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

Chiron's gaze inadvertently swept towards arena number 2, where he saw Achilles watching the duel between Miyamoto Musashi and Katniss with great interest, a hint of amusement on his lips.

"In that case, even if Katniss eventually defeats this female warrior, she will probably no longer be able to pose a threat to Achilles, who has already figured out her fighting style."

Chiron sighed inwardly, realizing that the greatest hope for turning the tide now probably rested on Hercules, who had yet to make his move.

"What are you dawdling for! Tell her to get rid of that troublesome guy!"

Jason, standing to the side, appeared extremely impatient, pounding his fist on the armrest of his chair and urging in a sharp voice:

"And that Castor guy too! Now that you've gained the upper hand, just knock that woman with the shield off the stage right now! Are you going to wait for her to turn the tables?"

Turning his gaze back to the center of ring number 7, Miyamoto Musashi endured the stinging pain throughout his body, silently calculating the final distance between himself and Katniss—just a few steps away.

But those few short sprints seemed like an insurmountable chasm of death.

At the edge of the spear storm, her dodging was almost perfect, but if she wanted to break through further, she would have to face the deadly berserk attacks in the core area. A slight mistake could result in serious injury or even death on the spot.

"Hmph... I never thought that even I, Miyamoto Musashi, would feel a trace of fear upon arriving here?"

As Miyamoto Musashi moved like a butterfly through the gaps in the spear shadows, he gazed ahead at the final forbidden zone formed by the tips of deadly spears.

To live in the face of death and break through this dead zone, one needs not only an indestructible blade in hand, but also immense courage to transcend life and death.

"Fortunately..." A resolute light suddenly flashed in Miyamoto Musashi's eyes, and a powerful aura rose from within him, "I, Miyamoto Musashi, possess both of these qualities!"

With a clear whistle that echoed throughout the arena, Miyamoto Musashi stepped into the heart of the storm unleashed by Katniss's spear, the most deadly position!

"The path beneath my feet is the sunlit road to victory!"

At this moment, she had put aside the intense pain and the constant flow of blood throughout her body, and only one belief was burning in her heart: to cut down the enemy in front of her and seize the final victory!

A strange and clear light suddenly shone in Miyamoto Musashi's eyes—his "Heavenly Eye" opened!

In her field of vision, countless complex possibilities instantly converged, and the only path leading to the "severance" result appeared clearly before her eyes, like a band of light suddenly illuminating the darkness.

This is precisely Miyamoto Musashi's unique [Heavenly Eye] ability...

Once you've made up your mind to achieve your goal, you'll discard all distractions and devote yourself entirely to it, ensuring that the goal is achieved.

This is an incredible power that can "constrict" the infinite possibilities of "the means necessary to achieve a goal" to "only one", and even "limit" a future that should be full of variables to "only one outcome"!

It was with these magical eyes that Miyamoto Musashi was able to create miracles time and time again, turning the impossible into the possible!

"Whoosh—!" The sound of the blade cutting through the air was sharp and piercing.

"Clang, clang—!" The sound of metal clashing resounded through the sky!

In the blink of an eye, Miyamoto Musashi's figure transformed into a piercing streak of blood-red light, piercing through Katniss's layered, impenetrable wall of spear shadows with unparalleled speed and precision, even penetrating Katniss's body!

When Miyamoto Musashi's figure reformed behind Katniss, she was already kneeling on one knee, her hands gripping her twin swords and stretching them straight forward, the clarity and focus in her eyes still lingering.

Her clothes were soaked in her own blood, clearly indicating that she had paid a heavy price to force her way through the deadly gunfire.

So, what about Katniss, who is currently at the center of the storm?

The golden-red berserk aura that had enveloped Katniss was rapidly dissipating at a visible speed, and the wildly waving spear, as if it had lost its source of power, became extremely sluggish and eventually came to a complete stop.

"Is this... the legendary Niten Ichi-ryu swordsmanship?"

Katniss spoke slowly, a complex smile tugging at the corners of her lips, her voice tinged with weakness:

"Hmph... But you still bragged after all... Saying there's nothing in this world you can't cut... Look... I'm still not broken in two, am I?"

Hearing this, Miyamoto Musashi, whose back was to her, did not refute, but calmly replied, "Your perseverance is indeed the strongest I have ever encountered in my life. It seems... my path of training still requires further arduous effort..."

Chapter 634 A Fleeting Flaw

“Cultivation…it’s wonderful…”

Katniss's voice carried an indescribable sadness:

"Through your own relentless efforts and rigorous training, you have finally reached such a level... From now on, you will no longer be bullied by those high and mighty beings... Even when facing gods... I'm sure you have the courage to draw your sword against them..."

Before she could finish speaking, Katniss's body began to sway violently, like a candle flickering in the wind. Before her consciousness completely faded, she left only a final, complex sigh: "How...enviable..."

As the sigh subsided, a massive amount of blood gushed out like a fountain from the fatal, gaping wound in Katniss's chest!

Immediately afterwards, her body, having lost its support, crashed heavily onto the cold arena, where she remained motionless.

Katniss, defeated! Miyamoto Musashi, victorious! This stunning result instantly ignited the entire stadium, with an incredulous wave of gasps erupting from the audience.

"How is this possible! Katniss... how could she lose?! How could she possibly lose!!"

Jason sprang from his seat, his face ashen, his eyes filled with unbearable shock and rage. He roared incoherently:

"What on earth happened?! Why did Katniss... she... she didn't even have time to unleash her Noble Phantasm before she was defeated at that last moment?!"

“Asclepius.” Compared to Jason’s outburst, Chiron appeared much calmer, though his brow was deeply furrowed. He immediately gave the order to the healer beside him, “Go and save her! Caenis might still be saved!”

Asclepius, the god of medicine clad in a long robe, nodded solemnly, turned around without hesitation, and rushed down from the arena.

After issuing the order, Chiron couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Even with his keen insight, in that final, decisive moment, he hadn't been able to fully see how Miyamoto Musashi had managed to cleave through Katniss's incredibly sturdy body.

It was this elusive power that made him realize he had greatly underestimated this female swordswoman from a distant eastern island nation. The potential and sharpness contained in her blade and her swordsmanship far exceeded his initial imagination.

"That piece of trash, Katniss! She even messed up this little thing!" Jason had nowhere to vent his anger, so he slammed his fist hard on the hard stone steps, making a dull thud.

He swept his gaze across his carefully organized team below with a sinister look. His original plan was to secure at least two qualifying spots and ensure Theseus's advancement, but now it seemed that only "ensuring Theseus's" success remained a possibility.

"And that bastard Castor! How long are he going to dawdle with that woman with the shield?! Does he want to follow in Katniss's footsteps and give us a humiliating defeat?!" Jason roared.

On ring number 6, Mash gripped the massive cross shield tightly, her body slightly hunched, struggling to stay upright. Sweat streamed down her forehead, each breath a heavy burden.

Her opponent, Gemini Castor, was as agile as the wind, moving lightly across the ring and always maintaining an annoying distance from Mash.

He gave Mash no chance for close combat, only continuously and precisely releasing magic missiles condensed from magical energy.

These light projectiles, like dense raindrops, bombarded Mash's sturdy shield repeatedly, producing dull "bang" sounds. Each impact made Mash's arm slightly numb, continuously draining her precious stamina.

In everyday teamwork, facing a purely ranged, suppressive opponent like this, Mash is absolutely confident that she can use this shield to intercept all incoming attacks flawlessly, building the most reliable barrier for her Master and companions behind her.

However, the rules of the current ring match are completely different—it's about how to subdue your opponent or push them out of the ring. This is precisely Mash's biggest weakness at the moment.

Especially when facing an opponent like Castor who is extremely skilled in "kiting" tactics, Mash was completely put on the defensive and attacked.

She tried desperately to throw the heavy shield as a projectile to break the deadlock, but Castor was too fast. The shield whistled past, only to hit empty air and fall heavily back to the ground, posing no threat to him whatsoever.

In the audience, Fujimaru Ritsuka, Captain Drake, and Dr. Roman, who was communicating remotely, were all extremely anxious, their hearts feeling as if they were being gripped by an invisible hand.

“No…” Dr. Roman stared intently at the screen, analyzing in a heavy tone, “Mash and that opponent are just too incompatible. The opponent completely counters her fighting style. If this continues, Mash’s stamina will definitely run out before her opponent does.”

“We all know that, Roman!”

Captain Drake scratched her head in frustration, her eyes fixed on Mash, who was struggling in the ring. The shadow of her companion's possible defeat made her extremely uneasy.

"But what can we do now besides believe in Mash and pray for a miracle? Unless that guy Poseidon thinks that if he doesn't defeat the opponent within the time limit, Mash can't just take the beating without fighting back if she wants to win!"

Ritsuka slowly analyzed:

"But that slippery guy won't give her a chance to get close. Now Mashu has to find a way to break through on her own!"

Having said that, Ritsuka shifted her gaze from the intense arena to the sky, which was gradually being tinged with twilight. Night was falling, and the third day of the arena matches was drawing to a close.

They all knew that Theseus in ring number 3 was engaged in a tacit internal struggle, the purpose of which was to ensure his "guaranteed" advancement. This meant that today's ring matches would come to a complete end.

At this moment, all they could do was pray silently that a miracle would come to the resilient Mashu in this final countdown.

Castor, however, was far from as relaxed and at ease as he appeared on the surface.

"This guy... his resilience is astonishing!" He continued his kite-flying tactic while secretly alarmed. "After being bombarded with so many of my magic spells, he's still standing... If this continues, the situation is unpredictable. Will her physical strength run out first, or will my mental strength give out first?"

Castor is not a Caster-class Servant known for his magic, nor does he manifest in the world alone. His true power can only be fully unleashed when he fights alongside his sister Polcus.

The continuous outpouring of magic power at this moment had already caused his magic power's self-recovery rate to be unable to keep up with the consumption.

In Castor's eyes, although Mashu's every defense seemed exceptionally difficult, as if she would collapse at any moment, this state of "struggling to hold on" had stubbornly continued for more than half an hour!

With each magical attack, he felt certain he could defeat his opponent, but the shield and the girl behind it always managed to stand up again at the last moment.

What made Castor even more troublesome was that no matter how he used his speed to get behind Mash and launch a tricky attack, the opponent could always unleash her last bit of strength, turn around in time with her heavy shield, and firmly block the fatal blow.

Mashu's tenacious, cockroach-like attitude gradually made Castor lose his confidence.

If this competition continues and exhausts him, can he really win? Coupled with Katniss's unexpected defeat and the pressure Jason exerted on him like an invisible boulder weighing on his heart, he became increasingly anxious and uneasy.

"My strongest attack method is not long-range magic release, but close-quarters combat by imbuing magic rings with it..."

Castor glanced at the deepening night and began to ponder:

"Remote attacks are safe, but they're too inefficient. We haven't been able to determine a winner yet. This kind of war of attrition is a tug-of-war I'm no longer confident of winning. We can't wait any longer; we must change our strategy!"

In fact, several rings on the sidelines have already been closed, no longer accepting new challengers. Time is of the essence!

Castor's eyes sharpened, and he made a decision in an instant.

He used the same trick again, quickly circling behind Mash and unleashing a sharp beam of magic, forcing Mash to turn around and defend herself.

However, just as Mash's shield turned, Castor's true killing move was suddenly unleashed! With lightning speed, he increased his speed to the extreme, no longer retreating, but instead rushing towards the flank exposed by Mash's defensive transition like an arrow released from a bow!

The magic rings in his hands were already brimming with magical power, gleaming with a dangerous light—Castor intended to use this sudden change of tactics to completely crush this tenacious shield girl in one fell swoop!

This sudden tactical shift left everyone following the battle stunned.

A low gasp rippled through the audience; they couldn't understand why Castor would abandon such a favorable long-range pressure and instead risk close combat.

Only Castor's sister, Polukles, who shared his deepest feelings, instantly sensed her brother's anxiety. She sighed silently, a hint of worry flashing in her beautiful eyes:

“Brother…you clearly chose a war of attrition, yet you rashly change your strategy now. This shows that in a battle of willpower and endurance, you have already subconsciously admitted defeat. Your eagerness for quick success and recklessness will likely lead you to suffer a great loss when facing a warrior who has been holding firm and waiting for his opportunity.”

The moment that thought flashed through Pollux's mind, the situation on ring number 6 changed drastically!

However, despite the imminent danger, the girl's face did not show panic. On the contrary, her eyes, which had been slightly dimmed by fatigue, suddenly shone brightly!

The long period of perseverance and countless parries seemed to be all for the sake of waiting for the opponent's only weakness!

"Now! Lord Chaldeas (Imaginary Noble Phantasm Simulation/Foundation of Humanity)!" Mash shouted.

Chapter 635 The Arena Tournament Ends

Without the slightest hesitation, Mashu used all her strength to partially unleash her Noble Phantasm! In an instant, the giant cross shield in her hand burst forth with a dazzling, pure white light!

Countless fine, intricate patterns of light, like snowflake crystals, rapidly spread and intertwined on the shield's surface, forming a huge and magnificent magic circle pattern!

The defensive barrier formed by snowflake patterns instantly extended and expanded in the four directions of up, down, left, and right, forming a huge light shield.

This sudden increase in the defensive cross-sectional area was like an impenetrable wall of light erected out of thin air, forcefully and solidly intercepting Castor's attempt to launch a surprise attack from the side!

His enchanted magic ring struck the light barrier with a dull thud, but it couldn't budge it an inch!

"Not good!" A warning bell rang in Castor's mind; a strong sense of crisis made him instinctively want to retreat. But Mashu, who had been waiting for this moment of counterattack, wouldn't give him another chance to escape.

"Hah—!" With a clear and resounding battle cry, Mash poured all her accumulated power and conviction into her shield.

She pushed off the ground with both feet, exerted force with her waist, and propelled the huge snowflake shield that radiated holy light, crashing it down like a battering ram into Castor, who was blocked by the barrier and whose movements were slowed!

Castor could only use his enchanted magic rings to cross and block in front of him in his haste.

However, at the moment the magic ring collided violently with Mash's snowflake light shield, a powerful backlash suddenly erupted!

"Ugh!" Castor groaned, the immense force far exceeding his expectations instantly throwing him off balance! Caught off guard, he staggered and involuntarily leaned backward!

Mashu's combat instincts pinpointed this fleeting opportunity! Without hesitation, she used the recoil from the impact to execute a swift spinning maneuver!

"boom!!!"

With a deep and resounding thud, Mash slammed the massive light shield, which was imbued with all her strength and rotational energy, onto Castor, who had lost his balance, as if hitting a tennis ball!

"puff--!"

Castor's figure was like a kite with a broken string, directly slammed into the air by this irresistible force, flying in a messy arc before crashing heavily outside the edge of the ring, kicking up a cloud of dust.

As the smoke and dust slowly dissipated, Castor struggled to his feet. He was physically unharmed, but the unbelievable sense of humiliation made his handsome face flush red.

He never expected that he would be so humiliated, and that his opponent, whom he had always suppressed, would seize an opening and instantly reverse the situation, knocking him off the stage!

"How could this be! How could this happen!" Castor was filled with shame and indignation, wishing he could punch the ground. His momentary rashness had cost him such a terrible price!

Even Polukles, sitting in the audience, hadn't expected her brother's defeat to be so sudden and complete. A hint of helplessness flashed in her eyes. Although she had foreseen that her brother's rashness would be thwarted, the tragic result still exceeded her expectations.

Meanwhile, at arena number 9, the blond "vampire" sitting in the center suddenly opened his eyes, and a wisp of black energy returned to his body.

"Consider this a small reward for Mashu..." the "vampire" said with a light laugh.

Meanwhile, on the high platform where Jason and the others were, Chiron's face also darkened. He slowly shook his head, his tone filled with deep disappointment:

“Castor… was too reckless and careless. It was a situation where victory was assured. If he had continued to play steadily, winning would have been no problem at all… How could he have made such a mistake in one thought… Alas.”

This time, even Chiron couldn't excuse Castor. Caenis's previous defeat could be attributed to underestimating her opponent, but Castor, despite possessing the strength to suppress his opponent, squandered his victory through his own hasty judgment and reckless actions.