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

He weighed the gleaming golden Holy Grail in his hand, and his thoughts became clearer:

"Drake possesses the [Era Grail], and Jason holds the [Singularity Grail], which is closely connected to the origin of this singularity... Once these three are collected, the second requirement of the main quest: collecting the Grails will be achieved."

The system interface replied, "That's true. Of these mission requirements, only mission requirement 3, 'Subduing all pirate forces in the singularity,' will require you to put in more effort and time to plan."

"However, didn't you already assign this task to the people on Noah's Ark? They seem to be making quite good progress."

"Yes, judging from the conversation between Medea and Hector that I overheard, they did a great job spreading the false information that 'the Eye of the Tide sacrifices the goddess to obtain the power of the sea god.'"

Wang Chong's lips curled into a knowing smile as he continued, "This news has convinced almost every prominent pirate force in this sea area, and they've even flocked to it."

"This way, it will be easier for me to wipe out these pirate forces in one fell swoop. It will save me from running around and wasting too much time."

After saying that, he chuckled and added with a slightly teasing tone:

"However, even the best plans can have unexpected twists. I didn't expect that this plan to spread false information would inadvertently lead Blackbeard Teach to believe it as well, causing him to rush to the Eye of the Tides ahead of schedule and almost successfully 'intercept' Artemis..."

It turns out that the news that claimed that by offering sacrifices to the goddess in the Sea of ​​Tides one could receive the sea god's blessing and become the strongest in the sea was actually carefully fabricated and spread by the Noah's Ark force under Wang Chong's command!

As for its purpose, it was twofold: first, to confuse the public, disrupt the judgment and actions of those on the Agor, and attract their attention; and second, to pave a shortcut for Wang Chong to efficiently subdue all pirate forces.

"Although there was a slight unexpected incident along the way, host, you have now successfully 'collected' almost all of the female Servants you summoned in this singularity and brought them aboard your ship."

The system analysis stated:

"Besides the two female Servants on the Agor, Drake is probably the only female Servant left who is currently out of the loop. Once you bring her into your fold, your collection goal will be complete."

"...Uh, I have to collect Drake too?" Upon hearing the system's reminder, Wang Chong's expression instantly became somewhat subtle and troubled, as if he was conjuring up some unpleasant imagery.

"Ahem..." The system seemed to read his mind, letting out a light cough with a mischievous glint in its eye, and explained in a "I understand you" tone:

"Host, what you mean by 'collecting' is actually getting the target on board and making them a member of your force. It doesn't mean you need to... uh, completely take over the target. Please make sure you understand this distinction."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, female Servants like Drake and Katniss not only have very "manly" personalities, but they also have solid, powerful, and muscular physiques, which is... far beyond Wang Chong's personal aesthetic preferences.

It's fair to say that both their personalities and appearances made Wang Chong feel "unable to bring himself to do it." Since the system clearly stated that the mission would be completed simply by having them become his crew members, things became much simpler.

He has plenty of ways to get them to board the ship "voluntarily" or "forcedly".

Thinking of this, Wang Chong's thoughts drifted to the lower deck of the ship. He remembered his previous "spoils of war."

"They should still be unconscious before the power I imposed on them is lifted."

Wang Chong estimated the time, thinking to himself, "It's already evening; the victory celebration banquet will be held soon..."

"...How about this? Let's deal with one of them first, and then attend the banquet. We can deal with the other one after the banquet."

Having made up his mind, Wang Chong got up and prepared to leave Sajo Ayaka's room. He had just reached out and grasped the doorknob, gently pulling open the door, when he unexpectedly found two people standing in the doorway.

"Aige? Elizabeth? What are you two doing standing guard outside the door?" Seeing the two of them standing guard at the door like two gatekeepers, Wang Chong couldn't help but find it a little funny, so he asked with a smile.

"Because I happened to see His Highness the Prince circulating his power in the room, transforming the sacred power of the sacred protective array, that's why Aigo specially stood guard at the door."

Upon hearing Wang Chong's words, Sajou Aika quickly turned around, her face bearing her usual gentle smile, her tone completely matter-of-fact:

"After all, protecting His Highness the Prince and preventing any possible interference is naturally Aika's duty. Especially..."

Sajou Aika paused meaningfully, implying, "We need to prevent some overly romantic witch from accidentally barging in and disturbing you at a crucial moment when your power is at its peak, right?"

"You're very thoughtful..." Wang Chong nodded, accepting the explanation, and then asked, "How was it? How did your communication with the new Moon Goddess go? What was your impression?"

Sajō Aika tilted her head slightly and gave a remarkably accurate assessment:

"That goddess? Although she seems to be a 'love-struck' person on the surface, with silly words and actions, she is exceptionally sharp and intelligent when it comes to serious matters and key information."

"Moreover, the goddess Artemis seems to have descended into this singularity with her own memories, and seems to have heard of and know about Your Highness's deeds in other singularities."

“That’s not all! That guy’s intuition is also quite terrifying!” Elizabeth immediately added from the side, her tone tinged with a hint of vigilance. “She seems to have already begun to doubt Miss Aika’s Servant status… Although she has temporarily put her doubts aside, I still feel that she’s not so easily fooled.”

Chapter 572 Mary Reid Imprisoned (Part 1)

"I see……"

A knowing glint flashed in Wang Chong's eyes, followed by a confident smile playing on his lips:

"Ha, but what good is her intelligence and shrewdness? She probably never dreamed that her precious boyfriend would be consumed by lust..."

"Orion, this chess piece, has already entered the game willingly and is deeply entangled in it. Even with her extraordinary wisdom, she cannot stop a gambler whose mind has been consumed by greed and who has completely lost his reason."

After speaking, Wang Chong reached out, his hands conveying a sense of approval and reassurance. He first gently patted the two women's shoulders, then habitually ruffled their hair. The gestures were natural and affectionate, especially his ruffled hair on Sajou Aika, which showed a hint of doting affection.

"Thank you for your hard work in gathering information. And thank you for keeping watch outside for so long. Now, get ready to relax and enjoy the victory celebration tonight," Wang Chong said gently.

"And what about you, Master? Aren't you coming along?" Elizabeth tilted her head slightly, enjoying Wang Chong's comforting words like a kitten being stroked. These past few days together had shed her initial shyness and nervousness, and she had become accustomed to this intimate interaction.

"As for me, I still have some things to take care of..." Wang Chong smiled, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping towards the lower deck of the ship. "Don't worry, I will definitely arrive before the banquet officially begins."

“Hmph…” However, Saya Aika, who was standing to the side, let out a barely audible hum from her nose.

Sajou Aika's clear, crystal-like eyes seemed to see right through people, clearly showing that she had a deep understanding of her prince's ways.

She clearly remembered that during the fierce battle with the Blackbeard Pirates during the day, two rather attractive female pirate prisoners were taken away by Wang Chong and imprisoned in a specially made cell on the lowest level of the ship's cabin.

The matter that Wang Chong is now "dealing with" is self-evident.

"What's wrong, is Aika jealous?" Wang Chong naturally sensed the subtle emotions contained in Aika's soft hum. He reached out and affectionately pinched Aika's soft cheek, asking with a mischievous smile.

"It is Your Highness's prerogative to choose whom to favor."

Saya Aika turned her face slightly away, a faint blush appearing on her fair cheeks. Her tone was deliberately calm, but her slightly puffed-out cheeks betrayed the little bit of displeasure in her heart.

“As long as Aika’s place in your heart remains unshaken, Aika will not and cannot complain about anything,” Aika Sajou said softly, puffing out her cheeks.

"Silly girl." Wang Chong chuckled softly, leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her smooth forehead, his warm breath brushing against her skin.

Then, he leaned close to Aika Sajou's ear and whispered a few words in a very low voice that only the two of them could hear.

Then, after hearing Wang Chong's whisper, Aika Sajou's cheeks, which were originally only slightly flushed, instantly turned as if ignited by the sunset, with the blush quickly spreading to her ears, even turning her small earlobes bright red.

Her usually calm and serene azure eyes were now filled with astonishment and disbelief, followed by overwhelming joy and shyness. Her gaze flickered, and she dared not look directly at Wang Chong, her breathing becoming slightly rapid.

Elizabeth, standing to the side, widened her eyes in surprise at Sajou Aika's embarrassed and ashamed appearance, her face filled with curiosity and confusion.

Only after Wang Chong had left did she approach Sajou Aika, who was still immersed in a shy atmosphere, and asked:

"Hey! What did your Master say to you? What incredible favor did he promise you that made you so embarrassed?"

Elizabeth racked her brains but couldn't guess what Wang Chong had said that could make Sajou Aika so shy.

"Good... benefits? What, what special benefits are there!" Sajō Aika suddenly came to her senses like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

She tried her best to suppress the turmoil within her, forcing herself to regain her usual, slightly aloof, and elegant demeanor, clearing her throat to cover it up:

"It's nothing more than... according to the duty roster, His Highness will be staying in my room tonight. It's a very ordinary thing, what's the big deal?"

Sajō Aika tried to downplay the topic. However, her blushing cheeks, despite her forced composure, and the barely concealed gleam in her eyes, made her explanation completely unconvincing.

"Are you sure? Such a simple thing can make you blush like this?" Elizabeth clearly didn't believe this explanation and asked directly.

"Oh well, when the time is right, you'll naturally get your share. Why ask so many questions now!"

However, before Elizabeth could continue to ask questions, Sajou Aika turned around in a slightly flustered manner, left with her head down and walked away quickly, as if she was eager to escape the scene that had made her heart race.

"Hey! Don't go!" Elizabeth was even more confused as she watched Sajou Aika's almost fleeing figure, her curiosity completely piqued.

She jogged after him, relentlessly pressing him for an answer: "You still haven't explained yourself! What do you mean by 'when the time is right, I'll get a share'? Hey! Stop right there and explain yourself! Hey—!"

However, Aika Sajou ignored the calls from behind and quickened her pace, disappearing around the corner of the corridor like a gust of wind, leaving Elizabeth standing there stamping her feet in confusion and frustration.

……

In the dark, gloomy cell, only deathly silence permeated the air. After being unconscious for a long time, Mary Reid finally broke free from the abyss of consciousness and slowly opened her heavy eyes.

As far as the eye could see, there was only thick darkness, so dark that one couldn't see their own hand in front of their face. She instinctively tried to move her stiff body, but immediately felt a strong sense of restraint.

Clearly, her hands and feet were firmly bound by strong ropes, fixed to the cold chair, unable to move. This sudden sense of confinement pierced through her confusion, and the cold reality rushed in like a tide.

"Is this... being captured?" Mary Reid's heart sank. "If we were defeated, as a Heroic Spirit, shouldn't I have simply vanished and returned to the Throne of Heroes? Why is my consciousness still intact? This prison-like place... where exactly is it?"

Countless questions churned in her mind. Instinctively, she wanted to call for help and try to find out what was going on, but she was horrified to discover that her mouth was also stuffed with rags, and she could only make indistinct "mmm" sounds, unable to form an effective cry for help or questioning.

"Damn it! What happened? Who captured me? Anne...where is Anne? How is she? Did she escape? Or did she also..."

In the absolute darkness and silence, fear crept into Mary Reid's heart like cold vines. Mary Reid's heart pounded uncontrollably, and a myriad of terrible possibilities flooded her mind.

Anxiety and a nameless sense of panic quickly filled Mary's chest, making her feel suffocated and tormented like never before.

Every second seemed to be stretched out infinitely; in this despairing darkness, time seemed to stand still.

Mary Reid felt like each day was an eternity, and deep down she prayed frantically: whatever it is, please let something change in this deathly silence of darkness!

As if in response to her inner prayer, after an unknown amount of time, a deep and clear loud bang came from outside the cell—

"Bang!"

That was the sound of a heavy iron gate being opened! Immediately afterwards, a series of clear footsteps, approaching from afar, pounded on the cold, hard floor, sounding particularly jarring in the deathly silence.

"Tap...tap...tap...tap..."

The footsteps seemed to strike Mary Reid's taut heartstrings, each one filling her with both surprise and worry.

To her surprise, there was finally some movement, and the torment seemed to be coming to an end; but to her dismay, the footsteps approached her without hesitation, with a clear objective, indicating that the visitors were obviously hostile, and might even be malicious!

Sure enough, the footsteps stopped outside the cell. Then, with a creak, the heavy wooden door was pushed open. A steady set of footsteps entered the small space and walked straight toward her.

"Cha-"

A soft sound pierced the darkness, and a tiny orange flame flickered and lit up before Mary Reid's eyes. This small light instantly tore through the thick darkness, outlining everything in the cell in a blurry silhouette.

Using the hard-won light, Mary first looked down at herself with great eagerness: as expected, several rough and sturdy ropes were wrapped around her body, binding her firmly to the chair. The method was extremely professional, almost eliminating any possibility of her breaking free on her own.

Mary Reid's eyes quickly scanned her surroundings. She found that she was in an unusually narrow, oppressive, and enclosed space.

The four walls were made of very thick, cold, black iron plates, and the only exit was a sturdy wooden railing, like a cage for a wild beast, completely imprisoning her inside.

The cold reality confirmed it once again—she had indeed become a prisoner of the enemy.

Finally, Mary's gaze, filled with wariness, focused on the face of the man who had walked up to her with the torch.

When the flickering firelight finally illuminated the other person's familiar face, Mary's pupils contracted sharply, and all her confusion was instantly ignited by a surge of anger!

Mary remembered how she had ended up in this predicament! It all started with the man in front of her, whom she had once thought was handsome and dashing!

I shouldn't have hesitated for a moment during the fight because of this man's appearance. As a result, he seized that fleeting opening and knocked me down with lightning speed!

Recalling that humiliating moment, a surge of shame mixed with anger welled up inside her, making her tense up all over.

"He's got such a pretty face, where did he get that terrifying strength?!" Mary roared inwardly. "Thinking back, the way he pretended to catch the knife, all flustered and strained, was obviously on purpose! That damned guy, a complete charlatan! Despicable!"

"Oh, so you're already awake?" The young man's clear voice rang out with a hint of amusement, breaking Mary's inner curses.

Chapter 573 Mary Reid Imprisoned (Part 2)

"Staring at me so fiercely, it seems I've made quite a good impression on you." As he spoke, he casually but precisely reached out and ripped the gag from Mary Reid's mouth, silencing her.

"Cough...Ptooey!"

The moment the obstruction in her mouth was removed, Mary Reid immediately took a greedy gulp of air, then launched into a tirade of abuse at the young man before her:

"You despicable scoundrel! Shameless! You clearly have real skills, but you choose to hide them and pretend to be something you're not! You have no martial ethics! You try to deceive me! You try to ambush me! I'm just a young girl! What kind of hero are you!"

Indeed, the person who came before Mary Reed was none other than Wang Chong, who had previously disguised himself as an ordinary soldier and captured Mary Reed.

Wang Chong seemed amused by Mary Reid's unique way of cursing, a deeper smile appearing on his lips. He asked with interest, "If you're going to curse someone, then curse them. Why are you also trying to praise yourself? You? A young woman, huh?"

He deliberately looked Mary Reid up and down, her petite figure, and continued, "Although she looks quite young, her actual age... shouldn't she be an 'old auntie' by now?"

"Pah! You can't expect anything good to come out of a dog's mouth!"

Mary Reid's cheeks flushed instantly, whether from anger or embarrassment, she retorted stubbornly:

"I was summoned as the youngest and most vibrant Heroic Spirit! And... and even when I was alive, I was only 31 years old when I died! What kind of old auntie am I!"

"Alright, alright, whether you're a young girl or an old lady, after spending so much time at sea and dealing with pirates, don't you understand the principle of 'all's fair in war'?"

Wang Chong waved his hand, looking like he couldn't be bothered to argue, his smile undiminished: "You're pirates, aren't you? Calling the enemy 'despicable' is tantamount to praising their clever tactics, isn't it?"

Wang Chong's words left Mary Read speechless. Her pent-up anger seemed to have been punctured, releasing most of it instantly.

She sighed dejectedly, her face showing frustration and resignation, and her voice lowered: "...So, we've completely lost, haven't we? Boss... how's Blackbeard?"

“Edward Teach?” Wang Chong’s smile faded slightly as he stated the result in a flat tone, “He is dead. His crew either surrendered and became one of us, or remained hesitant and were taken prisoner first.”

"As for those who stubbornly resist... since they refuse to submit and harbor evil intentions, we don't mind sending them to feed the fish."

Wang Chong's words were cold and direct. Mary Reid's eyes dimmed completely upon hearing them, her last shred of hope vanishing. This was the law of the sea: the victor takes all, the loser is condemned—a stark reality.