"What is Darnic trying to do? Not only did he specify the final battle location for Lancer, but he also specifically designated the battleground for you and Teacher Kayneth."
Waver looked at the letter the familiar spirit had delivered earlier, carefully examining the address on it.
"It's nothing special, just a wide street. Even if he wanted to set a trap, he couldn't."
"He's probably afraid I'll use an enclosed space to temporarily create a small workshop. After all, he knows the formidable strength of a Lord family."
Kayneth said indifferently, urging Waver.
"Go quickly and have the hotel prepare a car. This distance is too far to walk."
"I already informed the hotel when we were in the suite."
Waver nodded, took a few steps forward, looked out the window, and then waved to Kayneth.
"Teacher Kayneth, the car is ready!"
Hearing Waver's voice, Kayneth instinctively glanced out the window and saw the black sedan quietly parked on the street. He then unhurriedly walked over to Waver's side.
"Let's go."
On the street, dyed fiery red by the twilight, no one was visible. Because of the private room, even the hotel staff were only on standby inside. This beautiful scenery made Waver exclaim.
"It feels so quiet. There are no citizens on the street. It's so different from London."
"It's probably because of the church's lockdown a few days ago. Ordinary people wouldn't be as carefree as you."
Hearing Kayneth bring up his embarrassing past, Waver awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"Those things don't matter anymore… Now is the time to gather my spirits."
"You're in a surprisingly good mood,"
Kayneth looked at Waver in surprise, wondering why this usually timid boy had suddenly become so brave.
"Of course! This is my first time participating in a real Magus battle. Teacher Kayneth, is so serious, and Rider is also working hard, so I have to put in more effort too!"
"That's true. The growth of a Magus comes from past experience and accumulation. We must prove that what the family has accumulated since the previous generation was not all in vain. This is the meaning of being an heir. In the future, as long as we don't stop, the path to the Root will continue to extend…"
Seeing Waver's serious expression, Kayneth also rarely smiled. This feeling of witnessing his disciple slowly grow was a very novel experience for him.
Suddenly, just as the two walked out of the hotel entrance and onto the street, a piercing screech of brakes broke the peaceful atmosphere.
On both sides of the street, several cars appeared one after another, blocking the entrances and exits. Then, as the car doors opened, out walked a group of expressionless homunculi, identical in appearance to Darnic. Each of them held a cold firearm.
Immediately after, as tongues of fire spewed, countless bullets poured down on the unsuspecting teacher and student.
Before he could even shout a warning, Waver was pulled by Kayneth, who shielded him behind his back.
Not running away, not resisting, coupled with the ongoing attack, made Waver's rationality completely go offline. He stared blankly at the blood dripping from Kayneth's shoulder onto the tip of his nose, and asked in a trembling voice,
"Teacher Kayneth, what are you doing, Teacher Kayneth!"
His response was Kayneth's cold roar: "Shut up, I'm not dead yet!"
Inside the large ceramic bottle Kayneth carried, the metallic mercury had somehow transformed into a sphere, enveloping the two of them.
Waver recognized the name of this Mystic Code, Moonlit World Mercury. Kayneth had created this Mystic Code when he was in his early twenties, and due to its excellent performance and perfect interpretation of fluid manipulation, it quickly became the representative Mystic Code of El-Melloi.
The moment they were attacked, this Mystic Code had already been activated, and it was precisely because of this that the two survived. Aside from the wound on Kayneth's shoulder, this wave of attack did not achieve anything.
"Automatic target lock, autonomous defense, tracking and annihilation!"
Completely disregarding Waver, Kayneth quickly chanted the incantation, and at the very end, with an angry, scolding tone, he issued the command for a counterattack.
"Scalp!"
And the mercury sphere enveloping the two of them trembled with a rustling sound as if responding, then transformed into thin, long ribbons that continuously extended, spreading like whips to the end of the street at a speed that made it impossible for anyone to react!
During its high-speed movement and extension, the mercury whip became increasingly slender, finally turning into a blade only a few millimeters thick, simultaneously cutting the attackers at both ends, both people and cars, into several pieces.
In an instant, the situation was reversed!
"What? My attack was quite accurate, wasn't it? In the end, they're just a bunch of homunculi."
Before Kayneth could show a triumphant expression, Waver's sobbing voice came from behind him.
"Teacher Kayneth, your wound… it's all to protect me. The Moonlit World Mercury couldn't completely envelop you immediately…"
"Waver, why are you making such a sound… I am your lecturer, Kayneth El-Melloi, the ninth heir of the Archibald family. Protecting my students is my responsibility as a lecturer. A single bullet is nothing. The healing function of the Magic Crest has already performed emergency treatment."
Kayneth looked around with a fierce expression, proclaiming in a majestic voice.
"Darnic! Do you think setting such a trap on the only path can defeat me, Kayneth? Relying on that group of homunculi using firearms? I didn't expect that as the head of Yggdmillennia, you would even lose the honor of a Magus!"
"From the perspective of efficiency, using firearms is the most convenient method, nothing more."
From among the homunculi corpses, Darnic walked out, sweeping his cold gaze over Kayneth.
"Now, the death of these homunculi means I am the only Master."
Darnic carelessly lifted his clothes, exposing the deformed disc on his chest to Kayneth's eyes, "Now, with the thrill of brushing past death, coupled with the excitement and anger of battle, and the desire for victory, your soul is in its optimal state. It's time for the harvest."
"Just with that Mystic Code of yours whose purpose is unclear?"
Kayneth let out a disdainful scoff, his expression quickly turning cold.
"But you did say one thing right, my anger is about to erupt! Moonlit World Mercury!"
The flowing mercury surged like a torrent, rushing towards Darnic.
But he merely tapped the talisman on his chest again. The next moment, an ethereal white light flashed across the street.
When the white light flashed, the surging Moonlit World Mercury, Kayneth who was waving his hand to give orders, and Waver who was standing beside him with a determined look holding a protective charm, all froze in place.
"That's right, this is the normal effect."
Darnic cautiously looked at everything around him, finally letting out a sigh of relief, "If it weren't to force you to use this Mystic Code, which involves soul engineering, so that the Sheep Talisman could defeat you in one blow, why would I bother with all this trouble?"
He quickly walked towards Kayneth, then frowned again.
Because he discovered that although most of the Moonlit World Mercury used for attack had entered a standby state due to the impact of the Sheep Talisman, the thin film surrounding Kayneth and Waver had not disappeared.
"Did he actually leave a part of the authority within the Magic Crest even while chanting to activate the Mystic Code? He truly is a prodigy."
Even though his own research into souls had reached the level of a Grand, Darnic still had to marvel at Kayneth's talent. Unlike himself, who relentlessly pursued a specialized path, Kayneth was the perfect embodiment of the word 'genius' for a Magus.
A Magic Crest is an accumulation of research results from the founder of a Magus family. It was created to prevent the loss caused by time, like an organ, a solidified mystery.
Therefore, the magic inscribed within it can be activated simply by injecting magical energy. Even someone who doesn't understand the mysteries of the crest's spells can use it conveniently. And when the inheritor encounters a life-threatening crisis, the Magic Crest will spontaneously inject power to keep the user alive. In a sense, for a Magus family, the Magic Crest is the true Master; each generation of Magi is merely a vessel to transmit it.
To be able to write his own spells at such an age and utilize this mechanism made Darnic feel a certain admiration for Kayneth.
"Too bad. If it were me sixty years ago, I would have been helpless against this. But now, prodigy, witness the power of a Grand Magus."
A sinister smile appeared on Darnic's face as he once again placed his hand on the Sheep Talisman.
"A Crest, after all, is merely an organ whose efficiency is determined by the fluctuations of bloodline and the frequency of the soul…"
Suddenly, the Command Seal on his arm also slowly lit up, emitting a sound like a scream.
Darnic spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, the madness in his eyes deepening.
"In other words, by tuning the frequency of the soul, resonating with your Command Seal, and then destroying my Magic Crest, your Magic Crest will also suffer irreversible damage!"
"Ahhh—!"
As the patterns on Darnic's arm exploded into blood blossoms, Kayneth's Magic Crest inevitably became chaotic, causing the surrounding mercury to droop powerlessly.
Then, Darnic suddenly reached for Kayneth's head, and the moment he touched him, a shock heavily struck his abdomen, sending him flying.
A pale Waver Velvet still maintained the posture of throwing the talisman, subconsciously supporting the Kayneth beside him.
"I underestimated you, Waver Velvet. I didn't expect that under the soul's tremor, you recovered even faster than Kayneth. You dared to attack me, you possess quite noble courage."
Darnic scrambled to his feet, clutching his lacerated abdomen, but the smile on his face hadn't diminished in the slightest.
"Unfortunately, you're still one step behind."
Waver Velvet concentrated his gaze, suddenly realizing that Darnic was holding something in his hand, but before he could see clearly, Darnic swallowed it whole!
"Kayneth! Teacher Kayneth!"
As if realizing something, Waver subconsciously shook Kayneth, but though his eyelids were open, the light in his pupils was incredibly scattered.
"It's useless, he's already a mere husk," Darnic stood up indifferently. After swallowing Kayneth's soul, his face instantly became incredibly rosy, and he no longer cared about his injuries.
He was about to kill this troublesome short person when he suddenly noticed that Kayneth, who should have lost consciousness, lifted his finger and chanted in a hoarse voice.
"Boil, my blood."
Following his command, the Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid, which had been spread across the ground, re-gathered around him.
"Did the soul's remnants temporarily regain personality from the body in a final burst of energy?"
Darnic sneered, saying, "Unfortunately, it would be more enjoyable to just die in a coma."
But looking at the gradually surging Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid, a clear look of hesitation appeared on his face. Finally, he shook his head, abandoning the idea of eliminating the root cause, and quickly left the street.
This matter, he would have plenty of time to deal with it after he and Enkidu merged. Now, with his soul in such a boiling state, he couldn't miss this opportunity. Today, he would squeeze out Lancer's last value!
After Darnic left, Waver didn't even bother to wipe his tears, quickly dragging Kayneth into the hotel.
Only after re-entering the workshop's range, under the protection of the barrier, did he call out again.
"Teacher Kayneth, we're safe... I'll help you with your injuries now..."
"There's no need for that," Kayneth leaned against the wall, suddenly opening his bloodshot eyes and looking at his student. "Waver, I have a request for you. Quickly cut off this arm of mine with the Command Seal!"
"Quick!"
Hearing Kayneth's command, Waver, shedding his previous indecisiveness, quickly grabbed a ritual dagger and, using reinforcement Magecraft, severed Kayneth's arm with one strike!
Accompanying the heart-wrenching pain, a smile appeared on Kayneth's lips as they twitched.
"Thank you... Waver Velvet, El-Melloi's Command Seal has already disintegrated by several tenths due to that guy's spell, but with such timely treatment, perhaps some usable parts can still be preserved. I cannot allow El-Melloi to be cut off in my hands like this. The Command Seal has run wild, and my soul is missing; my life cannot be saved."
Kayneth's voice grew hoarser and hoarser, and his eyelids began to flutter.
"It's all me... If I had been more self-aware... If I hadn't come to participate in this Holy Grail War at all, Kayneth, you wouldn't have..."
Watching his teacher, who spoke one way but acted another, protect him and then fall into death, while he was powerless, Waver Velvet was overwhelmed by guilt and self-reproach.
"Waver, you don't need to worry. This was all my own choice; it's not your turn to bear it."
Kayneth glanced at Wave. Velvet. His slightly pale voice sounded again.
"I've carefully read your thesis. You believe that the gap in bloodlines can be compensated for through exquisite spellcasting, but unfortunately, this is the most ideal situation. Perhaps in the future, a hundred years from now, after the foundation of modern Magecraft is born, such a possibility might truly exist, but now, this defies common sense."
"A Magus is a creature that constantly strives to reach the Root. If one generation fails, the next continues. Each generation's bloodline and research directly build upon the achievements of the previous generation. Even if it takes a long time, even if the family line might be cut off due to an accident along the way, we will still not stop."
Kayneth's head drooped powerlessly, as if he were dozing off, but his consciousness was incredibly clear, as if it had detached from his body and was stepping into that beautiful dream.
"As long as you don't stop moving forward, the path to the Root will continue to extend. Didn't you say you wanted to overturn the Magecraft world? Leaving aside overturning it, even if you only change a little, it would be an incredible achievement."
"So, Waver Velvet, don't stop! You are my disciple, Kayneth. As long as you don't stop moving forward, I will surely be there ahead."
"Teacher Kayneth!"
Waver's vision had become blurred. He constantly wiped away the gushing tears, but each time his vision cleared, more tears welled up.
"I know, Kayneth, I understand everything... Although you are a member of the noble faction, and usually carry yourself with an arrogant pretense, when you graded assignments, whether they were from commoner students or noble students, you would read them all equally, and you never deliberately held back when teaching. The most joyful thing in my life was meeting a teacher like you."
Though his voice grew softer, Kayneth's sharp words did not cease.
"Even now, I will not retract my assessment of you. Your past theoretical achievements were nothing but castles in the air, and your past impulsive attitude was nothing but self-righteousness."
"—However, for this extracurricular practical, I'll give you an excellent."
To receive such an evaluation from that stubborn man caused Waver to instinctively ask a question.
"Teacher?"
But Kayneth did not respond.
He was dead.
After a long while, in the distant sky, Rider, driving his chariot, plunged into the barrier like a falling meteor.
"Lancer was suddenly summoned away by his Master, and then I rushed back. On the way, I felt the contract break, boy. Master, he's fine..."
Conqueror's voice suddenly stopped. He instinctively tightened the reins, causing the wild divine bull to calm down.
Looking at the corpse in front of him and Weber Velvet sitting blankly beside it, Iskandar rubbed his head, his rugged face filled with solemnity.
"I actually fell for the trick. I, the King, have also failed in my duty, boy. Quickly leave this place. The direction of this war is already a bit off. These Masters, I don't know what they are plotting. They've given up easy victories again and again, as if what they pursue isn't the Holy Grail at all. Although I'm very reluctant, my journey seems to be heading towards its final act."
"No," a resolute voice countered Conqueror.
Waver held Kayneth's severed arm, looking at the Command Seal above that hadn't yet dissipated, and completed the spiritual medium ritual in the most meticulous and serious way he ever had.
"Boy, you..."
Amidst Conqueror's surprised voice, Waver raised his head, his face filled with an iron-like resolve.
"If I were to retreat so disgracefully, wouldn't all of Kayneth's efforts be in vain? Conqueror, let me become your subject."
"In my name, Waver Velvet... in the name of El-Melloi, I swear, your conquest will not stop here."
Saying this, Waver Velvet slowly stood up and raised his left hand. On it, two still-fresh Command Seals were clearly visible.