Zongman: The post-2D era

Feng Feng's voice was low and magnetic. As he spoke, he closed the door gently, making sure that the slight click would not disturb her emotions.

Turning around, he put his hands on Illya's shoulders, his eyes full of seriousness and solemnity.

"As the 'Lesser Holy Grail', your safety is of vital importance. Those heroic spirits, for power or obsession, will not let go of any possible opportunity. Therefore, I must ensure your safety."

The sunlight shines through the sparse clouds and onto the bluestone road, giving this ordinary way to school a faint golden glow.

Illya skipped forward, her golden hair shining brightly in the sun. She looked back from time to time and showed Feng Feng a carefree smile, as if as long as he was by her side, there was nothing in this world worth fearing.

Her little hands waved gently, as if she was sharing this innocent happiness with every passerby who passed by.

The passers-by also cast gentle glances at them, and some even smiled knowingly, as if they were infected by the warm atmosphere between the brother and sister.

Feng Feng followed closely behind with a steady pace, glancing around from time to time, alertness and tenderness intertwined in his eyes.

He noticed that not far behind the two men, a black figure was moving silently among the crowd, like a ghost in the night, deliberately keeping a distance, but never out of sight.

The figure had an elusive smile on his face, and his eyes were flickering with complex emotions, both amusement and anticipation, as if he was enjoying this unknown game of chase.

"His job rank is assassin, the heroic spirit Hassan, an assassination expert with hundreds of clones?" Feng Feng analyzed in his mind as he followed Illya on the journey.

Illya was tired of jumping around, and finally slowed down. Her little hand naturally took Feng Feng's big hand, and the warmth and security instantly enveloped her.

Feng Feng quietly took out his cell phone with his other hand, and his fingertips slid rapidly across the screen, sending commands one after another, seemingly casually responding to Illya's occasional mumblings.

"Brother Feng, why don't you talk to me?" There was a hint of coquettishness and dissatisfaction in her tone.

Feng Feng lowered his head gently, his eyes full of doting: "Illya, I am protecting you. Look at these trees, they are also protecting our way to school."

There was a hint of mystery in his words, which instantly aroused Illya's curiosity. She looked up at the trees on both sides, as if she could really see them swaying gently in the breeze, protecting them.

The school gate slowly opened, and as Illya stepped over the familiar threshold, a hurried figure passed by like the wind and stood steadily in front of her. It was Yukinoshita Yukino.

Her eyes were firm and sharp, and she protected Illya behind her without any explanation.

The sunlight shines through Yukino's hair, casting mottled shadows, adding a sense of inviolable aura to her.

At this moment, the air at the school gate seemed to freeze, and several dark shadows suddenly appeared in everyone's sight. They were wearing tight night clothes, their faces hidden in the shadows of their hoods. They were the incarnations of the legendary assassin Hassan.

They seemed to be unaware of the barrier in front of them, until they collided with the invisible yet extremely solid barrier, then they suddenly stopped and showed a look of astonishment.

"Everyone, please give me your guidance." Feng Feng clasped his fists and bowed, as if he surrounded Hassan and others by himself.

Illya opened her eyes wide, the scene before her was as incredible as a dream.

Illya was just about to ask Yukinoshita Yukino what was going on, when the next moment, hundreds of Hassan clones fell down at the school gate. Feng Fengmo stood in the center, like a god or a demon, with his head lowered.

She only saw those Hassan clones that were ready to attack, but in an instant, they seemed to be hit one by one by an invisible force. Their bodies stiffened one by one, and then they fell to the ground like cut straw men without making any sound.

There was only dead silence at the school gate. The sunlight penetrated the scene, casting mottled shadows on the fallen figure, adding a bit of weirdness and shock.

Feng Feng stood in the center, his whole body seemed to be surrounded by a faint glow. He lowered his head, his long hair fluttering gently in the wind, covering half of his face. Only his tightly pursed lips and his deep, bottomless eyes could be seen.

At this moment, Feng Feng seemed no longer the gentle brother, but had transformed into a god protecting the world, or a demon wandering in the dark night, exuding a heart-pounding power and loneliness.

The air around him became heavy because of his presence, and even time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Just as Illya was about to call Feng Feng's name, the next moment, blood suddenly spurted out of Feng Feng's left shoulder, and a two-handed sword as big as a mountain appeared in his hand, and he muttered:

"Grand Heroic Spirit, the Type-Moon world's number one assassin, a mountain man? I can't kill you after all."

Before Illya could scream, she saw Feng Feng's left shoulder tremble suddenly, and blood splattered like rain. However, his expression did not change, and he had grasped a huge two-handed sword in his right hand without knowing when.

The sword was thick, like the snow on the top of a mountain, revealing a heaviness and sharpness that could not be ignored. The tip of the sword lightly touched the ground, stirring up circles of ripples that were invisible to the naked eye, and the air around it trembled.

“But, the Champion Heroic Spirit can only leave his weapons behind and flee…”

Feng Feng's voice was low and firm, and every word seemed to contain a thousand pounds of force: "Do you care about future generations, or treat them as abandoned pawns?"

He looked up at the Hassan clones lying on the ground, and a hint of complex emotions flashed in his eyes. "The assassin is indeed not a character that can be easily dealt with."

"But, two assassins appeared in one Holy Grail War. Is the Type-Moon World playing rogue?"

Chapter 830: The Arrival of Alaya Consciousness

Friday, October 14

Illya hung up the phone with Yukinoshita Yukino with a smile. Her smile gradually disappeared and she looked at Feng Feng who was sleeping on the bed.

"Brother Feng, our roles are reversed. Three days ago... I was the one sleeping in the bed and you were holding my hand."

Illya's gentle voice faded away in Fengfeng's ears, replaced by the noisy background sound of the mountain people's imaginary world, and there seemed to be the sound of wind blowing the clothes of corpses and the sound of swords clashing.

Feng Feng slowly pressed his hand on his right shoulder, his eyes once again fell on the frowning brows of the mountain man under his armor, and said: "You have fought me a hundred times with the interference of the parallel world of Type-Moon, don't you understand? You can't beat me."

The mountain man was wearing tattered black armor with black flames wrapped around it like snakes, contrasting with his eyes that seemed to be able to penetrate the soul.

He slowly stretched out his hand, palm up, pointing directly at Feng Feng. That gesture was both provocative and pleading, as if he was silently asking for the two treasures that belonged to him - the Black Mountain Sword and the Heavenly Chain left by the Hero King.

"You have taken away the Noble Phantasms in the spirit bases of our heroes, affecting countless parallel worlds and changing the outcomes of the Holy Grail Wars in dozens of parallel worlds!"

Feng Feng frowned slightly and looked deeply at his right shoulder, where a hideous wound was slowly oozing bright red blood, which looked particularly glaring against the backdrop of the black armor.

"So what?"

The mountain man sneered, and his laughter was mixed with a bit of sincerity and cruelty: "Look, your wound is like the endless war between us. As long as the battle continues, it will never heal. Fengfeng, you can't escape. This is not only a physical injury, but also a mark on the soul."

Feng Feng frowned and pressed the wound on his shoulder unconsciously with his right hand. The pain came in waves like a tide, but not as intense as the complicated emotions in his heart.

He tilted his head slightly, his eyes flickering as if he was looking through a parallel world, his sight passed through the blurry blood color and fell on the petite figure beside the bed.

Illya's eyes were red and tears were welling up in them, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. Her big eyes, which were usually full of smiles, were now filled with worry and determination.

She sat astride the edge of the bed, her legs dangling lightly in the air, her body trembling slightly as she tried to keep her balance, but she did not slow down the movements of her hands at all.

Her small hands were deft and delicate as she gently untied the old bandage wrapped around Feng Feng's wound. Each move seemed to be peeling off a layer of pain in his heart.

Blood stained her fingertips and her eyes red, but she just continued silently, wrapping the new bandages around and around with all her strength. Every circle she wrapped seemed to add a bit of hope and protection to this difficult time.

Feng Feng's gaze was as sharp as a torch, piercing through the black flames surrounding the mountain man. He saw that he was slowly reshaping his body in the flames. Every jump of the flames was accompanied by the rebirth of his body, as if the gates of hell were wide open, releasing an inextinguishable fighting spirit.

Illya's voice trembled, and her crying voice entered her ears: "Brother Feng, why... why do the wounds always heal and then open again? What kind of heroic spirit has such a treasure?"

Although her voice was small, it struck Feng Feng's heart like a heavy hammer.

Feng Feng took a deep breath and buried this complicated emotion deep in his heart. Suddenly, a dazzling light flashed on the index finger of his right hand. It was the power from the depths of his soul, condensed into a thin beam of light, pointing directly at the mountain man.

Wherever the beam passed, the air seemed to be torn apart, making a sharp whistling sound. Seeing this, the mountain man's eyes flashed with surprise, which soon turned into a stronger fighting spirit, and the black flames surged more violently, as if to devour all the light.

"We fought a hundred times, and you lost a hundred times, but not once did you change my fate or hurt me even more."

"These one hundred victories will build a treasure called "Hundred Victories" specifically for you, and the effect will be that you and any assassins after you will never be able to harm me again."

Feng Feng's words echoed in the quiet battlefield of the parallel world. The body on the bed opened his eyes. Those deep eyes seemed to have passed through endless battles and pains, and refocused on the small world in front of him.

Illya was staring down at him, tears drawing crystal tracks on her pink cheeks, and her rabbit-like red eyes were swollen like ripe cherries, which was both lovable and pitiful.

When she saw Feng Feng wake up, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, and then her cheeks turned red like a burning cloud, and she exclaimed "Ah——" with a bit of shyness and panic in her voice.

She tried to get up in a hurry, but her legs became weak from sitting for so long, and her body lost balance. She swayed slightly like an autumn leaf, and finally succumbed to gravity and tilted to the side of the bed.

Feng Feng quickly turned sideways, firmly wrapped one hand around Illya's waist, and gently supported her back with the other hand, slowly bringing her back into his warm embrace.

Although this action was laborious, it was full of unquestionable tenderness and determination. As Illya got closer, the wound on her right shoulder was again affected, and bright red blood stains could be seen faintly under the bandage, intertwining with the unspoken affection between the two.

Illya felt that familiar embrace, as if she had found a safe haven, and all her fear and anxiety disappeared at that moment.

She struggled instinctively at first, but then gave up resistance and buried her face deeply in Feng Feng's chest, her tears silently soaking his clothes.

After a brief tremor, her body gradually calmed down, leaving only the faint sound of breathing, slowly flowing between the two of them.

"Who are you? Taking over someone else's body? No, Illya's consciousness is still there. You are the human subconscious, the Alaya-vijnana of the Type-Moon world."

Illya's eyes suddenly lit up with a dazzling white light, a light that was pure and ancient, as if it contained the will of the entire Type-Moon world.

Deep in her pupils, the stars were moving, and the secrets of the universe seemed to be peeped at at this moment. She slowly raised her head and stared at Feng Feng. Her eyes were no longer as clear and tender as before, but revealed a depth and solemnity that transcended the mundane world.

"I am the Alaya-vijnana." Her voice became low and heavy, and it was indistinguishable whether it was male or female, but it was full of unquestionable power, echoing all around and making the air tremble.

She nodded slightly, confirming Feng Feng's guess, then her face darkened and her tone became unusually serious.

Illya held Feng Feng's chest with both hands and said, "The collective subconsciousness of the human beings in the Type-Moon world, Alaya, requires the Lord of Utopia, Feng Feng, to return the Sword of the Mountain and the Chain of the Sky."

"This conflict is a force majeure. The responsibility of both parties is judged to be 7.85346 in the Type-Moon world and 2.0467 in the Utopia world. Other impacts..."

"Type-Moon World uses this physical body of Illya and the Holy Grail as compensation for the damages, and demands that the Lord of Utopia, Feng Feng, return the Sword of the Mountain and the Chain of the Sky."

Chapter 831: Invitation to the Fourth Holy Grail War

Saturday, October 15

Illya pouted and looked at Feng Feng who was putting on clothes on the bed.

"Perverted SM, why did you tie my hands? Why is my memory of yesterday so confused?"

Illya's cute yet slightly sarcastic voice echoed in Feng Feng's ears, causing him to freeze while putting on his coat: "I... am a SM pervert?"

Feng Feng slowly pressed his hand on his right shoulder, his eyes fell on Illya's slightly frowned brows again, and said: "You should have some memories of the Alaya consciousness after being possessed."

Illya turned around abruptly. The Heaven's Chain flashed a simple and mysterious golden light behind her, tightly binding her hands. She widened her eyes, which were flashing with dissatisfaction and curiosity. She snorted, "Untie this damn thing quickly, or I will..."

Before she could finish her words, the doorbell suddenly rang outside, interrupting her threat. The crisp sound was particularly abrupt in the quiet morning.

Illya's movements froze instantly, and her gaze involuntarily moved towards the half-open door, with a hint of panic and curiosity in her eyes.

Seeing this, Feng Feng raised a helpless smile, quickly put on his clothes, and said softly to Illya: "It seems that there are guests visiting. Don't worry, I will go to open the door."

As he spoke, he walked towards the door, leaving Illya standing there, looking at her bound hands, her eyes showing both dissatisfaction and expectation for the newcomer.

She had secretly contacted Yukinoshita Yukino before: "Stupid Feng brother, I gave you a chance just now, now let's see how you explain it."

Feng Feng had just opened the door when the figure of Yukino Yukinoshita came into view in the morning light. She was wearing simple sportswear, with an upright posture, and holding two exquisite boxes that shone with an unusual golden luster in her hands.

The light seemed even more mysterious in the morning light, causing Feng Feng to feel as if he had seen the King of Heroes.

Yukinoshita Yukino's gaze did not stay on Fengfeng for too long, but walked straight past him and walked towards the bedroom, with an unquestionable determination in her steps.

"Where's Illya? She sent me a text message saying that you tied her hands and did this and that."

Her eyes were deep, as if they could see through everything, but when they touched the bedroom door, a complex emotion flashed across her eyes - was it concern, or blame?

Seeing this, Illya in the bedroom had a sly look in her eyes and the corners of her mouth rose unconsciously, as if everything was under her control.

She gently moved her hands that were bound by the Heaven's Chains, her eyes closely following the steps of Yukinoshita Yukino, secretly planning what "good show" would be next.