IBHJ Chapter 610 (Patreon)

In that moment, Nero’s anti-team Noble Phantasm was activated. A gorgeous golden theater was constructed around Nero and Kiara—the theater she had built during her life in Rome. This greater magecraft was similar to, yet different from a Reality Marble. Once deployed, it would weaken and confine any enemies locked within.

“Are you planning to keep me company here? What passionate love,” Kiara said with a smile.

“Who wants to accompany you! I’m going to lock you in here!” Nero shot back angrily.

“I see. Then you’ll have to work hard.” Kiara didn’t get angry. Rather, she smiled back.

“This is my imperial authority! Don't even think about getting...getting...how is this possible!”

Nero looked astonished.

She simply couldn’t believe the scene before her eyes.

Innumerable hands of light burst out of Kiara’s body, directly tearing apart her Golden Theater!

“Crack, crack, crack—"

Just as she had torn through the barrier, Kiara's glowing hands now ripped Nero's golden theater to pieces with ease.

“How can this be...”

Nero gritted her teeth helplessly. Her Noble Phantasm didn't put up the slightest resistance. Kiara had demolished it effortlessly.

Kiara smiled. "Although you all seem quite hostile towards me, that's alright. I can sense all your worries. Since the Buddha won't save you, I'll be the one to save you from this endless bitter sea."

Innumerable hands of light burst out from her body toward Saber and the others.

"Run!" Saber cried out.

Seeing this, the others' expressions shifted as they hastily retreated. However, compared to Kiara's swift hands of light, their speed was far too slow. The glowing hands caught up to them almost instantly.

The moment those hands made contact...

They fell into their own happy worlds.

"This is..." they murmured in surprise.

Saber returned to a world where Camelot had never fallen. Nero found herself in a realm where she didn't meet her violent end. And Jeanne entered a land not burned by flames.

Seeing Saber and the two heroines wrapped in beams of light, Kiara smiled. "You all seem so hostile towards me, but it’s fine. I’ll let you enter your own happy worlds.”

As she turned to leave, she murmured, "Hmm... that cup belonging to the Heroic Spirit next to Mister Assassin looks quite interesting..."

...

After the ambush by Shirou, Kotomine secretly went toward the Black Faction's base.

He was not a match for Shirou in a head-on battle. However, if he kept hiding, he would just be waiting for his own death.

The evil god had given him the ability to forcibly control Heroic Spirits’ minds, but didn't grant him power directly. The reason was that the evil god had no foothold in this world.

Sixty years ago, Goetia had descended, creating the black ring in the sky and passing the black chalice to Kotomine. But beyond that, no other power was given.

The black chalice possessed all the abilities a Holy Grail should have, and more – like turning Kotomine into a human and creating a connection with another world. The evil god could interfere precisely because of this anomaly. However, the chalice alone was not enough to achieve Kotomine's grand ambition. 

It lacked magical energy. 

This black chalice, created by Goetia from an incomplete Holy Grail War sixty years ago, had formidable abilities but lacked the magical energy to function fully.

Only the Holy Grail system set up by the Three Families could make up for it and, by using the black chalice, Kotomine could make his ambitions come to fruition.

Therefore, he had to win this Holy Grail War.

However, his base had already been broken through by the black’s Heroic Spirits. To achieve victory now, the only way seemed to be assassinating the black's Masters. But when he arrived at the Yggdmillennia clan's base, he realized he wasn't the only one who wanted to attack the Black Faction...

"What a chaotic situation..."

Peering at the Yggdmillennia castle through his familiar, Kotomine couldn't help but be surprised.

The Yggdmillennia homunculi were fighting among themselves. Or rather, a group of homunculi had rebelled.

In fact, Kotomine already knew a group of homunculi had rebelled. What he didn't expect was for them to show up at this very moment.

However, it didn't matter. Such a chaotic situation was perhaps perfect for him to take advantage of. But just as he was about to capitalize on the chaos, he couldn't help but stop in his tracks. 

"Caster...Avicebron..." he muttered with a frown.

As the Ruler manifested into this world who had lived until now, Kotomine could still use some Ruler class skills to a certain extent. Such as True Name Discernment.

However, there were situations where he couldn't use a true name. Initially facing Mordred, who wore a helmet concealing information, he couldn't see through her true identity. And when her helmet was destroyed but she entered an alter state with strange facial markings, he still couldn't see her true name.

The Hanging Gardens had obscured things and temporarily disabled his skills, preventing him from finding out even Heracles’ true name. But now, having walked out from the Gardens and with Avicebron lacking a concealing Noble Phantasm, he could see the Black Caster's true identity.

"Avicebron..."

Kotomine knew the legend of Avicebron, or rather, the deeds of Solomon ibn Gabirol. The creator of the Kabbalistic magical system, he was also a great poet and philosopher. It was said he had struggled all his life to create the "Primordial Man," yet ultimately met a tragic end.

Kotomine clearly understood this was a Heroic Spirit of formidable talent, yet filled with sorrow. As a puppeteer magus Avicebron had never completed his magnum opus. As a poet and philosopher, his works were falsely attributed to King Solomon over a mistranslated name. Even his true name, Solomon ibn Gabirol, had faded - leaving only the Latinized “Avicebron.”

Now Avicebron fought desperately on this battlefield, resisting the rebels while seeming to search for something - but coming up empty. Even from afar one could sense his bitter disappointment.

As for the Homunculi rebels... they were very strange. Each one of them could use Mana Burst and was extremely powerful. If Avicebron had not stayed behind at the base, it might have already been overrun.

Kotomine narrowed his eyes and struck from the shadows, driving Avicebron into an isolated forest.

A frown formed on Avicebron's masked face. "You are..."

With a smile, Kotomine said, "Let me introduce myself. I am Kotomine Shirou, the Red Faction's Master."

"I see. So that's what this is about. Because you were ambushed by Assassin and Lancer, the Red Faction fell into disadvantage. You now plan to obtain victory through other means - for example, by assassinating the Black Faction's Master. And the first step is..."

Avicebron was an intelligent man. He quickly deduced Kotomine's objective. Glancing at the bloodstained katana, he asked, "To eliminate me?"

"I believe we can talk," Kotomine said with a smile as he sheathed the katana.

Avicebron looked at the neat, merciful blows that had killed the Homunculi around them. "That is not the attitude of someone who came here to talk."

"I just wanted some privacy," Kotomine said with a smile, hands spread. "So, Black Faction's Avicebron, I sincerely invite you—will you join the Red Faction?"

"Do you think that's possible?" Avicebron replied. "You rushed here to attack our base. That means Assassin and Lancer are about to kill you. Even if we ignore that, you likely have a Beast on your side. I am a Heroic Spirit. That fact alone prevents me from siding with you."

Kotomine looked puzzled. "A Beast? What Beast? If we had one, why would I attack this place?"

Avicebron fell silent, considering his words.

That was true. With a Beast's power, the situation would probably be reversed, and Kotomine would have no need to come here.

Could Assassin have been wrong in his speculation?

"Besides," Kotomine added with a smile, "who said we'll definitely lose? If you join and use your Noble Phantasm, this entire Grail War's scales would tip to our side."

"You have already lost, there's no doubt about it," said Avicebron lightly.

"But is that truly fine?" Kotomine asked. "Once the Red Faction falls, your side will fight among themselves. Setting Eternal King aside for now, with the others gunning for the Grail, what are the odds your wish comes true...?"

"It doesn't matter," said Avicebron evenly. "My only wish is to complete that golem. The Grail means nothing to me."

Kotomine laughed softly. "I want you more and more, Avicebron. Let me ask you this then: if we Red Servants are eliminated right now, do you believe you'll still be able to complete your Noble Phantasm, your Magnum Opus?"

Avicebron clenched his fist tightly.

"Your Noble Phantasm was likely part of the Black Faction's plan from the start, to better their odds. But with us gone, only infighting remains among your faction. When the Grail is so close to their hands, why would they bother helping you complete your magnum opus?" Kotomine walked unhurriedly to Avicebron's side, smiling. "No one would believe you don't want the Grail, but I do. Join my side. I at least guarantee I will let you complete your Noble Phantasm."

"It's too late," said Avicebron. "Because of that damned Rider's and Lancer's incompetence, the core of my project was lost. Even if I join you, I won't be able to complete my magnum opus!" He scoffed, "Besides, I doubt you will survive this battle!"

"What if the Red Faction doesn't lose?" Kotomine smiled. Avicebron's attitude was no longer as firm as before, and his tone fully revealed his resentment towards Black Rider and Lancer.

"On what basis? Your castle? Your Lancers? Or your means of controlling Heroic Spirits?" Avicebron gave a cold laugh. "Let me tell you, among the Heroic Spirits you control, one has already broken free and leaked your information out!"

"I see... That's why they seemed to have a map, charging directly towards the central area, bypassing so much preparation in the gardens... It was Saber then...?" Kotomine realized what happened. A grave expression crossed his face.

He hadn't expected Mordred to break free and leak their information. However, even such a setback no longer carried much weight given the circumstances.

Kotomine looked at Avicebron, "Indeed, with Eternal King, Vlad, and Arjuna joined together, they make it difficult for us of the Red Faction to turn the tables. But let me tell you this: Even if they work together and multiply their might tenfold, they still cannot defeat that Bodhisattva."

Avicebron looked surprised. "What are you saying?"

"The moment she reveals her true form, defeat is a matter of course for the King and Arjuna alike. If I make that Bodhisattva take action, their loss is guaranteed. You said you lack a core, no?"

Kotomine laughed and held out the black chalice in his hand. "This cup could be considered no less inferior to the Holy Grail itself. You can use it as the core for your project."

"I will not—" Avicebron began.

But Kotomine smiled and interjected, "Don't be so quick to refuse. I've given this to you; whether to use it or not is up to you."

Kotomine left. And Avicebron watched him disappear into the distance.

Avicebron looked at the black cup in his hand, his gaze somewhat trembling.

He returned to the Yggdmillennia clan's castle, where the rebels had retreated. Darnic and the others were extremely furious at being betrayed again, though the rebels hadn't taken any lives because their slogan for the rebellion was "peace talks".

Avicebron paid no mind to the magi's complaints. Instead he went underground, to where his unfinished Golem Royal Crown was buried.

He took out the black cup that Kotomine had given him. Kotomine said this cup could replace the core that Avicebron had lost. He could feel the mystery emanating from the cup; perhaps it really could complete his magnum opus. 

Even if it didn't work out, it was worth trying.

But should he really do this now, at a time like this?

Avicebron's hand trembled. 

"Adam...my lifelong wish...!"

His hand tightened into a fist.