Thanks for the invitation. I'm in Type-Moon, inheriting the legacy of Zi-O.

“I am Mordred, the rebellious knight.” She extended her hand to Mash in front of her. “But this time, I will make an exception and stand on the side of the Guardians.”

"To be honest, I was a little hesitant before, but after meeting you all, I've come to a decision."

"Why is that...?" Mashu looked at the outstretched hand, unable to contain her curiosity.

“Because finally someone has appeared who is qualified to possess it.” Mordred pointed to Ritsuka. “So, the Holy Grail is yours.”

"...??" Mash still looked completely confused, but Mordred didn't intend to explain further.

"I've said everything I needed to say, so don't bring this up again, okay?" Mordred grinned, revealing her fangs in a threatening manner.

"Well, we'll be at the manor soon after all." She raised her sword, her magic transforming into crimson lightning that illuminated everything around her. "But more enemies are coming. Alright, let's tear them to shreds!"

"Wow, that's amazing... Mordred's perception. Or is it an intuition skill?" Mary's voice followed closely behind, "I just detected a hostile reaction on my end too. Anyway, everyone, let's go!"

Through the smoke, the last enemy revealed their claws.

The clown who laughs at everything

They emerged from the alley, broke through the fog, and crushed the enemy's body.

Before them lay a vast estate, surrounded by sharp fences.

"Good, we've arrived." After confirming that there were no more enemies around, Mordred pointed with satisfaction to the magnificent mansion not far away. "This grand building is the residence of old man Victor. Unlike Jekyll, who is a half-baked magician, he is a true magician. You must be careful."

Carefully avoiding the iron fence, the sharp tip could be felt with a chilling glint even in the fog.

Moreover, Nian Zhuo even sensed a faint magical power at the tip of the iron bars.

“This… is there a tiny magic spell attached to each spike…” Nian Zhuo finally understood why Jekyll had Mordred lead them here. It wasn’t just about the journey; even this mansion was fraught with hidden dangers. “Even a thief, if he were pierced by those spikes…” He dared not imagine any further. It seemed that the mansion’s owner, Victor Frankenstein, was definitely not a kind person… at least not his ancestors.

"This house is riddled with barriers and other traps." Even Mordred, usually rather rough, was wary as he surveyed his surroundings, his brow furrowing as he recalled some unpleasant memory. "If you touch anything without knowing anything, even a Servant can suffer. The first time I came here, I suffered terribly because I didn't understand..."

"I see." Mashu nodded solemnly, carefully stepping across the bushes. "Okay, I'll be careful too."

“There’s actually a workshop in the city center that looks like a death paradise…” Mary was also a little surprised, staring at the building in central London on the screen. “It seems that the other party is a very brave and vigilant old man.”

“First, be careful of this entrance door.” Mordred groped his way through the smoke and finally found the entrance to the old mansion. “Look, this huge door—”

The cold iron gate silently conveyed its weight, taller and thicker than the surrounding fence, exuding a subtle sense of majesty.

However, when they saw the situation at the gate, both Nian Zhuo and Mordred's expressions changed.

—The gate was opened.

Not only that, Nianzhuo even sensed that there was no magical fluctuation at all on the door.

Did the other party not set any precautions in the first place? Obviously not. How could such a vigilant elderly person not have taken precautions with their front door?

There was only one answer left, and it was the answer they least wanted to accept.

“…It’s been destroyed, the spell on the gate.” Nian Zhuo muttered softly, his brows furrowed.

"Tch..." Mordred slammed the blade heavily onto the ground, looking at the iron gate in front of him with some annoyance. "Damn it, I'm still a step too late!"

Moreover, without a sound, a figure suddenly appeared on the lawn of the mansion, not far from the gate.

“There’s someone at the entrance of the building…” Mashu strained to see the figure, which gradually revealed its true form through the smoke. “Very tall, that figure is… the clown…?”

"Hey! Scarecrow!" Mordred seemed more worried than Mash, calling out to the figure standing behind the gate, "Should I call you a living statue? Whatever, it's you—" Pointing her index finger at the clown on the lawn not far away, Mordred covered her nose with a rare expression of disgust.

"The smell is awful, you." She even spat on the ground. "Blood, entrails, and the smell of fireworks. And the smell of the elemental magic catalyst that the old man liked. I can smell it clearly even if I'm standing here." Crimson lightning flashed on the blade, Mordred's smile gradually faded, and she raised her sword, pointing it directly at the clown.

"You killed him, didn't you? You killed Victor Frankenstein, didn't you?"

The clown's body seemed to tremble, and he ran over at a very fast speed.

This way, everyone can clearly see what he looks like.

Her long, purplish-red hair cascaded down her left and right sides of her head, and she wore a ridiculous bicorn hat. She looked like a real clown from head to toe, dressed in clothes adorned with various flashy colors.

Her face was equally disfigured, with two purple streaks resembling tear marks beneath her eyes, like a real clown mask...

...It would be even better if the strong smell of burning and blood on the other person were removed.

With an incredibly morbid smile, the Joker looked at Mordred in front of him, then at Mash and the others who were standing guard behind her, his lips, painted with purple lip gloss, moving up and down.

“Hmm, that’s right, that’s right—” Then, his eyes twitched, and he shook his head. “Ah, no, no, what’s going on? Please wait a moment.” He tapped his chin, as if he were really thinking.

But then, that sickly smile returned to his face, this time even tugging at the corners of his mouth, making him look even more eerie.

"That's right, that's right, that's right, that's right, that's right!" He trembled as he opened his arms, as if he had gone mad. "That old man can no longer speak, brush his teeth, eat, or breathe!" Seeing the changed expressions on the faces of the crowd in front of him, the clown hugged his body and twisted wildly. "Mmm, mmm! To put it more clearly, he's dead!"

"What a pity." One second he was ecstatic, the next he was filled with sorrow. His lips twitched, his eyes trembled, as if he were deeply grieved. "He refused to participate in the [Plan] until the very last moment, but... but... who killed Victor Frankenstein?!" Thoughts, sorrow, pain—these expressions appeared on the Joker's face in a very short time, then disappeared, finally transforming into unparalleled ecstasy.

"That's probably a difficult question to answer!" His head was turned completely, and Nian Zhuo could even hear the cracking sounds coming from the other's neck. "Because he exploded on his own!"

"...!" Mash gasped and took several steps back, shielding Ritsuka behind her.

"Oh dear, oh dear, have I startled this beautiful lady?" Turning a puzzled look to Mashu, the clown pointed to the corner of his eye with his index finger. "That's very rude of me. As you can see, I am just a passing demon—" His regretful expression turned into a smile, and this time the clown looked like a normal person.

"Of course, that was just a joke~" The clown scratched his messy hair. "I'm sorry I couldn't meet your expectations. I'm just a Heroic Spirit. Like you, I'm a Servant. My class is Caster. My real name is Mephistopheles!"

"..." Everyone fell silent as they watched the clown suddenly return to normal.

"...Huh?" The Joker tilted his head in confusion, looking at Mordred's unfriendly expression. "Oh dear, everyone, didn't you understand what I meant?"

"Enough." He raised his sword, crimson lightning spreading wildly in all directions, revealing the turmoil in his heart. "Shut up."

"No, no, no, you should understand, right?" The clown shook his index finger, looking quite disappointed. "Why did I so easily reveal my real name? In this Holy Grail War that can't be called a Holy Grail War, this is the right thing to do! At least, the lady over there should understand!" Mephistopheles pulled out a series of pocket watches from somewhere and shook them, making a clinking sound.

"An encounter means an immediate all-out battle!" He pulled out a pocket watch, watching the golden timepiece spin in his palm. "We Servants without Masters—we should be the strongest fighting force in the world, right? However… sadly, it seems your side does have a Master~" Looking at Ritsuka, protected behind Mash, a morbid smile returned to the clown's face.

"Please protect your Master well~ Otherwise, in an instant..." The response he received was a crimson lightning bolt flying toward his face. He quickly dodged to the side, and the clown watched helplessly as the crimson lightning struck the lawn where he had just been, leaving a scorch mark.

"Stop talking nonsense." Mordred stared intently at Mephistopheles's upturned lips and clicked his tongue in disgust. "Shut your mouth, that fake smile of yours."

"What?" Looking at the opponent's blade, Mephistopheles' smile also gradually vanished.

"That fake smile of yours, it's so annoying!" Mordred's emerald eyes were filled with anger, and her murderous gaze was like a sharp knife. "Killing an old man makes you so happy?!"

"Well, hmm—" Nodding his chin, the other person actually looked like he was seriously thinking. "He hindered our [plan], so in that sense, this is also part of my job."

"A plan...?" Although she felt a chill, Mashu was equally surprised that the madman in front of her actually had a so-called plan.

“Well, to be honest, I’m not very good at fulfilling these kinds of obligations.” Mephistopheles sighed, toying with the pocket watch in his hand. “But even so, I’m enjoying it to the fullest. I’m really enjoying this job, and I’ve put a lot of effort into it. His expression at that last moment. That was the expression of a human being who has understood the transition from life to death!” The image of the old man’s tragic death flashed through his mind, the clown’s shrill, piercing laugh echoing in his ears.

"Despair! Sigh! Ah, this is it—!" The Joker's high spirits vanished instantly as he looked at the now incredibly furious Mordred. "So, umm—this is somewhat of a pastime, isn't it?"

"...Is that so?" Mordred's anger had vanished, and she nodded, appearing quite calm.

"Whether he's an immigrant or not, that old man is a British citizen." Mordred said casually, looking at the blade in her hand. "Listen up, you actually... dared to lay a hand on my things without permission. Do you know the consequences?" The cold light on the blade stung Mephistopheles' eyes.

"—The consequences?" He tilted his head, and what was originally a somewhat cute gesture now only showed fear in him.

"—That is, I'm going to kill you! You clown bastard!" In an instant, Mordred's blade shattered the heavy iron gate in front of her, and then she gripped the hilt with both hands and charged towards Mephistopheles.

"Oh dear, this is terrible!" Seeing Mordred charging towards him, Mephistopheles' face showed no worry or seriousness, only a broad, satisfied smile. He quickly ran to the side, tossing his golden pocket watch at Mordred. "Are you going to kill me?! Can you even kill me?!"

Mordred's blade grazed his opponent's body, lifting the lawn behind him.

“You seem to be a hot-blooded fellow!” Mephistopheles smiled broadly as he removed another pocket watch from the strap. “Alright, no problem, let me meet your expectations!”

"Swish, swish—" The blade slashed past as Nian Zhuo, who was always equipped with the Zi-O basic armor, swung the Time Gun Sword in his hand. "Well, with you, can you meet our expectations?" Watching the pocket watch, which had been split in two, fly past him, Nian Zhuo's eyes widened suddenly.

Then, grabbing Mordred by the back of his armor collar, Nian Zhuo quickly dodged to the side.

The two pocket watches, cut in half, gleamed.

Subsequently, a violent explosion enveloped the spot where Nianzhuo had been standing, and the thick smoke and dust even dispersed some of the surrounding fog.

"You bastard..." Nian Zhuo gripped the sword tightly, his face, hidden beneath his mask, also showing anger. "You actually resorted to these petty tricks..."

"Well, it's alright." Nian Zhuo twirled the blade in his hand and put Mordred aside.

"...Um, thanks." Mordred turned her head awkwardly, muttering to herself, then wriggled around. "Hey! Let me go!"

"Okay, okay, please don't be in such a hurry next time, okay?" Nianzhuo sighed helplessly as he quickly let go of her hand.

"Alright, that clown in front... uh, never mind, I forgot his name." The sword was held level, and the purple eye armor gleamed. "At the very beginning, you claimed to be a passing demon, right...?"

"Then I'm just a Kamen Rider passing by. Remember that, you bastard."

A slender, magenta-colored watch appeared in Nian Zhuo's hand.

"Ah, truly wonderful, truly wonderful!" Laughing maniacally, Mephistopheles grabbed several pocket watches at once. "But be careful of the explosions, everyone! Because my Noble Phantasm has already been set up! I swear by my true name—Mephistopheles! I will plunge you all into a ridiculous and laughable despair!"

A carefully laid trap

However, the battle situation was completely different from what Nianzhuo had imagined.

Two Servants, one Demi-Servant, and Ryotaro were all held back by Mephistopheles alone on the battlefield.

"Damn it..." The roar of explosions continued to ring out all around, and even Nian Zhuo, who was equipped with the Decade armor, had no way to get close to the clown who kept laughing wildly.

As for why...

“Mr. Nianzhuo… to the right!” Mashu’s voice came from behind. Following Mashu’s instructions, Nianzhuo quickly ran to her right and kicked away the several pocket watches that suddenly appeared.

The two surrounded Ritsuka, watching their surroundings warily, as if countless bombs were about to appear at any moment.

Ritsuka, standing between the two, bit her lip in resentment.

“How despicable…” With a resentful tone, her orange eyes were fixed on Mephistopheles, who was locked in combat with Mordred.

Yes, as Mephistopheles said, his initial target was Ritsuka.

So when the battle began, the five pocket watches that appeared next to Ritsuka almost scared Nencho to death.

Not only that, but if either Mashu or Nencho moves even a little further away from Ritsuka, the clown will immediately use all sorts of tricky methods to throw bombs at Ritsuka, keeping the two of them firmly by Ritsuka's side.

Moreover, Ritsuka is an ordinary person, and her movement speed cannot keep up with the Servants' battle speed. Even if she wanted to protect Ritsuka at the same time, it would be virtually impossible for her to get close to the clown.

During the conversation, the five pocket watches that Nianzhuo had kicked away exploded on the lawn not far away, and a thick cloud of smoke and gravel swept over.

"Ugh—!" Mash raised her shield, blocking the oncoming rubble.

But if it's just rubble, it wouldn't be a problem for Nianzhuo and the others.

The real challenge is yet to come...

"Ding—" The sound of something being activated made Nian Zhuo watch as blue magic formulas emerged from the walls of the manor on both sides.

Three crystal-blue short arrows shot straight towards Ritsuka's back.