[FDJ]Chapter 102: Intermission

"Master, all the familiar snakes that were lurking in the village during the battle have been confirmed dead," Caster reported the situation truthfully to the nearby Master. Although Rider had been dispatched to assist after Berserker, there was no live feed of the scene from the familiars, which made Caster somewhat uneasy.

"Rider has already informed me of the sudden situation there. Berserker and the enemy Servants each eliminated the monsters in two villages and then engaged in battle. That's all we knew until now. According to Rider's report, there was a highly ranked entity attempting to use imaginary number to open the 'Gate' and descend, with magus from the assisting Holy City participating. Fortunately, the ritual required for the arrival of that entity is of the highest level, and ordinary human magic can only attract a small portion of its power, which the Servants can handle. They temporarily gained control of the situation, and the enemy Servants took advantage of the chaos to escape," Richard answered calmly, without a hint of urgency. With multiple Servants under his command, he seemed to have turned the Holy Grail War into a strategic confrontation.

"I don't know how the previous information was analyzed, but the last sentence is not the whole story," Caster didn't believe that Rider would overlook capturing the enemy Servants; he was an extremely ruthless king who wouldn't let his enemies go.

"Most likely, it was at the behest of his brother, Berserker. It feels like there's also a hint of reproach for not allowing him to attack my mother. It seems I've annoyed Berserker," Richard said, still devoid of any sense of tension. He was just teasing, but in reality, he had a clear division in his heart. The Servants were ultimately just Servants, and in the master-servant relationship, the Master's decisions were unquestionable; otherwise, it would be impossible to manage these top-tier familiars with extraordinary abilities. "What do you think, Caster?"

"Logically speaking, Berserker is a martyr who pursues absolute purity of faith. He shouldn't..."

"Mad Enhancement, Caster. A Servant who has lost their sanity may act in ways that deviate from their creed in life. You overlooked that fact," Richard said, pointing to the unfinished chess game on the table. "On the chessboard, you ultimately gained an advantage, but reality is not a chessboard. Just because we've made arrangements doesn't mean the pieces will obediently follow. They have their thoughts, as do you and I. And, of course, our opponents."

Richard picked up the wooden box on the table, confirmed its contents, and placed it into the additional layer of his lightweight armor.

"They undoubtedly encountered monsters that cannot be ignored. Rider's words may sound casual, but it can be said that without two first-class Servants to handle the situation if we were to redeploy ordinary Servants tonight, they would likely be walking into the lion's den. It's no longer just a matter of how many innocent civilians die. Their actions have severely disrupted the Holy Grail War, and everyone involved in summoning the monsters must pay the appropriate price for it!" Richard stood up, gesturing for Caster to continue monitoring other areas and ensuring that no abnormal situations occurred. "The plan needs to be modified. I can't wait until dawn. I'm going back to the Holy City personally to investigate the suspects. Archer will assist me there, while you continue to monitor every area covered by the familiars and immediately inform me of any new information."

"Understood, Master," Caster respectfully stood up and saluted, watching Richard leave the tent.

Richard enjoyed the feeling of being valued as if he had become the new guardian of the Holy City, the youngest and most outstanding commander in the Crusade. Everything was within his grasp. Things he had never imagined in his childhood dreams had now become a reality with the help of the Holy Grail. Richard was certain that if the Holy Grail War could continue for a long period, he would be tempted to abandon his wish and indulge in the war itself. With a single word, a single action, or a single glance, he could determine the course of the entire battlefield. Human lives were merely numbers on a report. He could wage war however he pleased, with honor and faith becoming mere accessories, just additional rewards amid war.

...

"Come out, you hiding fellow. Your ability to conceal your presence rivals that of an Assassin class. Based on your condition, you shouldn't be a Servant, right? Or rather, where do you come from?"

After clearing away the remaining "bubbles" in the entire village, Rider Baldwin I walked towards the eastern side of the village, now reduced to ruins, wielding his holy spear. He didn't signal for Berserker to follow; there was no need for a reminder. As two equally powerful individuals, they didn't have the problem of lacking someone particularly skilled in investigation.

The demon hidden in the darkness had yet to reveal itself, but Berserker unfurled the iron wings behind his armor and swiftly flew towards the distorted location without his younger brother needing to explain.

A massive black spear, far too large for a human-sized figure, intercepted Berserker's greatsword. With just a single sound, both parties could feel the tangible strength of each other's clash.

"Heretic, are you also intruding into the territory of the Holy City now?" Berserker, unlike before, exhibited a level of "sanity" and spoke more fluently. Perhaps he felt that the presence they had just discovered required more attention than the "bubbles" monsters.

"Rein in your madness. Although I would love to join tonight's melee and experience the joy of clashing with the two Holy Knights, objective reasons do not allow me to do so."

The demon, referred to as "Eligos," gradually revealed itself while riding a terrifying hellish behemoth. Compared to the grotesque and twisted mount, the demon's true form appeared evil yet carried a sense of nobility. It naturally compelled lesser beings that worshipped combat to kneel and prostrate themselves, offering a war ritual with blood spilled to the last drop.

In stark contrast to the two Servants radiating divine radiance, after this demon appeared, corruption and darkness mixed with an unusual stench of blood permeated the surroundings. The remains of unidentified monsters in the village were affected, gradually eroded, and disappeared one by one.

Neither Rider nor Berserker could comprehend each other's actions. It seemed they were not allied with the unidentified monsters that ravaged the area.

"I despise these lowly creatures from other worlds. They indiscriminately slaughter the beings of this world without conducting the rituals of war, only bringing about a senseless madness with obscure meanings. They are more detestable than you knights who serve the divine. Even the hounds of hell look more pleasing than them." The demon Eligos, without realizing it himself, was luring the two Servants into battle. His presence alone would incite an unending war.

"These monsters of unknown origin have nothing to do with you?" Rider Baldwin saw his older brother's hands about to lift the large sword he had just retrieved and quickly signaled the chariot to move forward, taking the initiative to inquire about the demon.

"Demons like us have never been fond of telling lies just to amuse humans." Eligos maintained his tone, looking down upon the two Servants who were completely incompatible with him. In his hand, he firmly grasped a gigantic black spear and showed no intention of retracting it. "My companions originally informed me that there would only be a normal Holy Grail War taking place here. I was invited to this era to prevent any unexpected occurrences. If nothing unexpected happened, I would have avoided interfering in your war as much as possible. However, the current situation seems quite unusual, doesn't it?"

"What do you want to say, demon?" Rider Baldwin I couldn't help but feel a shift in his emotions as he stared directly at the demon. If possible, he even wanted to teach the demon how to speak more politely when conversing with others. "Let's cut to the chase."

"I truly wish I could directly deal with the extraterrestrial higher being attempting to descend upon this era. Even though it may not be in its complete form, its power is as tempting as a glass of intoxicating wine, stirring the ice cubes within my spear. Unfortunately, I am not fortunate enough to indulge in that pleasure. Hence, since you two are the strongest Servants in this era, I have come to offer you some guidance."

"Guidance?" Upon hearing this provocation, Berserker, unusually rational, easily broke through the barriers of madness. He swiftly swung his sword, aiming it at the demon.

The monstrous creature beneath the demon raised its female-shaped head and opened its enormous mouth. Incomprehensible darkness swept over Berserker as he charged forward. The next moment, Berserker reappeared in his original position, and the darkness expelled by the creature returned to its mouth.

"Please don't tempt me to break our agreement. I haven't had a defense that can withstand damage for I don't know how long." The demon remained oblivious to the fact that he had been continuously provoking the two Servants. Naturally, one couldn't expect him to have any intuition.

"Brother, let's hear what this creature has to say. Although I also desire to pierce this demon with my lance." Rider Baldwin I paid attention not only to the mysterious demon that had appeared but also to the surroundings, in case there were any traps. But so far, there were no signs of an ambush.

"Don't you think that after dealing with these 'bubbles' here, we can smoothly proceed with the Holy Grail War? It will still attempt to descend, and the best way is to utilize the Holy Grail in your Master's hands. Don't worry, I know everything, including why your Master can form contracts with multiple Servants without having to worry about excessive mana consumption." Eligos turned his head and glanced in the direction of the Holy City. "Considering your Master's personality, they should have already rushed back to the Holy City to apprehend the magus involved in summoning the monsters. But simply capturing the summoner is useless now. The summoning ritual has already begun, and ordinary means of termination won't be effective. It can tempt capable humans at any moment to assist in continuing the summoning ritual. There are two ways to solve the problem: either destroy the Holy Grail and any other sacred objects it can utilize, or assist it in completing the ritual, allowing it to descend to the greatest extent possible, and then join forces to defeat it. Only by making it submit can we formally end its erosion of this area."

"The radiance of the Holy City cannot tolerate any existence that is tainted or defiled!" Berserker returned to his previous state of madness. This was the true Berserker, the mad warrior.

"I believe that with the two of you as the main force, along with the assistance of the other Servants, you can deal with it (Yog). The first method, which involves destroying all the high-level sacred objects in the Holy City, is undoubtedly something you would never accept." Eligos deliberately mentioned the first method, further provoking the anger of the two Servants.

"No wonder you're a demon. None of the ideas you give are any good." Rider Baldwin I's tone became agitated. "I feel like you're asking us to sit back and watch as those 'bubbles' descend in large numbers."

"It's not meaningful for you to rush and eliminate them. If you're interested, you can keep rushing to the locations where they appear, dealing with the temporary 'Wisdom' that emerges each time. Perhaps after playing this game hundreds of times, it will grow tired and realize that it's not suitable to descend upon this place."

The demon spoke casually, but both Servants had fought against the "bubbles" and knew how difficult they were to deal with. They had to rely on their strength to overpower the enemy.

"Is this a demon's joke?" Rider took the initiative to respond, still trying to restrain his urge to engage in battle.

"Not entirely. After playing a few hundred times quickly... it seems to have set its sights on the Master of an Alter Ego-class Servant. It has recognized that the Master can open a door for it to descend. You'd better go and help. With just those two Servants who are only suitable for auxiliary combat, they won't be able to handle it (Yog)." The demon turned towards the southeast and pointed to the sky with his free hand.