Walking in the Question and Answer System of Heroic Spirits

Weber: "However, the reality is that Vlad III was a devout Catholic."

Kenneth: "A devout believer, who is inexplicably labeled as a vampire, will naturally be extremely resistant to this power."

Rin Tohsaka: "I see."

"I...I'm definitely not a vampire...I'm not, I'm not!!!"

The Grand Duke roared with hatred and despair, putting up a final stand, but his body moved uncontrollably.

"No, you are a vampire."

[Darnik coldly stated: "Dracula, the vampire, a pathetic monster forced to bear the stigma due to his creation, I command with my Second Command Spell: 'To live on until the Greater Grail is obtained!'"]

"Danick!!!"

[Using his last shred of reason, the Grand Duke managed to regain a moment's control of his body, roaring as he charged toward Danic.]

[Danick, however, accepted the blow with a faint smile.]

"Ha, ha, hahaha..."

With a piercing slit in his chest, blood splattered, and Danik's body collapsed, but a maniacal laugh escaped his lips.

"How rude of me, my servant! As an apology, please drink my blood!"

"You really are a vampire, the king who rules the night! You don't need any wishes. Just leave behind my dreams, my desires, my existence!"

"I command with my third command spell, 'Engrave my existence upon your soul, Lancer!'"

【"What!"】

Not only the Grand Duke, but everyone who witnessed this scene was stunned.

[Servants can devour human souls and convert them into magical energy; this is a privilege they possess as spirits. Humans can only transfer them to containers and observe them.]

However, Danic is an exception.

He focused his attention on the nutrient—the soul—which couldn't be converted through magic and was of little use.

He succeeded; over the decades, he developed a magic technique that could turn the souls of others into sustenance.

This magic trick is utterly heretical, because he would do anything to save his life, even smash a baby's skull.

[At the same time, this magic trick is extremely dangerous; even the slightest deviation can lead to immediate death.]

Therefore, in those sixty years, he actually only devoured souls three times, and all of those rituals were performed under the most perfect circumstances he could conceive of.

Nevertheless, the rate of adaptation of both body and soul has fallen below 60%.

Even if the next ritual is executed perfectly, I'm afraid I'll only become another person named "Danik Prieston Yggdomernia," and even if I retain my memories, I will never be myself again.

In other words, Darnik's current attempt to devour a Servant's soul without performing a ritual is nothing short of suicidal, resulting in the complete annihilation of the soul.

"..."

At this point, the black team fell into an eerie silence.

Everyone could sense that the Grand Duke was gathering an even stronger killing intent than before.

"Hehe! Dani! Ke!"

The Grand Duke was so enraged that he laughed instead, and with a wave of his hand, he unleashed his Noble Phantasm directly at Danic.

"careful!"

Finn hurriedly picked up Danick and dodged around, feeling somewhat helpless at the same time.

What happened to Danic all these years ago? He actually came up with this crazy idea of ​​imprinting souls.

Under orders from Gold and the others, Siegfried, Afoe, and the others quickly stepped forward to stop the Grand Duke.

The entire black team was in complete disarray, and there was no time to participate in the subsequent video and question-and-answer sessions.

Webber: "Danick, this guy really knows how to have fun."

Kenneth: "Heh heh, Vlad III must be furious now."

Rin Tohsaka: "The Black side has suddenly fallen silent; things must be in complete chaos."

Heel: "This development is truly unexpected."

Empress: "And the operation was really daring."

Kotomine Shiro: "It seems the Black side no longer needs to worry."

"This is outrageous!"

Atalanta, who had been observing the battle, said in a deep voice, "Darnik, no, you are neither Darnik nor Vlad III now."

"You're right, Archer."

[“The Grand Duke,” or rather, someone resembling Danic, wearing the guise of the Grand Duke, spoke in a voice that was a mixture of the Grand Duke's and Danic's.]

"Even if I were to use the Third Command Spell to process the soul of the Heroic Spirit named Vlad III into the ultimate state that would make it easiest for me to merge with him, it would still be impossible to control a Heroic Spirit, let alone devour him."

"However, it's still possible to inscribe it. I'll inscribe my longing of the past century, and my obsession with the Holy Grail, on it!"

"I am no longer Danic, nor Vlad III, but merely a monster seeking the Holy Grail, and I don't mind that..."

[Normally, even with the help of relics, it's possible to summon a Servant that is similar to oneself during Heroic Spirit Summoning.]

[Clearing their names—this was a shared obsession between Danic and Vlad III, which also made them very similar in spirit.]

[Based on this, and with the binding force of Command Seals, it is by no means impossible to imprint an inherent existence like 'Darnic' into the soul of a Heroic Spirit.]

This magician's obsession does indeed surpass that of a Heroic Spirit.

"Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop right now!"

The Grand Duke, filled with resentment, shouted desperately, "I am the King of Wallachia, son of Vlad II! Don't come in here!!!"

Unfortunately, what's done is done, and Danic is now parasitizing Vlad III's soul in a way akin to cancer cells.

"Alright, now you are me, and I am you, King! No, vampire!"

"Damn it..."

Kotomine Shiro: "Huh? It actually worked!"

Weber: "In a sense, Danic is a genius."

Kenneth: "What is this? It's a hodgepodge."

What Danic wanted to do was become a pseudo-Servant, but his series of actions turned him into a mad monster.

【"Pfft!"】

Although stunned by Darnic's outrageous move, Karna quickly recovered and seized the opportunity, piercing the 'Grand Duke's' heart—the location of his Spirit Origin—from behind with a single thrust.

However, the 'Grand Duke' remained completely unmoved, not even turning his head.

An unidentified substance resembling a black shadow oozed from the pierced section.

Karna: "While I have a definite feel for it, does it lose its effect if it becomes like that?"

Atalanta: "Lancer, even your spear has no effect?"

"If he were before he became a vampire, this attack should have shattered his spirit core and killed him."

Karna said in a deep voice, "However, what stands before us is not Vlad III, the Black Faction's Lancer. It is a creature known and feared throughout the world—a vampire."

The bats gathered, reverting to their former appearance as the Grand Duke, but he himself had changed drastically.

The once elegant black aristocratic robe was torn apart, becoming tattered. What was revealed from the inside was not flesh and blood, but rather the tangible shadow of its form.

Those eyes, though still utterly cold, had lost their former wisdom.

The long spear that the Grand Duke always used seemed to turn to ashes as his consciousness faded, as if announcing the passing of Lancer Vlad III.

Karna: "Completely a monster."

The creature before us is neither Danic nor the Grand Duke, but a monster named Dracula, possessing Danic's obsession.

Rin Tohsaka: "Although I've become a monster, my strength has indeed increased a lot. Maybe I really can take back the Greater Grail."

Zhen Gongping: "No, such creatures should not exist in this world and must be eliminated as soon as possible."

Weber: "In other words, Danic's efforts only put him in a more disadvantageous position."

Chapter 217 Dracula's Strength

"Alright, give me back my Holy Grail. I must use that Great Grail to fulfill the long-cherished wish of our people."

[Dracula roared, "That's right! To fulfill my destiny, I must live on endlessly, I must constantly increase my bloodline, give birth to my children, and further increase my retinue, in order to cultivate my talents, efforts, and environment..."]

"So, give me back the Greater Grail, give it back to me, give it back to me!!!"

Although it seems crazy, Dracula's goal is very clear: the Holy Grail.

However, another figure blocked his path.

"No matter what, he's still a monster far removed from the gods; that much will never change!"

Achilles quickly approached, his spear transforming into a meteor as he hurled it towards Dracula.

Chiron arrived just then, intending to intercept him, but Dracula unexpectedly grabbed the spear himself.

Achilles: "What?!"