["Okay, give me my Holy Grail back. I must use that Holy Grail to fulfill our family's long-cherished wish."]
[Dracula roared: "Yes, in order to realize my long-cherished wish, I must survive endlessly, I must continue to expand my bloodline, give birth to my children, and further increase my followers, my talents, my efforts, and cultivate the perfect environment..."]
["So, please give the Holy Grail back to me, give it back to me, give it back to me!!!"]
[Although he appeared deranged, Dracula's goal was very clear—the Holy Grail.]
[However, another figure stepped forward to block his path.]
["No matter what, he is still a monster far removed from the gods. That much will never change!"]
[Achilles quickly closed the distance, his spear transforming into a meteor as it shot toward Dracula.]
[At the same time, Chiron arrived on the scene. Just as he prepared to assist, he saw Dracula catch the spear barehanded.]
[Achilles: "What?!"]
[The fatal strike, faster than the speed of sound, was caught by the vampire with one hand.]
[Though the impact shredded Dracula's flesh and broke his bones, his incredible regenerative abilities allowed him to recover instantly.]
Achilles: "Interesting. His strength is truly something else."
Atalanta: "What terrifying regenerative power. His wounds healed instantly."
Achilles: "Not only that, but his physical strength must be immense to take my attack head-on."
[Dracula sneered menacingly as he lunged forward at a speed that defied the eye, knocking Achilles out of the air before the latter could regain his footing.]
[The vicious vampire bared his fangs, and Achilles instinctively raised his arm to block, only to have it bitten by Dracula.]
["Snap!"]
[The next moment, Chiron delivered a swift kick to Dracula, forcing him to release Achilles and sending the younger Heroic Spirit flying back.]
[Achilles: "What are you doing, Teacher?!"]
[Chiron, unshaken, explained: "To attack you requires a divine skill. Your bravery renders illusions or mental interference useless."]
[Chiron nocked an arrow and fired at Dracula without hesitation.]
["But even so, there is one way he can make you his 'companion.'"]
["Your body is indeed invincible against malice and murderous intent, but when it comes to actions made as a request, your resistance is significantly weaker."]
["His action just now wasn't an attack. It was an attempt to suck your blood, a gesture meant to turn you into an ally. In other words..."]
[Achilles, his face darkened, muttered unhappily: "Not every act of friendship should involve biting someone."]
Tohsaka Rin: "Chiron is really a great teacher. Even in a situation like this, he doesn't forget to teach."
Achilles: "Of course, he is the best teacher."
Atalanta: "Achilles, you were careless."
Achilles: "Well, I've never fought against a creature like a vampire before."
Tohsaka Tokiomi: "Chiron means that if Dracula sucks Achilles' blood, he'll fall under Dracula's control."
Waver: "That's certainly a classic vampire trait."
Kayneth: "As expected of the world-famous vampire, his power truly lives up to the legend."
[Dracula pulled the arrow out of his body as if it were nothing. Then, he suddenly looked in another direction, his expression darkening with displeasure, and hurled the spear he was holding tightly in his hand.]
[The target of the thrown spear was Jeanne, who had just arrived on the battlefield.]
[Jeanne reacted swiftly, striking down the spear. She frowned at Dracula and said, "Is that Vlad III? No, he's both a vampire and Darnic…"]
[The Dracula of today was no longer a Heroic Spirit with dignity. The Vlad III portion of him had almost entirely disappeared, leaving him free of the Command Seals' control.]
[This grotesque vampire had become a variable outside the Holy Grail War's framework.]
[But the troublesome part was that Vlad III's dual territorial bonuses might still apply to him.]
[If Dracula obtained the Greater Holy Grail and escaped the Hanging Garden, Romania could easily turn into a hellscape overnight.]
[The infamous Wallachian Night might manifest in this world.]
["In order to maintain order in the Holy Grail War, I must ask for your temporary cooperation."]
[Jeanne turned to both the Black and Red factions and declared loudly, "Before we defeat him, cease all fighting between your sides. We must not allow this vampire to reach the Holy Grail. Absolutely not!"]
["In the name of Ruler, I command all Servants gathered here with my Command Seal to immediately defeat the vampire who was once Vlad III!"]
[The Command Seal engraved on her left arm glowed brightly, and chains of light extended from it to restrain all the Servants present.]
[These chains enhanced their abilities when fighting Dracula, but should they attempt to engage in combat against the opposing faction, their movements would become sluggish, and their strength would be greatly reduced.]
[Atalanta: "Fine. Archer of Black and I will handle the support. Rider, Lancer, you two can fight freely."]
[Achilles: "Got it, big sister."]
[Karna: "I don't mind."]
[Chiron: "Caster, can you create a cage similar to the one you used to capture the Red Berserker?"]
[Avicebron: "It's not impossible, but it won't go as smoothly as last time. At best, I can only slow his movements. And if he turns into fog or bats, there's nothing I can do."]
[Avicebron controlled ten of his puppets and sent them to attack Dracula.]
[Achilles and Karna coordinated their strikes, launching powerful attacks together.]
[The two Archers, Atalanta and Chiron, provided ranged support, unleashing a barrage of arrows.]
[Meanwhile, Jeanne wielded her holy flag as a weapon against the vampire, neutralizing Dracula's attacks one after another.]
[The six Servants, who had been at each other's throats just moments ago, now stood united, fighting with all their might.]
[Poor Darnic. In his desperate bid to seize the Holy Grail, he had turned himself into a monster. But now, he had no allies left. Everyone had become his enemy.]
Illya: "Wow, this development is getting really interesting."
Waver: "Darnic's last-ditch effort only succeeded in turning every Servant against him."
Emiya Kiritsugu: "But Jeanne is right. If a monster like this is allowed to escape, it'll be a disaster."
Tohsaka Tokiomi: "Count Dracula, the world-famous vampire… His strength is comparable to that of the legendary True Ancestors."
[Achilles: "It's turned into fog again. How annoying!"]
[Dracula not only retained Vlad III's abilities as Lancer but also gained the various powers associated with vampires from the novel, such as transforming into a swarm of bats or becoming a mist.]
[Without a physical form, no matter how fierce the attacks, they couldn't hit him.]
[Although Dracula seemed to have lost his mind, he retained a strong combat instinct.]
[During his fight with Karna, Dracula exploited a weakness in Karna's golden armor, driving a sharp stake into his foot. As Karna flinched in response, Dracula took advantage of the moment and struck him with a powerful punch, sending him flying.]
[Though the damage was minor, Karna was surprised by the sheer strength behind the attack.]
[Achilles was briefly stunned by Karna's fall, giving Dracula the chance to lunge at him and sink his fangs into Achilles' neck.]
[Karna, reacting quickly, hurled his spear, interrupting Dracula's attack.]
Sisigou: "Darnic really turned himself into a horrifying monster."
Tohsaka Rin: "I didn't expect Dracula to hold his ground against the combined efforts of six Servants."
Waver: "With his strange abilities and immense physical strength, Dracula is no less powerful than an exceptional Servant."
Gilgamesh: "Hmph, it's just a monster. I could obliterate it with a single wave of my hand."
[Karna: "Attachment, resentment, or delusion. You are no longer a magician, nor a hero. You are nothing. The agony of being 'someone who is not yourself' must be unbearable. Stop lingering, monster. It would be better for you to disappear."]
[He was right. Dracula no longer even knew who he was.]
[Even as he faced six Servants united against him, knowing his death was imminent, he refused to back down. The only thing keeping him going was the compulsion of the second Command Seal.]
[Dracula: "Haha! I won't die! I can't die! Not until I have the Holy Grail!"]
[It had to be said that Dracula's strength, when fighting one-on-one, was on par with any of the Servants present.]
[He could transform into mist, bats, or even a giant ferocious dog. His strength was terrifying, and he could occasionally burst forth with speed comparable to teleportation. If someone was bitten by him, they would fall under his control.]
[Among the gathered Servants, Karna was likely the only one with the ability to secure a solo victory. Achilles had already come close to losing earlier.]
[But with six Servants working together, Dracula's defeat was inevitable.]
[They didn't even need to kill him. All they had to do was wait until sunrise, when his powers would be drastically weakened.]
[As the battle progressed, the six knights gradually found ways to counter Dracula's abilities.]
[For example, when he turned into mist, Karna released his flames to seal the vapor and limit its movement.]
[However, just as the battle seemed to be turning in their favor, the expressions of the Red faction Servants suddenly changed. One by one, they knelt on the ground, their faces filled with discomfort.]
["Uh… What's happening?"]
["Is it the Master?"]
Tohsaka Rin: "What's going on? Why is the Red faction faltering at such a critical moment?!"
Achilles: "It's not something we're doing."
Karna: "It's the Master. He's interfering."
Jeanne: "Kotomine Shirou! What are you trying to do?!"
Waver: "Don't tell me you're planning to let this monster escape!"
Kotomine Shirou: "Haha, of course not."
Kotomine Shirou: "Just keep watching, Ruler. The answer you've been searching for is about to reveal itself."
***
For every 200 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 50+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.