A Villain's Journey Begins in the Type-Moon World

"Once I've determined exactly how far the old director's plan has progressed, I can use the Ruined Black Mist to forcibly control him, turning him into a mere tool for building Chaldea. That way, I won't have to worry about ending up in the FGO timeline, and I can travel back and forth between different histories, causing trouble and earning villain points. Hehe, I've been worried about farming points too slowly these days. With Chaldea, won't I be able to do whatever I want?"

After thinking it over, Wang Chong suggested observing the other party. Although Merlin was somewhat puzzled by Wang Chong's actions, he still used his clairvoyance to observe the situation of the Celestial Sovereign. Soon, a scene appeared in front of the two of them. In the scene, the old director, Marisbury, looked quite young, but it seemed that he was entertaining a distinguished guest.

"Hmm?" But when Wang Chong looked at the distinguished guest being entertained, his pupils contracted slightly. It wasn't that he was particularly familiar with the person, but rather that he saw a faint black mist floating around the person—that was his own destructive power.

“Hartles, I sent you to Fuyuki to investigate the Holy Grail, but why has it turned out like this?” Marisbury asked the man in front of him, whose face was completely disfigured, with only his signature long red hair remaining as a distinguishing feature.

"That damned Holy Grail... I don't know what it is, but it has such terrifying power... Maris Billy, as a friend, I advise you not to covet that thing. Even if you, as a monarch, try to touch its power, you'll probably end up like me." A flash of venomous glint appeared in Hartres's eyes, but he quickly put on a painstakingly earnest expression, advising the other party not to covet the Greater Grail.

But Hartles knew that the more he said this, the more Marisbury's interest would be piqued. He was well aware of the other man's ambition; he was eager to seize any opportunity that might help him achieve his grand ambitions.

He never imagined that this collaboration would result in the destruction and contamination of most of the demonic eyes he had collected, rendering them useless. He himself had nearly died and was still resisting that unpredictable and corrosive force. Already psychologically twisted, he naturally harbored hatred for the guy who had almost killed him and wanted to drag him down with him.

"Oh? I'm even more curious now. Could it be that the terrifying power you spoke of is this strange black mist on your body?" Marisbury, looking quite intrigued, approached Hartres and began using his imaginary number magic to probe him. After a moment, he let out a soft exclamation: "It truly possesses a peculiar power... capable of directly absorbing and transforming magical energy to strengthen itself. Has a completely new power system, entirely different from magical energy, appeared in this world?"

“This terrifying power, though weak, is like a leech, difficult to eradicate. I’m afraid the Holy Grail created this power to lock onto me.” Marisbury sighed, then said, “This time I paid a heavy price. In short, you shouldn’t get involved in this mess, Fuyuki. You should also know that the commotion caused by those who survived the Holy Grail War these days is much bigger than you imagined.”

“Hmm… This time it was my intelligence oversight that caused you such a great loss, Hartres. On behalf of the Animusfia family, I express my sincere apologies to you. Bring them up.” Marisbury clapped his hands, and an assistant placed two suitcases in front of Hartres.

"What is this?" Hartres asked, puzzled. He opened the box and found several eyes inside—magic eyes.

“While it’s impossible to completely make up for this loss, these Demon Eyes are still some of the valuable items my Animusfia family can offer. Consider this a token of our apology. What do you think?” Marisbury said with a smile.

"Heh, in that case, I'd be too impolite to refuse." Hartres outwardly feigned gratitude, but inwardly he cursed the so-called Animusfia family. He had suffered such great losses, and they were only going to send him away with a few demonic eyes? Was this all the Animusfia family's resources? So damn stingy!

Although he cursed inwardly, his face showed no disrespect; he dared not confront the other party's resources head-on, being alone. After accepting the "generous" apology, Hartres saw no need to continue the conversation and quickly made an excuse to leave in a hurry.

For a moment, only Maris Billy and his capable assistant remained in the room.

"Master... this Hartres is truly ungrateful. We gave him these Demon Eyes, which is a favor from the family, yet he still dares to show impatience and disgust, thinking he's hiding it well. Moreover, that guy harbors malicious intentions, trying to drag you into this mess. Since he's already severely injured and has no further use, why doesn't the Master just kill him?" the assistant asked.

"Well, at least it brought us some crucial information, didn't it? He's already played a very good role. The secret in that Holy Grail does seem to have a sliver of possibility to me. It's just that the uncontrollability of that power is still a bit lacking... Oh well, maybe I won't be able to realize that vision here for the time being. Let's wait and see."

Marisbury shook his head, sighed, and continued, "The money and resources needed for the entire family right now are simply too much. The construction of Chaldea... is just barely enough. As for the Fuyuki Holy Grail, we'll see about that later."

After that, there was basically no more useful information. Maris Billy went to attend to his own affairs, and it seemed there was nothing more to be gained. Wang Chong nodded, gesturing to Merlin, who had been constantly spying. Merlin also turned off his Clairvoyance and then said, "Hey buddy, what are you planning now? Why are you targeting this guy?"

"Hehe, it's a secret." Wang Chong didn't say much, then got up to leave. "Well, things are pretty much settled now. I'll just say a few words to Artoria and then take her back."

"Ha... well, I don't know if we'll ever see each other again in my lifetime... Waaah, thinking about it makes me quite sad. From now on, I'll really be all alone." Merlin said tearfully.

Chapter 383 They Came to the Door

"Be happy, my king! Remember to eat well! Oh dear—!"

Merlin, holding a handkerchief, was crying as he bid farewell to Artoria. However, because his words were so irritating, before Artoria could even lift a finger, the dutiful Mordred had already pounced on him and given the talkative Merlin a good beating.

"Alright, Mordred, stop fighting. What kind of behavior is this?" Artoria shook her head repeatedly and said.

Now, with Wang Chong's help, Artoria has undergone a baptism of soul materialization. Leaving aside her physical condition, Artoria can clearly feel that the Starry Sea's constraints on her have lessened considerably; entering Wang Chong's dimensional home is no longer a problem.

"Hmph! I've wanted to beat him up for a long time." Mordred clapped his hands, snorted, and immediately returned to the group.

"Ahem... Lord Mordred is as valiant as ever." Merlin got up, shook his head, and said, "I hope that in your happy future days, you will not forget your big brother who has been silently supporting you. Goodbye, everyone."

"Farewell, Lord Merlin." Artoria waved goodbye to Merlin with a touch of melancholy and stepped into the Dimensional House. The others followed her into the Dimensional House, until finally only Wang Chong remained in the entire area.

Wang Chong naturally wouldn't go in. He had his own way of leaving. He said to the system, "System, I still have two teleportation anchor points, right?"

"Yes, teleportation anchors can be placed and teleportation can be initiated wherever the host has been. Where does the host intend to teleport to?" the system asked.

“Of course it’s the heart,” Wang Chong said with a faint smile.

……

Today is destined to be an eventful day for the Clock Tower of the Mage's Association. Several hours ago, the Grand Magic Circuit area of ​​the Spirit Tomb Albion suddenly collapsed, trapping many mages inside. Furthermore, given the existence of a secret treasure, this could potentially impact the mages' progress in collecting rare materials. A large number of mages' experiments and research would be delayed due to insufficient resources. Therefore, the Clock Tower is taking the situation of the Grand Magic Circuit very seriously.

However, after several hours of cleaning, an even more shocking piece of news broke: the dragon's heart, which was of immense research value to the clock tower, in the ancient heart layer had been stolen without anyone noticing.

In an instant, the entire Clock Tower's leadership was utterly enraged. The monarchs, overwhelmed by the incident, abandoned their duties and reconvened to discuss the matter. This disgraceful affair was a direct slap in the face to the Clock Tower. But just as they were about to dispatch the Clock Tower's most skilled magicians to hunt them down, even more terrifying news reached their ears—the Observatory's Carleon and the Sealing Designated Execution Department had been completely annihilated.

The chilling news hit these monarchs like a bucket of cold water… While the Sealing Designated Execution Department wasn't the most magically gifted or strongest group in the Clock Tower… their combat prowess was undoubtedly among the elite. Yet, this very group had been utterly wiped out. Rumor had it that the enemy hadn't even used any special abilities; they had simply torn apart their magic circles with sheer physical strength.

Thus, the monarchs also saw the footage provided by Calion: a man and a woman, both wearing cat masks, utterly slaughtered their way through Calion. The woman's astonishing punch, in particular, silenced everyone present.

"Gentlemen, what do you think about this matter? Let's discuss it," one of them said.

"What's the point of discussing this? Do whatever you want, but don't drag me into it. I have important matters to attend to."

No one present was a fool. The moment they saw that inhuman power, they understood many things. Some of the smart ones even realized who the pair was.

"He clearly promised not to provoke us... but what has he done now? Does he really think he can get away with it without anyone noticing?" someone said angrily.

"Hmph, what do you think he wore the mask for? Did he really think we wouldn't notice? Just to give us some face and a way out. Damn alien... and those people from the Holy Church deserve to die too... If they hadn't dragged that person into this, we wouldn't be in such a pathetic situation." Another person said angrily.

"Quiet, everyone. We're not gathered here to yell and vent our emotions. You're all quite old, yet you act like children. It seems that after all these years of rest and recuperation, your mindset has become quite youthful."

Just then, Magdaniel Transberio, the head of the Transberio family, one of the three noble families that control the clock tower, spoke up to smooth things over, cooling the atmosphere and allowing everyone to calm down and think things through.

"Given the current situation, we can't do anything to that person for the time being, so we might as well be more decisive and completely block the news. At least for now, it's still an internal matter for us... If the Holy Church makes any moves, then we can just ask them if they can take responsibility for that Lady White Princess." At this moment, Inolei Baruyereta, the female monarch of the Baruyereta family, one of the three noble families, also spoke up.

"In the end, the Bureau of Unseen Corpses is actually to blame for such a big incident... Hehe, as the saying goes, the capable should take the lead. Since the Bureau of Unseen Corpses cannot solve this matter on its own, why don't we lend a hand? What do you all think?" Marg Daniel said with a smile.

Seeing that the two prominent noble figures wanted to temporarily set aside the matter, the other monarchs naturally didn't say anything more. The direction of the meeting was thus decided, and all that remained were some details to be dealt with.

Not long after, the magicians of various families began to take action. Each monarch had their own ulterior motives and used this incident to launch an attack on the Bureau of Unseen Corpses. If they couldn't deal with the culprit, they might as well use this incident to take back the power of the Bureau of Unseen Corpses, which had originally been separated from the control of the three major noble families.

Ultimately, the three noble families saw things very clearly. Since the other party had approached the Bureau of Unearth Dissection rather than their own families, they would naturally turn a blind eye to the matter. Moreover, if they could regain control of the Bureau of Unearth Dissection, which had slipped from their control, the three noble families would be grateful for the other party's meddling.

As for the heart? Anyway, they haven't been able to break through the dragon bone for so many years, so its use to them is very limited. Let's just consider it a gift for the other party.

……

"Heh, those guys from the three noble families are as rotten as ever. But... is it the power of that black mist again? This meeting isn't a complete waste of time; it might actually be some good news. I should write it down."

At this moment, Maris Billy, who had just finished attending the meeting, returned to his house and walked into his study while talking to himself.

"Oh? Record it? I'd like to know, what is the purpose of the monarch of the Astronomical Department wanting my information recorded?" Just then, a voice unfamiliar to Marisbury came from the study.

"Come in, monarch of the Celestial Sciences, Marisbury. There's no need to hide. Now that I'm here, you can't escape," the voice said.

Chapter 384 Too Smooth

Pushing open the door, he found himself in his original seat, occupied by a young man who looked exactly like him. However, the moment the man's face came into view, Marisbury knew who had approached him.

"I wonder what brings Honorary Advisor Wang Chong to my home?" Marisbury asked.

"Heh... Honorary Advisor? Is this the title you're giving me? Well, whatever..." Wang Chong clapped his hands, not particularly concerned, and then said, "But, Monarch of the Astrophysics Department, do you always like to answer other people's questions with questions?"

"Gathering information is just something I do in my spare time. The magic world is actually quite small, and that's why we have to be careful when dealing with interpersonal relationships. Mr. Wang Chong is a new addition to the Clock Tower and has demonstrated his great power to us. Gathering some information, understanding his likes and dislikes, and getting some basic information should be considered human nature."

Marisbury's words downplayed the matter lightly. Gathering intelligence is something everyone does, so for him, it was a matter of varying magnitude. Marisbury pondered the other party's current attitude; he could sense their ill intent.

"Heh, that's only human nature. So, even before I came to the Mage's Association, you were already coveting my power, and even sent people to Fuyuki City to investigate? Is this what you mean by 'it's only human nature for a newcomer to know basic information'? Could it be that the monarch of the Astronomical Department, like the astrologer, can observe celestial phenomena and predict the future, and knew long ago that I could reside in the Clock Tower?" Wang Chong said with a sneer.

Marisbury's eyes flickered; he was somewhat surprised that the other party had launched an attack because of this matter. It seemed that the strange power also possessed the ability to detect, and his probing attack today had resulted in someone following the clues and capturing him.

However, compared to this matter, Marisbury was actually more concerned about the other person's last words. He wasn't sure if the other person was deliberately mocking him with the astrologer's theories, or... if they knew something.

“Mr. Wang Chong, the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki has indeed claimed the life of one of my Clock Tower’s monarchs. Given the death of one of my Clock Tower’s monarchs, it is natural that we must investigate. If my men were too rude and offended you, I hope you will forgive them. I also wish to offer a small apology as a token of my remorse,” Marisbury said after careful consideration.

"An apology... Heh, Patriarch Marisbury, even if I wanted something, your family couldn't afford it right now." Recalling what he had seen earlier, Wang Chong had witnessed how meager the other party's "apology" was. While the Demon Eye was rare, you're supposed to be a family with over a thousand years of history, and this is all you've accumulated over a thousand years? It was truly astonishing.

“Alright, Patriarch Marisbury, since I’ve come to you of my own accord, I won’t say anything more. I’m here to discuss a collaboration, a collaboration with you, Marisbury, and with your Animusfia family,” Wang Chong said calmly.

"Cooperation?" Marisbury frowned slightly, then asked, "What kind of cooperation?"

"I heard you're building a huge facility, but the funds required are astronomical... and it involves all sorts of conditions, such as the full assistance of the Tesla Institute and secret techniques at the level of the Clock Tower monarch... Am I wrong?" Wang Chong said calmly.

"...Sir, do you wish to collaborate with me on the construction of Chaldea?" Marisbury asked.

“That’s right. I can provide you with funds that you can’t have, as well as all sorts of rare materials as assistance. I can definitely help you make this happen.”

After speaking, Wang Chong waved his hand, and a golden halo opened from above, causing countless gold coins to rain down, piling up into a small mountain of gold in front of Marisbury. Then, Wang Chong took out several corpses of fantasy creatures he had previously harvested in the Spirit Tomb and the Starry Sea from his system space and laid them on the floor. He looked every bit the nouveau riche.

"Well? This is just the tip of the iceberg. Are you qualified to become my partner?" Wang Chong walked out of Jinshan and stood directly in front of Maris Billy, speaking to him face to face.

However, it must be said that seeing this scene did indeed tempt Marisbury, as this was precisely what his Animusfia family needed most at the moment. But the more he saw it, the more Marisbury felt it was a hot potato, and he feared it wouldn't be so easy to swallow.

"Sir, your generosity is beyond mere kindness, is it? What price will my Animusfia family have to pay?" Marisbury was not tempted by the enormous benefits that were within his grasp, and met Wang Chong's gaze with a slight smile.

"It's simple, all you need to do is accept a gift..." At that moment, endless black mist rose from Wang Chong's body, enveloping both of them. Upon seeing this, Marisbury's expression changed, and he said, "You want to completely corrupt and assimilate me? So I can become your loyal hound?"

"Hehe, the monarch of the Celestial Sciences is indeed quite insightful. With just a test, you have already discerned some of the nature of my power. Aren't you very interested in my power? Then why don't you carefully experience the gifts that this power brings?"

Wang Chong used black mist to directly entangle Marisbury, binding him. He then said, "Don't even think about resisting. Since I've set my sights on you, I'm already prepared to take you down completely. Today, you will be completely under my control no matter what. If you follow me, I will still give your Animusfia family a chance to realize your grand ambitions. But if you resist stubbornly, I don't mind using you as my tools forever, so that you can never rise again."

“Heh, it seems… I have no choice but to pledge allegiance? But I have a question that I don’t understand. Apart from the recently deceased Kenneth, there are many powerful figures among the eleven monarchs. If we’re talking about who should be the first to act, it would be those three noble families. Why target someone as insignificant as me?” Marisbury said.

“Firstly, I need Chaldea; it’s useful to me. Secondly, others may not know about you, Marisbury, but I know you very well… the three great noble families are merely maintaining the status quo. But you are different; you have ambition and the talent to wreak havoc on the entire world. That’s why I can only feel at ease if I completely control you,” Wang Chong said.

Although Wang Chong quit FGO after Chapter 1.5, he had some knowledge of the subsequent storylines (most of which involved the development of attractive waifu characters). While he wasn't entirely clear on the old director's background, he generally knew one thing: the truth behind Grand Order and the Incineration of Humanity, as well as the mastermind behind the 2.0 storyline, were all connected to this person before him.

In other words, this is a madman who dares to scheme against even King Solomon and Goetia. If it weren't for wanting them to uncover Chaldea's secrets, it would have been easier to just kill this madman.

Fortunately, he possessed the power of the broken black mist, which allowed him to directly and forcefully control the other party. This was one of the few times Wang Chong had directly and forcefully used his power to brainwash him. He didn't think he had the means to tame this madman and make him loyal to him. Unlike Kirei Kotomine, who was also a madman, Kirei Kotomine at least had a period of confusion, which could be guided at the right time.

"Hehehe... a talent enough to wreak havoc on the entire world. I'll take it as a compliment from Mr. Wang Chong." After hearing Wang Chong's words, Marisbury chuckled twice, then raised his head and said, "Then... let's say Mr. Wang Chong wins this time."

Having said that, Maris Billy closed his eyes, allowing Wang Chong's black mist to engulf and devour him. Wang Chong was somewhat surprised to find that the other party had actually opened his mind, allowing his own destructive power to brainwash him.

Soon after, Wang Chong withdrew his power, and Marisbury opened his eyes, bowing respectfully to Wang Chong and saying, "Lord Wang Chong..."

Wang Chong's gaze towards Maris Billy deepened. He was certain of Maris Billy's loyalty—a perfect 100%, without a doubt. However, the overly smooth progress and Maris Billy's last words left Wang Chong with a vague feeling that something was amiss.

Could a mastermind who even King Solomon and Goetia had schemed against really be so easily controlled by me?

"Marisbury, now that you've submitted to me as your master, don't you have anything to say?" Seeing this, Wang Chong prepared to question him directly to see what kind of conspiracy he was plotting. Logically speaking... no matter how strong Marisbury is, surely his loyalty display shouldn't have fooled even the system, right?

Chapter 385 Advice from the Gemstone Elder

"I wonder what it is you wish to ask, sir?" Marisbury asked.

"Regarding your last sentence, I consider myself the winner this time... What do you mean by that? Are you hiding some kind of trick?" Wang Chong asked directly.

“My lord, I only said this to remind you to keep your promise,” Marisbury said. “As you said before, if we do not resist, it will give my Animusfia family the opportunity to realize our grand ambition. As for me personally, and as for the Animusfia family, we have indeed lost this time. But the grand ambition we pursue has also come a step closer with your help, my lord… it’s just a matter of waiting a little longer.”

"As long as our grand ambition can be realized, then for us, whether we swear allegiance or resort to any means necessary, the result will be our victory." After saying this, Marisbury bowed to Wang Chong again and said:

"Even before being baptized by your power, sir, I may have harbored resentment. But now, after your baptism, my mind is clear. Therefore, sir, you need not worry about our betrayal. We will be loyal to you and do our duty to the best of our ability. We implore you to grant us the opportunity to realize our vision."

Upon hearing Marisbury's words, Wang Chong was momentarily unable to make a definitive judgment. Loyalty hadn't lied; even the decaying power residing within him confirmed that the other man wasn't lying.

"Could it be that I'm just being paranoid?" The feeling of unease in Wang Chong's heart hadn't completely disappeared, but for the time being, he hadn't noticed anything amiss.

"Let's prepare some precautions." Wang Chong's eyes flickered slightly, and he channeled more black mist into Marisbury's body. This way, he would have a clear understanding of the opponent's movements. After making these arrangements, Wang Chong said, "Alright, I only have one request for you: establish Chaldea as quickly as possible. If you need money or resources, just come to me."

Having finished speaking, Wang Chong saw no need to stay any longer and decided to leave. Marisbury followed behind, ready to see him off. As they passed the living room, Wang Chong suddenly heard the sound of a baby crying. His eyes widened, and he looked in the direction of the sound. Marisbury, coming up from behind, said, "Hehe, that's my daughter's room. She must be hungry at this hour."

"My daughter?" Wang Chong looked at Marisbury, recalled the age of the young, white-haired director, and immediately understood.

“Yes, my daughter was born this year. And today, my Animusfia family received your assistance, so it seems my daughter is indeed a lucky star for our Animusfia family,” Marisbury said with a smile. “Would you like me to bring my daughter out?”

"No need... no, let's bring her out to see her anyway." After thinking it over carefully, Wang Chong finally had Marisbury bring out Olga Marie, the future second director of Chaldea who didn't survive the prologue.

Looking at the infant girl still in her swaddling clothes, Wang Chong turned his back and gently touched Olga Marie's brow, channeling a bit of power into her. He didn't intend to use the power of ruin for anything strange; on the contrary, Wang Chong was essentially giving Olga Marie a life-saving "talisman." Perhaps it would activate successfully someday under unexpected circumstances. Of course, this was also a backup plan Wang Chong had arranged to monitor Maris Billy.

Because his movements of turning his back and then back were so quick, it looked as if Wang Chong was merely interested in the child and had simply carried him around. Afterward, Wang Chong handed the baby to the maid and turned to Marisbury, saying, "I'll come visit again if I have the chance."

"Respectfully seeing you off, sir," Marisbury said respectfully.

……

"This is really annoying. There haven't been any unusual reports from over there yet." Wang Chong had been away from Animusfia's house for some time now, and he was wandering aimlessly through the streets. He then found a bench and sat down to carefully review all the conversations he had had with the family head since he first met him.

However, no useful information was found, and after being affected by his own dilapidated black mist, Marisbury seemed to have lost his previous leisurely attitude and began to focus entirely on how to quickly build Chaldea.

"Young friend, you've gone a bit too far." Just then, a familiar old man's voice rang out beside Wang Chong.

"Hey old man, when you show up next time, please give us a heads-up, otherwise it's really scary," Wang Chong complained.

"No one is scarier than you, kid. You really have quite the airs, causing such a commotion in Albion, the Tomb of the Dead. Have you forgotten all the things you promised me?" The newcomer was none other than Zelrich, who quietly took his seat next to Wang Chong using the Second Law.

"You've misunderstood me. I haven't broken any agreement."

"Oh? Could it be that the matter of the Grand Magic Circuit and the Ancient Dragon's Heart is something you wished upon, kid?"

"I didn't do the Grand Magic Circuit thing. I saw Arcueid shatter it with one punch. You only told me not to provoke them, and I behaved myself. As for the Ancient Dragon Heart, it's a matter of the capable. When did that heart become something of the Clock Tower? They couldn't open that bone for thousands of years. My Arcueid had the ability to open it, and now they won't let us take it? To put it bluntly, if you're occupying a position without doing your business, don't blame me for kicking it over and getting there first," Wang Chong said with a smile.

"...Has anyone ever told you that gigolos are awful?" Zelrich was speechless at Wang Chong's words, and finally glared at Wang Chong before suddenly saying.

"Hey, a gigolo? I'd love to know if anyone else could fight Arcueid in close combat for almost an hour to earn this opportunity," Wang Chong said with a hint of pride.