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

"After all... in history, Medusa was a notorious and terrifying monster in her later years."

Dr. Roman's voice also broke in at this moment, his tone tinged with seriousness:

"Even a young Medusa like this now would probably be influenced by her huge 'fame' in later generations, and have a certain beastly instinct hidden in her subconscious."

Dr. Roman then paused, and continued his analysis:

"However, since Miss Medusa has already put it this way, the identity of that masked man... can almost be said to be obvious."

"Um……"

Fujimaru Ritsuka responded, her brows slightly furrowed, and said:

"But no matter who the opponent is, it will inevitably be a fierce battle for Miss Medusa."

Immediately afterward, Ritsuka turned to Mash and said seriously, "Mash, if a critical situation arises on the field, you might need to rush into the ring at a crucial moment to take a fatal blow for Medusa. Just like Euryale emphasized, we absolutely cannot let anything happen to her. Don't forget how troublesome the aftermath was when Miss Stheno caused the Rome incident..."

Mashu shuddered involuntarily as she recalled that experience, then straightened her back and nodded firmly: "Understood! Please rest assured, senior, I will keep a close eye on the arena and protect Miss Medusa when necessary!"

Thus, the contingency plan was finalized in a brief discussion. As the first match approached, the atmosphere in the arena grew increasingly tense, with everyone holding their breath and anticipating the upcoming elimination rounds.

……

The next day, at the arena.

The deafening roar almost shook the entire stadium, and countless eyes were fixed on the huge central arena, anxiously waiting for Poseidon to announce the official start of the match.

The eight Servants were already in position, surrounding the edge of the arena. They scrutinized each other for potential opponents, the air thick with tension, a silent contest already unfolding in the exchange of glances.

Finally, the familiar sound of waves, seemingly from the deep sea, grew louder as the blue waters gathered once more, forming the majestic phantom of the sea god. The phantom spoke divine words, its resounding voice echoing throughout the entire area:

"The time has come! The first match is about to begin. Challenger #1 and Challenger #5, step onto the stage!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Hercules' massive body crashed into the center of the arena like a cannonball, the heavy force instantly creating a deep crater in the stone bricks beneath his feet.

"Roar--!!!"

The moment Heracles stepped onto the ring, he roared wildly to the sky. The wild and powerful roar was like a real shockwave, making many spectators' eardrums buzz and their hearts skip a beat.

"Roar--!!!"

However, this roar that shook the entire arena failed to intimidate everyone. A similarly imposing figure leaped onto the stage without flinching, his twin axes gleaming coldly, unleashing a deafening roar that was no less powerful!

The newcomer was Asterius. His scarlet eyes were fixed on Heracles, burning with a fierce fighting spirit and excitement.

"Now that both sides have arrived, the first arena match shall officially begin!" The phantom of the sea god finished his announcement and then vanished as if it had merged into the sea.

"Ugh—!!!"

Unexpectedly, it was not Heracles who launched the first fierce attack, but Asterius! He roared, his arms bulging with muscles, raised his two axes high, and pounced straight at Heracles like a raging rhinoceros!

Faced with this thunderous charge, Hercules showed no fear. His massive stone sword swept out with a whooshing sound that tore through the air!

"Bang--!!!"

The stone sword and the battle axe collided violently, unleashing a deafening roar! The shockwave spread outwards from the two of them.

What surprised everyone even more was that Asterius was not only not defeated by Heracles' terrifying strength, but after the two weapons were locked together, Asterius actually gained the upper hand in the pure contest of strength, pushing Heracles back half a step!

(Don't ask, that's how the official panel is filled out. One has a Strength A++, while Uncle B is only A+. It's really just random stuff...)

"How is this possible?!" Jason in the audience almost jumped up, his face filled with shock and disbelief. "Even that guy is one thing... Hercules! How could my Hercules lose to such a monster in terms of strength?!"

This scene seemed to shake the very foundation of his belief in the strongest hero.

“That’s not surprising, Jason.”

Chiron's calm voice rang out from the side, his wise gaze fixed on the arena:

"The berserk Hercules you summoned was not his peak state to begin with; the shackles of berserkness actually limited the power that his spirit origin could bear."

Chiron then patiently explained, “Besides, you’re too impatient. Even in his current state, Hercules’ true power is far from being fully unleashed. He hasn’t completely fallen into the abyss of madness, nor has he yet used the demigod-like power flowing in his blood!”

"Just watch with peace of mind, Hercules will never be defeated by this opponent."

After listening to Chiron's analysis, Jason covered his forehead in frustration: "Ah...yes, that's right! You're right! Hercules is the strongest hero! How could he possibly lose to such an ant! I...I must have become a little neurotic because of the performance of those guys yesterday."

Jason began to force himself to calm down.

And the course of the battle unfolded exactly as Chiron had predicted. Heracles' dormant fighting spirit was completely awakened by Asterius's power!

The berserk aura emanating from him surged like a blazing fire, becoming even more turbulent! The previously locked stalemate began to tilt, with the heavy stone sword steadily and firmly pressing Asterius's double axes back!

Chapter 638: Another Twist After Another

Asterius, too, was visibly excited, his eyes bloodshot, and his berserk aura began to rise instinctively as he tried to resist.

However, he kept in mind Fujimaru Ritsuka's warning from the previous day—in order to maintain a clear mind to execute tactics, he had to forcibly suppress this wild power that wanted to be unleashed completely.

With the tide turning, a muffled "bang!" was heard! Heracles seized a tiny opening, and with a sudden burst of force from his stone sword, he sent Asterius and his axe staggering backward!

Immediately afterward, the stone bricks beneath Heracles' feet shattered! His massive body unleashed astonishing speed, catching up with the retreating Asterius like a shadow, his stone sword transforming into a raging blur as he began a relentless barrage of blows!

"Boom boom boom boom...!!"

A dense, drum-like roar exploded on the arena! Each clash between the stone sword and the battle axe sent up dazzling sparks.

Under Heracles's ferocious onslaught, Asterius was forced to retreat step by step, his sturdy battle axe blocking the heavy sword's edge, and the hard stone bricks beneath his feet were constantly being crushed.

"Good! Well done, Hercules!"

Jason clenched his fists in excitement, almost shouting himself hoarse:

"That's it! Crush him! Utterly shatter this arrogant fool!"

The frustration he had accumulated yesterday seemed to vanish in the face of Hercules's fierce and unparalleled offensive, allowing him to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

However, the sage Chiron frowned slightly.

He certainly believed that Hercules would eventually defeat Asterius, but that would only happen after both sides had fully unleashed their berserk powers and Hercules had used his divine abilities again.

But right now... Hercules has completely overwhelmed his opponent with only a portion of the power boosted by his berserk state.

More importantly, the berserk aura that Asterius was deliberately suppressing was far less intense than he had anticipated.

“Something’s not right…” Chiron’s sharp gaze seemed to pierce through the fierce battle. “He’s deliberately suppressing his berserk state… What is he trying to do?”

The experienced Chiron instantly sensed something amiss—his opponent's challenge to Heracles was not a reckless act, but rather came with a clear tactical intent.

Asterius seems to be hiding some kind of deadly move specifically designed to deal with Heracles while he is in a conscious state.

At this moment, on the ring, Hercules had forced Asterius back to the edge of the ring.

Hercules spotted the perfect spot, let out a deafening roar, raised his massive stone sword high above his head, his muscles bulging, clearly preparing to unleash a final, devastating strike—a thunderous slash powerful enough to send his opponent flying off the stage!

At this critical moment! A glint flashed in Asterius's eyes, and with a sudden jerk of his arms, he used the double axes he was holding as throwing weapons, spinning them with lightning speed and hurling them hard at Heracles's face and chest!

Faced with this sudden, whistling, deadly flying axe, Hercules had no choice but to change his tactics. He roared, forcibly altering the trajectory of his stone sword's downward strike, his wrist twisting, the heavy stone sword drawing a semi-circle in the air as he desperately parried outwards!

"Clang! Clang!" Two ear-piercing metallic sounds rang out almost simultaneously. The spinning axe was narrowly deflected by the stone sword, grazing his body and flying out of the arena.

However, just as Hercules parried with his sword, and the old force was exhausted while the new force had not yet been generated—Asterius moved!

Like a bolt of lightning that had been gathering momentum, he unleashed his speed to the extreme, taking advantage of the extremely brief gap after Hercules swung his sword, and suddenly crashed into his opponent's arms!

"Roar--!!!"

Asterius let out a deafening roar! At this moment, he completely released the suppression of his berserk state, allowing his power to surge to its peak in an instant, surpassing the power that Hercules currently possessed!

His thick arms gripped Hercules's hips and left arm like iron hoops, and with such force, he actually pulled the mighty god off the ground!

This is the surefire way for Asterius to defeat Heracles that he practiced all night yesterday on the Golden Deer with the Shadow Servant Darius, under the tactical guidance of Fujimaru Ritsuka!

Countless successful practice sessions have made him extremely proficient in timing and applying power with this move.

The key is to get close to the opponent with lightning speed the moment they swing a large weapon, their center of gravity and defense are exposed, and then suddenly unleash berserk mode to gain an explosive power boost!

In this way, he can use absolute force to complete the takedown! If the opponent is not careful, he will throw them off the ring and eliminate them from the competition!

Yesterday, Ritsuka repeatedly verified that this move has an extremely high success rate against Berserker-type Servants who are used to straightforward attacks and are prone to ignoring tactical changes due to Berserk mode!

"That's it! Asterius! 'The Villain's Journey Begins in the Type-Moon World' is full of classic quotes. Find resonance at http://www.tianywx.com/book/ddbcc.html." Fujimaru Ritsuka stared intently at the ring, her fists clenching unconsciously, silently shouting in her heart, "Smash that arrogant hero to the ground!"

"Roar--!"

As if in sync with Ritsuka's thoughts, Asterius unleashed a deafening roar, his muscles bulging as he channeled all his power into his arms as if burning his life force, attempting to fling Hercules off the edge of the ring!

"How is this possible?!" Jason's exclamation pierced the air sharply, his heart almost leaping out of his chest—could even his Hercules be unexpectedly defeated in front of everyone?

"Ugh!"

However, just as Asterius was about to let go, an unimaginable force suddenly clamped down on his thick fingers!

A sharp pain shot through his body like an electric current, forcing his tall frame to kneel on one knee, causing the stone slabs of the arena to crack.

Hercules, who should have been thrown away, miraculously managed to grab Asterius's loose fingers with his strong left hand like an iron clamp at the last second!

Immediately afterwards, Hercules' body unleashed astonishing coordination in mid-air. Using Asterius's locked fingers as an axis, he suddenly exerted force with his strong waist and abdomen, performing a swift twist in the air, completely dissipating the throwing force that was enough to overturn a boulder.

With a heavy thud, he landed steadily on the precarious edge of the arena, stirring up a cloud of dust and debris.

This astonishing reversal left Ritsuka and the others speechless, their faces filled with disbelief.

"How could this be?!" Ritsuka whispered in disbelief, "We simulated the tactics with Asterius dozens of times... why... why could Heracles, in his berserk state, still see through and break them?!"

“You all underestimate Heracles…” Chiron’s deep voice rang out, carrying an all-knowing calm, “whether it’s Asterius or those who devised his tactics.”

He knew his disciple too well; even in the midst of his fury, the combat wisdom etched into his very bones never faded.

【Mind's Eye (Fake) B】—This is not an ordinary skill, but a near-instinctive ability to sense and avoid danger, forged by Hercules through countless adventures across the abyss of death.

While berserk behavior robbed him of his rationality, it could not erase his survival instinct, which was as natural as breathing.

Asterius's hastily honed and still somewhat clumsy feint tactics were like a child's trick to fool a seasoned veteran in front of Heracles.

From the moment he was grabbed, Hercules's honed fighting instincts had already grasped the only key to breaking this takedown!

"Roar—!" Asterius roared again in unwillingness, enduring the excruciating pain in his finger bones, and charged at Heracles again like a runaway chariot, intending to use a brutal collision to knock him off the ring!

But Hercules would not give him another chance. A flash of red light appeared in his eyes, and his right leg rose with lightning speed that was imperceptible to the naked eye, striking Asterius's outside thigh with the precision and ferocity of a battering ram!

"Oh!"

With a heavy thud and the rattling of bones, the charging bull shuddered violently, its forward momentum abruptly halted, and its massive body once again uncontrollably and heavily knelt on one knee!

The opportunity to counterattack arrived in an instant! Hercules' enormous hand slammed down like a predatory eagle, clamping down on Asterius's thick arm!

At the same time, divine power erupted from his body, and his muscular arms burst forth with the power to split mountains and shatter rocks!

"BOOM—!!!"

A deafening roar drowned out all other sounds. When everyone could see clearly, Asterius's massive body had already crashed onto the ground outside the arena like a boulder launched by a catapult, sending dust billowing into the air.

This move was originally designed to finish off Hercules, but now it was countered by his own methods, with even greater speed and purer power, and was ruthlessly retaliated against!

In the first game, Heracles wins!

The entire arena fell into a brief silence, which was then followed by an even louder roar.

No one expected that this seemingly unequal duel would end so quickly, let alone the two astonishing reversals in the blink of an eye, which left everyone speechless and almost breathless.

"Heh... Didn't they just learn the methods I used to deal with Hector? It's a pity that the little girl's tactics were just a hair's breadth away from succeeding."

Achilles, who was watching the battle, let out a soft, ambiguous laugh, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.

He stared at the god-like figure on the arena, and the solemnity in his heart deepened.

Chapter 639 The True Face Revealed

Jason, after witnessing Hercules secure victory in such a thrilling manner, felt his heart, which had been in his throat, finally return to his chest, and his back was soaked with cold sweat.

“Well done…well done, Hercules!” His voice trembled with relief as he forced a smile. “I knew it! How could anyone truly defeat you?!”

Jason's tone was filled with lingering fear and feigned ecstasy.

"Asterius! How are you?!"

Ritsuka rushed to Asterius's side immediately after he was thrown out of the arena, crouched down and anxiously checked his condition.

Fortunately, aside from the shock of landing and a few scrapes and bruises, he was otherwise unharmed. The massive minotaur shook its head, the ferocious red light in its eyes fading and returning to its clear state.

“I’m sorry… Ritsuka…” Asterius struggled to sit up, his massive head bowed, his voice filled with disappointment and self-reproach, “I… lost. I couldn’t help…”

"Don't say that, Asterius!" Ritsuka helped Asterius up with all her might, her voice firm yet warm. "It was my tactical oversight that prevented me from preparing a more comprehensive plan for you, which instead limited your performance. It was I... who underestimated the true strength of senior Heracles."

After saying this, Ritsuka turned her gaze to the little Medusa who had been quietly watching beside her, and solemnly said:

“Miss Medusa, I entrust this to you now… Please be careful not to let past hatred consume your sanity.”