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

Dr. Roman explained:

"This is very bad... That Hunnic king was the main cause of the Western Roman Empire's demise, and he also caused the Eastern Roman Empire to be in a state of decline for many years. In a sense, he symbolized the end of Rome."

"As you all know, Servants receive certain enhancements due to legends. For example, some heroes have legends of slaying dragons, so their combat power is greatly enhanced when facing dragon-like creatures. Siegfried is the best example."

"Similarly, Attila, symbolizing the end of Rome's fate, will naturally receive the same boost when dealing with anything related to Rome... Of course, that's not the most terrifying thing. Compared to the end of Rome's fate, Attila also symbolizes the destroyer of civilization and the end of the world..."

"You mean, Mr. Wang Chong intends to use Attila to completely destroy this singularity?" Ritsuka asked with a somewhat grim expression after hearing these two attributes.

"It's highly likely... that Attila might become stronger the more civilizations he destroys... but these are just speculations for now, and we'll only know for sure after tomorrow's official battle."

Dr. Roman said, "At least according to the intelligence provided by Archer and the others, the opponent is stronger than Mordred."

“Even stronger than Mordred…” Ritsuka felt as if another mountain was pressing down on her shoulders. She had finally overcome Mordred, and now an even stronger being had appeared.

And all of this is based solely on the followers under Wang Chong's command. From beginning to end, Wang Chong hasn't really made a move.

"Can I really defeat Mr. Wang Chong? Can I really change the fate of Rome's destruction?"

Ritsuka clenched her fists. Just defeating Mordred had already exhausted her entire strength, even using up two Command Seals. Now, did she really have enough confidence to lead everyone to defeat Wang Chong?

Seemingly sensing Ritsuka's nervousness, Dr. Roman comforted her, "Well, Ritsuka, don't worry. You need to heal your injuries first, and then we can make further judgments once the rest of the team has arrived."

"Yes, senior, you've been worrying about too many things. You should take a good rest and relax your mind."

Mashu also offered words of comfort from the side.

"I just heard from Mr. Archer that Ritsuka has woken up." Just then, a still energetic and cheerful voice came from outside the door, and then Nero walked into the room with a happy smile.

"Hmm! I knew it! A warrior as fearless as Ritsuka could never be defeated! If possible, after this is over, I really want to appoint Ritsuka as my great general of the Roman Empire."

Nero praised it without any reservation.

"No, I was just driving the chariot and crashed into it without thinking... I even damaged Miss Kadi's mount. I haven't even had a chance to apologize to Miss Kadi yet."

Ritsuka scratched her head sheepishly and said...

"Sigh, now that things have come to this, is Ritsuka still going to keep it from me?" Nero sighed as he heard Ritsuka say this.

"Eh...wh...what do you mean?" Ritsuka asked, scratching her head.

“Although I don’t quite remember the queen’s face, I have a very clear impression of her chariot,” Nero said slowly.

Ritsuka then realized that because Boudica had used her chariot, Nero had recognized her.

Nero said:

“You underestimate my magnanimity. Now that Rome is facing a life-or-death crisis, why would I care about past grievances? Besides, I have already spoken with Queen Boudica… To be honest, I admit that her fate was my responsibility, caused by my mismanagement of my soldiers and the fostering of unhealthy practices.”

"I have also accepted Queen Boudica's challenge. Once this disaster is over, in recognition of her aid to Rome, I am willing to have a fair duel with her to settle this score once and for all."

"Your Majesty Nero... are you willing to risk your life in a duel with Lady Boudica? You've worked so hard to win the final battle tomorrow, and you've managed to keep Rome alive, yet you're willing to gamble your life on this high-stakes gamble?"

Mashu couldn't help but ask.

"Haha, I am not afraid. Whether I live or die, I have led Rome through this crisis, and I have fulfilled my duty as emperor. Even if I die tomorrow, as long as Rome still exists, what do I have to worry about? Besides, I may not necessarily lose," Nero said with a confident smile.

“But what if Rome is gone…” Ritsuka asked somewhat abruptly, and realizing her mistake, she quickly waved her hand and said, “I’m sorry, Your Majesty Nero, that’s not what I meant…”

“Rome will not perish…” Nero said with a glint in his eyes.

"Ritsuka, even if Rome fought to the last moment, shedding all its blood and losing all its people, Rome will never perish. Because we have already left the most glorious and brilliant mark on the human world and even on human history."

"Perhaps a thousand years from now, the main body of the Roman nation will be destroyed for various reasons. However, the spirit of the Romans and the culture of the Romans will be remembered by the world forever and passed down from generation to generation."

"So this is the empire that will never perish! We emperors fight for such an eternal empire! Until the very last moment! We may be defeated, but we will never be destroyed."

"This is the Romans' determination! Victory or defeat—we'll fight to the bitter end!" Nero said with a smile, clenching his fist.

Ritsuka stared blankly at Nero's outstretched fist. She understood... she shouldn't be thinking about victory or defeat. All she needed to do was what she had done today, and what she had always done.

Show your will and do your best; that's enough.

"I understand, Your Majesty Nero. I will fight with all my might alongside Rome! Ouch! That hurts!" Ritsuka raised her arm to bump fists with Nero, which aggravated her wound.

"Hahaha, Ritsuka, you should focus on healing your injuries. I'm going to go and give the other little brats a lecture too. They need to understand this principle." (The rest of the text appears to be unrelated and possibly machine-generated gibberish.)

Nero stood up, laughed heartily, then waved goodbye to the two people present and left the room.

Chapter 154: Lord El-Melloi II

"What an amazing emperor... always so confident and influencing those around him. I never imagined that the cruel tyrant in history would have such a side. Indeed, history written by people... cannot be entirely trusted."

After a moment of reflection, Dr. Roman turned to Ritsuka and Mashu and said again:

"Ritsuka, Mashu, you two should rest and recuperate. I need to do some more research on Attila to make sure you are well prepared."

“Okay, doctor, you can go ahead. We can take a break too,” Mashu nodded in reply.

And so, Ritsuka began to recuperate while using her magic to heal her body.

Time passed slowly, and it was already afternoon. At this moment, Romulus, the ancestor of the gods, and the emperors of the other three kingdoms arrived in Rome, gathering their last forces to face the final test of the day.

The six emperors met formally this time and went to hold a war council for the final battle tomorrow. Ritsuka, who had recovered enough to get out of bed and walk, was led by Mash to get acquainted with the Servants from other countries.

"I've heard that you're the Master from the future, right? I heard that today you risked your life driving your chariot to ram that Divine Punisher, turning the tide of the battle. Hehe, I really admire a warrior like you. Interested in joining my ranks and embarking on a new journey together?"

A very cheerful voice rang out, and Ritsuka looked over to see a handsome young man with red hair standing there.

"Ha... Your Majesty, you're being reckless again. In any case, we can only exist in this era temporarily. Once the crisis of this era is over, we will have to go back."

Just then, a somewhat dejected voice rang out, and the person who came out was a man with long black hair who looked like he wasn't sleeping well.

"Oh, teacher, let's make a good impression today. Who knows, maybe one day you'll have the chance to join my ranks?" The handsome young man continued talking to himself, then suddenly seemed to realize something and quickly said:

"Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Alexander, the great emperor you're thinking of, but the version of me that was summoned here is a younger version of myself."

"My name is El-Melloi II... I should have been a modern magician like you. I should have been dead, but for some reason, I was possessed by Zhuge Liang, the famous prime minister of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of ancient China, and became a kind of Demi-Servant."

El-Melloi II, also known as the mature Waver, spoke.

"Are you also a Demi-Servant?" Mash asked in surprise, as this was the first time she had encountered someone similar to herself.

"Hmm, this little girl must also be a Demi-Servant possessed by some kind of Servant, right? She must know about my situation. We can both use the power of the Servants we possess."

Weber nodded and began to speak.

"Hello, Master of Chaldea, Fujimaru Ritsuka, this is my companion Mash. Nice to meet you." Ritsuka replied very politely.

"Wait! You just said you were El-Melloi II, right? But that monarch, El-Melloi II?" Just then, Dr. Roman, who had rushed over carrying a large pile of books and documents, hurriedly asked through the communication system.

“Yes, you’re the head of Chaldea, right? That makes it no surprise that you’ve heard of me,” Waver stated, unsurprised.

"I never expected to see you here... This might solve a pressing problem," Dr. Roman said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Doctor, is this Lord El-Melloi II some kind of important figure?" Ritsuka asked, as she was unfamiliar with the common knowledge of the magic world.

“Yes, he certainly has a very prominent position in the world of magic... but that’s not the point. The point is that this Lord El-Melloi II is a Master who participated in the Fourth Fuyuki Holy Grail War and survived.” Dr. Roman said very seriously.

"The Fourth Holy Grail War... Could it be!?" Suddenly, Ritsuka seemed to remember something, and a look of surprise appeared on her face.

“That’s right… it’s the Holy Grail War in which Mr. Wang Chong won. Your Majesty, you must know Mr. Wang Chong very well, right? Could you tell me a little about his experience in the Fourth Holy Grail War?” Dr. Roman asked very seriously.

"Mr. Wang Chong... the Fourth Holy Grail War, truly a memory to cherish." Waver's expression turned wistful as he looked up at the distant wall of black mist and sighed.

"Back then, he was shrouded in black mist, so much so that all of us Masters thought Mr. Wang Chong was a Servant, not a magician. His power was just too mysterious, and there was no trace of magic in his eyes."

After saying this, Waver looked around and then said slowly, "This is not a place for discussion. Let's find a quieter place to talk in detail. Just you and Miss Mash."

“Your Majesty, please wait a moment. I have some dealings with these people, so I need to catch up with them,” Weber said, turning to the young Alexander.

“Well, that just so happens I wanted to catch up with my old nemesis. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” Alexander pointed to a dark-skinned “African” in the distance and said with a smile.

“It’s good that you’re mentally prepared… Well then, you two from Chaldea, please step forward.” Waver gestured for them to proceed.

……

"I apologize for bringing you two here alone. This matter is of great importance and cannot be known to any of our followers or Romans."

After finding a secluded corner and making sure no one was around, Weber confessed.

"It's understandable that the Romans weren't told, but why weren't the followers allowed to be informed either?" Dr. Roman asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Because we can't guarantee that there might be some spies planted by Mr. Wang Chong among these followers..." Waver said slowly.

"A hidden trick? There's actually such a thing? But you even doubt Alexander, who fought alongside you for several days?" Ritsuka frowned, but she wasn't surprised, because this wasn't the first time Wang Chong had done something like this.

What Ritsuka didn't expect was that Weber would even be wary of an ally like Alexander. (The rest of the text appears to be unrelated and possibly machine-generated gibberish.)

“I can guarantee that Alexander is not Mr. Wang Chong’s secret weapon, but I cannot guarantee that it might be some other secret weapon.”

Weber shook his head and said:

"Perhaps you should have some idea that Mr. Wang Chong seems to be dealing with a higher-level being. Otherwise, why would he keep going through this so-called battle royale when he clearly has the strength to wipe out Rome in one fell swoop?"

"He needs some time to prepare, or perhaps he could achieve something else by gradually eroding Rome. I can't think of any other reason why that old friend would do this."

"But regardless, it's enough to prove that there's some unknown force at play. And this force must be inextricably linked to these summoned Servants. That's why I need to be so careful in revealing this information to you. Because doing so is not only protecting us, but also protecting my old friend."

"Are you planning to protect Mr. Wang Chong?" Ritsuka asked, somewhat incredulously.

"Well, perhaps it's to repay a favor, or perhaps it's because I don't really think that gentleman is the kind of guy who would do something like destroying the world," Weber said directly, without any concealment.

"Let me tell you about the Fourth Holy Grail War... After you hear my story, you may understand why I think this way. After I finish explaining everything, you must also tell me the information you have found."

Weber said slowly, "I may not have any other skills, but with the help of that Mr. Kongming, I may be able to deduce unexpected answers when it comes to divination."

Chapter 155: Weber's View

After some explanation and discussion, the Chaldeans gained a better understanding of the Fourth Holy Grail War and Wang Chong. Waver also learned about the changes in Wang Chong over the years and the intelligence they had gathered in the Roman region.

"I see. I think I understand Mr. Wang Chong's purpose now."

Weber said slowly:

"Wanting revenge for Renli's betrayal... that does make some sense. In my memory, Mr. Wang Chong was indeed a vengeful person who would never suffer any loss."

"But to say that this is his real purpose... that's debatable."

"Huh? Really? Do you mean he won't destroy the singularity or take revenge on humanity?" Ritsuka couldn't help but ask.

“That’s impossible… I’m just saying that’s not his ultimate goal.” Waver said slowly. “You just heard me recount the Fourth Holy Grail War. Just like no one would have guessed that he was the mastermind behind the Holy Grail, he had actually been in control of everything for a long time.”

"The reason he continues to play the Holy Grail War with us like it's nothing is actually to stall for time in order to bring about the birth of something," Waver said slowly.

"To facilitate something? What is it?" Ritsuka asked, puzzled.

“I never understood this before. Because I couldn’t see the whole picture of the Holy Grail War either. However, when I combined what happened in this singularity with what you discovered about Alaya and the Contractors, the two things together made it clear to me.”

Weber pondered carefully and said:

"That is to find and kill the [Contractor] sent down by Alaya and completely eliminate Alaya's influence."

"Huh? You mean, the reason he's been dragging this out for so long is just to find Alaya's [Contractor] and kill him? Isn't that a huge waste of his talent?" Dr. Roman couldn't help but ask.

"No, this is very important. I'll get straight to the point. The Holy Grail War has been a war without a result from the very beginning. Based on my many years of research, any magician who wants to pursue the Root will be hindered by something called the Counter Force."

"The Holy Grail offers a shortcut to obtaining the Third Law. This has always been the long-cherished wish of the Einzbern family, one of the original three great families. Unfortunately, precisely because of this, it is bound to be hindered by Alaya."

"Therefore, if someone wants to obtain the Holy Grail and achieve a similar effect to reaching the Root, that person must defeat the [Contractors] sent by Alaya and completely eliminate Alaya's influence on the Holy Grail War."

"That's why, during the Fourth Holy Grail War, even though he obtained the Holy Grail, he didn't end the war immediately. Because before eliminating the two aforementioned entities, there were simply too many variables."

"However, whether it's finding and killing the [Contractor] or eliminating Alaya's influence in some way we don't yet know, he needs ample time. This was evident in both the Holy Grail War and this Singularity."

Mashu seemed a little confused, nodded, and then asked:

"So, to summarize, in this singularity, Mr. El-Melloi, Mr. Wang Chong also orchestrated this destruction of the singularity simply to kill the [Contractor] and eliminate Alaya's influence?"

"No, didn't I just say that what he really wanted in the Fourth Holy Grail War was the Third Magic? You've all seen how powerful those Servants were after casting the Third Magic, haven't you?"

Weber shook his head and explained, "What I mean is, he killed the [Contractor] and eliminated Alaya's influence in order to do something terrible. These two things must be resolved before he can proceed further."

“It’s terrifying. Is there anything more frightening than the goal of destroying humanity and singularities?” Ritsuka couldn’t help but say.

"I don't know... because I always feel like I'm missing a crucial piece of information. But one thing I'm very clear about is that taking revenge on humanity is just a side thing to him. As I said, I've had some contact with him... that guy is extremely enthusiastic about power. The Third Law is like that... and I've asked Marshal Zelrich about it too."

Weber slowly said, "I can assure you of one thing: the former Mr. Wang Chong, while terrifying, was definitely not as strong as he is now. Or rather, with the passage of time, that Mr. Wang Chong has only grown stronger!"

"And this singularity's style feels all too familiar to me. His ultimate goal is likely related to obtaining some kind of power. The so-called revenge might just be something he's doing in the meantime. Even without this incident, he would still have targeted Alaya."

"What power did I gain..." Ritsuka asked, looking down.

"That's why I think Mr. Wang Chong doesn't really want to destroy this singularity. In fact, in my understanding, Mr. Wang Chong is neither a good person nor a bad person... In a sense, he is a very pure egoist."

Weber said, "And he cares deeply for his family. Even if he were truly seeking revenge against Alaya, he would only be targeting Alaya itself. I don't think he would do something like destroying humanity to directly eliminate Alaya."

"After all, his family members aren't all vicious thugs who want to destroy the world. No matter what, he has to consider the people he likes."