The blond girl in boy clothing dressed in a black suit with a neutral appearance was, in fact, a Saber-class Servant: Artoria, King Arthur from a parallel world.
For now, we'll set aside the possible complications that might arise if two Artorias, with completely different fates, were to meet.
The silver-haired noblewoman accompanying her was Irisviel von Einzbern, a participant from the Einzbern family—one of the three founding families of the Holy Grail War—and one of Ryou's ultimate targets.
Though she appeared to be in her mid-twenties, Irisviel was an artificial human created by the Einzbern family to serve as the vessel for the Lesser Grail. Her true age was likely only a few years.
So... does that mean Artoria is a loli-con?
Wait a minute, wasn't Guinevere quite young when she married King Arthur...?
Some things are better left unexplored.
With the arrival of this last pair of Master and Servant, the Holy Grail War had officially begun!
In preparation for the challenges ahead, Ryou hadn't been idle these past few days.
Normally, no matter how talented one is, it's impossible to significantly improve one's abilities in just a few days, but he was an exception. After all, he had a system.
Back when he was pulled through the time vortex and sent ten years into the past, Medea had defeated Medusa and dropped an [Agility Crystal] that directly increased agility.
Afterward, when Ryou killed the Abyss-corrupted Dragon Queen—Artoria, he earned a special lottery gacha.
Unfortunately, the ten consecutive draws rewarded for defeating the Demon God could only be claimed when he returned to Chaldea.
Though his encounter with Jalter had left him in a sorry state, it had also heightened his vigilance to its peak.
A 50% anomaly rate—this was already a world-shattering change for any world.
The information he had about the Fourth Holy Grail War could only serve as a reference now. If he treated it like a strategy guide, there was no guarantee another Dragon Queen Artoria wouldn't show up to teach him a harsh lesson.
Ryou retrieved the [Agility Crystal] from his storage space.
A completely green, crystal-clear gem appeared in his hand, resembling a masterpiece crafted by the finest jeweler, with each cut perfectly smooth and flawless.
He could sense the immense energy contained within the gem, an energy as swift and free as the wind.
However, there was a problem.
He had no idea how to use the [Agility Crystal].
The system's description only mentioned that the crystal would increase his agility, but offered no further instructions.
With such a bare-bones explanation, it might as well have been branded a knockoff product from an online marketplace, destined to be returned.
The problem was that he couldn't return it, and in fact, he wished he had even more of them.
Following typical RPG logic, the most likely method was to consume it.
But after glancing at the gem, which was about the size of his fist, Ryou quickly abandoned this impractical idea.
He didn't want to become the laughingstock of the transmigrator community—the guy who choked to death on a crystal.
He also tried infusing it with magic to see if that would activate it, but the gem didn't even react.
Frustrated, he decided to take a bolder approach. He gripped the gem tightly, preparing to crush it with all his strength.
Unexpectedly, with just a little force, the gem shattered. Immediately, a green storm erupted from it and surged into his body.
As the storm entered, Ryou instantly felt lighter.
He opened his status screen, and his agility, which had been at a B+ rank, suddenly increased by 5 points, reaching 58.5.
Now, he was only 1.5 points away from 60.
Though the difference between 58.5 and 60 might seem small, 60 points was the threshold for an A rank—once his stat reached A rank, it would undergo a qualitative leap!
Now, Ryou's agility had surpassed his strength, becoming his second-highest base stat.
Satisfied with the [Agility Crystal], Ryou turned his attention to the main course.
Just thinking about the stats of the Dragon Queen version of Artoria, whom he had killed—so powerful they were practically explosive—made him almost drool.
Aside from her A-ranked Riding and E-ranked Charisma, every one of her stats, skills, and Noble Phantasms was top-tier.
Of course, what Ryou desired most were her three Noble Phantasms.
Whether it was Excalibur, Avalon with its absolute defense or the ultimate move she hadn't had the chance to unleash—The Dragon Queen's Wrath—any one of them would greatly boost his power.
As for her personal skills, as long as he didn't draw the E-ranked Charisma, it would be a massive win!
With less than a 20% chance of failure, Ryou believed he couldn't be that unlucky. Besides, he had a secret weapon ready.
Regarding her class skills, even if he drew Riding, that'd be fine—Ryou wouldn't mind trying out being a true driver and maybe even finding a real dragon to ride.
This kind of jackpot was incredibly favorable for him.
However, when it came to something as serious as a gacha draw, it couldn't be taken lightly. Proper preparation was a must.
So, Ryou called upon his ultimate move—summoning the Goddess of Luck, Medea Lily!
In her innocence, Medea thought that Ryou had some legitimate business with her, so she arrived quickly.
Then she was immediately caught by him, who wore a mischievous smile, and he shamelessly drained a wave of her lucky energy (in a biological sense).
Perhaps Medea had gotten used to this by now, or maybe she had resigned herself to her fate, but her reaction this time wasn't nearly as strong as the first time.
You have to admit—habits can be a terrifying thing.
With the luck buff freshly applied, Ryou wasted no time and had the system initiate the special gacha.
A blood-red and gold card immediately appeared before him.
The back of the card was completely different from normal Servant cards, featuring ancient symbols and patterns that were completely unintelligible to him. Just glancing at them made his head spin, his brain swell with pain, and he faintly heard a mysterious, ancient voice whispering in his ear.
Frightened, Ryou quickly averted his gaze.
With his current level of power, he wasn't ready to confront such mysteries.
As the card spun, the front revealed the image of Artoria in her Dragon Queen form—cruel and bloodthirsty, a far cry from the resolute King Arthur she once was.
She looked even more corrupted than someone tainted by Angra Mainyu.
The card didn't care about Ryou's thoughts. As the gacha process began, it spun rapidly, emitting an ominous dark red light.
When the light reached its peak, the card disintegrated, and a dark red orb of light flew into his body.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, host! You have obtained...]
[Class Skill: Magic Resistance (EX)]
What... is this!?
A trace of surprise flashed in Ryou's eyes. Though it wasn't the best outcome, it perfectly addressed one of his weaknesses.
For him, his powerful physical attributes, combined with the life-regenerating power of his Mystic Code and his most powerful Noble Phantasm, [Reversal War God], allowed him to tank most forms of damage and convert them into energy for counterattacks.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he had now become a nightmare for close-combat fighters.
If he could master the [Shave] technique taught by Scathach to the same level as hers, he would also become a nightmare for long-range attackers.
However, his resistance to magic had always been a weak point.
Damage-based magic wasn't too much of an issue, as Ryou could endure it. But all sorts of strange and unpredictable magic—curses, mental control spells—were much harder to defend against.
A mage was never just a simple artillery piece. It was their cunning and strange spells, combined with intelligence, that allowed them to manipulate their enemies—this is why mages are often called Mage Lords.
Of course, this refers to traditional mages.
If they were the type to just buff themselves and charge in with swords, Ryou wouldn't fear them at all.
While [Magic Resistance (EX)] wasn't as absolute as the defense of Avalon, its advantage was that it was a passive skill. It would activate automatically without him needing to expend any resources.
Now, with [Magic Resistance (EX)], Ryou no longer had to fear curses or control-type spells.
This upgrade had significantly strengthened him once again.
If he were to face Jeanne Alter and Gilles de Rais again, he was confident that he could handle them without even needing to reveal his trump card, [Reversal War God].
...
While Ryou had been hiding away, focusing on his power-up, an announcement from the Ruler of this Holy Grail War was delivered to all participants—except him.
The message stated that Nguyen Ryou and Medea were violators, and under the Ruler's authority, the Holy Grail War would temporarily pause so that all participants could join forces to eliminate them.
For those who participated, each pair would be rewarded with a Command Seal, promised once Ryou was killed!
Additionally, Jeanne Alter insidiously provided Medea's true name and attributes.
As for Ryou, since he had entered the Holy Grail War as a Master and due to the system he possessed, the Greater Grail couldn't detect his stats.
Thus, with the help of Gilles de Rais, Jeanne Alter had laid a massive trap for the other participants.
To the others, Medea was nothing more than a weak support-type Caster.
As for her reputation as a witch from the Age of Gods—so what? Even if a god wasn't skilled in combat, they were nothing more than easy prey!
Suddenly, Ryou and Medea became a walking treasure trove in the eyes of the other participants.
Though a few keen individuals suspected Jeanne Alter's motives, they still went along with the plan. After all, it would remove a competitor while also earning them a Command Seal—what was there to lose?
A massive net was slowly closing in on Ryou and Medea.
Tohsaka Residence
Tohsaka Tokiomi sat with his legs crossed beside a vintage phonograph, seemingly waiting for something.
At that moment, a figure emerged.
With an emotionless face, dressed in a mostly black priest's robe and wearing a bronze cross on his chest, the figure radiated the air of an ascetic who had long discarded worldly desires.
"Teacher, you called for me."
"Kirei, you've come."
Tohsaka Tokiomi nodded and gestured for him to sit.
Thus, Tokiomi's so-called number one disciple, Kotomine Kirei, sat across from him in the most formal and rigid posture possible.
"I believe you've received the Ruler's announcement?"
"Yes."
"I think this is an excellent opportunity," Tokiomi said with a confident smile.
"Please enlighten me, teacher."
Kirei's expression remained unchanged, making it impossible to discern what he was thinking.
A person who shows no emotion is theoretically very dangerous—someone with deep schemes.
Yet Tokiomi trusted Kirei, believing him to be the son of his old friend and one of the most trustworthy people outside his own family.
"My original plan was to have you sacrifice Assassin, allowing you to seek the Church's protection, then move from the forefront to the shadows. At the same time, this would showcase the strength of the Tohsaka family, deterring those who might be eyeing us."
At the mention of being watched, a hint of helplessness appeared on Tokiomi's face.
As one of the three founding families, he had become a prime target. Without even looking, he knew there were countless familiars from different factions monitoring the Tohsaka residence.
It had even become a bad habit of his to activate a bounded field every time he went to the bathroom.
These constant watchful eyes had become an endless nuisance.
Luckily, this situation would soon come to an end.
Thinking of this, Tokiomi couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude toward the unknown participant named Nguyen Ryou, who had unwittingly contributed to the glory and success of the Tohsaka family.
As a reward, Tokiomi, the head of the prestigious Tohsaka family, would personally end his life. Surely, Nguyen Ryou would feel honored.
Tokiomi's arrogance was not without reason. After all, he believed he had summoned the strongest Servant.
With the King of Heroes on my side, how could I lose?
Thinking of this, the frustration he had been feeling from the constant harassment by the other participants seemed to ease.
With a reserved and elegant smile on his face, Tokiomi continued speaking to his disciple.
"Assassin's combat power isn't great. Aside from reconnaissance, it serves little purpose."
Hearing these words, Kirei's eyes flickered slightly. Internally, he almost wanted to laugh, but years of abstinent living allowed him to suppress the urge.
On the surface, Assassin's attributes—along with its Noble Phantasm—appeared quite weak.
But those numbers were a disguise.
The true stats of Assassin were even more terrifying than his teacher's so-called trump card, the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh.
Kirei could hardly wait to see the look on his teacher's face when he discovered the true power of Assassin.
Just thinking about it made him a little excited.
Kirei's lips couldn't help but curl upward slightly.
Unfortunately, the dim lighting in the basement caused Tokiomi to miss Kirei's subtle expression.
"But now everything is fine. I'll simply have the King of Heroes take action and destroy Caster with overwhelming force. The brilliance of His Majesty's presence will surely intimidate those who covet the Tohsaka family.
And I will be the only Master to claim a Command Seal."
A witch from the Age of Gods, who only excels at support and healing magecraft. This will be easy!"
Tokiomi smiled confidently.
Watching his teacher's self-assured expression, Kirei felt absolutely nothing inside. He almost wanted to laugh.
And then, he did smile—one that looked more painful than crying.
In the dark basement, two scheming individuals exchanged smiles.
Before long, Kotomine Kirei emerged from the secret passage of the Tohsaka residence.
A figure was quietly waiting for him outside.