Souichirou Kuzuki.
Before becoming a world history and social studies teacher at Homurahara Academy in Fuyuki City, this cold and somber man had once been a member of an assassination organization. He had killed before.
Although he had severed ties with the organization, he was still proficient in the assassination technique known as "Snake," which traced out special trajectories to strike enemies with brutal precision.
After Caster Medea reinforced his body with magecraft, Souichirou Kuzuki's already formidable close-quarters combat became even more lethal. His limbs themselves were weapons. Before the unique trajectories of his attacks were deciphered, he could even briefly fight on equal footing with a Servant—or even counterkill one outright (Rider suffered deeply in her heart).
Across different timelines, because his techniques were so strange and unpredictable, even Rider and Saber suffered significant losses the first time they faced him.
Of course, a greater reason was that the Masters supplying Rider and Saber with mana at the time were utterly incompetent. One was the talentless "trash" Shinji Matou, and the other was Shirou Emiya, who had only just stepped into the world of magecraft.
Rider without her mount, unable to use her Mystic Eyes, her base parameters plummeting across the board; Saber unable to assume spirit form, her base parameters likewise falling across the board... Tsk.
It was only natural that Souichirou Kuzuki managed to take advantage of that.
But when Souichirou Kuzuki, in his mortal body, challenged one of the two most technically accomplished members of Durandal's team—
That was no different from an old man swallowing arsenic. There was no way to die faster than that.
Senti was not a half-dead Rider or Saber weakened by insufficient mana supply.
"Trash!"
Seeing that Souichirou Kuzuki was unarmed, Senti simply abandoned his own weapon and engaged him barehanded.
Indeed, the Servant body imposed certain restrictions on her abilities, but those were limited only to physical parameters and the output threshold of Herrscher authority. In pure martial combat, there was not the slightest impact.
With Fu Hua's fifty thousand years of experience, Senti had effectively witnessed all manner of bizarre martial sect techniques across Shenzhou. Compared to a true snake demon—a serpentine Honkai Beast—Souichirou Kuzuki's technique could only be considered average. After all, he was human. His bodily structure determined that he could never achieve the true eeriness of an actual serpent.
Moreover, no matter how much magecraft reinforcement he used, his physical attributes could not compare to those of a Servant.
"And you, a half-baked piece of trash like this, dare to strike a Snake Fist opening stance before this Immortal?"
Facing the heavy blows aimed at her chest and the back of her neck, Senti even yawned, her face filled with disdain as she directly seized the special trajectory of the assassination art "Snake."
Short-range power, unleashed!
Immediately, accompanied by the crisp sound of bone fracturing, Souichirou Kuzuki's left arm joint twisted ninety degrees on the spot, while his right arm dislocated outright.
"Hah!"
What surprised Senti somewhat was that this overestimating man did not change expression at all. He even endured the intense pain from his body's malfunction and switched to a kick.
However—"Pathetic!"
Bang!
That sweeping leg came down like a horizontal iron rod, brutally smashing apart the knee Souichirou Kuzuki had raised before slamming into his abdomen.
"Wah—puh!"
His nearly one-hundred-and-fifty-pound body was sent flying like a cannon shell. After skipping three or four times across the tightly packed stone tiles of Ryuudou Temple like a stone skimming water, he crashed into the temple wall.
Cracks spread inch by inch across the wall, fragments bursting outward. His body slumped like a torn sack, head drooping, vomiting out a blur of red and white flesh. Bright crimson blood instantly soaked through his clothes.
"N-no, don't, Souichirou-sama..." Caster Medea's voice had already taken on a sobbing tremor.
But Souichirou Kuzuki could no longer respond to her.
Whoosh! Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!
Panicked, Caster Medea raised her staff. Deep violet magic circles materialized in midair, and countless magic bullets shot forth, bombarding Senti's steadily advancing figure.
"You should worry about yourself."
Swinging Domain of Sanction, Raiden Mei unleashed a dense curtain of thunder that precisely sealed off Caster Medea's surroundings.
At this moment, Senti was fully in the zone. With a vicious grin, she grabbed Souichirou Kuzuki by the throat.
"Now then—will you obediently confess everything you know about the other Masters, or shall this Immortal pry open your skull and search for it personally?"
"If you cooperate honestly, perhaps this Immortal will show mercy and let you lovebirds die together."
Her height was irrelevant. As Senti spoke, she dragged Caster's Master along the ground like this, hauling him all the way before Caster Medea.
Watching this scene unfold, the corners of Fu Hua, Kiana, and Raiden Mei's eyes twitched.
They recalled Senti's grumbling before departure: "This Immortal is so upright, so widely respected. You want me to play the villain? How am I supposed to act? One look and anyone can tell I'm a good Immortal, okay?"
Fu Hua mercilessly retorted, "Play the villain? Do you even need to act? Just rein in that arrogant, sharp-tongued attitude of yours a little."
"I am willing to withdraw from the Holy Grail War! Do not harm Souichirou-sama!"
"As long as Souichirou-sama lives, I will agree to any condition!"
Seeing Senti's fingers gradually tighten, and the increasingly agonized, suffocating expression on Souichirou-sama's face, Caster Medea directly tore off her cloak, revealing a despairing yet exquisitely beautiful face. With a pious and humble posture, she collapsed to her knees and pleaded toward Durandal, who appeared to be the leader.
Her voice was so emotional that it broke and turned hoarse.
"Noble Child of God, I—Medea, daughter of Aeetes, King of Colchis—am willing to return to the Throne of Heroes and surrender everything. But please spare my Master. He is not a magus and poses no threat to you."
Of course, Caster Medea would not place all her hopes on the enemy's mercy and forgiveness. While pleading, she was also making subtle movements in secret.
She was quietly weaving a teleportation spell, intending to send her Master to a safe location. At the same time, beneath her cloak, her hidden hand half-conjured a strange, twisted dagger.
That was Caster Medea's Noble Phantasm—Rule Breaker.
It could sever the contract between a Servant and their original Master, transferring the Command Spell that bound them to her instead.
Yes, she still had one mad idea—to gamble.
To gamble that after the several Servants before her relaxed their guard, she could stab the knight who appeared to be the leader—or perhaps stab the magus instead.
If she succeeded... the current unfavorable situation might completely reverse. She might even gain control over multiple powerful Servants.
Not only would she no longer need to scheme against Saber and her Master, even sweeping through the Holy Grail War would no longer be a delusional dream.
Unfortunately, imagination was beautiful. Reality was cruel.
She had not been entirely certain before, but now that they were closer, Caster Medea could clearly sense the aura of divinity emanating from every single invading Servant present.
Divinity.
Aside from Fu Hua and Senti—who, thanks to the legend of the Scarlet Kite Immortal, possessed extraordinarily high divinity simply by directly inheriting the epic myths of Shenzhou without requiring Selene's fabrication—
the others, such as Durandal and the rest, had no true connection to gods.
But that did not matter. Selene's heroic epics and the Empire's widespread misinterpretations were more than enough.
"..."
When the blonde female knight approached, the silver-white, exquisitely crafted armor she wore radiated an aura that filled Caster Medea with profound dread.
She made her judgment.
That was divinely bestowed armor.
In an instant, Caster Medea dispelled the manifestation of Rule Breaker in her hand.
It was impossible.
As someone who had lived in the Age of Gods and personally suffered the curses of deities, Medea knew all too well the durability and anti-curse protection of god-gifted armor.
Raising her head, as the radiant knight drew nearer, gazing at Durandal's heroic bearing, a trace of bleak self-mockery flickered through Caster Medea's lifeless eyes.
All of them are Heroic Spirits connected to gods... Heh. Even if I flee back to the Throne of Heroes, in the end, will I still never escape the control and mockery of the gods?
Unlike her carefree early years, the latter half of her life had been steeped in betrayal and lies.
Because of the goddess Aphrodite, Medea had been cursed to "fall in love with Jason, leader of the Argo." Thus began the series of cruel tragedies that defined her life.
She betrayed her father, Aeetes.
She dismembered her own younger brother and scattered his remains into the sea.
To strike back at Jason for transferring his affections to another, she ruthlessly killed the two sons she had borne him...
That figures. As the 'Witch of Betrayal,' I only bring calamity to those around me. It was I who brought misfortune to Souichirou-sama.
"Ara, ara~ Even though you're Servants who will be sent back once the Holy Grail War ends, you've developed such feelings for a living Master. This Caster pair is quite interesting."
Seeing the fugitive lovers seemingly about to stage a melodramatic farewell scene straight out of a romance drama, Rita, having watched her fill of the spectacle, finally spoke at an unhurried pace.
"Lady Durandal, in Rita's judgment, Caster cannot be trusted. Who knows whether she is merely acting."
Standing beside Durandal, the charming little maid now clad in the Azure Knight · Moon Soul armor appeared to be smiling gently, yet her words sounded utterly cold to Caster Medea.
As a considerate and all-purpose maid, Rita felt it her duty to fill in any blind spots for Durandal. In Greek mythology, Medea's cruelty and viciousness had long become synonymous with "betrayal" and "witch."
Rita did not possess Selene's foresight. Acting responsibly, based on these accounts alone, she refused to believe that a witch who had sunk so low could so easily reform.
"It matters not. Whether she lives or dies is not for us to decide."
"In Greek mythology, did Medea not once possess the Golden Fleece? With the power of the Golden Fleece, it should be possible to tear open a gap."
"Lady Durandal, you intend to... Mm. Rita understands."
The Golden Fleece was a rare treasure of Greek mythology. It symbolized not only wealth, but also adventure, unyielding will, ideals, and the pursuit of happiness. It was said to contain the conceptual power to summon Phantasmal Species, dragonkind, and even deities.
"Well then, Medea, I ask you—how much are you willing to sacrifice for that man?"
"Depending on your performance, I may not only spare him, but also repair his bodily injuries. I may even allow the two of you to reunite."
Upon hearing this answer, the dullness vanished from Caster Medea's eyes in an instant.
"Truly?"
"A promise once spoken cannot be taken back."
"I am willing to give everything!" Caster Medea replied without the slightest hesitation.
This was the only chance—the only chance to secure a sliver of hope for Souichirou-sama.
"Very well. But Medea, you have only one opportunity."
As she spoke, Durandal slightly furrowed her brows and laid the massive knight's lance across Caster Medea's slender neck.
"Senti, after leaving behind insurance measures, spare him for now."
Hearing this, Senti nodded and flashed an "understood" gesture. She lightly tapped Souichirou Kuzuki's heart, throat, and brain in succession before casually tossing the man back into Caster Medea's arms.
"As a Caster, you do know healing magecraft, correct?"
Watching Caster Medea gently lower Souichirou Kuzuki and treat his wounds with tears brimming in her eyes, Durandal shook her head slightly. The sense of déjà vu made her almost believe that the so-called Witch of Betrayal truly had a tendency toward redemption.
But the mission came first.
Turning back to Lev, who had begun linking the ritual to the leyline beneath Fuyuki to set up the summoning ceremony, Durandal asked, "Master, how many steps remain?"
Rising after finishing the inscription of the final runes, Lev's face was still flushed with excitement.
"The Holy Grail has already been placed at the underground leyline node. Her Majesty's 'holy relic' has also been set. Now we only need to obtain the Holy Grail cultivated in Fuyuki over the past several centuries and fuse it."
"Once the Saint Graphs of six Servants fill the Holy Grail system, the hole connecting to the Root will open. Using the accumulated mana of this world as sacrifice, we shall recreate the Age of Gods!"
The Temple of King Solomon would reappear as well. Joining hands with foreign deities, Mystery would be restored, and the Age of Gods would return to the world.
After Solomon's death, Mystery had begun to decline at an accelerated pace. Lev's objective had always been to revive King Solomon and restore the Age of Gods.
And now, he had reached a deal with a foreign god.
A double safeguard.
He would simultaneously summon King Solomon's Temple and the foreign deity.
To Lev, foreign Mystery was still Mystery. It was all the same.
As for what impact the recreation of the Age of Gods would have, how many humans would die—it had nothing to do with him.
Perhaps the foreign deity harbored ill intent. But to restore the Age of Gods, even the incineration of human order would be a price he was willing to pay. What cost could possibly be unacceptable?
"Come! Let us begin! I can hardly wait!! The Age of Gods! Ahahahaha—!"