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

"You're all fucking idiots!" Jason's roar echoed from the sidelines, he was so angry he almost jumped up and down. "I sent you to fight for the ring, and this is the result you give me?! What's the difference between this and a complete waste of time! Useless trash!"

His carefully planned and promising situation was torn apart by these worthless Servants, how could he not be angry?

On the other hand, the scene on Ritsuka's side was completely different. Fujimaru Ritsuka and Captain Drake jumped up from their seats almost simultaneously in excitement, staring incredulously at the figure standing tall on the arena.

"Great! We won!" Dr. Roman breathed a sigh of relief over the comms, a relieved smile spreading across his face. "I really didn't expect... that the enemy would choose a close-quarters attack at the last moment, giving Mashu a chance to fight back! Well done, Mashu!"

"But it's really strange, why did Castor suddenly change tactics and choose melee combat at the end?"

Captain Drake stroked his chin, his joy at victory mixed with a hint of doubt: "If he had just kept using that annoying magic attack, Mash's stamina would have given out sooner or later, wouldn't it?"

"I'm afraid... it's precisely because of the tenacity and resilience that Mash has shown, which far exceeded our expectations, that Castor is unable to accurately judge how much longer she can hold on."

Ritsuka stared at Mash, who was being declared the victor on the stage, and calmly analyzed, "As it gets darker, he was worried that the Sea God would directly judge him, the challenger, as the loser based on the timeout, so he took a risk and wanted to use a more aggressive method to defeat Mash in one fell swoop and end the battle."

She paused, then added, "Based on this information, we can further speculate that Castor himself may not be able to continuously exert high-intensity magic for a long time, and that he is better at close combat."

"Although we were lucky to win this tournament, we may still have to face them again in the future. Understanding some of our opponents' tactics and weaknesses will be beneficial for our future."

“We’ll talk about these analyses later!” Drake waved his hand heartily, his face beaming with the joy of victory. “When Mash and the others come back, we’ll have to celebrate this hard-won victory properly! Hmm? Look, that damn sea god seems to have reappeared. Is he about to announce the final results of the arena battle?”

As they were speaking, a vast and majestic aura instantly enveloped the entire arena. The waves once again coalesced into a gigantic phantom, as if rising from the deep sea. The image of the sea god reappeared clearly before everyone, overlooking the arena below.

"The champion of Arena No. 3 has successfully defended his title for 3 days. The title defense phase has officially ended." The sea god's grand yet indifferent voice echoed in the arena. "The next phase of the elimination rounds will officially begin tomorrow."

As he announced this, on ring number 3, Pollux made a perfectly timed move to indicate defeat, voluntarily leaving the ring and handing the victory over Theseus.

"The No. 3 champion advances directly to the final match." Poseidon continued to announce the rules, "The remaining eight champions will compete in the quarterfinals tomorrow. The order of the matches will now be drawn."

The phantom of Poseidon pointed downwards, and a pirate servant immediately carried a lottery box to the center of the arena. Apart from Theseus, the number 3 champion who had directly advanced, the other eight champions walked up to the pirate one by one and drew their numbers.

After the draw, the pirate servants quickly paired up the two people who drew the same number and arranged them into four columns according to the number order.

The phantom of Poseidon scanned the arrangement below and, without any hesitation, announced the battle order:

"First match: Champion No. 1 versus Champion No. 5."

As soon as the words were spoken, two imposing figures, as tall and strong as small mountains, stepped out of the formation. They were Hercules, the great hero wielding a stone axe sword, and Asterius, the labyrinth monster wielding two axes.

The two merely stood there, yet their violent auras clashed, foreshadowing a shocking clash of pure power and destruction.

"Second match: Champion No. 4 versus Champion No. 8."

Two figures stepped forward in the second row. One was a male servant whose identity was shrouded in mystery and who always wore a mask, while the other was a petite Medusa who exuded a dangerous aura.

Medusa's gaze was like that of a cold, venomous snake, fixed on the masked man. A deep-seated, almost instinctive hatred surged within her, making it nearly impossible for her to suppress her killing intent.

It was precisely because of this inexplicable surge of emotion that Medusa had formed a guess about the masked man's identity that made her grit her teeth.

"The third match: Challenger No. 6 versus Challenger No. 7."

Mashu and Miyamoto Musashi took a step forward at the same time, their eyes met, and their faces showed a hint of surprise and subtle emotions.

One is a guardian determined to protect his companions with his shield and block all harm; the other is a swordsman who pursues a sword that can cut through anything.

Although they are essentially allies fighting side by side, the process and outcome of this clash between "spear" and "shield" are full of exciting uncertainties.

"Fourth match: Champion No. 2 versus Champion No. 9."

The final pair of duelists stepped forward. Achilles, the immortal Greek hero, faced off against the elegant and mysterious blond youth who called himself a "vampire."

The blond "vampire" looked at Achilles with great interest, a playful smile playing on his lips.

"Hoo hoo... A demigod hero with an immortal body? That's... quite interesting." His voice had a unique rhythm, and his gaze seemed to be admiring an interesting collectible.

Achilles, who was being stared at, felt a chill for no reason, as if he were being watched by something extremely troublesome. He subconsciously tensed up and his handsome brows furrowed slightly.

Having made his decision, the phantom of the sea god nodded and then slowly dissipated. Once the sea god vanished, the crowd in the arena dispersed.

Chapter 636 Intelligence Gathering and Operational Planning

As the noise in the arena subsided, the crowd surged toward the exit like an receding tide. Just then, following Dr. Roman's urgent instructions in a communication, Mashu suddenly reached out and grabbed Miyamoto Musashi, who was about to leave with the flow of people.

"Huh? You're asking about the lord? You know the lord?"

When Miyamoto Musashi was pulled back, he was taken aback at first, letting out a soft, puzzled "Eh?" His gaze lingered on Mashu's face for a moment, then, as if remembering something, he suddenly slapped his forehead and a hearty smile spread across his face:

"Oh... look at my memory! I was wondering why you looked so familiar... it's Mashu! I'm so sorry, I've only spent a few short time with you, and I almost didn't recognize you."

“It’s alright, Ms. Musashi. After all, we almost didn’t recognize you either,” Mashu replied gently, her voice also reaching Dr. Roman through the communicator.

“And Miss Musashi’s words have only made us more certain of one thing. Mr. Wang Chong must have also come to this arena, right?” Dr. Roman’s voice rang out at the opportune moment, tinged with anticipation and inquiry. “Where is he now? Could you take us to see him?”

"My lord..." Upon hearing this, Miyamoto Musashi winked playfully, then deliberately feigned regret and shrugged:

"He specifically instructed me that he would personally give you a 'surprise' during the competition. So, I can't reveal his whereabouts in advance."

She paused, then added, "Besides, it seems he has some urgent matters to attend to on his ship, so he probably won't be able to entertain you all for the time being... Well then, since we've met, I'll join you! If you need any help, just let me know."

"Mr. Wang Chong is as mysterious as ever, I wonder what he's up to this time..."

Dr. Roman's voice carried a hint of helplessness as he said, "Sigh, never mind. Mashu, you take Miss Musashi back to the Golden Deer and settle her in. I need to switch communications and check on Ritsuka's situation."

The communication screen instantly switched to Ritsuka's side. At that moment, Ritsuka and Medusa had just reunited, and the two stood side by side in perfect harmony, blocking the departure of the second-place champion—the dashing hero, Achilles.

"You are... the number 8 champion, right?" Achilles stopped, his sharp gaze sweeping over Ritsuka before landing on Medusa, a hint of inquiry in his eyes. "And who is this young lady? Why are you blocking my way?" His voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority.

Faced with Achilles' question, Ritsuka did not hesitate at all and clearly stated her identity as the Chaldea Master.

Achilles listened and nodded slightly, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes: "I see. So you are the Master who shoulders the mission of saving this world? In that case, you probably have no real interest in that so-called 'blessing of the sea god'?"

“That’s right!” Ritsuka seized the opportunity and followed up on the other’s words, directly launching a probing attack, “With your eyesight, Lord Achilles, you couldn’t possibly not see through the illusion of that sea god… You didn’t come to participate in this gladiatorial contest to obtain the sea god’s blessing either, did you?”

“Hehe…” Achilles chuckled, his smile carrying a hint of approval and a touch of detachment. “Little girl, you are very clever, I can see that… but unfortunately, we have not yet established a trustworthy relationship.”

He crossed his arms, his posture relaxed yet conveying an invisible sense of distance.

“However…” Achilles then changed the subject, adding, “It’s not a complete waste of time that we both confirmed our objectives. At least it lets me know that you’re not the kind of people I hate the most… However, for the time being, I don’t need to cooperate with anyone.”

Having said that, Achilles' gaze sharpened, and his tone carried a hint of warning:

"Instead of focusing your energy on winning me over, you should think about how to deal with those lunatics on the 'Agor'. Especially that Hercules... No matter what, we must not let the goddess fall into their hands."

Having said this, Achilles didn't linger. He turned and strode towards the exit of the passage. His figure disappeared into the dim light, leaving behind his last, clear words:

"Chaldea... and the Golden Deer pirate crew... I've noted them down. If I really need your help, I will come looking for you."

Watching Achilles' figure disappear completely at the end of the passage, Ritsuka's tense nerves finally relaxed, and she breathed a sigh of relief: "Phew... It seems that this great hero is easier to talk to than we expected."

"I hope there's no deception hidden in his words." Little Medusa remained vigilant, her purple eyes gleaming in the shadows. "Let's go, Ritsuka. This place is not safe to stay any longer. We should go back."

Like the most loyal protector, she followed Ritsuka closely as they left the arena after the commotion.

As for Asterius, he had already returned to the Golden Deer with Captain Drake.

……

The spacious deck of the Golden Deer was brightly lit and filled with a celebratory atmosphere. Captain Drake had specially ordered a lavish feast to be prepared, with a dazzling array of fine wines and delicacies. Captain Drake himself, holding aloft a wooden glass brimming with rum, announced in a booming voice:

"Everyone! First of all, let's celebrate the fact that our three warriors—Mash, Medusa, and Asterius—have all successfully advanced to the knockout stage!"

"With the addition of our colleague, Ms. Musashi, wow, our team has taken up half of the remaining elimination round spots! Shouldn't we drink to that and celebrate? Cheers!"

"cheers!"

Laughter and cheers filled the air as everyone raised their glasses in a toast. The crisp sound of clinking glasses and the crew's hearty laughter mingled together, dispelling the tension of the arena.

After exchanging congratulations and lighthearted pleasantries, Ritsuka felt the atmosphere was warm enough and steered the conversation to the more crucial topic of tomorrow's battle.

"Although we got off to a good start, securing four spots."

Ritsuka's voice was clear and calm, bringing a slight silence to the noisy deck:

"But the situation is far from ideal. The knockout stage is a contest of pure individual strength. Although we have a large number of people, we cannot form a united force on the stage and fight individually."

Her gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on Asterius, who sat quietly to the side, and her tone became serious: "And tomorrow's first tough battle will be Asterius against that... Heracles."

“Although we all want to fully support Asterius,” Dr. Roman’s voice came through the communicator, tinged with obvious worry, “the opponent is, after all, the legendary hero Hercules… to win would be an impossible task.”

"But we can't just give up like this!" Drake took a swig of his drink, looked at Asterius, and asked loudly, "Right, big guy? I see you're really looking forward to this fight!"

"Yes!" Asterius nodded vigorously. His face, which had been somewhat silent, now blossomed into an incredibly bright and pure smile. His eyes shone with a burning light, the most sincere desire for the upcoming battle between beings.

“In that case…” Ritsuka’s eyes hardened as she said, “We must go all out to devise a meticulous battle plan for Asterius and strive for the greatest chance of victory!”

She analyzed:

"In my opinion, although Asterius and Heracles both belong to the Berserker class, Asterius retains a clearer ability to think than Heracles, who is more deeply enraged and whose reason seems to have been completely overwhelmed by anger. This 'reason' may be the key to our victory!"

"Rationality?" Upon hearing this, everyone subconsciously repeated the word, their faces showing a hint of confusion.

“Yes, it is reason!” Ritsuka affirmed. “Because he can think, Asterius can use tactics in battle, set traps, and create advantages for himself as much as possible, accumulating small victories into a big one.”

She paused, then gave a vivid example: "And do you remember the thrilling duel between Achilles and Hector today? In the final moments, Achilles didn't choose a head-on, desperate strike, but instead cleverly used wrestling techniques to throw Hector completely off the edge of the ring!"

“Ritsuka, you mean…” Dr. Roman immediately realized, his voice tinged with excitement, “We don’t need to focus on overwhelming Hercules with strength, but rather try to… get him out of the ring?”

“That’s right!” Ritsuka nodded vigorously, her eyes gleaming with wisdom. “The conditions for winning a match don’t necessarily involve completely defeating or eliminating the opponent!”

"As long as we can eliminate the opponent, whether they fall or are thrown out—it's a victory for us! So, everyone, please brainstorm around this core idea and design the most effective battle strategy for Asterius, and seize the time to conduct simulation training."

"We have only one goal: to 'remove' Hercules from the ring tomorrow!"

With the tactical direction clarified, a lively discussion immediately broke out on deck. Everyone contributed their ideas, and by combining Asterius's strength, physique, and weapon characteristics, they quickly devised a complete battle plan.

The core of the plan was to use Asterius’s superhuman strength and relatively clear judgment to find an opportunity to push, pull, or throw Heracles out of the ring.

With the plan finalized, Ritsuka immediately took action. She channeled her magic, summoning Darius III, a shadow servant of equally massive and imposing stature. The two giant warriors then began highly targeted simulated combat training on the open space in the center of the deck.

Chapter 637, the elimination round begins!

At this moment, Darius III, the Shadow Follower, is wrestling and grappling with Asterius, constantly trying to push him towards the edge of the ship's side, simulating the scene of throwing his opponent off the ring.

"Hey! Be gentle...be gentle! You two big guys!"

Captain Drake watched as his beloved deck creaked and groaned under the heavy footsteps and violent impacts, the planks bearing several conspicuous dents and cracks, and he was heartbroken and jumped up and down in distress.

"This ship isn't a gladiator's ring; it can't withstand this kind of abuse!" Drake cried out in anguish.

Compared to the intense training here, Mash and Miyamoto Musashi seemed to be having a much more relaxed time.

"Tomorrow's third match is between me and Ms. Musashi." Mashu looked at Musashi and said in a relaxed tone, "Fortunately, we don't need to devise any complicated tactics. We can just have a good spar in the ring. Whoever wins or loses, it will be a victory for our side."

"That's right!"

Miyamoto Musashi chuckled, arms crossed, but her eyes blazed with the fighting spirit of a pure swordsman. She spoke earnestly:

“But Miss Mashu, I won’t hold back because of that! On the contrary, your incredibly sturdy shield has really piqued my interest! I really want to try my sword and see if I can leave a mark on it!”

"I...I will do my best! And...please give me your guidance, Miss Musashi!" Sensing the pure and powerful fighting spirit of the other party, Mashu immediately straightened her back, gripped the shield in her hand tightly, and her little face was full of seriousness.

"Then finally, it's your opponent, Miss Medusa... that mysterious masked man."

Ritsuka's gaze shifted to the little Medusa sitting quietly to the side, and she said with a hint of apology in her voice:

"Unfortunately, we have learned almost nothing about him in the past two days and have no clues to formulate a targeted strategy. I'm afraid... we can only rely on your own judgment and performance on the spot, Miss Medusa."

“It’s alright.” Little Medusa’s voice was unusually calm, her purple eyes hidden beneath her long bangs, making it impossible to see her expression. “That man… if my premonition is correct… I know him…”

Her voice lowered, carrying an indescribable coldness.

"Huh? You know him?" Ritsuka and the others were all surprised and quickly asked, "Who is that masked man? Miss Medusa, do you know his identity?"

"...Once I personally remove his despicable mask and loudly proclaim his true name, you will naturally understand..."

Medusa slowly raised her head. At that moment, a chilling flame of hatred ignited in her eyes, a stark contrast to her usual gentle and reserved demeanor. Her gaze was sharp as a knife, causing Ritsuka, who was standing close by, to involuntarily tremble.

"...Please forgive my little selfish motive...because I don't want you to try to stop me." Little Medusa's voice was resolute, filled with unwavering determination. "That man...I must kill him with my own hands! Right here in this arena!"

"Snapped!"

"Ouch!"

However, Medusa's fierce look didn't last long before Euryale slapped her on the head.

Medusa, clutching her head and crying out in pain, instantly lost all her fierce appearance, as if the evil spirit that had possessed her had been dispelled, and returned to her usual delicate appearance.

"My silly little sister is too stubborn; she always gets stuck on those trivial, pointless things. So she deserves a beating!"

Euryale seemed to have completely read Medusa's mind and reprimanded her without any politeness:

"Just do your job, and don't forget that someone is watching... You know very well what he'll be like when he gets angry if you dare to make any mistakes."

"Waaah... I'm sorry, sister..." Little Medusa covered her head and apologized timidly.

"Alright, I'll take this silly little sister away to correct her thinking. You guys continue your training." After saying that, Euryale pulled Medusa away without saying another word, and quickly disappeared from everyone's sight.

"Phew... As expected, it was only Miss Euryale who could restore Miss Medusa to normal." Mashu let out a long sigh, still shaken, and said, "Looking at her just now, it was really... a bit frightening."