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

"So you all should now understand the extent of the threat that Another Masters and Another Servants, led by Kiritsugu Emiya, pose to us," Tokiomi Tohsaka said slowly. "If we continue to fight individually, we will not only be defeated one by one, but we will also suffer pains worse than death. I think any qualified magus here should understand what destroying magic circuits—destroying one's foundation and severing one's lineage—truly means."

"..." For a moment, almost everyone on the field fell silent. Even Mrs. Irisviel looked pale and remained silent, offering no defense for Kiritsugu Emiya. Only Kariya Matou, who had just joined the ranks and was an inside man, seemed somewhat disdainful.

Irisviel was in a terrible mood. Just now, Tokiomi Tohsaka had brought up two more facts that cemented Kiritsugu Emiya's guilt. In other words, her husband, Kiritsugu Emiya, was indeed willing to do anything to achieve victory, even committing extremely heinous acts.

However, if it were the original Irisviel, even knowing how "despicable" her husband was and how deep his crimes were, she would still have stubbornly supported him. After all, Irisviel was well aware of the choices Kiritsugu Emiya had made time and again, so she could both understand and firmly believe that Kiritsugu's wish to fulfill was the right one.

Unfortunately, a mere illusion caused Irisviel to drift away from her illusory ideal of "saving all humanity." Her belief in the legitimacy of Kiritsugu Emiya's identity began to waver. And what she was seeing now only accelerated this growing skepticism within Irisviel. She found herself increasingly unable to defend Kiritsugu.

“Madam… Mrs. Irisviel!” A steady voice roused Irisviel from her chaotic thoughts. Tokiomi Tohsaka was staring at her with a rather imposing gaze.

"W-what's wrong, Head of the Tohsaka family?" Irisviel asked.

“Mrs. Irisviel, you and Saber shouldn’t have been invited to this meeting. After all, you’re neither Saber’s true Master nor do you have a close relationship with that man,” Tokiomi Tohsaka said slowly.

"Here it comes... So he's going to put pressure on me because of this?" Irisviel immediately understood what Tokiomi Tohsaka wanted to do.

As expected, Tokiomi Tohsaka continued, "Mrs. Irisviel, due to the friendly relations between the three great families, you now have one more chance to prove yourself. If you are willing to sever ties with Kiritsugu Emiya, tell us about him, and help us eliminate this external threat, I can promise that you will not face any mortal danger in this Holy Grail War. In fact, after we eliminate Kiritsugu, the overseer of the Holy Grail War will use his authority to strip Kiritsugu of his Command Seals and restore your Master status."

Chapter 157 Tit for Tat

Upon hearing Tokiomi Tohsaka's words, the expressions of those present changed slightly as they began to ponder Tokiomi's true intentions.

As for Irisviel, the person involved, after a long silence, she finally shook her head slowly and said, "Not to mention that I have long since lost contact with my husband and know nothing about his plans. Even if I did know some information, my husband and I are now bound together by the same rope, sharing both glory and ruin. Tell me, if the head of the Tohsaka family were in my position, would you sell out this information?"

"Moreover, the so-called granting of Master status is nothing but empty talk. I would like to ask the Tohsaka family head, what gives you such confidence that the Overseer would use such authority? That Overseer is the one who oversees this Holy Grail War with an attitude of 'absolute impartiality.' Even the Overseer has not uttered such words, yet the Tohsaka family head has openly overstepped his bounds and made such a promise. Do you think I am just an ignorant woman who can be fooled at will?" Irisviel asked sternly.

Upon hearing this, the gazes of the Masters present shifted from Irisviel to Tokiomi Tohsaka. Irisviel's words were undeniably shrewd; she not only effortlessly deflected their attempt to force her to reveal the truth about Kiritsugu Emiya, but also diverted everyone's attention to the Overseer's bias towards Tokiomi Tohsaka.

"I investigated this Einzbern family android; she's only been around for a few years. I thought that with her lack of experience and knowledge, coupled with the recent exposure of the crimes of her most trusted confidant, I could easily force her to reveal information about Kiritsugu Emiya and his plans. But I didn't expect her to not only remain calm under pressure but also be so eloquent, turning the tables on me. She's truly impressive... No, is this just her quick wit, or did Kiritsugu Emiya anticipate this and deliberately give her the answers?"

Tokiomi Tohsaka's gaze deepened, and after a moment of contemplation, he spoke with a slight smile, "This is naturally the Supervisor's intention; I am merely relaying it. If you do not believe me, Mrs. Irisviel can inquire for herself; everyone present can serve as a witness. Naturally, the so-called overstepping of authority is utterly absurd. However, I still greatly admire Mrs. Irisviel's courage and loyalty. To go to such lengths to protect Kiritsugu Emiya is truly moving and enviable."

"Head of the Tohsaka family, there's no need to use these words to belittle me. I've already made myself very clear. First, I have no news about Kiritsugu; he's cut off all contact with us since last night. Second, I don't believe any promises made by the Tohsaka family head, unless you have the ability to transfer Saber's contract to me right now."

"And let me add something else. This Holy Grail War was initiated and hosted by your Tohsaka family and the Overseers. You should have ensured that the Holy Grail War would proceed without any mishaps. Instead, you started the Holy Grail War almost a year ahead of schedule, and now there's this Heretic Master thing. Now that you've summoned us, instead of thinking about how to unite everyone's strength and deal with these people one by one, you're pinning all your hopes on oppressing a woman like me. Is this how your Tohsaka family operates?"

Irisviel's calm and collected words immediately created a tense atmosphere, causing Tokiomi Tohsaka's expression to darken as he felt a sense of unease. However, Jeanne, who had been listening intently, wore a strange expression. She felt that these words didn't sound like Irisviel's usual style, but rather more like... her own Caster, who enjoyed teasing people.

However, Jeanne's premonition was indeed correct. A faint layer of black mist was seen clinging to Irisviel's left ear, subtly transmitting a message to her. It turned out that earlier, when Irisviel was preparing to enter the Tohsaka residence, Wang Chong had unwittingly released a wisp of black mist that adhered to her, not only to protect her but also to facilitate his control over the meeting's proceedings.

The series of words Irisviel just spoke were all taught to her by Wang Chong from a distance.

"Luckily, Caster was there to help from afar, otherwise I really wouldn't know how to deal with Tokiomi Tohsaka's aggressive words." Irisviel breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Tokiomi Tohsaka's somewhat troubled expression.

"Mrs. Irisviel. The reason our teacher has gathered everyone here is to deal with those Heretic Masters. Naturally, our teacher wants to unite everyone's strength to eliminate those Heretic Servants and Masters. But I think you should know that the mastermind behind those guys is your husband, Kiritsugu Emiya." Just then, a cold voice suddenly rang out, and everyone looked towards the source of the voice. It was none other than Kirei Kotomine, who had led everyone into the mansion earlier.

“What do you want to say?” Irisviel asked.

"You say you don't believe the promise made by Tohsaka-sensei... Ha, Mrs. Irisviel, aren't you mistaken about something? From the very beginning, it was you, Mrs. Irisviel, who needed to prove your trust, not Tohsaka-sensei." Kirei Kotomine said coldly, "Whether you know anything about Kiritsugu Emiya or not, it doesn't really matter to me. After all, in my eyes, it's an indisputable fact that you and Kiritsugu Emiya are allies, and everything Kiritsugu Emiya has done is simply to win this Holy Grail War."

"Now that we are going to unite everyone's strength to eliminate those heretical Masters and Servants, we must also completely eliminate any unstable factors. Remember, to fight external enemies, we must first secure internal stability!" After saying this, a murderous and cold gaze was fixed on Irisviel, which made Irisviel recall that she had almost died at the hands of Kirei Kotomine last night, and even remembered the demon who tormented her in her dream.

Irisviel clenched her fists, forcing her gaze to meet his, and said angrily, "What? Is Kirei Kotomine planning to break the contract and take action?"

"Hmph, I am naturally bound by my rules today and will not take action. But Mrs. Irisviel, the contract only states that no fighting or killing is allowed against the Master. It doesn't say... no fighting between Servants." However, Kirei Kotomine went a step further, speaking with a hint of cruelty in his eyes.

"What? You mean you want to?!" Irisviel felt a sense of foreboding.

"Everyone, I don't think you want such an unstable element to explode at any moment when we are united against a common enemy. Since the Heroic Spirits have gathered here today, we can eliminate Saber first. Isn't Kiritsugu Emiya trying to win the Holy Grail War through such despicable means? Then let's cut off his conditions for victory first. Let's remove his status as Saber's Master!" Kirei Kotomine said.

"Moreover, in this way, Kiritsugu Emiya will inevitably be driven to a dead end by us, unable to hide any longer, and will eventually fight us in the final battle. Once the rats hiding in the shadows are completely exposed to the sunlight, we will be able to wipe them out in one fell swoop."

After hearing Kirei Kotomine's words, everyone fell silent. Irisviel's anxiety grew, and she once again called out to Wang Chong, hoping he could help her one more time.

"Let's question Tokiomi Tohsaka first. Let's see if this is a show orchestrated by the master and apprentice themselves or something else... If they both gang up on you, don't be afraid. As long as not everyone intends to eliminate Saber, they'll have to back down. Then the initiative will be in our hands. Don't worry, my Master will definitely be on your side."

Wang Chong's words rang in Irisviel's ears through the black mist, which undoubtedly calmed her anxious heart somewhat. After expressing her gratitude in her heart, Irisviel looked at Tohsaka Tokiomi, who had remained silent, and questioned, "Does the Tohsaka family head also mean this?"

Chapter 158 The Situation Reversed

Tokiomi Tohsaka was somewhat bewildered. His original plan, while involving Kirei Kotomine in pressuring Irisviel, hadn't envisioned pushing her this far. Tokiomi wasn't just concerned with the Another Master issue; he also had to be wary of being targeted by a True Ancestor from the mystical side! Therefore, Tokiomi had no intention of letting his group fight amongst themselves before the Another Servant or True Ancestor even arrived.

But now, things have gotten even worse. His own disciple, Kirei Kotomine, has suddenly uttered such sharp words, practically putting him on the hot seat. Tokiomi Tohsaka even met Kirei Kotomine's confident expression. Good heavens, it seems he thinks he's done a good job of pushing him, huh? What a troublemaker! All you need to do is think about how to push him, do you know how many other things your master has to consider?! What a waste of your time!

Now that the die is cast, there's no turning back. From the moment he invited everyone, he was implicitly declaring that he and his disciple, Kirei Kotomine, were on the same side. Now that Kirei Kotomine has made his position clear, even if he denies it, no one present would believe him. So, he might as well go with the flow and see if Kirei Kotomine's method works.

After all, Tokiomi Tohsaka, being a cunning old fox, carefully considered Kirei Kotomine's decision and ultimately approved of his plan. Therefore, he said in a deep voice, "Mrs. Irisviel, please don't blame Kirei for his harsh words. You should actually know how heinous your husband's actions are. Putting everything else aside, if you don't show sincerity, do you think the victim in this case—Lady Sola, the new Master of the Lancer Group and Diarmuid's fiancée—would be willing to set aside past grievances and cooperate wholeheartedly?"

"Huh?" Sora had only participated in this meeting to see if there was a chance to win the Holy Grail War and to gather intelligence. She had no intention of avenging Kenneth. On the contrary, she wanted to thank the man named Emiya Kiritsugu for giving her the opportunity to rise to power and seize the "omnipotent wish-granting machine".

Sora wasn't stupid. Her current status was undeniable, and she knew the meeting was ultimately hosted by Tokiomi Tohsaka's side. Therefore, she could only suppress her displeasure and feign anger, saying, "Emiya Kiritsugu has ruined my fiancé, and now you expect me to cooperate with this shameless bastard? Forgive me for saying this, but you, Irisviel, aren't even Saber's Master yet. When it comes to fighting those other Servants, do you think that Saber will obey your orders and stand on our side? What right do you have to make demands here?"

"The Holy Grail War is a matter between the seven of us Masters. Since Kiritsugu Emiya has resorted to such evil methods, it is the six of us who should defeat him! In my opinion, we should take action now and eliminate Saber as a symbol of our united fight against this heretical Master!"

Sora's words signified that the situation was beyond repair. Now, they had to either side with Tokiomi Tohsaka and kill Saber, or stand with Irisviel. Seeing this, Tokiomi Tohsaka glanced at Kirei Kotomine, signaling him to take charge. Kirei Kotomine nodded in understanding and said, "Lady Sora is right. Since things have come to this, let's eliminate Saber together as a symbol of our united resolve."

"Wait! You guys..."

"Ha, stop wasting your breath. You have no right to speak, you Einzbern family. It's all your own fault!" Sora interrupted Irisviel's protests.

"Quiet down!" Suddenly, a soft yet powerful female voice rang out throughout the conference room. In an instant, neither Sora, Kirei Kotomine, nor Irisviel spoke again, and the entire conference room fell silent.

"What terrifying magical energy fluctuations. I never imagined that Leticia, who was just a magic apprentice in the intelligence report, could unleash such power." Tokiomi Tohsaka felt it most deeply. It was the oppressive force of that magical energy that forced everyone present to shut up.

"Head of the Tohsaka family, do you really think you three can decide the fate of Irisviel and Saber? Isn't that too domineering and disrespectful to us other Masters?" Jeanne was already somewhat angry. She had talked with Irisviel and Saber for a long time and had learned about their true nature during the day. That's why she felt sorry for them being burdened by Kiritsugu and couldn't bear to see Saber and Irisviel meet such an end.

However, what truly enraged Jeanne was the fact that the host, Tokiomi Tohsaka, along with Kirei Kotomine and the overseers of the Holy Grail War, had conspired to manipulate the war. The Holy Grail War was supposed to be a fair duel between seven individuals; even if some underhanded tactics were used, it was still within the rules. But to collude with the overseers, manipulate the matches, manipulate the rules, and even gang up to intimidate others… If Jeanne hadn't known that her presence in the Holy Grail War wasn't due to them, but rather to the Another Master, and that she would only target the Another Master and the Servant, she would have already prepared to punish this unjust Holy Grail War.

However, now that Jeanne is in her position as a Master, she naturally chooses to defend Irisviel.

"Miss Leticia, do you intend to protect Einzbern and Saber?" Kirei Kotomine asked.

“Caster and I have formed an alliance with Irisviel and the others. Not only will we protect her, but if you intend to harm Saber, Caster and I will stand by you to the very end.” Jeanne offered no further explanation, only a simple statement. Yet, it powerfully cemented her alliance with Irisviel and the others.

"How foolish! You know perfectly well that Saber's Master is that Emiya Kiritsugu, not the Irisviel before you! Yet you still dare to protect them! Don't let that Master turn around and have Saber stab you all in the back while you're still taking the blows for them." Sora said with a sneer.

“Saber’s Magic Resistance is A-rank, which means that if she doesn’t want to do something, even if it costs her a Command Seal, we can’t force her to do it. And your Servant knows Saber’s character better than you do; she would never do such a betrayal, even if it costs the other party a Command Seal. And if she were to use two Command Seals, we would be able to detect it in time because of the use of the first Command Seal, so the so-called backstab would not be possible.”

After Jeanne finished speaking, the black mist ring she always wore on her ear reacted slightly, transmitting a voice into her ears. Jeanne was slightly taken aback at first, but quickly recovered and continued, "Moreover, my Caster already has a plan for this matter. If Kiritsugu Emiya issues a Command Seal that Saber is unwilling to fulfill, he has a way to use this opportunity to activate a special Noble Phantasm and sever Saber's contract with that Kiritsugu Emiya."

"What!?" Upon hearing this, not only Tokiomi Tohsaka but even Irisviel, who was still grateful to Jeanne d'Arc for standing up for him, was shocked. Tokiomi Tohsaka, in particular, had a somewhat gloomy expression. If Caster's Master was telling the truth, then this decision was extremely foolish.

"So, do you still intend to kill Saber, thus depriving our side of a powerful ally in the fight against Another Servant? Even if the three of you insist, it's alright. Why not ask the remaining two Masters for their opinions? We can't just have to say and make all the decisions ourselves," Jeanne said, looking at Waver and then at Matou Kariya.

Seeing this, Tokiomi Tohsaka could only sigh, hoping that the remaining two Masters would make the right choice. With four against two, he was confident he could take down Saber. However, a mocking laugh quickly shattered his illusions.

"Ha, I also vote against it." Matou Kariya was the first to stand up, mocking Tohsaka Tokiomi, and said, "Don't misunderstand, I didn't vote against it because of what Leticia said. I just can't stand the hypocrisy of some people. Not only are they bullying others, but how dare you say you envy this lady's behavior of protecting her husband? What? You also want Aoi to be dragged into this battle like this lady, is that it?"

"Utterly foolish!" Even with Tokiomi Tohsaka's good manners, he was quite angered by Kariya Matou's words. Normally, he would have just dismissed such remarks as the words of an ant, but to say them in this situation was undoubtedly a slap in the face to Tokiomi Tohsaka.

However, due to Kariya Matou's statement, the situation has now become three-on-three, leaving only Waver. Both sides are looking at Waver, seemingly waiting for his decision. Waver, seeing everyone looking at him, feels immense pressure.

"I choose……"

Chapter 159 The Roof-Lifting Theory

"I choose..." Weber looked at both sides, wondering to himself what choice he would prefer to make if Iskandar were by his side.

"No... I should have my own opinion. On the surface, Tokiomi Tohsaka's side seems to have more of a point of view, and Kiritsugu Emiya's forceful control over Saber is indeed something that cannot be ignored. But Leticia has also explained her countermeasures, which are worth a try. In the current three-on-three situation, it seems that my decision is very important, but in reality, when two people stand up to support Saber, it is destined that Tokiomi Tohsaka's side can no longer do anything to Saber. Even with my involvement, it is still the same. In addition, last night... we have already formed an alliance with Saber and the others... so the answer is already obvious."

Once Weber calmed down, he immediately replied, "I also choose to stand with Mrs. Irisviel, and I also want to give Saber a chance."

Upon hearing this, Tokiomi Tohsaka sighed, knowing he had made a mistake. He had anticipated that Kariya Matou would likely oppose the alliance, but the others were clearly wavering. He had thought Sora's resolute stance would sway everyone else to his side, but Leticia had unexpectedly stepped in, firmly standing with Saber and the others, refusing to betray their alliance. Because of Leticia's insistence, coupled with Kariya's involvement, the three-on-three situation made it impossible for them to touch Saber.

"That makes it four against three. Head of the Tohsaka family, do you still intend to impose sanctions on Saber?" Jeanne asked slowly.

"Wait a minute." Just as Tokiomi Tohsaka was about to speak, he saw Kirei Kotomine wink at him before standing up and speaking.

"What? Does the Assassin's Master have any objections?" Jeanne asked.

“Heh, I now have reason to suspect that Caster’s Master has ulterior motives and is deliberately saying such misleading things to confuse other Masters and mislead their decisions and course of action,” Kirei Kotomine said.

"Can you slander others based on just a baseless accusation?" Joan of Arc said in a deep voice.

"Of course, I have no proof. But aren't you the same? Caster's Master. You just said that you have a way to activate a special Noble Phantasm to sever Saber's contract with that Emiya Kiritsugu." After saying this, Kirei Kotomine looked at Tokiomi Tohsaka and said, "In the end, what both my master and I are most worried about is that Saber will not only fail to become our ally, but will instead become a sharp knife used by the enemy to stab us in the back. If all the Servants are entangled, and at this time Emiya Kiritsugu uses the power of the Two-Transformation Command Spell to make Saber kill all the Masters present... Heh, the Heroic Spirits can react and dodge, but can you all dodge the Servant's attack?"

"Since Caster's Master says there's a way, let's try it now and prove it to us. If we can really transfer Saber's contract partner, our differences will naturally disappear, and I'm even willing to apologize for my slip of the tongue just now." Kirei Kotomine finished speaking, his eyes narrowing as he coldly added, "But if we can't do it, not only will the vote be invalidated, but the sanctions against Saber will also be implemented immediately. Any objections?"

"Kirei." However, Tokiomi Tohsaka interrupted at this moment. Kirei immediately stopped speaking, returned to his seat, and closed his eyes in silence.

"Heh, Kirei has been putting in a lot of effort these past few days investigating the Other Masters and Servants. That's always been his style. Miss Leticia, Mrs. Irisviel, please don't take offense." Tokiomi Tohsaka first deflected Kirei Kotomine's criticism, then continued, "How about this, let's compromise. We can let the matter of the previous sanctions drop, but I also hope to witness Caster's methods. If we can break the contract, I will give you both an explanation for my previous rudeness. But if that's not possible... Mrs. Irisviel, your Saber is not allowed to enter this manor tonight. If she does, she will be considered an enemy and executed. How about that?"

After seeing Tokiomi Tohsaka's overtures, Irisviel also looked at Jeanne d'Arc, unsure if the Caster possessed that power. Jeanne nodded in agreement, confirming her earlier statement. Irisviel sighed. Given the pressure, transferring Saber's contract to herself was the best possible outcome; otherwise, Saber might be eliminated. Moreover, Irisviel had been indebted to the Caster group for their help, and despite her reservations, she had no choice but to compromise.

Therefore, Irisviel spoke up, "Okay, I agree."

This might be what people often call the "roof-lifting theory." If Irisviel were directly asked to transfer the contract, she might not agree. However, if the issue were to directly punish and eliminate Artoria, she would likely accept the contract transfer. This wasn't just true for Irisviel; Tokiomi Tohsaka experienced the same thing. He initially wanted to control the Irisviel-Tokiomi pair, but ultimately could only reconcile them and let the matter rest.

Throughout the entire meeting, Irisviel, Jeanne d'Arc, Kariya Matou, and Kirei Kotomine all served as substitutes for Wang Chong. While the meeting appeared to be chaired by Tokiomi Tohsaka, the actual controller was Wang Chong, who remained out in the background quietly sipping wine.

"So this is what Wang Chongjun meant by 'the right time,' right? In other words, Wang Chongjun foresaw during the day that such oppression against Mrs. Irisviel would occur tonight, so he frantically rushed to create that Noble Phantasm?" Jeanne also breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the current situation had been forcibly reversed thanks to the Noble Phantasm created by Wang Chongjun, and now it was time to transfer Saber's contract to Irisviel.

"Don't rush, don't forget the condition I mentioned to you before. I will only use this Noble Phantasm when Kiritsugu Emiya forcibly controls Saber." However, Wang Chong's voice rang in Jeanne's ears at this moment.

"Huh? Why is that?" Jeanne was taken aback. She remembered that there was no such requirement on the Noble Phantasm panel she had seen before.

"First, this is a Noble Phantasm that can strip away contracts. If there are no restrictions, who do you think Tokiomi will focus on next after surviving tonight's ordeal? Second, the current situation only allows Irisviel to accept the contract; it doesn't completely force Saber to betray Kiritsugu. That's just the nature of the King of Knights. Unless Kiritsugu truly betrays her will, I think she might still refuse the offer. Especially since Saber's current mental state is quite bad," Wang Chong said.

"Hmm? Saber's mental state is terrible? What happened on your end?" Jeanne asked, puzzled.

"It's just that the two kings accidentally messed up my mentality, it's no big deal, I'm here for you. Anyway, I estimate they're about to make their move, so you can use this condition to stall for time. When the Another Master and Another Servant can't hold back anymore, those guys won't be interested in fighting amongst themselves. We can then wait for our opportunity, and when Emiya Kiritsugu is about to forcefully control Saber, we can make our move immediately," Wang Chong said.

"Alright, keep an eye on things over there." After Jeanne responded, she coughed twice and interrupted Tokiomi Tohsaka as he prepared to immediately execute the Saber contract transfer plan, saying, "Wait a minute, didn't you hear the conditions I mentioned earlier? My Caster's Noble Phantasm only..."

……

"Ding—Congratulations, host! You have successfully manipulated the meeting behind the scenes, seized control of the situation, and subtly influenced the fate of everyone involved. You have also cast a shadow over the entire meeting, befitting the role of a mastermind villain. You are awarded 500 villain points. Current villain points: 7440."

The perspective now shifts back to Wang Chong. Looking at Artoria, who was clenching her fists and bowing her head, Wang Chong couldn't help but shake his head. Sure enough, the classic scene of the three kings' meeting was unfolding before his eyes. Artoria was still the same as always, inexplicably rendered speechless by his sharp retort.

Chapter 160 I Will Play the Role of the First Emperor

Not long ago, after a few rounds of drinks, the classic meeting of the three kings unfolded before her eyes. Iskandar first raised the question of ownership of the Holy Grail, and then Gilgamesh and Iskandar argued their points, each offering their own interpretation. It was at this moment that Artoria questioned Iskandar's path of conquest and dominance, arguing that it was not the way of a true king.

It was during this process that Artoria expressed her wish for the Holy Grail War: to save her homeland and use the Holy Grail to change the fate of Britain's destruction.

Furthermore, due to the destruction of her country, Artoria questioned and regretted being chosen as the Queen of Britain. These remarks drew ridicule from Gilgamesh and questioning from Iskandar. This led to a serious conflict between Artoria and Iskandar regarding their respective ideologies as kings.

Artoria believed that a king should protect his people, save his subjects, and stand up for the prosperity of the nation he ruled. However, Iskandar argued that it should not be the king who sacrifices himself, but rather the nation and its people who sacrifice themselves for the king.

Even when Artoria criticized Iskandar for his tyrannical rule and questioned whether he regretted leaving behind a kingdom that had fallen apart, Iskandar frankly admitted that he had indeed been recorded in history as a tyrant. He stated that a king should not regret his past rule or the kingdom's fate. He said that he would mourn and weep for such a demise, but he would never regret it, much less change or overthrow it. He believed that such a foolish act would be an insult to everyone who had built the era with him.

In the end, Artoria believed that a king should sacrifice for his ideals, and directly mocked Iskandar, saying that someone like him, who only wanted a physical body and pursued the Holy Grail, and who only satisfied endless desires to become a tyrant, would never understand.

However, such dismissive words enraged Iskandar, who declared that only a king filled with desire could ignite aspirations in every subject and make them aware of what they sought. He concluded with his famous words: "You have always been saving your subjects without providing guidance, never demonstrating the desires of a king, and ignoring the confusion of your subjects. You merely maintain your aloofness, indulging in seemingly beautiful ideals. Therefore, you are not a true king, but merely a little girl bound by an idol called 'King,' existing only for others."

It was this one sentence that shattered Artoria's pride and awakened the curse-like words that had seeped into the hearts of every Warrior of the Round Table: King Arthur did not understand human nature. At that moment, Artoria once again saw herself standing on that mound of gleaming white bones, watching the despairing scene of the Kingdom of Britain heading towards destruction.

"Have you heard everything? What are you going to do?"

"Master... I beg you... let me... ha... let me face her alone."

Wang Chong received that heavy, angry, sorrowful... complex voice in his mind. He was silent for a moment, then said, "Go. Get them ready; it's time for them to go on stage."

"Yes……"

Wang Chong picked up a glass of wine and watched the entire spectacle without a trace of emotion, even using the power of the black mist to remotely broadcast it. He felt that this conversation between Artoria and Iskandar was important to a certain Servant… even if it might hurt that Servant, he had to do it. Because it was a necessary process to shatter the illusion of that person who had always admired his father.

“The emotion furthest from understanding in the world is longing. Only in this way can you take the first step towards understanding your father and truly grow in character. Mordred,” Wang Chong sighed inwardly.

"Hehehehe..." At this moment, Gilgamesh's laughter came, and Artoria's originally gloomy and distressed face was provoked by the laughter and she asked angrily, "What are you laughing at, King of Heroes?"

"Hehe...it's just that your troubled expression is quite interesting. It's almost like..."

"Alright." Wang Chong abruptly interrupted Jin Shanshan's somewhat insulting words, and slowly said, "Every era has its own problems to solve. Different ideas and clashes are inevitable. But let's not let that spoil the fun of this banquet."

"Hmph..." Gilgamesh glanced at Wang Chong with some displeasure; he hated being interrupted. Artoria, equally annoyed, sat back down in her original seat. Iskandar, who had caused this awkward situation, sighed, then smiled again and looked at Wang Chong, saying, "The Ruined King is right. Perfect, now it's just you left, the Ruined King, who hasn't yet said what wish you'd make for the Holy Grail."

“No…” Wang Chong replied calmly.

"Huh? No?" Iskandar was taken aback when he heard this. Based on his previous speculation about this "Ruined King", the other party should also be the kind of powerful ruler. How could he not have a wish to fulfill with the Holy Grail?

"All my life's desires have already been fulfilled through my own hands, my sword, my army, and my nation. Whatever I want, whatever I desire to pursue, I will obtain at any cost. Under heaven, all land belongs to the king; all people within the realm are his subjects. After all the glory, I have only one wish: I want my rule to be eternal, and my gaze to forever overlook this land. By the mandate of heaven, may my reign be everlasting!"

Wang Chong naturally knew that Iskandar had mistaken him for the First Emperor, so he went along with it, mimicking the words that the emperor might say and expressing his own desires.

"Wow, did you have such aspirations in your lifetime? Then why do you say you have no aspirations now?" Iskandar asked curiously.

“Because it’s no longer necessary, Iskandar. Didn’t I just say that my wishes will only be fulfilled with these two hands? As the Conqueror King, you should understand this best.” Wang Chong smiled faintly, then said, “If you want my rule to be immortal, or for your gaze to forever overlook my territory, there is only one way… immortality.”