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

However, Semiramis showed no sign of panic. Instead, she watched with a smile as Artoria slashed at her.

"Ding--!"

"Varied--!"

A sharp metallic sound rang out, and Artoria saw a black sword with a very familiar appearance blocking her strike. Then, a tremendous force struck, sending Artoria flying.

After performing two somersaults, Artoria landed smoothly on the ground and looked up at the throne. Her eyes widened in shock at just one glance.

"How...how could this be..."

Artoria stared in disbelief at the person who had just attacked and repelled her. The person wielded a dark purple holy sword and was dressed entirely in armor of almost identical color, except for the dark purple hue.

Of course, most importantly, the other person's face was exactly the same as his own, only with a colder expression.

"A reversal... How could this be!" Artoria naturally recognized that the other person was none other than herself. However, the difference was that the other person was her other side.

Danger! Artoria could clearly sense the immense magical power contained within the other party and the level of danger it posed. No wonder Wang Chong and Jeanne failed; it turned out there was such a hidden trump card here. Artoria couldn't help but think.

"Get rid of all that filth. As for her, I'll handle it." It was Artoria [Alter] who spoke.

"Alright, then I'll go make preparations. You can stay here as you please..." Semiramis waved her hand, dispelling all the poisonous gas. Then she rose from her throne and began to walk towards the back.

"Wait! Don't even think about leaving!"

Artoria rushed forward again, trying to stop Semiramis from leaving, but was blocked by Artoria [Alter] in the only way.

"That's it, Arthur. Your glory ends here, along with your steps," Artoria said calmly, without even raising her sword, as if stating a fact.

"Tch—that's easy for you to say! But even if it's another version of me, I won't stop here! Hah!!" Artoria raised her holy sword and slashed at her opponent.

Same people, same tricks. Even though Artoria [Alter] is a Rider, theoretically the lower four riders' stats shouldn't be as good as the upper three riders', let alone Artoria, who is a Saber. Even if Artoria is indeed exhausted now, it would be very difficult to defeat her directly. Can Artoria [Alter] really stop here as easily as she says?

"Uh!"

Absolutely, easily. Artoria was sent flying once more, a large gash appearing on her body. As Wang Chong's Servant, Artoria [Alter] naturally enjoys the same double buffs as Mordred, and her stats are already comparable to Artoria's.

After a series of battles, Artoria's fighting strength was far from its peak. Both her sword speed and power were noticeably inferior to the Artoria [Alter] before her. It seemed that Artoria could no longer achieve victory in close combat.

There was no other way, Artoria thought, placing all her hopes on the Holy Sword.

“Ex——”

Artoria forcibly used her Noble Phantasm once again, feeling that after this attack, she might not be able to maintain her body any longer.

"Please, Excalibur. Lead me to victory once again." Artoria prayed silently, raising Excalibur high above her head, and a large amount of magical particles once again gathered on the holy sword.

"How foolish... What gave you the illusion that you can defeat me just by unleashing your Noble Phantasm?" Artoria [Alter] shook her head, making the same starting move, releasing her magic power in the same way, and black light began to rise from the holy sword.

Artoria's heart sank upon seeing her opponent. She knew, of course, that her opponent possessed the same Noble Phantasm as herself, but she was already prepared to act. She only hoped her Noble Phantasm would surpass her opponent's; she had to win! She couldn't stop here!

"Excalibur!!!" (Excalibur)

Artoria roared and unleashed her golden beam once more, striking her opponent.

"Excalibur Morgan!!!" (Excalibur)

Artoria (Alter) also unleashed a jet-black pillar, like a black hole that devoured all light, which shot straight toward the opponent's golden beam cannon.

"boom!!"

The intense clash of the light cannons, producing daylight-like light, instantly engulfed the two. Only the deafening explosion echoed throughout the palace.

Chapter 282 One Prisoner After Another

"It's really intense. Even from this far away, I can feel the tremor... So Master, I think you shouldn't wait here anymore. She's been poisoned by my specially made sleeping toxin, and she won't wake up for a whole night. Even the other soul in her body will fall into a deep sleep because of this poison. Why do you have to stay here?"

At this moment, in a dungeon that looked remarkably clean and unlike anything in the traditional sense, Semiramis looked at Wang Chong behind the bars and said something.

"Isn't this just in case? After all, Ruler's class is what it is. She was just careless for a moment, and the magical array you set up in the Hanging Gardens imposed many restrictions on her class skills, which caused this effect. But no one can guarantee that the class skills I mentioned are all of Ruler's permissions," Wang Chong said with a light laugh.

“However, Artoria should be arriving around the same time. How about this, I’ll leave my clone outside to keep watch, and you can come with me. As for me, I’ll go and bring Artoria over, and also prepare for tonight’s final big show.” After Wang Chong finished speaking, he created his clone, who silently watched Joan of Arc lying on the bed inside the prison from outside.

As for Wang Chong himself, he transformed into a wisp of black mist and flew towards the former throne. Shortly after Wang Chong left, a beautiful, petite figure skipped over; it was none other than Stheno, who intended to be the first to stay by Wang Chong's side.

"Huh? What's going on?" When Stheno arrived, she found Semiramis there as well, and immediately frowned. She thought she would be the first Servant to complete the mission and arrive at her Master's side.

“You’re a step too late. Master just left not long ago, preparing to bring over the two Artorias and Mordred,” Semiramis said with a smile.

"Hmm? Isn't the Master just... oh, an avatar?" Stheno sensed her contract and realized that what was in front of her was just an avatar, not her true self. So, looking uninterested, she sat down on the stone table, yawning, and said, "Boring. I was thinking of having the Master treat me well. The Goddess has gone to so much trouble for him, and he just left. He's getting more and more spoiled."

"Hehe, there will be plenty of time and opportunities in the future, won't there? We cleaned up quite a few people tonight, the Lancer group, Archer's former Master, it's a bit of a pity about Lancelot, he guarded the gate for me for three days. But these things are meant for trading anyway, we'll help him help Artoria find herself again, he's willing to use his life and soul to pave the way for the Holy Grail's descent."

Semiramis reviewed the situation and said.

“Our Master is quite possessive; he wouldn’t keep someone with such a philandering history by his side. Unless he’s like King Arthur, recorded as male but actually female, then maybe. Well, I don’t like having those vulgar men around in the party either.” After saying this, Stheno rested her chin on her hand, narrowed her eyes slightly, and continued:

"Alright, I'm going to rest for a bit. Remember to wake me up when the Emperor returns."

"You can even fall asleep here..."

"Getting enough sleep is the key to staying young forever!"

……

At Semiramis's former palace, there were cracks and burn marks everywhere, and many places had been shattered by the spillover impact of the magical collision. The intensity of the light cannon collision was evident in the chaotic environment.

The blinding light that had filled the palace, as bright as day, had now quietly dissipated, leaving only two people standing in the entire space—Artoria and Artoria [Alter].

Artoria (Alter) simply lowered her holy sword, appearing completely relaxed. She even seemed to have the energy to unleash her Noble Phantasm.

Meanwhile, Artoria planted her holy sword in the ground, resting her hands on the hilt in her most classic standing pose. However, the expression on her face didn't seem as relaxed as one might expect.

“It’s time for the battle to end,” Artoria said, a strange smile appearing on her face, before slowly adding, “Fall down.”

"Cough cough!"

The words, spoken almost like a Command Spell, caused Artoria to cough up a trickle of blood before collapsing to the ground, unable to hold on any longer. The magical armor forming around her could no longer be maintained, and she began to appear ethereal. Her magic had finally been exhausted.

“Reality is so cruel, my other self. You are now like the Kingdom of Britain, which was constantly ravaged by war. We both know the final outcome. We will both choose seemingly different paths that lead to the same end. So why do you continue to fight? Why fight in a battle you know you will lose, my other self?” Artoria [Alter] asked.

"...For the future of the British people, even if that future is destined to be destroyed...For the future of my comrades, even if I can no longer change it. But...I just want to protect them...I want to protect those I want to protect. To see them no longer go hungry...To see them not be defeated by the strength and trickery of the enemy."

In her hazy state of consciousness, Artoria struggled to answer the questions posed by another version of herself.

"This is the path of protection you chose, and it's also the feeling you had when you drew the Holy Sword... So, one last question: will you regret challenging me? If you were given a chance to do it all over again, would you choose to let someone else challenge me?" Artoria [Alter] asked.

"Regret? Starting over?" Artoria seemed to have grasped something, but ultimately, due to excessive magic consumption, her consciousness could no longer hold on, and she completely fell into darkness. In the end, she faintly heard the last words from another version of herself: "...Return to the place of the end and the beginning, and tell me the answer at the very end."

"call--"

A black mist swept in and finally landed beside Altria. Seeing that Altria was about to die from exhaustion of magic, Wang Chong did not hesitate to use the power of the black mist and his own magic to replenish Altria's magic.

Not long after, Artoria's body solidified, though a layer of black mist still lingered between her brows. Wang Chong stopped supplying power and slowly said, "It seems I've arrived just in time. In that case, Saber is mentally prepared. It's time to tell that old scoundrel Merlin to come out and do his job. I can't possibly build Saber's dream entirely myself; I don't know that much about her past."

"Don't worry, he owes me this. If he doesn't come, I'll poke him with a curry stick," Altria said calmly.

"Uh... but Altria, are you alright on your end?" Wang Chong asked tentatively.

"I'm fine. Rather, I'm just passing on the suffering I endured back then to the next person. Hmm, I'm as happy as eating a bunch of fried chicken and hamburgers during the New Year," Artoria said with a very cheerful smile.

"..." Wang Chong knew that the person in front of him, Altria (Alter), possessed memories of everything that had happened, so he didn't say anything more for the time being.

“Let’s go, take her back and settle her in. The final act is about to begin. I’ve specially prepared a good stage for that Kiritsugu Emiya guy, so he better not disappoint.” Wang Chong said, then picked up Artoria and left the dilapidated palace with her.

……

"Is this the only way out?" Iskandar looked at the somewhat damaged Cyprus Sword in his hand, while the soldiers around him were being wiped out by the enemy's rain of arrows and flames. Anti-Army Noble Phantasms are indeed simple and unadorned; one person can rival a thousand troops.

Meanwhile, Irisviel, who had been watching from afar, realized that Iskandar was about to be defeated. As the number of people dwindled, the entire barrier became increasingly unstable.

"Tauropolos!!!" (Dark Heaven's Bow)

With the final, magnificent arrow's farewell, Iskandar's soldiers were finally exhausted, and the entire space emitted a dazzling white light. Irisviel covered her eyes, waiting for the light to fade.

Once she was able to open her eyes, Irisviel noticed that Iskandar's chariot was not far from her, and at that moment, the other Servants from before stood one after another opposite her.

"Have they run out of ideas?...!! Saber..." Irisviel thought to herself as she looked at everything before her. At the same time, she immediately noticed something even worse.

She discovered that she could no longer contact Saber.

Chapter 283 The Star That Created the Chaos Between Heaven and Earth

"Has Saber already...fallen too?" Irisviel could sense that her connection with Artoria was extremely weak, as if Artoria was about to disappear.

"In the name of Irisviel, by the Command Spell, Saber, restore yourself to your best condition immediately! By the second Command Spell, Saber, come to my side now!" In this desperate situation, seeing the three Command Spells in her hand, Irisviel immediately began to use them. This might be their only chance to break through the encirclement.

"How could this be!" Lovely Irisviel was surprised to find that the Command Seal on her hand only flashed red light for a moment before emitting a crackling sound of electricity and becoming completely ineffective, as if it had short-circuited.

"Don't even think about it. Semiramis has already studied your so-called Command Seal system and made arrangements in some key locations to prevent the use of Command Seals. If you were in the same room with your Saber, you might be able to use the Command Seals. But now... she has been successfully taken to the key location and isolated. Don't even think that your Command Seals will work on her."

Jeanne Alter chuckled at Irisviel's reaction and offered an explanation. Then, pointing her spear at Iskandar and Irisviel, she continued, "Alright, you two, my Master is not one to indulge in bloodshed. He is willing to give you a chance to surrender. Now that the battle is over, you have no other options. If you remain stubborn, I will have no choice but to take your corpses to meet him."

"Hahahaha...cough cough cough! There are only conquerors who die on the battlefield, not conquerors who live on their knees. Come on, everyone!" Iskandar was about to burst into laughter, but due to his severe injuries and depleted magic power, his body could no longer hold on, and he coughed up blood violently.

“Rider…” Waver secretly wanted to give up, knowing that as long as he survived, he could always fight again. But he didn’t want Iskandar to be humiliated because of his choice, so he could only silently endure the pain in his heart.

"..." Seeing this, Jeanne Alter didn't waste any more words and glanced at Atalanta. Atalanta nodded, then drew her bow fully, preparing to send Iskandar on his final journey.

"Shhhhhh!"

But just then, dozens of Noble Phantasms suddenly slammed down from the sky, their target being Jeanne Alter and the others. Jeanne Alter, seeing this, swung her flagpole, deflecting the incoming Noble Phantasms. Atalanta also changed her aim, directing beams of light from her bowstrings, colliding with each of the incoming Noble Phantasms and exploding into sparks in the air.

"Conqueror King, do you intend to break your duel agreement with me and die at the hands of these scum?" A voice rang out in the air, and Gilgamesh, riding his Vimaya, arrived above everyone, still looking down on them with that arrogant air.

"Could the anti-flying magic have been broken!?" Atalanta exclaimed upon seeing Gilgamesh flying high above the ground. It's important to understand that Vimaya's previous stop at the very edge of the Hanging Gardens wasn't because she didn't want to fly directly to the core area, but because the Hanging Gardens had an anti-flying magic circle; flying above these buildings was impossible without permission.

"Such petty tricks are hardly enough to stump me. My collection of treasures far exceeds your imagination." Gilgamesh naturally saw Atalanta's doubts, sneered, and looked at Iskandar again, saying, "Conqueror King, you have not yet answered my question."

“Hahaha, King of Heroes, I, the King of Conquerors, have never broken my promise. But on the battlefield, no one can always keep their word, and accidents always happen, like this one. I have exhausted my magic power, and even if you want to come to me now, I can no longer fight,” Iskandar said with a hint of regret.

"Damn it, how could I not understand these things?" With that, Gilgamesh rose from his throne, walked to the edge of Vimaya, and said coldly, "My foolish Master is about to use a Command Seal again. But this time, I do indeed want to use this trump card. I've had enough of this ridiculous performance. I'm even starting to get tired of these heretical Servants and that imposter."

"Conqueror King, if you don't want to break your promise, then fight with all your might to survive! Only then will you be qualified to challenge me." At this moment, Gilgamesh brandished a dark red, rod-shaped Noble Phantasm.

"Not good! Get out of the way!" Jeanne Alter quickly warned, then piloted her dragon to try and leave. Seeing this, the others also began to distance themselves from Gilgamesh.

"Something seems wrong! Saber's Master! Get on board!" The moment Iskandar and the two Masters saw that Noble Phantasm, a sense of impending doom rose in their hearts. Irisviel did not hesitate and immediately stepped onto Iskandar's chariot, gripping the railing tightly with both hands.

"Sit tight!" Iskandar began to speed away, driving the Divine Wheel.

High in the sky, inside a helicopter, Kiritsugu Emiya watched through binoculars as everything unfolded in the core area of ​​the Hanging Gardens. Just moments before, Kiritsugu had successfully contacted Gilgamesh using a Command Spell. After some persuasion, Gilgamesh, fueled by anger, piloted Vimaya towards the core area, preparing to use his ultimate Noble Phantasm to destroy the entire Hanging Gardens.

"In the name of Kiritsugu Emiya, by the Command Spell, Archer, unleash the full power of Ea and destroy the Hanging Gardens! By the second Command Spell, Archer, kill all Another Servants and Another Masters at all costs!"

Kiritsugu Emiya used the power of two Command Seals to ensure that Gilgamesh's Noble Phantasm could eliminate all the Other Servants and Other Masters in one fell swoop. Of course, he would kill the mastermind named Wang Chong at all costs!

After the Command Spell was issued, a red light shone from Gilgamesh's body. Gilgamesh let out a series of cold laughs and said, "Hahaha, very good, very good, Kiritsugu Emiya. I will remember all these debts and settle them one by one when the time comes."

"As for you... my current state is also related to you. You shall all perish!"

Gilgamesh raised the sword Ea, its entire blade spinning rapidly. He pointed it at the fleeing Other Servants and roared, "Awaken—Ea! Look up! Enuma Elish (Star of Ea)!!!"

"Smash—Valudo!!"

"Om-"

Just as Gilgamesh was about to unleash the devastating Ea at full power, a golden filter began to spread outwards. Then, a figure appeared on the battlefield, accompanied by a clone that appeared behind him.

"Host, if you had been a second later, you probably wouldn't have been able to stop the Ea sword. After all, the Ea sword has the power to split the heavens and the earth, and the power of time would only be shattered in front of it. But even so, your time-stopping power won't be able to suppress the Ea sword for long." At this moment, the system's notification sound also appeared in Wang Chong's mind.

"It's alright, it only takes a little time to end all this anyway. System, is that special effects service still available? The one that makes the Hanging Gardens look like it's really being destroyed?" Wang Chong asked.

"In that case, it will probably have to be charged. As you should know, the Hanging Gardens are just too vast. To reproduce such a large-scale effect directly and still fool the Servants, it can't be a free effect. That's almost equivalent to using an illusion." The system prompted.

“I know, didn’t you say before? It’s just 1000 villain points. I can afford that,” Wang Chong said.

Chapter 284 The Destruction of the Hanging Gardens

"Um... Host, if it's just about covering up the original Hanging Gardens' destruction effect, it does only cost 1000 villain points. But look, Gilgamesh even used Ea. He's not just aiming to destroy the Hanging Gardens; he intends to wipe out all the Servants, right?"

The system said hesitantly.

"What do you mean? You're trying to raise the price on the spot, aren't you?" Wang Chong immediately understood what was going on and angrily retorted.

"Isn't this the system's way of thinking for the host? Gilgamesh has to really believe we're dead. And believe me, host, you reap what you sow~ The better your deception goes... well, the more you'll get in that area~" the system said somewhat evasively.

Wang Chong pondered for a moment, then quickly understood the system's unspoken meaning. It seemed to be related to that rating system again.

"Just name a number and hurry up," Wang Chong said.

"2000 villain points," the system said.