Sakura], “this contains half of the technical data. Once you’ve seen it, you’ll know that this is a new path.”

“I don’t need this technical information,” Lin Sheng said. “I want to know what that doomed-to-fail plan of [Da Vinci] was.”

"Can I take that as you rejecting Weber's offer?"

That orange-red [Limit Breaking Power] has now returned to [Waveber's] body.

Now, it is Weber who cannot accept this condition.

Everyone knew in their hearts that for a "strong person" possessing the power to break limits, especially for a "strong person" like them—

The importance of "purpose" far outweighs that of so-called "technology".

No matter what the technology is, as long as it is used, there will be opportunities to discover traces and learn from them.

The true "goal" that one wants to achieve cannot be easily changed.

Taking the Alliance's plan as an example, both Lin Sheng and Conan wanted to "cover" the surface of the world with this Reality Barrier in the end.

To understand this, one needs to know the difference between [compilation matters] and [historical inertia], as well as a range of information about the [CYZ effect].

But if we knew this "purpose"...

The Weber in front of me clearly wouldn't vote in favor.

But it's different if it only shows "pursuit of the Holy Grail".

Everyone desires the Holy Grail, which allows wishes to be made, and even the current Waver is no exception.

Even if she ultimately fails to obtain the Holy Grail, neither Black Sakura, Black Alice, Waver, nor any other possible being will stand in her way.

Only when the final recipient successfully makes their wish will they all act together to nip the danger in the bud.

It could even directly attract Chaldea.

Of course, this is the worst-case scenario for Black Sakura, Waver, and the other masterminds behind the scenes—

This means that they will not fail to transmit any useful intelligence.

Given the gravity of the Holy Grail, Weber even suspected that this sector, or even the entire branch, would be struck by "Thunder Strike".

If the Chaldean army manages to block them, even Weber City might have to make a strategic retreat.

Although everything is fine as long as the [central database] is still there, this strategic shift is not the first time.

However, it is obvious that his own faction will be completely rejected.

Yes, this [Weber] is clearly violating the rules of [Weber City] by communicating with Lin Sheng.

For Weber City, which has already established the "Tower Construction Project," this means that, according to the "world's surface" calculation, at least three "quarters" of work have been wasted.

Furthermore, it is inferred that Leonardo da Vinci was in a somewhat "dazed" or "unstable" state.

However, her impact on the intellectual and collective attempts of [Weber City] was still significant.

It can only be said that Webber was taking a great risk, yet still insisted on contacting "Sherlock Holmes," which was a desperate measure.

How could he not doubt the authenticity of this "Sherlock Holmes"?

Judging by behavior and actions is the worst approach, and even judging by habits is not advisable.

Shifting blame and using pretexts are also common in the "branch war".

If it weren't for this strange time flow, it would also have hindered communication with the outside world.

This meant that he, and indeed all the "strongest" beings in this universe, could only enter but not leave—Weber had already reported this to the [Central Database].

Unfortunately, with the timeline moving backward, their limited power to break through the blockade was simply insufficient.

Although everyone else said there were still ways to "contact the outside world," Weber knew it was pure nonsense and nothing more than a bluff.

Therefore, seeing that neither Holmes nor Matou Sakura had made any response, Weber sighed.

"Alright, Holmes, it's fine if you don't want to cooperate."

"In the end, to prevent other information from leaking out, you'll definitely kill everyone else, right?"

[Weber] began to act according to Plan C.

"As long as you don't reveal the existence of [Waver City] afterward, I can help you accomplish this, and it's fine if you even use these effects."

Seeing the unwavering expression in Weber's eyes, Lin Sheng knew that this must be his bottom line.

“Okay, I will give you a [Detective Watch]. As long as you follow the instructions on it, I guarantee I will not reveal the existence of [Weber City].

Lin Sheng paused for a moment, then asked, "So, is there any agreement we need to sign?"

For once, Weber was amused by this Holmesian humor.

"Of course not, you definitely have a backup plan, right?"

It seems to be a mutual appreciation between wise men, or perhaps a certainty that Sherlock Holmes would not fight an unprepared battle.

"While there are many disadvantages to being on the outer edge of the world, one of the advantages is that it's closer to the Throne of Heroes."

"Based on my memory, if it weren't for the harbor, Rider's deviation would have been quite large. Finding this universe on this branch a second time, among hundreds of millions of sectors, would not have been an easy task."

"As long as you reveal information about [Weber City], finding and erasing this will be beneficial to us..."

Weber didn't finish his sentence, but it was clear that everyone understood what he meant.

Lin Sheng nodded to himself.

Very well, if Webber didn't lie, then Rider must have lied to him too.

……

In the distant "outside of the world," in the "Magic City of Waver Velvet," a research center is located in a research area atop a high tower.

A Weber who appeared to be the lead researcher asked a Weber who was monitoring the situation:
"So, has any relevant intelligence been transmitted from inside that universe?"

"I'm sorry, [Waveper Supervisor 10315], there is no sign that the [Phenomenon Phenomenon Weapon] has been activated. Without the [Limit Breaking Power] as a coordinate point, the Phenomenon Phenomenon Strike cannot be initiated."

"What about Iskandar?" 10315 frowned. "The probe should be able to transmit back detailed sector locations."

“Even if it’s just a sector, I can convince the Executive Committee to approve ‘Record the War’.”

"I'm sorry, the probe should have been swallowed up as well. The other side is also very cautious. We have detected at least three covert actions, and the scope of these actions is the entire universe."

[Weber, Supervisor, 10315] His hand on the recorder's table tightened, but finally loosened.

He ultimately abandoned his risky move.

Even for this relatively early-numbered [Weber], although the range of the 333333rd [First Branch] of the [Second Branch] is already very small, it is still impossible to fight.

"Sigh—" 10315 sighed reluctantly, "Well... let's stick to our usual observation strategy."

"The [phenomenon] that is released will not betray the [central database]. It will follow the plan and ensure the concealment of our intelligence."

"At the same time, have the [Root Origin Inspection Department] keep an eye on the movements of our [souls]."

However, 10315 [Weber] knew in his heart that the possibility of success in the future was probably very small.

"Looking at it now, the path of self-phenomenalization... is very difficult to succeed."

(End of this chapter)