Chapter 737: Chapter 11: Direct Confrontation with the Great Holy Grail
The somewhat long night passed.
Fuyuki City seemed as if nothing had happened, yet it also seemed as if many things had happened.
First, there was the gas explosion at Yanfeng Church, where the unfortunate Father met his demise. This left the people shocked, as they thought Father Kotomine was a good man, and it was truly a pity for him to suffer such a disaster... However, following this was the incident opposite the New Capital Church in the Old Capital —
There was also a gas explosion that occurred at night on a street of residences, which made people feel something was not right.
The young people didn’t think much of it, but the experienced elders immediately recalled a certain period ten years ago, where there were daily gas explosions, and that time was indeed very problematic. The law and order were particularly poor, and there were vicious serial murders happening.
It eventually culminated in that bizarre conflagration, the terrible disaster that almost burned the entire New Capital to the ground.
Whether it’s just a false alarm or a state of heightened alert, the fact remains that it hasn’t been too long, just about ten years, barely enough for many people to forget those memories, which are now being dug up again, naturally stirring fear among the residents of Fuyuki City.
Even though Fuyuki City has sealed off information, even covering up the horrifying scene beneath the church —
They still can’t hide the unrest in the hearts of the residents.
...
...
Yuanzang Mountain.
Deep within the mountain, in the Great Void known as the "Dragon Cave," someone stepped into this very special area on the land of Fuyuki City on this day.
Nothing could stop him; those at Willow Cave Temple on the mountain were unaware, as for the magic techniques set up below in the cavern, they were just the same, completely failing to obstruct or hinder, as if he walked into his own living room, he easily arrived at Fuyuki’s first Spirit Vein Land where the Great Holy Grail was set up.
"I can smell the scent of malice..."
In this huge underground void, Gu Mo spoke softly. His pupils showed no abnormality and didn’t require adjustment to the change in light. He could see clearly everything in this oppressive underground space.
The surface of the mortar-shaped rocks was painted with a gigantic, terrifying magic circle, like the surface covering a volcanic mouth with a diameter reaching one kilometer, a result of expansion and proliferation over these two hundred years. This kilometer-wide magic circuit could be said to form a microcosm out of a human body.
As for the very center —
Naturally, it’s the key to the establishment of the Holy Grail War.
What is known as the Great Holy Grail.
Rider Medusa, following behind, remained silent, maintaining her vigilance, observing this space that gave her an unpleasant feeling.
Beside them, the silver-haired loli had a numbed expression, even her eyes had lost their gleam, seeming almost broken. Gu Mo glanced at the legal loli he dragged over, reaching out to rub her head, finding the texture very pleasant.
Ilya remained silent —
Her expression still numb, her empty eyes blankly gazing ahead.
However, Gu Mo knew it was only temporary. He understood Ilya’s emotions very accurately. In that previous breakdown where she seemed to lose control and cried out, this loli had actually vented most of the inner pain she was repressing. Her emotional health value was much better than before.
Even the parts of her mind corrupted by All the World’s Evils showed faint signs of improvement.
After all, crying is the beginning of healing. Now, though she seems devoid of brightness, Ilya doesn’t want to give up on her persistence, yet she doesn’t know what else she can do, and that’s why her eyes appear empty... But in reality, this condition won’t last long.
As long as she doesn’t wish to give up...
No matter what, she will inevitably find her strength again.
Gu Mo rubbed Ilya’s head twice, then calmly retracted his hand. He didn’t plan to engage in a battle of wits with this tireless white-haired loli, he just calmly spoke, "Since we’re here, don’t you have anything to say, Master?"
"..."
"..."
Ilya didn’t respond, staring blankly as if she hadn’t heard.
"This is the location of the Great Holy Grail..."
Gu Mo continued nonchalantly, "Regarding your ancestor, the Winter Saintess Justeaze, who two hundred years ago willingly transformed her body into the core of this enormous ritual, achieving the Third Magic, she dispersed her magic circuits, transforming into a Magic Technique’s human universe."
Ilya’s gaze shifted slightly, but it was very subtle, almost unnoticeable.
"In the last Holy Grail War, your mother’s consciousness was absorbed into the interior of the Great Holy Grail..."
Gu Mo continued softly, and as he spoke, Ilya suddenly turned her head, her ruby-like gorgeous eyes staring intently at him, no longer exhibiting the vacant, dazed expression from before.
"After all, it was the product of your family’s artificial human project. To put it nicely, it’s the Einzbern learning from past failures, making the Lesser Grail a self-conscious artificial human in the last Holy Grail War. More bluntly, your mother was the first victim of this concept."
Gu Mo commented this way, gently shaking his head.
The three families, one counted as one, are indeed some people who don’t do proper things.
However, the so-called magician is such an inhuman existence. Almost all orthodox magicians are cold-hearted people. In the eyes of ordinary people, they are basically villains.
"You... what do you want to say?"
Gritting her teeth hard and looking again at the dark and deep scene in front, Ilya finally couldn’t help but speak.
At the same time, her heart was in turmoil, subconsciously contemplating the meaning of Berserker. This monster she summoned is too mysterious; no one knows what he is thinking, and the level of ability he shows is just the tip of the iceberg. Modern magic in his eyes is probably just a joke.
Could it be—
After deciphering the family’s magical knowledge and understanding the principles of the Holy Grail War through special means, he specifically brought her here, saying these words...
Is he prepared to sacrifice her to directly summon the Holy Grail?
Tightly clenched fists, the silver-haired loli’s body trembles slightly. She doesn’t want to die, at least not at this moment.
"Ah!"
In the next moment, she suddenly covered her forehead, letting out a cry of pain, reacting afterward, and immediately glaring at the opposite side, both angry and urgent.
He directly stretched out his hand and flicked her forehead lightly. Gu Mo said with a tone neither heavy nor light: "Don’t overthink, you’re just being too dramatic. What I mean to say is, maybe we can try to bring your mother back..."
"You...! No, this, this is impossible..."
Ilya, with her eyes wide open, was immediately shocked by what she heard.
"What’s impossible about it? If you’re not aware of your fate, wouldn’t you also hold on to the idea of wanting to resurrect your mother?" Gu Mo said calmly. He doesn’t believe Ilya never had this thought; it’s just the cruelty of fate that makes it impossible for her.
Even if there’s only a slight hope, one would certainly hold onto it tightly... However, the cruelty of reality is that she herself is the Holy Grail.
To resurrect her mother, she needs to make a wish on the Holy Grail.
And the price for the Holy Grail to descend is her death as the premise.
The silver-haired loli seems to think of this matter again, subconsciously linking it again. Her body trembles, and she says in a trembling voice: "If-if I could resurrect mom, then I... ah! It hurts! What are you doing!" Before she finished speaking, she covered her forehead again and cried out in pain.
"I told you not to overthink. I’m saying this not to make you willingly sacrifice to let the Holy Grail descend... I didn’t say that the method to bring back Irisviel is to obediently become the Holy Grail so I can use you to make a wish..."
Gu Mo forcefully pressed her head, bent down, and very seriously stared into her eyes.
"Even considering you are my Master— I won’t harm you, understand?"
"..."
"..."
Ilya, stunned, met his bright eyes, reacted afterward, suddenly feeling a bit flustered, subconsciously turned her head, but still said: "You... you... I don’t believe you, I will never trust you again. You never considered me as your Master..."
At first, it was a subconscious hard statement, but later, it seemed more and more true, and Ilya’s gaze became more resentful.
"If that were true, I would just leave you alone. I consider myself to have some contractual spirit, and you feel I don’t act according to your demands, but haven’t you previously disregarded my opinion too?" Gu Mo nonchalantly waved his hand.
If he really disregarded this loli, then after yesterday’s loud crying, she wouldn’t have been forcibly kept when she stubbornly wanted to continue searching for Kiritsugu for revenge.
This mainly avoids certain bad things from happening...
After all, Emiya Kiritsugu is truly unpredictable. Even the one Ilya seeks has multiple experiences of sacrificing loved ones. As for the parallel world individual summoned by Emiya Shirou now, it goes further without saying.
From the previous quick attempt to shoot Ilya, one can tell. After all, in this Emiya Kiritsugu’s view, he does not know Irisviel, naturally won’t recognize Ilya as a daughter... What does she count as? Unfamiliar! Since determined as an enemy, the guideline is to seize the opportunity to eliminate her directly.
Facing such a hero spirit-made magician killer, Ilya, having lost her Servant, has no odds of winning.
"I understand your doubts. Regarding the complete resurrection of the deceased, indeed ’magic’ has not achieved such a miracle, but this also depends on the situation. I am talking about reappearance, not resurrection, you should understand the difference."
Seeing Ilya still wants to say something, Gu Mo takes the initiative to speak: "Your mother was originally conceived as an artificial human for the Holy Grail, saying she was an active magic device would not be excessive, and her death status differs from ordinary people. While her consciousness has entered the inside of the Holy Grail, it can also be said to be properly preserved..."
Irisviel’s original body is the Lesser Grail.
Later the consciousness uploaded to the Great Holy Grail.
It’s hard to say whether this artificial human is completely dead or merely changed to a different data storage device.
