How come the Ace of Cups isn't considered the Holy Grail?

She recalled the divine deeds of the previous 18 Hassans one by one in her mind, and among the several that she finally determined, she chose the most powerful one, the [Dream Elixir (Zabaniya)].

This is the ability to burn the opponent's marrow fluid until it is completely charred.

Its essence is a technique that uses singing that transcends human perception frequencies to shake the brains of others. When the singing is concentrated on one person, it can not only cause the other person's magic circuits to go out of control, but also achieve the effect of manipulating that person.

However, precisely because of this, to maximize its power, it is best to use it in a closed space that is not made of sound-absorbing materials. The reverberating sound waves will bring out the full effect of the [Dream Essence Fluid]!

Even if Yuwatari has some ability to specifically resist sonic attacks like [Dream Essence Fluid], his Master would definitely not be able to withstand it!

Unless he can protect his Master as well!

However, that's not very realistic. Judging from the greatsword that knocked her away last night, Kyoko thinks that the opponent's class should be Saber. How could she possibly have a bunch of Noble Phantasms for defense or even to protect others?

If that's the case, then why is he even a Saber? Wouldn't it be better for him to just become a Shield Soldier?

Thus, Kyoko cautiously followed Yutari and the other man at a considerable distance, but even as she watched them finish shopping and leave the mall carrying several bags, she still couldn't find a suitable place or opportunity to carry out the assassination.

That makes sense. After all, shopping malls are places with a lot of people coming and going, so how could they possibly have a closed space that meets her requirements?

Even if they did, Yuwatari and Ayaka Sajou wouldn't be foolish enough to just walk right in.

Left with no other option, Kyoko increased the distance between herself and the two, relying solely on the direction they were heading from the rooftop of a tall building to roughly determine their destination, and followed them all the way to a...

Animal hospital?

"Why come here?"

Standing outside the unexpectedly busy animal hospital, Ayaka Sajou, completely unaware that a wild mad dog was trailing far behind her, seemed to hear the dog's thoughts and asked the question that had been on her mind.

She had originally planned to go straight back to the hotel after shopping, but Yuto said halfway through that she had a place she wanted to go, so he brought her here.

So the place I wanted to go was the animal hospital?

Does he want to pet a cat or a dog?

“Hmm…Master, you saw it when you were in the mall, right?” Yuuto gestured an indistinct rectangle with his two index fingers: “The news broadcast on that TV.”

news?

A keyword reminded Ayaka Sajo of the scene she glimpsed from a television set in a store she passed by.

A group of cats and dogs with red and black spots collapsed on the ground.

That was all she saw in that one glance.

Recalling that scene, Ayaka Sajou looked at the animal hospital again and noticed that the cats and dogs brought in also had the same red and black spots she had seen.

Is the ferryman here only because of these cats and dogs?

That means...

"These spots...are they related to Servants?" Ayaka Sajou looked at Yuuto with a stubborn gaze tinged with dissatisfaction.

Faced with the subtle dissatisfaction in her eyes, You Du confidently provided a high-quality answer.

"I do not know."

Ayaka Sajou: "?"

Chapter 253 The Pale Knight

"...I don't know what that means?"

Obviously, it's hard to believe that someone who has acted like they know everything since you met them would suddenly say "I don't know" at this moment.

However, it is impossible to determine whether this was done by a Servant.

Perhaps this really is some kind of new infectious disease?

He just felt it might be related to Servants, so he came here to investigate.

"What else could it mean? It means literal 'I don't know,' of course, Master."

In response to Ayaka Sajou's question, Yuuto, while keeping an eye on the situation inside the animal hospital, shrugged and explained to her.

"I'm not sure if this was the work of a Servant, nor can I be certain that this matter is related to magic..."

“Then we—” Ayaka Sajou’s words of backing out were cut off by Yuuto before she could finish.

"But what if this really is the work of a Servant? Master, aren't you worried that one day you might suddenly develop such spots on your own body?"

"Perhaps that Servant's Noble Phantasm effect is the type that gradually increases over time. Right now, it might just be that spots appear on its body and it's unconscious for a while, and it can only work on animals."

"In two days, someone might be infected, and it won't just put them into a coma, it will take their life directly. If we try to deal with it then, it will definitely be more difficult than it is now!"

Ayaka Sajo remained silent.

She realized that what You Du said was right. It was best to get rid of something that could spread like an epidemic or plague before it developed, otherwise she might contract the same disease at any time.

As for letting other Servants and Masters handle it...

Ever since she was kidnapped to that opera house and used by that man as a guinea pig to test whether the Servant he was about to summon would obey her, she decided to stop placing her hopes on others.

She was determined to fight against this fate!

No matter what that white-haired woman wants her to do, I will absolutely not do as she wishes!

Ayaka Sajou will live. She will not die from that woman's curse, nor from this strange ritual!

She looked up and saw Yudo watching her quietly, seemingly waiting for her answer.

"...What should we do?" Ayaka Sajou looked away from the direction of the animal hospital.

very good!

Yuwatari nodded in satisfaction: "Then Master, you stay here as bait and see if you can lure that Servant out. I'll go to the hospital to check on him after I've transformed into spirit form!"

Ayaka Sajou nodded seriously: "Okay, I'll be the bait outside?"

what?

Ayaka Sajou, who was halfway through her speech, suddenly realized that something seemed off about the plan.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of you, Master!" Yu Du gave her a thumbs up.

"That's not the problem at all!" Ayaka Sajou's newly formed resolve immediately crumbled.

Why use someone as a helpless ordinary person as bait to lure out the enemy Servant?!

That's way too dangerous!

"So, Master, are you planning to come in with me?"

Seeing her shaking her head in despair, Yuto had no choice but to regretfully abandon the plan.

"But the fact that the plague hasn't developed to the point of infecting humans is just my guess. If that Servant can actually control who gets infected by the plague, Master, you might be in great danger..."

If this infectious disease is considered an effect of a Noble Phantasm, then it's fine; giving Ayaka Sajou a [Forbidden Holy Lance] would be enough to resist it.

If it's not considered an effect of a Noble Phantasm, or just a simple infectious disease, then he'll have to see if the angel's blood can eliminate these foreign viruses before Ayaka Sajō falls ill...

Angel's Blood: I admit I was gambling, but today, between the virus and you, one of us must die!

What's this about the immune system going berserk?

Even after hearing about the consequences Yuto mentioned, Ayaka Sajou still insisted on going in with him. Seeing this, Yuto had no choice but to shake his head and banish the strange images from his mind. He then summoned a black magician to use illusion magic to hide their figures.

Stealth, begin!

Kyonobu: "!!!"

Buho!

The assassination target disappeared right under her nose!

She was discovered?

Shouldn't it?

They were so far apart that she had to rely on magic to enhance her eyesight in order to see You Du and the others. How could they possibly discover her if they didn't know she was there?

She frowned, but did not panic. Instead, she calmly waited on the rooftop for a while until she was sure that Yuuto and Ayaka Sajou still had not appeared before she chose to disappear in spirit form.

A moment later, Kyoko appeared where Yuuto and the others had disappeared and began searching.

"Has no one... really left?"

Kyonobu pondered for a moment.

First, she stood here and tried it out. If she didn't deliberately use some means to sense and explore, there would be absolutely no way to find her standing in the distance. So she could confirm that Yudu and the others did not suddenly disappear because they had discovered her.

If we rule out the possibility of luring her out and escaping her surveillance, then their disappearance must be to secretly infiltrate somewhere, for example...

This animal hospital in front of me?

……

This is a dream that belongs only to her.

"Yay! It's a puppy!" The girl's innocent voice rang out in the sun-drenched courtyard.

"And kittens and squirrels!"

A little girl with short black hair ran across the lawn in the yard, chasing after the animals that came and went. She caught one, held it in her arms, and looked up at the huge black shadow in front of her.

"We were all brought here by Mr. Dark, weren't we? Thank you!"

The girl's name is Tsubaki Kugaoka, one of the Masters in this Holy Grail War, and the dark figure in front of her is the Servant she summoned.

The dark shadow stirred restlessly, and many birds appeared in the courtyard, while energetic small animals darted back and forth around the cypress tree.

Kugaoka Tsubaki's parents called her over for dinner. Before leaving, she turned back one last time and gazed once more at the sun-drenched courtyard.

The melodious chirping of birds, the cats and dogs sunbathing on the lawn, the family of squirrels munching on acorns on a branch... it was exactly the kind of scenery she dreamed of in her courtyard.

The shadowy figure watched her leave in silence.

He knew that his Master had been modified by her parents with bacteria. While she possessed a large number of magic circuits, her body was also in a vegetative state due to the side effects of the bacteria.

Only in this dream world can the other person exhibit such a state that is no different from that of an ordinary child.

He would grant Kuang Qiuchun's fleeting wishes—to care for her parents, to love adorable animals, to find beautiful scenery—by spreading a plague that would pull her parents and all the animals in the city into this dream world and control them.

Because he is merely a system without will.

It is a machine without its own desires, using its abilities solely for the Master's sake.

His class is Pseudo-Rider, the embodiment of the plague, and because he possesses the simulated personality of 'Plague,' the white horse rider of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he can also be called that.

Pale Knight.

Chapter 254 The Protection of the First Generation Lord?

"Doctor, how is my son?"

"You Whippet—"

"Excuse me, but please show some respect and don't call him 'dog.' He's my son!"

"...Okay, when did these spots appear on your son's body?"

"It must have been this morning, right? These spots suddenly appeared on his body, and then he fell into a coma..."

"Yes, ma'am, there are many other children in the city who are experiencing the same symptoms as your son. The hospital doesn't have a suitable treatment plan yet. If you don't mind, you can take your son home or leave him in the hospital..."

The other man left with his son, and then a man carrying a husky that was also covered in spots walked in.

"Hello, how would you like me to address your husky?"

"Huh? Hospitals offer this service? Well, let's just call it a bastard. It tore down my brand new sofa last night..."

"..."

After briefly observing the biodiversity from outside the door, Yuuto led Ayaka Sajou further into the hospital.

The area outside this animal hospital is mostly filled with examination rooms for various animals and a pharmacy for picking up medications. If it weren't for the cats, dogs, and rats, Youdu would have thought it was just an ordinary hospital.

“Saber…”

Ayaka Sajou gently tugged at Yuuto's clothes. It was the first time that her body had been concealed by the black magician's illusion magic, so she dared not speak loudly or make any big movements, for fear that even the slightest movement would expose her.

Are we looking for that Servant in this hospital?

"How is that possible?" Unlike the cautious Ayaka Sajou, Yuuto was quite confident in the black magician's illusion magic, so his voice was no different from Tsuboto's.