I, Kenneth, am going to get to the root of the problem today.

Page 60

Kenneth raised his middle finger and spat with utter contempt. Joan of Arc froze, sensing Kenneth's malice towards her. Although she didn't know Kenneth's past, the world had already chosen the man before her. To defend against the impending threat, Joan of Arc murmured, trying to persuade the malevolent Kenneth.

The blessing fell upon Kenneth. Even though Kenneth disdained humanity, Joan of Arc still hoped that she would stand by her side to fight against the unhatched monster. Looking at Joan of Arc before him, Kenneth admired her dedication, yet he also resented it. With extremely complicated feelings, Kenneth spoke:

"Although I really dislike those arrogant guys, I will take action against that thing in the Holy Grail."

Kenneth's retreat relieved Joan of Arc, who was at a loss for words.

"Thank you for your help. With the Lord's guidance, we will surely overcome this crisis, Faker's Master. Regardless of the past, from this moment on, you..."

stop!

Kenneth ruthlessly interrupted Joan of Arc's pre-battle speech. He truly didn't want anyone to label him as a hero or savior, especially since the other party was a saint etched in history.

"Don't call me that. I have no respect for those guys who claim to be righteous but do despicable things. You're doing this for the world, and I'm doing this for myself. We're just getting what we need. I'm not a savior!"

Kenneth is neither a pure white hero nor a savior in the darkness. He cannot laugh in the face of the world's malice after being targeted by it. As an ordinary person, Kenneth lacks Joan of Arc's nobility and the awareness to sacrifice himself for humanity. Kenneth simply wants to survive, and in doing so, to complete himself. Anything that stands in his way is an obstacle to be crushed.

"I understand, Faker's Master. Even if your initial intentions differ from mine, your goals align with mine. I will do my utmost to assist you in eliminating the abnormality, so please rest assured that you can entrust your back to me. So, can you tell me what your plan is?"

Although Kenneth's disdain for humanity was hard for Joan of Arc to accept, Kenneth's intentions coincided with her own. As a saint who had emerged from the battlefield, Joan of Arc was not pedantic. Faced with a common enemy, humanity had already made its choice. Even though Kenneth himself was very averse to protection, this did not prevent Joan of Arc from cooperating with Kenneth.

Raising an eyebrow, Kenneth noticed that Jeanne's choice had exceeded his expectations. She had picked some things that were worth talking about, and during the lull in the fireworks, Kenneth also gave Jeanne a lesson on Sajou Aika.

Meanwhile, in the Sky Garden, the maddened Hercules, following his original command, destroyed the fortress before him. Leaning against a fallen pillar, Achilles stared blankly at Hercules's back.

"This is going to be a headache, but that woman probably has an even bigger headache than me... Hercules..."

Under Hercules's manual demolition, a tiny corner of the Sky Garden crumbled, and Achilles' body slid uncontrollably, plummeting downwards amidst the broken bricks.

"Heave-ho! Bring it on! Hehe~ Now you know how powerful I am! Ah—! You're the Red Team's Rider, how did you fall from the sky? Oh no, you're going to crash!"

Unfortunately, Afu, riding his phantom horse among the dragon tooth soldiers, was hit by Achilles falling from the sky. With a mournful cry, the phantom horse, unable to bear the weight, crashed straight to the ground. Before Afu could even get up, rubbing his bottom, an unidentified flying object struck him directly on the head.

"Ouch! Ouch! What is this?! Isn't this a Noble Phantasm?!"

With his eyes closed, Achilles, whose willpower had reached its limit, spoke haltingly:

"I'm a hero, after all. I don't agree with that guy's ideals. Since there's still a chance, Black Team's Rider, take my shield and give that guy a good beating!"

...

The chaotic fate returned to its origin, erecting a cenotaph for Achilles who had seen the pinnacle, while Astolfo, favored by fate, foolishly left the battlefield with the shield that encompassed the world. With Achilles' departure, the activation of the Greater Grail approached its threshold. Semiramis, seated on her throne, opened her eyes, her divine vertical pupils locking onto the figure through layers of barriers.

"Hercules? Can you still complete your trials now that you're in a berserk state?"

The throne spun, and Hercules, transformed into a demolition crew, suddenly appeared beneath the throne, which was filled with mist. The spatial shift caused Hercules, who had lost his mind, to reveal great confusion in his large eyes.

hiss! !

The serpent's hiss, ingrained in his very bones, immediately alerted Hercules. His wide eyes flashed red, and driven by the instinct to remember the legend, Hercules crouched down, gathering his strength before unleashing a battle roar.

The floor tiles collapsed with a deafening roar, and Hercules appeared above the Hydra at a speed too fast for the eye to follow. His iron fist pierced the air, and the Hydra's eight heads exploded like watermelons.

Roar! !

With a rough battle cry, Hercules, who had fallen from mid-air, used his steel-like body to stomp the Hydra's massive serpentine body into the paving stones. His solid fists slammed down, crushing the Hydra's remaining head. He lifted up the Hydra's mangled body and, with a deep hatred for the Hydra, Hercules tore it apart with his bare hands!

"You're a monster, but you can't get close to me with just brute force."

The Hydra died because of Hercules, and Hercules died because of the Hydra's blood. Gazing at the berserker bathing in serpent blood, the Pride of the King activated, and the deadly poison was unleashed. With the blessing of the corresponding legend, Hercules, bathing in serpent blood, stopped breathing amidst painful roars.

Roar--!

The Twelve Trials began, and the roaring warrior rose up amidst the rising magic. The moment the chains snapped, Semiramis, who had already guessed the effect of Heracles' Noble Phantasm from watching the battle, snapped her fingers, and a monster with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a snake pounced on Heracles, who had broken free of his cage.

Under Semiramis's wicked whims, the poisonous creatures from Greece bared their fangs at the great hero from Greece. The hissing of the poisonous creatures and the roars of the warriors rose and fell. Under Semiramis's domain, it was only a matter of time before Heracles, who had descended in a berserk state, was defeated.

...

At the site of the Thousand World Tree, Jeanne d'Arc, having learned about the origins of Ayaka Sajou from Kenneth, fell silent, while Shishikai Kairi, who had always stood behind Jeanne d'Arc, began searching for auspicious burial sites nearby based on his professional knowledge.

Faced with a monster capable of destroying quantum recording belts and a being equivalent to a mage like Ayaka Sada, even the unwavering Jeanne d'Arc was at a loss. Could she, and they, truly defeat a monster of that caliber?

Chapter 158 The Essence of Beasts

After calculating the time, Kenneth turned his head to the side, and in the rising sun, a staggering figure came into view. Rising from his chair, Kenneth walked towards Karna, who had returned victorious.

"Welcome back, Karna."

"I'm back, Master."

Without any sentimental pleasantries, the aura of the Third Law surged forth, and under Karna's skeptical gaze, the newborn body carried the tottering soul.

"Karna, I am very greedy. How could I bear to let go of the best Servant I have found? This time, I don't want to say goodbye to you with a smile."

Through Kenneth's eyes, Karna read a lot: unease, worry, but even more so, trust in himself.

"Master, the agreement has been made, and I will support you in my own way."

"Ah, you saw right through me again? You really have a keen eye, but I don't dislike this feeling."

Having received a response, Kenneth returned to the table and looked at Joan of Arc, who was still engrossed in her work. In a good mood, Kenneth made a rare joke.

"Ruler, the Holy Grail War must be fought in secret. Look, it's already dawn. Should we take a break?"

Looking up at the massive, still-fiery crater stretching a kilometer across, and then at the sky garden hanging overhead, Joan of Arc gave Kenneth a polite yet slightly awkward smile.

“Master of the Black Faction, I don’t think that thing in the sky will abide by the rules of the Holy Grail War.”

The simple joke eased the tense atmosphere. Seeing Joan of Arc's wry smile, Kenneth calmly pulled out a chair and sat back down.

"Human evil, evil that must be eliminated by humans. Ruler, I think the only people around here who can be called human are myself and Saber's Master. As a Servant, why do you seem to be in a more difficult position than we are?"

Lion's Destruction Realm: No, I didn't, don't talk nonsense! Don't drag me into your bragging!

"Haha, that's right, Master, I'll leave that monster to you. I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines!"

The slaps were so loud they nearly knocked him over. Mordred, a true stubborn fool, didn't care about that beast or Sajou Ayaka; strength didn't matter, she'd just strike first.

Mordred and Shishigake communicated to dispel the oppressive atmosphere. Jeanne exhaled and looked solemnly at the still-calm Kenneth.

"Master of the Black Faction, how much time do we have left?"

Without directly answering Joan of Arc's question, Kenneth sensed the atmosphere in the air. Through his familiarity with the Holy Grail system, and with the blessing of the Third Law, Kenneth's vision reached the passage through which the Holy Grail connected the world to the outside.

Inside the Holy Grail, which has not yet been activated, the translucent white space has been replaced by the image of Ayaka Sajou's heart. The sky is shattered, the ground is collapsing, and twisting churns in the hollow surrounded by mountains of corpses. The dead, dressed in Western-style clothing, dance on the ground where blood has pooled.

Are you looking at me?

Noticing Kenneth's gaze, Ayaka Sajou tilted her head back to an almost tearing angle to meet Kenneth's eyes. Her lips moved, and Ayaka Sajou's voice echoed in Kenneth's mind.

Having blocked out Ayaka Sajou's intrusion, Kenneth focused his attention on the twisted thing churning in the void, the grotesque creature that was constantly eroding the flesh and blood in Ayaka Sajou's mind, growing stronger itself, with two horns like a sheep and a head like a dragon. In Kenneth's eyes, only the tip of the iceberg was revealed.

"Isn't it cute? You can get a closer look, it really wants to observe you closely."

The voice carried a seductive quality, and for a fleeting moment, Kenneth's mind went blank. Malice swept through his brain, and his soul uncontrollably sank deeper. The long-prepared spell was activated, and Kenneth's mind returned to normal. With a slight tremor, he watched the monster that had poked its head out of the hole, then turned his gaze towards the direction where Ayaka Sajou was.

"Cute, indeed, I might think it would be even cuter if it could shatter into pieces."

Silently reinforcing his defensive spells, Kenneth tried his best to sense the aura of the 666 Beast. Each Beast has its own reason, and each Beast also has skills born from that reason: mercy, return, love, anti-summoning, anti-genesis, anti-desire... The authority of the Beasts is closely related to their birth.

The corruption of Beast VI/S, the miasma of L, the lingering fragrance of R, and what this thing before him, possibly G, possessed, Kenneth truly knew nothing of. Behind extreme prosperity lies extreme emptiness; extravagance becomes the norm, pleasure the only thing, the light of humanity fades. When desire overflows society, the Beast of Sodom, embodying the principles of corruption, will devour the false prosperity, shattering everything amidst cheers.

"Sodom, Gomorrah... the beast of 666, have I fallen into a misconception?"

Kenneth confused the existence of Sajyo Ayaka before him. She was not a beast summoned by the other party, but rather the other party was a beast that corrupted human reason. What he saw was just a false projection. The real Sajyo Ayaka was the twisted evil in the void, a beast equal to Sodom.

As if to confirm Kenneth's guess, Shatai Aige, who was dancing amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, leaned backward under Kenneth's gaze, his hands clasped as if in prayer, and silently fell into the void below while staring at Kenneth with his clear blue eyes.

“Sajyou Aika, the birth of the beast is continuous. 666 did not come because of you. You yourself are the evil that devours the world. You are the revelation that crawls in hell and looks up at the sky.”

Kenneth was misled, misled by his memories of his past life. It's true that Nero and 666 are closely related; the name Nero represents the beast that defied God in the Bible. However, Nero is ultimately not the beast of 666. Or rather, Nero is merely an equivalent monster born from the concept of the beast of 666, created through the name of 666.

"Hahaha...hahahaha..."

Kenneth was met with Ayaka Sajou's maniacal laughter. In the hollow filled with sin, Ayaka Sajou's body silently dissolved, the surging black mud eroding her jade-like shell. The intertwining of black and white left Kenneth with only a bone-chilling cold.

"Indeed, you are an insatiable beast, the dregs that devour the world, and the symbol of imperfection and evil."

The complete Beast of 666 is shattered, broken even before its birth. Its fragments are scattered across various worlds, seeking suitable forms: L's miasma, R's lingering fragrance, the revealed corruption, and the remnants before our eyes. Surface and essence, sin and evil—Sajyou Aika is one, Nero is another; they are both worthy beings, both capable of containing the Beast.

Using the Old Testament as a starting point, Nero's life highly aligns with legends. Those who sought to eliminate him viewed him as a monster from the Book of Revelation, while believers saw him as a demon who defied God. False prosperity created false splendor, and the rise and fall of Rome mirrored the ancient city of Sodom. This strong alignment made this unrestrained emperor the center of rumors. Within this corner of the universe, the Beast of Sodom was born, embodying the principles of corruption, awakened by humanity, and destined to revel in the great catastrophe of human history.

"You found out? No wonder you're the man I've chosen."

Faced with this beast that physically lusted at his body, Kenneth's projection landed in this sea of ​​blood. Stepping on the fake pool of blood, Kenneth stared at Ayaka Sajou, who only had one head left. Through those empty eyes, Kenneth wanted to glimpse the sins that the other had borne.

Sajō Aika's very existence is abnormal. If she hadn't met that person, the girl before us would have become a wanderer around the world, a silly older sister who only caused trouble for Sajō Ayaka. However, when the gears of fate turned, Sajō Aika met the prince from her fantasy at that time full of fantasy. The simp who didn't know what love was would become immersed in the fantasy he wove and awaken his desires, transforming into a beast that devoured the world with a warm feeling behind him.

"Tsk, if it were Ayaka Sajou, would she still be this crazy?"

Setting aside his distractions, Kenneth began to analyze the distortion before him. It was a distortion as empty as the other person's eyes, a distortion of greed, selfishness, and depravity, tirelessly consuming everything it desired, just to fill the emptiness in its heart.

"That's quite a coincidence, isn't it? Is it just a coincidence?"

Feeling the emotions in Aika Sajou's heart, Kenneth had a fleeting illusion, a vision of what he would become if he went to extremes, enjoying depravity, satisfying his desires while greedily demanding more.

"You see? Become a part of me!"

A muttering voice echoed in his mind, severing the guidance of Ayaka Sajou. Kenneth, realizing Ayaka Sajou's twisted nature, also planned to leave. Just then, the void shattered, and the twisted monster burst out of its cage. The Beast, emitting Ayaka Sajou's voice, rushed towards Kenneth from the surging sea of ​​blood.

"I reject."

With a wave of his arm, the surging sea of ​​blood was frozen in mid-air. Kenneth's phantom was submerged like a bubble by the crushing monster. The next moment, he opened his eyes again, and sitting opposite Kenneth was Joan of Arc, her face solemn. Dispersing the spreading evil, Kenneth turned his gaze to the sky garden, which was now exuding an oppressive atmosphere.

"It's now."

With a deafening boom, the moment Kenneth's words fell, a corner of the Sky Garden shattered, and the horned dragon-bodied monster broke through the barrier and returned to the world. Desperate magic dyed the sky red, the beast's arrival distorted the rules, the midday sun vanished, blood gushed from the cracked ground, and mangled corpses emerged from the crimson ocean... The pungent stench made Kenneth instinctively hold his breath. Looking up, the monster in the sky stared greedily at Kenneth, who was trapped in this alternate dimension.

Chapter 159 Offering Salutes

The moment the Beast of 666 appeared, Semiramis, who was seated on the throne, immediately sensed the abnormality of the Sky Garden. A frenzied malice permeated the air, and the splattered blood continuously eroded Semiramis's control over the Sky Garden.

"What are you?!"

The venomous creature from mythology was instantly torn apart by the dragon-headed monster the moment it flew out of the dome. Bashom, at the pinnacle of mythology, was also absorbed into the monster's body amidst screams of agony, his crimson eyes gleaming with greed. The flesh beneath the scales of the 666 Beast, which feeds on humanity, swelled, spewing forth a dark light that engulfed the courtyard below like a tidal wave.

Click——!

The crystalline barrier formed between the thrones melted away in less than a second, and the jet-black light silently fell upon the luxurious throne. Like flames, like sand of time, it didn't even cause a ripple in the air. The extremely black flames swayed like quietly blooming flowers, not even a trace of temperature could be felt, yet these temperatureless flames melted away upon touching this fortress forged by faith, amidst the echoing sound of boiling water.

If the world were a painting, this courtyard would undoubtedly be a masterpiece. However, the creator of this painting seemed quite dissatisfied with the work, picking up an eraser and wiping away the magnificent castle without leaving a trace.

"How...how is it possible!"

Relying on her remaining control over the Sky Garden, Semiramis teleported away a split second before the flames fell. As the flames spread, Semiramis's perception of the castle gradually disappeared—not in a physical sense, but as if the legendary fortress bestowed upon her was vanishing, as if the disappearing part had never existed, as if the Sky Garden before her was meant to be this way.

The legends bestowed upon us by human history are being dissolved. This is a conceptual erasure, a force that separates heroic spirits from legends. This is the flame that denies faith and devours history; the evil inherent in humanity since its inception is eroding the legends bestowed upon us by humankind.

"How could my courtyard be ruled by monsters like you!"

Though it was given a name of vanity, the courtyard before her was undoubtedly a treasure trove embodying Semiramis's pride. Even if it had no connection to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and even if it was a miracle built using the faith of numerous misunderstandings, Sajō Aika's actions had already angered the Assyrian Empress. The Queen's pride could not be tarnished, and the history she had created could not be erased. At this moment, Semiramis was ready to detonate the courtyard.

"May your overstepping be reduced to ashes!"

With a flash of golden light in her eyes, Semiramis gave the courtyard the command to self-destruct. The erosion continued, the courtyard continued to melt away, and the monster on the throne looked up mockingly at Semiramis in the distance the moment she gave the order.

"How could that be? How could my Sky Garden possibly disobey my orders..."

Dark light converged, and Ayaka Sajou, transformed into a beast, offered no explanation to Semiramis. The flames that erased legends fell, and the city surrounding the throne silently dissolved into the world. The escape pod beneath the Sky Garden plummeted, filled with rage and resentment, as Semiramis fled the now-owned garden. The accumulated blood sphere exploded, and the surging blood flooded the circuits, completely taking control of the Sky Garden. The mortal beasts recklessly built this cradle that had nurtured them.

Twelve magic cannons, comparable to EX-rank weapons, were aimed at Kenneth below as flesh and blood writhed. Filled with crimson magic power, their distorted aura of malice unleashed its malice upon the crowd below without reservation.

"How anxious you are, Ayaka Sajou. I am not worthy of such a greeting."

pat--!

The snap was brief and crisp. Just as Jeanne was wondering what Kenneth was planning to do, the beast being lifted up by the Sky Garden stopped roaring. In its core, within the spiral staircase containing true ether, high-energy magical energy rained down. The circuits left by Kenneth emerged from the alternate dimension and spread throughout the entire space. Before Ayaka Sajou could make any move, the core of the furnace, which was in a critical state, began to glow crimson one after another.

The melting of the core shattered the solid balance, unleashing a painful roar. The 666 Beast, which had already assimilated the Sky Garden, attempted to expel the raging magic within its body in the most brutal way. The massive amount of magic obscured the sky above the blood-red sky, and the concentration of true ether gave Mordred the illusion of returning to Britain.

Pure oxygen is highly toxic, as is high concentrations of magic. As one of only two humans present, Shishikatsu Kairi, a modern magician, experienced a disruption in his magic circuits. With each breath, Shishikatsu Kairi's body began to expand at a visible speed. Glancing at Shishikatsu Kairi, who was about to become a bomb, Kenneth spread the aura of the Third Law, and only then was he able to save Shishikatsu Kairi, who was unable to adapt.

"Let's offer a salute to the birth of the beast!"

Facing the sky, arms outstretched, as Kenneth's words fell, surging magic tore through the shackles of flesh. The venting of the 666 Beast's power was as futile as a drop in the ocean before the melting core. The surging magic ripped apart the sea of ​​blood that covered it, and high-energy flames melted through flesh and pierced through the 666 Beast's shell. Magic shot out from every hole in the dragon's head, which was out of control, and the flames ignited the magic. In an instant, the surging fireballs enveloped the Sky Garden.

boom--! !

The domain descended by the Beast shattered at that moment, and a second sun appeared in the midday sky. Amidst the beast's roar, the impact reached the earth's surface, causing the crust to collapse with a deafening roar. Basalt, still warm from the impact, crumbled and scattered in all directions. The arc-shaped impact continued, the bulging surface sweeping across the scorched earth like a tsunami. Bricks and chunks of flesh smashed into craters of varying sizes, and a rain of blood covering a kilometer radius stained the area as far as Kenneth could see crimson.

Even with the barrier in place, the strong stench of blood still lingered around everyone's noses. Gazing at the writhing chunks of flesh in the blood-red plain, the malice, though strong, had thinned considerably. Unable to comprehend the situation, Joan of Arc looked solemnly at Kenneth, who still maintained his posture of embracing the sky.

"Has the Black Faction's Master been dealt with?"