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

“Okay, then I’ll leave it to you.” Mary nodded, then suddenly grasped Zhuo’s hands, which were stroking her hair, her voice filled with worry. “This time, don’t take any risks…”

"Ah..." Zhuo was a little surprised, then smiled helplessly, "I understand, don't worry."

"Alright, then I won't go into the key points of this operation. Just like last time, it's about investigating and correcting the singularities. Also, investigating the Holy Grail, obtaining it, and destroying it. The heavy responsibility of continuing human history is entrusted to you. I hope you can succeed this time as well."

"And... you must all come back safely."

“Okay, we’ll definitely get home safely,” Mashu assured the director with a smile.

"There must have been summoned Servants in first-century Rome as well. If possible, we should definitely make use of their power. However, if they are enemies, this expectation will naturally be impossible." Mary yawned wearily. "Also, at this stage, Sheba can only analyze and detect the Servant's reactions. As for whether it can identify whether she is an enemy Servant or a neutral Servant... I'm sorry, Chaldea cannot do that at this stage."

"Alright, alright, stop thinking about these trivial things. The spirit transfer is about to begin, so let's go." Dr. Roman suddenly became inexplicably excited and then pushed Mashu and Ritsuka's backs towards the basket.

Then, the mechanical system voice sounded again.

"Anti-Summoning System, activated."

"Begin the process, spirit particle conversion."

"3, 2, 1 minutes remaining until the spirit particle transfer begins..."

"The entire project is complete. Implementation begins; designation of the first rank is now in effect."

The crystal-blue passage opened again, and the three figures turned into particles and disappeared into the basket.

The Second Singularity: The Everlasting Mad Empire: The City of Seven Hills - The Conquest Begins!

Start the second strategy

When Nianzhuo and his group recovered from the dizziness of the spirit transfer, the scenery in front of them had already changed.

"The Second Singularity: The Perpetual Mad Empire, the City of Seven Hills, and the Rose Emperor, has officially begun."

"Phew, this transfer was a success, Mr. Nianzhuo, and Senior." Mashu flexed her wrists, checked her condition, and then looked behind her to make sure the two were safe.

Looking around, the scenery was the same as that of the first singularity.

"The touch of the breeze, the smell of the earth—and the vast, boundless blue sky." Even though she had already experienced the First Singularity, Mash was still somewhat excited in the face of these real scenes. "...It's incredible. I've seen it countless times in images, but now, just standing on this land, the vividness is so completely different."

“That’s true. No matter how many times you’ve seen a scene in a video, you can only truly understand it when you see it in person.” Rubbing his eyes, Nian Zhuo seemed a little absent-minded. “By the way, Mashu, I saw you take a few deep breaths when we were transferring just now. What’s wrong?”

"Uh... Me, did I?" Mashu turned her head, her face slightly flushed. After receiving a nod from Nencho, she patted her cheek. "Oh, I see... Maybe it was just a subconscious act."

After speaking, he looked around at the azure sky and grassland, and the light, drifting white clouds.

That was a scene that Mashu had seen countless times in the videos.

"...How should I put it? It's like I'm a little overwhelmed." Looking down at the ground beneath her feet, the lush green slowly filled her eyes. "Back in France, I was too busy being amazed. This time, I feel like I can finally really appreciate the scenery here."

"Foo, Foo, Foo-chu?!" At this moment, a fluffy white ball jumped out of Mashu's chest, sniffed the soil on the ground, and then jumped onto Nencho's shoulder.

“…” Nian Zhuo tilted his head slightly, indicating that he definitely hadn’t seen the scene just now, and muttered quietly, “The breastplate is a bit in the way…”

"Fou!?" Mashu was clearly surprised. If the first spirit transfer was a coincidence, then the second one meant that this fluffy white ball of fluff was compatible with spirit transfer.

"Hey! Fou! You just jumped out of Mashu's chest, didn't you?!" Startled, Ritsuka jumped up from the ground to grab the fluffy white four-legged creature.

"Chirp, chirp, chirp? Chirp!" Ritsuka jumped repeatedly on Nencho's shoulder, but after trying for a long time, she couldn't even touch Fou's tail.

“Oh, Fufu said it seems to prefer the outside world to the cramped base, so it wants to come with us this time.” Nianzhuo tapped the white fur ball on his shoulder and looked at Ritsuka with some embarrassment. “And Ritsuka… it said you’re as agile as a monkey.”

"Huh?!" Ritsuka paused for a few seconds, then angrily pounced on Fou again. "Who are you mocking as a monkey?! You white fluffy dumpling!"

"Alright, alright, you two stop fooling around." He pushed Ritsuka's forehead with one hand, no matter how hard she reached, she couldn't reach Nencho's shoulder. "I also think it's good for Fou to come out and get some fresh air. Battles are certainly scary, but it's still very enjoyable to be able to analyze and understand the world like this."

“But…” Nian Zhuo raised his head, his smile freezing slightly, “So, this era does have {that} after all…”

A massive band of light, exactly like the one in the French sky, pierced the heavens with its pure white radiance.

“That band of light does look exactly like the one in the French sky.” Mashu stared at the enormous ring. “No, it’s more like it looks the same. This isn’t a conclusion that can be drawn from accurate observation alone. What exactly is that thing? It’s so huge—”

At that moment, the communication device on Mashu's wrist beeped, and Dr. Roman's gentle voice came through it, "Oh dear, that light band, it's the same as before. I still can't observe it at all. But this is indeed a troubling phenomenon. You guys continue your investigation. Also, Director Mary is on rest this time, so I, your kind and amiable Dr. Roman, will be on duty~" An extremely irresponsible voice came from the other end of the device.

Then, Roman tapped his fingers on the light screen in front of him.

“But then again… there, oh dear?!” Seeing the empty plain displayed on the screen, the doctor rubbed his eyes in disbelief. “Isn’t that… the capital… Rome?!”

Nianzhuo and his group looked in the direction the doctor pointed, and saw only a few hills standing there quietly.

"It's just a hilly area." Ritsuka stared wide-eyed but couldn't find a trace of a city.

“Yes, you’re right, it’s just a hilly area.” Mashu nodded with a slight doubt.

“Hmm. That’s strange. I’ve checked too, it’s not the capital.” The doctor’s expression was also somewhat puzzled. “But the teleportation location should indeed be fixed… Hmm, your location should be somewhere outside the capital, Rome.”

"Was it a teleportation coordinate...or a misadjustment? And what about the era?" Although the possibility was very small, Mash still raised the worst-case scenario.

“Ah, of course, you can rest assured about that. The timeline is correct,” Dr. Roman nodded confidently, looking at the time displayed on the screen. “This is indeed the first century AD, the era of the singularity. The reign of Nero Claudius, the fifth emperor of the Roman Empire, there’s no mistake about that—but it’s really strange, why is the landing location so far from the capital? Although it’s said that Nero poisoned Empress Dowager Agrippina a few years ago, we shouldn’t be in the midst of Nero’s crisis in his later years yet.”

"What you should have been greeted by was..." the doctor stroked his chin, somewhat puzzled, "Rome, the prosperous capital of an era when the emperor was deeply loved by all the people."

"No, Doctor, this is indeed a gently sloping hilly area." Mash is definitely number one when it comes to criticizing doctors. "The only thing missing is a flock of sheep grazing on the slope."

"Hmm... there might be a reason for this. Is there anything strange happening around you?" The doctor felt as if he had been shot in the knee, but he pretended not to hear Mashu's reply.

"Fu, Fu-uh?!" At this moment, Fu-fu, who had been quietly sitting on Nian-zhuo's shoulder, moved her body and roared in one direction.

Then, a faint sound, carried by a gentle breeze, reached everyone's ears.

“…There’s a sound.” Mash also looked in the direction Fou was yelling.

"What?" Dr. Roman did not receive any response.

However, the noise then became increasingly chaotic and louder.

"That is-----" Zhuo dug at his ears, trying to confirm if he had misheard, but the sounds of clashing weapons continued to come, and the shouts of soldiers rang out.

"This is---" Ritsuka covered her ears in disbelief, trying to confirm if she had misheard. "It sounds like there's a battle going on nearby?!"

"Yes, that's definitely the sound of a lot of fighting, and judging from the direction, it seems to be on the other side of the hill." Zhuo flexed his wrists and looked at the low-lying hills.

"Many people are fighting? War? No, no, no, that's impossible." The doctor tapped his head in disbelief. "There's no record of large-scale wars near Rome, the capital of this era. That means—" Realizing a possibility, the doctor suddenly raised his head.

"It's the singularity's doing." He pulled out the Time-Space Driver, his face showing some delight. "We've discovered historical anomalies now, so that's what it's all about."

So the Chaldean group started running towards the other side of the hill.

That splash of bright red

After crossing the hill, the battlefield came into view.

“There’s no mistake, there’s a battle going on.” Mashu stared wide-eyed at the surging crowd below. “One side is the main force, and the other side is a very small force. The main force is marked with {crimson and gold}, and the small force is also marked with {crimson and gold}, but the designs are different.”

"Hmm, crimson and gold were particularly popular colors in ancient Rome, Mashu. Are there any other characteristics?" Dr. Roman said helplessly, indicating that there was too little information to draw a conclusion. However, Mashu then spotted a graceful figure galloping across the battlefield.

"It's a woman!" Mashu's eyes widened as she followed the figure. "A young woman is leading a small force of only a few warriors!"

"And she's basically fighting the enemy forces alone." Seeing the same woman, her figure was instantly engulfed by the enemy, then she burst forth from the surging tide of foe. "Alone, facing an army sweeping towards the capital like an overwhelming tidal wave. She's an extremely powerful person. Is she a Servant?"

“No.” Dr. Roman shook his head, looking at the glowing dots on the screen. “I didn’t sense any reaction from the Servant, and you didn’t sense any Servant presence either, did you?”

"Hmm." Mashu nodded, unable to sense any magical energy reaction from the other person. The other person was human, and this was an instinctive response.

“Then that’s it, that woman is from this era.” Dr. Roman nodded and tapped the light screen in front of him.

"Although this is just my personal feeling," Mashu said somewhat uncertainly, her gaze fixed on the girl. "I feel that the girl looks a bit like Jeanne d'Arc, but I have no proof."

"Like Joan of Arc?" Roman's words were somewhat doubtful. "Is she one of those saints who would rise up for some sublime existence?" Recalling the Renwu period of the first century, Dr. Roman's expression was somewhat troubled. "Hmm... when it comes to figures like that in this era... I really can't think of any. Is it because my knowledge is insufficient?" Shaking his head, Dr. Roman deliberately interrupted his recollection.

"Leaving that aside for now, what I'm saying is that a war that shouldn't have happened has occurred. Since that's the case—"

"Let's go save that woman." Zhuo pulled out the Ghost watch face and stared intently at the red figure fighting below.

"Okay! Everyone, get ready!" Ritsuka waved her fist, looking full of energy.

“Yes, I agree with the proactive approach. Even Fou is eager to try!” Mash nodded, raising her shield.

“Although the enemy is neither a Servant nor a monster, their scale is still not to be underestimated. We must be careful!” Dr. Roman nodded, approving their attack plan.

Rushing down the mountain, Zhuo drew his Time Gun Sword. Gazing at its gleaming silver blade, Zhuo charged into the battlefield.

Mashu's approach was even more straightforward and brutal. With a swing of her shield, she kicked up a cloud of dust and took the opportunity to send the enemies flying one by one.

"There are outsiders!" A man who looked like a commander saw Zhuo and his group and drew his sword, slashing at Zhuo.

A sword was swung down, but somehow Zhuo dodged to the side. The bright silver spear-sword transformed into a spear reflecting a purple glow.

"Goodbye----" A purple energy blast shot out, instantly sending the man flying. He rolled several meters on the ground before losing consciousness.

Seeing their commander fall, the remaining, massive enemy troops began to flee on their own initiative, and within minutes they had all retreated.

The red-clad figure stopped fighting and shouted loudly at the soldiers around her.

"Put away your swords, the outcome is decided!" Looking at the faces of Nian Zhuo and the others who had suddenly joined them, the red-clad figure asked with some confusion, "And you all, are you reinforcements sent from the capital? I thought the capital had been completely sealed off... Well, you should all be rewarded. Even if you were once on the enemy's side, it doesn't matter. I am magnanimous, let bygones be bygones."

Looking at Nianzhuo and Mashu, who were standing silently to the side, the red-clad figure smiled.

"Moreover, I was deeply impressed by the battle just now. The heavily armored warriors were as agile as cavalry, and the frail girl was able to wield a weapon almost as tall as herself... Hmm! I was quite pleased! There was an indescribable, strange beauty to it!" The red-clad figure smiled happily as she stretched out her hands toward the two Servants in front of her.

"Hmm! I allow you to follow me and fight alongside me, to feel this supreme honor!" After saying that, the girl looked at Mash's main armor with some concern and said, "...However, your attire is quite unusual, isn't it a bit too revealing? Are you from another country?"

"Do you even have the right to judge others?!" Nian Zhuo smiled calmly on the surface, but inwardly he was already ranting. "Girl, the fabric of your skirt is sheer! You can even see your white panties! And during the fight just now, you seemed to have exposed your back too!"

The girl in front of me had blonde hair, emerald green eyes, and wore a red dress with a veil on her wrist that looked like a blooming flower.

"We're just a bunch of fake...reinforcements who happened to be passing by." Zhuo coughed lightly twice and looked at the girl in front of him as he spoke slowly.

"Hmm, the timing is rather coincidental. Are you perhaps part of Boudica's forces? After all, that guy's command is flawless." He shook his head, smiling at the group before him. "In any case, this victory belongs to me and you all. I will reward you handsomely!"

Suddenly, as if remembering something, the girl frowned in annoyance.

“Ah, no, I’m sorry… I made a promise unconsciously. The reward will have to wait a while, after all, as you all have seen. For now, I only have this sword with me.” Wielding the black and red greatsword that resembled a living flame, the girl quietly looked at the crowd before her. “Everything will be discussed after we return to the capital, Rome. You only need to follow me wholeheartedly.”

So, preparing their troops, the Chaldean group followed the unknown figure on their journey back to Rome.

The appearance of a strange enemy

"Speaking of which, you must be from a foreign land. So, where do you come from?" The girl looked at the Chaldeans behind her. "Britannia... no, the Far East... doesn't seem like it either." Her eyebrows furrowed and relaxed as she pondered intently.

“We come from… well, an organization called Chaldea.” Ritsuka’s ahoge (cowlick) twitched, barely swallowing the dangerous thought of saying they came from the future.

"Chaldea??" The ahoge on the girl's head suddenly twitched as she pondered her memories. The girl believed that she had never met anyone who claimed to be from Chaldea, except for them.