Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

"You don't want your drug use and possession of contraband to appear on the desks of newspapers and police stations the next day, do you? —by Apple in the Plate."

"Poison or antidote, choose one—by someone who also knows a little about magic."

"..."

Following a series of emails that employed various tactics—coercion, enticement, persuasion, or force—were addresses from all over the world.

Just by looking at it, you can basically see that the blocks above cover almost half of the countries and regions on Earth.

In a sense, these were all his employers.

Different employers for the same commission...

Holmes's hand holding the pipe trembled slightly, then he took another deep drag, his gaze fixed resentfully on the phone screen.

This commission was not actually assigned solely by Her Majesty the Queen of Britain, but rather was the result of a group of women's joint consultation.

Specifically, right after the incident, no sooner had "that person" fled Britain than a group of female heroes, goddesses, and anti-heroines from all over the world flocked to London.

Subsequently, the various parties meeting at 10 Downing Street, united in their hatred of the enemy, reached a consensus to unite and hold those responsible accountable.

In their quest to catch "that person," the group of women went to great lengths, practically turning every country in the world upside down.

Meanwhile, the methods employed include divination, big data, bribery, espionage, and many others.

My work as a private investigator is just one of many parallel projects.

Even so, the group of women showed great concern, frantically tagging him at the slightest sign of trouble, openly and secretly demanding all kinds of information and clues, and constantly urging him to update him on the progress of the investigation.

Furthermore, the women who had openly vowed to unite against a common enemy and stand together against external forces were secretly undermining each other, showing no intention of working together and practically wearing the words "go-get-it-all" on their faces.

Even with Holmes's exceptional intelligence, he was still overwhelmed by such a complex case.

He feared that one day these employers might get restless and secretly fire him.

The great detective, sitting on the bench, thought about his precarious situation, and a dull ache began to throb between his brows again.

Indeed, compared to the truth, women are a more difficult subject to understand.

Holmes muttered a curse to himself, then clicked the button to pay for the ticket, got up from the bench, and headed towards the airport.

Thanks to the mistakes made by those employers, there weren't many places that "that person" could go.

With the added clue of "traveling with Tamamo-no-Mae", the answer is already obvious.

Now that I've been exposed in the Holy Grail City, instead of passively staying here, I should take the initiative and head to a new destination.

Rather than dealing with those employers and struggling to survive, it's better to do your job well, uncover the mystery as soon as possible, and expose the snake lurking in the darkness to the sunlight, making it the target of the firepower instead of yourself.

Perhaps, I will be able to meet those two formally soon.

Holmes, having gotten into the taxi, tucked his pipe into his pocket, pulled down his hat brim, and turned to look out the window at the large screen displaying the Holy Grail Invitational Tournament, his gaze deep and penetrating.

It seems that defecting to the enemy is also a good option.

After all, he is the Messiah, representing humanity's salvation and fulfilling earthly wishes. In theory, he should be more reliable than those women, right?

Meanwhile, in China, at Mount Li.

This place is beautiful and was loved by emperors and generals.

Legend has it that King You of Zhou built the Lishan Palace here. During the reign of Qin Shi Huang, it was renamed "Lishan Tang". During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, it was expanded into a detached palace. Emperor Taizong of Tang built a palace here and named it "Tangquan Palace". Emperor Xuanzong of Tang expanded it again and named it Huaqing Palace. Because it is characterized by hot springs, it is also known as Huaqing Pool.

Even as time goes by, some traces have persisted.

Deep in the mountains, a Qin-style palace with a classic black and white color scheme stands majestically.

Inside the triangular bronze censer in the main hall, incense burned quietly, wisps of smoke rising from the openwork holes, and a delicate fragrance permeated the air, refreshing the soul.

Behind the beaded curtain swaying in the wind, a dashing young man with a prominent nose, long eyes, and a sharp brow, dressed in a loose-fitting black robe, sat quietly behind a table, closing his eyes to meditate.

Before him was a vast sand table depicting the entire landscape.

Behind him hung rows of swords, armor, bows, and crossbows, representing the weapons of the world.

However, even sandwiched between the two, that figure exuded an aura of authority without anger, and its every move carried a domineering presence that commanded the respect of all people, like a tiger lying in the mountains or a dragon lurking in a cold pool.

This is the ultimate expression of human existence.

He is also the only true being in this land who has overcome death, transcended yin and yang, and reached the immortal truth; the emperor who governs the human world.

A gentle breeze swept by, and the young man seemed to sense something, opening his eyes, picking up an ancient bronze sword from the table, and gently wiping it.

"Hey~~"

The palace doors opened slightly, and a woman dressed in white armor, with black hair and green eyes, stepped across the threshold and bowed to the young man behind the desk to report.

"Your Majesty, your guest has arrived."

"Then summon them to the palace, Marquis of Loyalty."

The young man lightly polished his sword, a hint of amusement flashing in his long, sharp eyes.

The woman in white bowed and nodded, then summoned the two visitors outside the door to the hall.

She lived up to her reputation for loyalty, standing firm like a javelin without hesitation, guarding the door in a vigilant posture.

Under the watchful gaze of this loyal marquis, Samael, who was wrapped up tightly, stepped into the palace gate, removed his hood, and looked at the legendary First Emperor.

"It's really not easy to see you, Your Majesty."

The First Emperor glanced at a fox spirit who was half a step behind, and vaguely understood something. He then turned his gaze to Samael in the hall, his deep eyes also revealing a hint of scrutiny and curiosity.

"I have long heard of you, the foreign ruler who fought against the wandering stars."

"Guests are always welcome. What? Aren't you going to invite me to sit down?"

Samael stepped forward, a gentle smile on his face.

"Whether they are guests or not remains to be seen..."

The First Emperor neither confirmed nor denied this, but still waved his hand to summon a chair, in order to fulfill the proper hospitality for his guest.

But there's only one.

Tamamo-no-Mae, left standing to the side, secretly gritted her teeth.

The First Emperor slowly wiped the bronze sword in his hand and asked indifferently.

"Speak, stranger, what brings you here? Those people outside are going crazy looking for you."

Samael's gaze sharpened, and he decisively cut to the chase.

"I wish to borrow the [Emperor Shun's Seal] to reopen the connection between heaven and earth!"

However, upon hearing this request, the First Emperor revealed a strange smile.

"Oh, what a coincidence, we even have to borrow things at the same time."

Then, the First Emperor turned to look at the clock on the table, and a smile appeared on his lips.

"Judging by the time, she should be here soon."

At the same time, a fierce wind blew outside the hall, and countless cherry blossom petals fell like raindrops, gathering in front of the steps to form a volatile girl with long brown hair, holding two long swords, and bloodshot eyes.

"Ying Zheng, give it back! If you don't return the [Kongtong Seal] to me today, I'll tear down your palace!"

Facing the menacing shouts and curses outside the door, the First Emperor looked at the foreigner in the hall with a subtle smile.

"There's only one item, but there are two people who want to borrow it. It seems you need to discuss it first."

At the same time, the four people on the field locked eyes, and the atmosphere instantly froze.

"It's you!"

Samael and Akuta Hinako, who had come with her sword, both froze and looked at each other simultaneously.

Chapter Four: A Beauty Untainted by Knowledge

Why is he/she here too?

At that moment, the two people whose eyes met involuntarily had the same thought pop into their minds.

Soon, the hot-tempered Hinako opened her almond-shaped eyes wide, grabbed the longsword wrapped in blood-red flames, and pointed it directly at Samael and the First Emperor in the hall, launching the first attack.

"So, you're all in cahoots!"

Upon hearing this straightforward judgment, Samael slapped his forehead, somewhat unable to bear to look at it.

As expected of the hot-tempered Old Mustard;

No wonder he's such a terrible student who has to plagiarize papers;

As expected of the weakest Master in Chaldea who can inflict debuffs on his own Servants...

When we met again, nothing had changed at all.

Despite having read so many books, her eyes still possessed a beauty untouched by knowledge.

Commonly known as—clear-sounding stupidity.

With her IQ, she'll basically be out of the running for political maneuvering.

Seeing that Akuta no Hinako was carrying two swords into the palace and was about to kill him and the First Emperor without saying a word, the ancient snake rolled its eyes and couldn't help but sigh and complain in its heart.

Fortunately, this Kunlun Heavenly Maiden was not so foolish as to be beyond redemption.

"Ying Zheng, no matter what kind of monsters and demons you've invited to help you, I'm warning you to hand over what belongs to Kunlun right now, or else I'll make you regret it!"

Hinako decisively chose to target the First Emperor of Qin first, ignoring Samael, who was considered an "accomplice."

Of course, the reason they didn't pursue the matter could very well be because they simply couldn't win.

After all, Samael's two encounters at the department store and 10 Downing Street had given Hinako Akuta a "small" shock.

Even so, Samael could still detect the deep resentment in the woman's clenched words "demons and monsters."

The ancient snake, which was being subtly criticized, couldn't help but roll its eyes again.

Facing the menacing Akuta no Hinako, the loyal Marquis in front of the palace gate remained calm, his right hand clenched in a fist.

A white-shafted spear appeared in the female general's hand. The main body of the spear was light yet extremely resilient, made of ash wood that had been used for many years.

This material is also known as ash wood and is an excellent material.

It is sticky, elastic, and tough, making it one of the most suitable woods for making guns.

Besides China, Greece also used this material to make guns, and Samael, who had experience commanding troops, could recognize it at a glance.

At this moment, the black-haired female general shook her spear, the gleaming tip pointing at Akuta Hinako, her pretty face filled with murderous intent as she coldly reprimanded her.

"Making a ruckus in the palace, brandishing weapons in the hall—what kind of decorum is this? Do you intend to assassinate the king?"

"So what if he did? It's his own fault for not returning my things!"

Hinako Akuta, like many others, was easily swayed by gentle persuasion but not by force. She immediately raised her eyebrows and displayed her usual fiery temper.

"How dare you! Even if you are a recluse, you cannot be allowed to overstep your bounds here!"

Upon hearing this treasonous declaration, the black-haired female general immediately slammed her spear to the ground and coldly roared.

"Where are my men? Take them down!"

At the same time, the tassels beneath the spearheads moved without wind, and three thousand figures wielding white-handled spears appeared behind the female general, spontaneously forming a battle formation to defend against the enemy.

In an instant, the aura of blood and smoke soared into the sky, its majestic momentum as solid as mountains.

Upon seeing this, Hinako Akuta frowned, her gaze filled with apprehension.

Clearly, she had suffered losses against this military formation more than once.

"Lord Zhongzhen, step down."

Just as tensions were running high, a low command came faintly from the main hall.

The First Emperor, standing before the table, stopped wiping the sword and looked up with a mocking smile.

"Since I am hosting a banquet today, I will naturally open the gates wide and welcome all who come."

"But……"

The black-haired female general hesitated as she looked at the murderous-looking Hinako at the door.

The First Emperor waved his hand, looked confidently at Samael opposite him and the fox spirit left standing to the side, and curled up the corners of his lips.

"Rest assured, with two distinguished guests from foreign lands present, I will be perfectly safe."