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

"Host, you now possess the Greater Grail. Whether the Holy Grail War begins depends on whether there is enough spiritual power to support its descent. Now, all you need to do is manipulate the spiritual veins, continuously allowing the Greater Grail to draw magical power from them. Naturally, the Holy Grail War can begin a month in advance," the system explained.

“Very good. After we send Father Mapo away, we’ll go to Ryudong Temple.”

During the time Wang Chong was communicating with the system, he was actually leading Kirei Kotomine around looking for a restaurant. After being convinced by Wang Chong's words and accepting Wang Chong's power of destruction, Kirei Kotomine was completely convinced by Wang Chong. However, he was a little curious because he had just heard from Wang Chong that he was going to be taken to find the first thing that could make him feel at ease.

However, Kirei Kotomine realized this was a food street. Could it be that what the other person meant by making him feel at ease was related to food? But Kirei Kotomine had eaten a lot in the past 20 years and didn't have any particular cravings for food, nor did he feel that anything he ate could make him happy. Although he no longer doubted the other person's words, he was still somewhat curious and began to look forward to it.

"Oh, we've arrived, Kirei. One of the things you've been searching for is in this restaurant." Suddenly, Wang Chong stopped, a smile spreading across his face, and pointed to the restaurant's signboard.

"Red Continent Banquet Hall, Mount Tai...?" Kirei Kotomine looked up at the restaurant and uttered its name softly. It was just a Chinese restaurant, nothing special. But since it was the place Lord Dio had mentioned, Kirei Kotomine still made a note of it.

Yes, even now, Wang Chong hasn't removed his mask or revealed his real name to Kirei Kotomine. It's not that he's worried Kirei will betray him. Rather, Wang Chong always wants to be on guard. In this world of magic and sorcery, obtaining someone's memories isn't difficult.

……

"Lord Dior, is this the dish you're talking about?" Kirei Kotomine looked at the steaming plate of bright red tofu in front of him and swallowed hard. This dish was a picture of hell; the bright red broth mixed with the white tofu looked like lava cooking shimmering white bones.

"Mapo tofu is a very famous Sichuan dish in Chinese cuisine. It's just a normal food. It's just..."

"But...?" Kirei Kotomine asked with some curiosity.

"It's only slightly spicy for people who can't handle spice," Wang Chong said with a smile. Then, he used a soup spoon to scoop up a spoonful of his own Mapo Tofu, which was the same size as his plate, and put it straight into his mouth.

"Delicious," Wang Chong said, but in his heart he thought, "Why does it taste like chili extract all over? The excessive spiciness is overpowering the flavor. Sichuan cuisine abroad is not as authentic as the one in China. Well, as far as the spiciness is concerned, it's acceptable."

Yes, Wang Chong is the kind of person who isn't afraid of spicy food at all, because he grew up eating spicy food.

After finishing his meal, he scooped out another spoonful and savored it. Seeing that Wang Chong had already started eating without any discomfort, Kirei Kotomine also scooped out a spoonful of Mapo Tofu and put it in his mouth.

"!!!"

The first bite sent the spiciness spreading from his mouth throughout his entire body, causing Kirei Kotomine to tremble involuntarily. The pain of the spiciness penetrated deep into his very soul. Clearly, Kirei Kotomine belonged to the type of person who couldn't handle spicy food. His sensitivity to the pain of spiciness was far greater than that of the average person.

But soon, Kirei Kotomine scooped up a second spoonful and put it in his mouth. This intensified the pain in his mouth even more. The burning pain caused Kirei Kotomine to break out in a cold sweat, and he even kept covering his mouth with his hands. Normally, one would stop eating at this point and drink water to relieve the spiciness. But Kirei Kotomine's instinct was not to get water, but to scoop up a third spoonful of Mapo Tofu and put it in his mouth.

Kirei Kotomine's face turned bright red from the spiciness, and he was sweating profusely, but he showed no sign of stopping. Instead, he kept eating spoonful after spoonful of Mapo Tofu until he had finished it all. He was only half a minute slower than Wang Chong.

"How is it, Kirei?" Wang Chong asked Kirei Kotomine with a smile.

"I am deeply grateful." Kirei Kotomine's lips were a little swollen, but he didn't blame him at all. Because he felt it. While eating Mapo Tofu, that familiar sense of comfort returned to him, and because of this, Kirei Kotomine felt happiness and joy. Even though he was in great pain from the spiciness, he felt so pleasant.

"So you understand now, Qili? What is it that truly brings you peace of mind?" Wang Chong said, his eyes slightly narrowed. "This is the fifth time you've felt this sense of peace. By now, you should be able to figure out what it is that brings you peace of mind, right?"

"Could it be... pain?" Kirei Kotomine wasn't stupid; after experiencing it five times, he naturally understood the pattern.

“Pain, misfortune, despair. These are things that others see as poison and avoid at all costs, but you find them incredibly sweet. You not only enjoy your own misfortune, but you also enjoy the misfortune of others. Do you remember your wife’s death, Kirei Kotomine?” Wang Chong said.

"I remember."

"How does it feel?"

"I'm...sad."

"Is it because of his wife's death itself?"

"……no."

"Is it because you didn't enjoy your wife's death?"

"..."

“So I’ve come to the right person, Kirei Kotomine. You are exactly that kind of person. Although you have always been suppressed by the doctrine, you have now broken free,” Wang Chong said.

"You're free now." Kirei Kotomine nodded upon hearing this. Yes, he had abandoned his principles and sold his soul.

“However, Kirei, there is one thing I must make clear: you may enjoy the misfortunes, pain, and despair of others, but you must not pursue them.” Wang Chong then changed the subject.

"What does this mean?" Kirei Kotomine frowned slightly, not understanding Wang Chong's words for a moment.

“It’s the same principle as those guys who love money. People like money and enjoy the pleasures it brings. But some people, because of greed, keep chasing money. In order to get more and more money, they will stop at nothing, like madmen. In the end, they become slaves to money without realizing it. They have long lost their true selves and have lost sight of what they should be enjoying, not chasing money.” After Wang Chong finished speaking, he looked at Kirei Kotomine and said, “You are the same.”

Chapter Seventeen Acceleration

"You are the same, Qili. We may seem different from ordinary people, but we are not that special. It's just that what makes others feel at ease is money, status, friendship, and so on. What makes us feel at ease is our own or others' pain, misfortune, and despair. We can enjoy them, but we cannot pursue them too much, otherwise we will not only lose our true selves, but also become slaves to these things. Do you understand what I mean?" Wang Chong said slowly.

"...I understand what Lord Dio means. This is what they mean by 'too much of a good thing'." Because Wang Chong's example was very simple, Kirei Kotomine understood it immediately. One can enjoy the pain, misfortune, and despair of others, but one must not go too far and excessively pursue the extreme pain and despair of others.

“Take this plate of Mapo Tofu, for example. It only costs 800 yen, but the pleasure it brings is already exhilarating. However, if you excessively pursue that ultimate pleasure, will it still bring you joy when you look back and taste that thing that gave you that first pleasure? You are a smart man, Kirei Kotomine. Don’t let the pleasure you’ve finally obtained blind you and make you forget to seek true happiness,” Wang Chong said.

"True...happiness?" Kirei Kotomine asked, puzzled.

“That’s right, true happiness. In the end, the sense of security only brings temporary happiness. The happiness we should pursue is something like the Garden of Eden described in the Bible, something that brings eternal happiness. I call it: Heaven,” Wang Chong said.

"Heaven?"

“That’s right. As long as you can go to heaven, you can obtain true happiness. This kind of happiness cannot be obtained even if you have an invincible body, immense wealth, or stand at the top of everyone else. In this world, the true victor is the one who witnesses heaven.” After Wang Chong finished speaking, he stood up, looked at Kirei Kotomine, and slowly said, “So, Kirei Kotomine, are you willing to follow me and become one of those who witness heaven?”

"I will always follow you, Lord Dior, and witness the day you ascend to heaven." Kirei Kotomine bowed deeply.

Fortunately, the two were in a private room; otherwise, if they were outside, who knows how people would have pointed and gossiped about them.

"Ding—Given that the host tricked his subordinates and made them suffer the pain of sausage lips, which is consistent with villainous behavior, he is awarded 50 villain points, bringing his current villain points to 1180." The system's voice became the final sound of this farce.

……

"Kirei, you said before that the Holy Grail War would begin in a year, right?" Wang Chong asked as he was about to part ways with Kirei Kotomine on the way back.

“That’s right, this has always been a tradition of the Holy Grail War.” Kirei Kotomine paused after saying this, then asked, “Does Lord Dio also wish to participate in this Holy Grail War?”

"The Holy Grail War is just a children's game. However, it's quite entertaining." Wang Chong looked at Kirei Kotomine and then said, "But a year is too long. I can't wait that long. So, let me add fuel to the fire of this farcical game. Kirei, you can just wait in the church for your cheap master's message."

"Yes!" Kirei Kotomine replied respectfully.

"Kirei, regarding your peace of mind, I will give you one more thing as a farewell gift for our parting." Wang Chong reached into his pocket, took out a piece of paper that had been folded several times, and handed it to Kirei Kotomine.

"This is...!!" Kirei Kotomine unfolded the origami and discovered that it contained the recipe for Mapo Tofu.

"this!"

“Take it to yourself or to someone you love. Enjoy the pleasure this food brings.” Wang Chong finished speaking and turned to leave. Kirei Kotomine watched Wang Chong leave until he disappeared from sight before turning and walking towards the church. With a smile, Kirei Kotomine tucked the paper into his robes. He had already figured out how to please himself.

……

"You three had a blast today, didn't you? By the way, where did you get the money for all this stuff?" Wang Chong couldn't help but complain, looking at the pile of stuff that Medusa was carrying.

"Hmph, don't underestimate the goddess's incredible luck, okay? We played that game... I think it was called... anyway, a pinball game, and won a ton of money, so we were able to buy all this," Euryale said smugly.

"You guys even went to fight pachinko. Can't you be a little more careful? There are some very perceptive magicians in Fuyuki City. What if they discover our whereabouts..." Wang Chong said, frowning.

"Don't worry, Master. These modern tricks are nothing compared to the magic of the Age of Gods. Besides, with my class skill protecting us, we guarantee those guys won't find out," Stheno said confidently.

Wang Chong nodded slightly. Stheno's aura concealment was A+ level, basically the top-tier level. If she wanted to hide it, an ordinary magician would have a hard time detecting her. Then, he casually asked, "Speaking of which, why did you buy so many clothes?"

“Of course I’m buying all these clothes to wear for myself. After all, it’s normal for a goddess to pursue beauty. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not for any guy to see.” As Euryale spoke, she turned her head slightly and kept glancing at Wang Chong.

“After all, even if it’s just to disguise ourselves as ordinary people, it will still help our Master, right? Our Master has been intentionally hiding us. He must have this in mind, right?” Stheno was very astute. From Wang Chong’s plan, it was not hard to see Wang Chong’s subsequent strategy. Therefore, buying these clothes was indeed intended to help them integrate into modern society and not attract too much attention.

“But you should give everything to Medusa… Medusa, give me the things.” Looking at Medusa buried under the clothes and packaging bags, Wang Chong shook his head and reached out his hand.

"Eh? No way, how can we let Master carry things?" Little Medusa quickly refused.

"Don't worry, I do know a little about spatial magic. I can put all these things into my private space." Wang Chong touched the product packaging bags, and all of them were sucked into his system space.

"Master really dotes on her little sister. Even as her older sister, I'm a little envious," Steno said with a slight smile. Seeing her older sister's kind smile again, little Medusa trembled involuntarily.

"Alright, if there's nothing else, come with me to Mount Enzou." After dealing with Kirei Kotomine, Wang Chong was eager to settle the matter of the Holy Grail.

The three girls naturally had no objections; bickering and threatening among sisters was just part of their daily routine. Wang Chong knew this too, so he only occasionally showed concern for little Medusa to prevent her from becoming too insecure from being bullied by her two older sisters.

Upon arriving at Mount Enzang, Wang Chong easily utilized the power of the black mist to sense the aura within the Holy Grail. The little contraption he had created would be ready in about a month. This was why Wang Chong needed at least a month to activate the Holy Grail and begin the Holy Grail War, rather than allowing it to improve over time.

Wang Chong manipulated the earth's ley lines, pouring a massive amount of magical energy into the Greater Grail. Once the energy reached a certain threshold, he stopped. He believed this surge of magical energy would soon alert a certain elegant individual that the Holy Grail War was about to begin ahead of schedule.

So, what will happen to everyone after that?

……

"Hmm?" A very elegant man in a red suit, sipping red wine at home, murmured in surprise. He sensed the magical rhythm emanating from the earth's veins. This feeling was consistent with the rhythm recorded by his ancestors. This was a sign that the Holy Grail War was about to begin and the Holy Grail was about to descend.

"How could this be? Shouldn't there still be a year left? Could there have been some deviation?" For a man skilled in meticulous planning, this sudden accident was undoubtedly bad news. He still had many arrangements to finalize, and now he was forced to hastily begin this Holy Grail War.

"Well... although I don't know the reason, things have come to this point, so I can only report it in advance. First, I'll check how much time is left before the Holy Grail War begins, and then I'll notify the chosen Masters."

Chapter Eighteen: Filial Piety and Fatherly Love

Fuyuki Church

As night fell, Kirei Kotomine received his father's call and slowly entered the church. The first thing he saw was his father, Risei Kotomine, pacing back and forth. Seeing the usually kind-faced Risei Kotomine looking troubled, he asked, "Father, what's wrong?"

"Ah, Kirei, you've arrived." Seeing Kirei Kotomine arrive, Kirei Kotomine's tightly furrowed brows relaxed a bit, and he said, "We just received news from Tokiomi that the Greater Grail is experiencing an anomaly."

"Hmm? Does this mean the Holy Grail War can't continue?" Kirei Kotomine was slightly surprised upon hearing this, then he recalled what his Lord Dio had told him before he left. Could it be that Lord Dio was able to interfere with the Holy Grail War so secretly? What kind of immense power could accomplish that?

“No, the Holy Grail War can still proceed. But for some reason, this time the Holy Grail has absorbed enough magical energy ahead of schedule. The Holy Grail War, which was originally supposed to begin a year later, is now only a month away from its descent, according to the calculations based on the time of day. We don’t have much time to prepare.” Kotomine Ryougi said with a deep frown, “In order to maintain our initiative, Toki and I must formulate a new plan and direction.”

How the Holy Grail War would unfold, and what plans his father and Tokiomi Tohsaka would have, were no longer of any concern to Kirei Kotomine. He had already found his purpose in life and the people he could follow for the rest of his life. However, seeing his usually kind father now looking so worried and anxious about the sudden changes in the Holy Grail War, Kirei felt a strange sense of pleasure. He quietly watched Kirei Kotomine's sighing and groaning face, and freed from his constraints, he could now enjoy this sense of peace without any reservations.

"Kirei...Kirei! Are you listening to me?" Suddenly, hearing his father's urgent voice, Kirei Kotomine also gathered his thoughts and quickly said, "I'm sorry, Father, I'm thinking about how to solve the current problem."

"Sigh, I'm sorry to have troubled you. I only dragged you into this because I and Shichen were absolutely certain of the outcome. But now that the timeline has suddenly been moved forward, everything has been disrupted, and you've ended up in this dangerous and uncertain situation." Yan Fengli shook his head and then said, "Right now, the most urgent thing is to get back on track as quickly as possible. After all, this is our home turf."

"Yes," Kirei Kotomine replied.

"Then, go to Shichen's place. Since the Holy Grail War is about to begin in just one month, he has an important task for you," said Kotomine Risuke.

"Alright." Kirei Kotomine nodded, then turned and walked outside. But after taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped, turned back and said, "Father, now that we've suddenly encountered such a thing, I'm afraid you'll have to work hard for a while."

"Hmm? Haha, is Kirei worried about me? My old bones are still quite strong, so don't worry about it," Kotomine Risuke said with a smile.

“Yes, Father, I’ve recently learned a new dish. I’d like to treat you to it tomorrow,” Kirei Kotomine said.

"Oh? Really? Hahaha, this is the first time you've brought this up in all these years. Well then, I'll be looking forward to seeing your cooking skills, Kirei."

"Don't worry, Father, I will definitely satisfy you." Kirei Kotomine raised his arm, which, from Risei Kotomine's perspective, seemed to be placed on his face.

"Is she wiping away tears? When did my child become so sentimental..." Kotomine Risa wondered.

However, what Kotomine Risei had no idea was that Kotomine Kirei was desperately trying to hide his beaming smile. An incredibly joyful smile.

……

The sudden early start of the Holy Grail War was like a bombshell, hitting everyone involved. And what is Wang Chong, the instigator, doing now?

"Master, you really like this outfit more, don't you? Eyes can lie, mouths can lie, but the symbolism can never be deceiving."

"Hmph, you don't really believe we bought these clothes just for ourselves, do you? This is a reward for Master letting us have fun today~"

"Waaaaah... (Someone hiding in a corner, refusing to make a sound)"

"Since that's the case... then let's fight!"

A battle is raging! Undoubtedly, a thrilling battle is unfolding in a room of the Matou family mansion! Unfortunately for them, the protagonist, like a great hero of antiquity, handles everything with ease, whether it's a tag-team battle or a 1v2 situation.

Finally, amidst thunderous applause and the popping of champagne, the battle came to an end. The two goddesses were covered in marks, symbols of the losers. The victor, without a doubt, was Wang Chong.

Unfortunately, the purple-haired girl is still wandering around, still wandering around, and still hasn't been able to eat meat today.

"With my natural physical abilities and the goddess's favor and protection, I can withstand even Bajiquan, so this kind of protracted battle is a piece of cake."

Wang Chong wiped his sweat. He had to admit, the combination of black and white stockings was like stacking attack speed and critical hits—absolutely insane! He figured this champagne-boosting lifestyle would become his daily routine from now on.

"Hmm... I can't let myself fall into this trap." Patting his face, Wang Chong's rationality had reached its peak during this period of calm and contemplation, especially with the nighttime hour.

"Host, today's harvest is quite substantial. You've acquired so many skills and items, and even brought Kirei Kotomine under your command. It can be said that every step you've taken has been extremely correct—you're on your way to becoming a true villain," the system said.

“You’re wrong, system. I’m not entirely correct.” However, Wang Chong shook his head and said, “I took Kirei Kotomine under my wing on a whim. But in reality, Kirei Kotomine is a very troublesome thing. After all, the things he did during the Fifth Shinobi World War were truly despicable. Now that I have freed him from his psychological constraints, I must take on that responsibility.”

“I took advantage of his desire for happiness and pleasure and brought him under my wing. But I didn’t want him to eventually fall to that level, easily manipulating innocent lives. So while liberating him, I also put a lock on him. I used the theory of money to put the brakes on him, allowing him to maintain a balance between enjoying pleasure and basic principles of conscience. Then I set goals for him with the ethereal concept of paradise, instead of focusing on inflicting extreme suffering on others,” Wang Chong said slowly.

"This is also a warning to myself. Don't lose your way. Don't become a madman who has no reverence for life and is extremely arrogant." Wang Chong squinted his eyes, examining himself.

"So, what are your plans next, Master?" the system inquired.

"Now all we can do is wait. We should prioritize resolving Kariya's matter, and then see who shows up in Fuyuki City. If we have the chance, we can also drop by our neighbors next door," Wang Chong said.

"Next door? Where?"

“Look at Buzi City. If you calculate her age carefully, she should only be 13 years old. She must have already been targeted by Huangye Zonglian,” Wang Chong said slowly.

"Oh, I understand. Then I have a question, but I'm not sure if I should ask it?" the system asked.

"explain."

"Are you planning to enter the Root as a whole, or just a part of your body?"