The moment his eyes reopened, the blood-red hue vanished from them.
His pupils became deep and black like bottomless voids, with mysterious runes swirling around them like chains, rotating endlessly.
Brilliant, jewel-like radiance burst forth from his eyes.
The barriers surrounding Ryuudou Mountain were a mix of different traditions. A glance revealed wards from European, Middle Eastern, American, and even traditional Japanese Onmyodo systems.
Touching any of these barriers would undoubtedly trigger multiple alarms, resulting in an unstoppable tsunami of retaliatory attacks.
In the distance, faint lights could still be seen, indicating that even at this late hour, Maguses were patrolling the area.
The place resembled a veritable dragon's lair, more dangerous than even the most meticulously designed magical workshop.
The Mage's Association had clearly gone to great lengths to prevent anyone from approaching Ryuudou Mountain.
But Roy showed no fear, walking straight toward the barriers.
He moved openly, with no intention of hiding or evading detection, making no effort to dodge. He casually touched the barrier.
A barrier that should have set off alarms upon contact remained utterly still when Roy touched it. There was no reaction whatsoever.
His form slipped through the barrier as effortlessly as a drop of water vanishing into the sea.
Even after he had completely passed through, the barrier continued to function as usual, oblivious to the intrusion. It was as if Roy didn't exist at all.
No one noticed his entry. The numerous alarms and traps might as well have been illusions.
He passed through thirteen layers of barriers before finally setting foot on Ryuudou Mountain.
"The stench of curses is overwhelming…"
Like the rest of the world, Ryuudou Mountain had long since turned into a scorched wasteland.
The land was saturated with curses, twisting and wrapping around the soil like deep-rooted weeds. Without a Magus to cleanse these curses, not only would no one be able to live here, but not even crops could grow.
In fact, the concentration of curses on Ryuudou Mountain far surpassed that of the wilderness—nearly suffocating.
Out in the wild, curses merely made people uncomfortable. Only prolonged exposure would lead to mental disturbances, and unless they encountered wandering monsters, people generally wouldn't die.
But here, on Ryuudou Mountain, ordinary people wouldn't even be able to look at the curses.
Just by gazing at them, these dark, writhing curses would infiltrate the brain like parasitic maggots, corrupting the spirit and soul. Any regular person would instantly collapse from the sheer mental assault.
Without mental defenses, even a Magus couldn't approach this place.
"After all, the source of the curses that engulfed the world ten years ago is right here."
Roy muttered to himself, his voice laced with scorn.
Rather than taking the stairs up the front of the mountain, he circled around to the back, weaving through the scorched earth until he found a pitch-black, bottomless cave.
From deep within the cave emanated waves of pure malice.
It was as if the very depths of the cave housed the source of all evil in the world—the origin of every malevolent intent.
The entrance to the cave was also protected by a barrier.
Roy's Mystic Eyes glowed with brilliant, gem-like light. In his eyes, the runes alternated between black and white, blending like yin and yang, radiating an air of mystique.
With the power of his Mystic Eyes, he passed through the barrier as if it didn't exist.
Beyond the cave entrance lay an underground cavern that extended beneath Ryuudou Mountain. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, and jagged rocks littered the ground. The deeper Roy ventured, the denser the curses became.
As he neared the heart of the cave, the curses had grown so potent they had taken physical form. The intangible curses turned into clouds of black smoke, so thick they obscured his vision and shrouded the innermost depths.
This place was filled with malice—evil intent that continually assaulted his mind.
As Roy walked through the cursed fog, he could faintly hear a chaotic murmur in the background.
Something hidden in the mist tried to tempt him with promises of absolute power, unimaginable wealth, unparalleled beauty, and the thrill of reckless slaughter.
Simultaneously, the voices accused him of heinous crimes—murder, rape, theft—hurling moral condemnation in an effort to drive him to suicide.
In his daze, it felt as though he was truly experiencing every word spoken, as if his desires were growing boundless, guilt and shame surging wildly in his heart. His mind was assaulted by a torrent of fear, lust, and sin.
"How boring."
Roy walked on, unfazed, ignoring the temptations and taunts with a sneer.
Finally, he reached the deepest part of the cave.
A massive hollow chamber lay before him.
Here, the overwhelming curse mist abruptly cleared, and the area around him became strikingly visible.
On the floor of the cavern, inside a crater-like depression, was an enormous magic circle, glowing alternately with the red hue of fresh blood and the pitch-black shade of a bottomless void, absorbing all surrounding light. The cycle of red and black continued without pause, vast, mysterious, and terrifying.
The magic circle was intricately detailed, etched with countless geometric patterns and ancient runes. At its core stood a towering statue of a woman, silently watching over the chamber.
Even with Roy's considerable mastery of magic, the sight of the magic circle left him in awe.
The complexity of this magic circle was beyond comprehension—far beyond the reach of modern humanity.
"A remnant of the Third Magic, huh? Impressive… but ultimately meaningless."
Roy's tone was calm, almost indifferent, making one question the sincerity of his earlier admiration.
At the same time, his eyes began to shine once again with their enchanting light.
Buzz!
The massive magic circle trembled ever so slightly.
"Connection established. Synchronization complete. Calibration initiated. Flow stabilized…"
A fearless smile spread across Roy's face beneath his mask, each step of the operation proceeding smoothly.
Without hesitation, he extended his hand.
"—I declare!"
A sharp burning pain seared across the back of his hand. Looking down, Roy saw three crimson strokes, resembling wings in flight, form into the shape of a Command Seal.
"You, my body shall be under your command, my fate shall be entrusted to your sword.
If you heed the call of the Holy Grail, and obey this will, this reason, then answer me.
I hereby swear—
I shall be all the good in this world. I shall defeat all evil in this world.
You, seven heavens bound by three words of power, descend from the circle of restraint, O keeper of the balance—!"
Blinding light erupted from the magic circle, nearly overwhelming to the eyes.
Roy squinted, refusing to close his eyes, focusing on maintaining control of the Grand Holy Grail ritual.
Within the circle, torrents of immense magical energy gathered, coalescing into the shape of a person.
"Servant Saber, answering your summons. Are you my Master?"
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