Choosing a Backstabbing Target

All of this will have no effect on him, just as he cannot change the fate of this world, because his true self still lies dormant somewhere in the universe.

However, there is an even more powerful and terrifying outsider in this world, who may have arrived in a time period even earlier than Shirou, and has already deeply intervened in this world, affecting the lives of all mankind.

'Since the conference was chosen to be held in Tokyo, that person should be somewhere in this building right now... If I smash through the glass upstairs and rush up, is there any chance I'll see that person?' Shirou thought to himself as he glanced at the VIPs and dignitaries behind the glass wall upstairs.

"Wait! Wait a minute! You handsome white-haired guy! And you guys peeking from the corner! I advise you to give up your unrealistic ideas! There's nothing on the ceiling here!" The ponytail bunny girl on the platform shouted.

Shirou didn't speak, but the others in the room had already asked questions.

"What happened?!"

"Aren't there many people standing above us when we're blind?"

"Hahaha..." The powerful and wealthy people inside the second-floor glass room let out a sneer, seemingly mocking the shallowness and ignorance of the lower classes.

As if to confirm this claim, the bunny girl with the ponytail snapped her fingers, signaling her subordinates to disconnect the communication devices. The glass wall upstairs flickered; it remained a transparent mirror, but the inside was now completely empty.

What appears to be transparent glass on all four sides above the hall is actually fully protected. The real people are not actually upstairs, but rather using these mirrors to create the illusion of watching the opening ceremony from upstairs.

In fact, where are these people, who are either rich or noble, or wicked or evil, actually hiding? And how many of them are actually in the same room at the same time?

Or rather, it's still uncertain whether they're even in the same building as the contestants.

No one knows about any of this except for the core internal personnel.

The bunny girl with a single ponytail laughed and said, "That's right~! The guests upstairs are distinguished guests, so esteemed contestants, please don't do anything foolish that would disqualify you from the competition. That's all..."

The bunny girl with the bunny hair continued, "If you can achieve final victory, everyone here, whether they are above or below us, will wholeheartedly submit to you! You all came here for this purpose, right?"

"Hmph hmph hmph..."

Hehehe...

In every corner of the venue, the contestants who had been waiting quietly reacted. Some revealed confident smiles, while others, hidden in the shadows, revealed bloodthirsty red lights. The venue was instantly filled with murderous intent!

Meanwhile, somewhere, through a glass screen, the VIP audience members who had been watching the event with amusement were now deathly silent. The drinks in their glasses swayed erratically—perhaps due to the vibrations caused by the laughter of the contestants.

No, it was their hands that were shaking.

Even though they knew that everything they were seeing was being broadcast on a screen, and even though they knew they were actually in a safe place, they couldn't help but feel afraid and took a few steps back.

"Wait a minute, you're exaggerating." Someone laughed and patted their friend on the shoulder.

"No... these... are all the people here monsters...?" the terrified person said, trembling.

The person who had approached them sensed something, their expression changing as they said, "Um... let's go back to our rooms and rest..."

"Yes... yes, let's do it that way..."

The two of them, stiff as bodies, supported each other as they walked outside.

The other VIPs all took a few steps back, their faces ashen, no longer daring to watch what was happening below.

At this moment, the contestants in the venue were all exuding a terrifying aura. It was a murderous intent and madness that ordinary people simply could not resist. They were trembling like wild beasts that had smelled their natural enemy, and the survival instinct hidden within them was warning them.

They should have been the ones in a superior position, standing above the realistic glass screen looking down at the people below, but for a moment they lost all their courage.

It's like someone with acrophobia being forcibly taken to a glass walkway, looking down into an abyss; someone with hemophobia seeing a glass tank full of blood through glass; or someone with trypophobia looking at densely packed circles through VR glasses. The body will feel uncomfortable, and there will be the same fear response.

This fear stems from instinct and cannot be overcome simply by wanting to; that's just the nature of humans. At least those who wanted to be VIPs watching the gladiatorial games from a high vantage point have temporarily given up, since even when watching horror movies, some people have actually been scared to death.

"Shirou...!" Anastasia, also affected by the change in the surrounding atmosphere, nervously hugged Shirou and said.

"It's alright, Anna, don't worry. As long as we're here, and besides, a lot of the faces around us are familiar faces," Shirou comforted the silver-haired girl, glancing at the murderous faces around him, and said with a smile.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that there were a surprisingly large number of people gathered here. Some of them must have concealed their presence through some means.

"We were right, weren't we? Miss Elizabeth, the contestant from the European Union ~!" The bunny girl with a single ponytail looked towards the shadowy spot where the murderous aura had been released earlier, and smiled as she spoke to the Black Shadow within the shadow whose eyes glowed red.

"Hehehe, I just got a little too excited when I saw some young girls up there who were perfect for bloodletting. But now, I'd rather entertain you, Miss Rabbit." The person in the shadows chuckled in agreement, followed by the sound of high heels clicking on the ground. A sexy woman with long, curly silver hair, dressed in a straitjacket, emerged from there.

Not far from the woman, in a corner against the wall, sat a middle-aged nobleman with long, silver-white hair, sickly pale skin, and heavy eye makeup. He was Vlad the Impaler, a legendary figure with various titles, such as the Protector of Rome, and... the legendary Vampire King Gudra, the Impaler.

When the world was collapsing, all the powers pulled out all the stops to try and save it. Even with such measures, many countries were still destroyed. However, some of those who were used as tools seized the opportunity and remained in the world, surviving.

For example, Mage's Formal Wear that have been passed down for thousands of years and come from a distant divine era.

For example, the 'Servant' are humanity's strongest protective force! Through relics, they are summoned by providing immense magical power in a spirit-summoning manner, transforming them into physical beings, and Servant to protect the nation.

However, when faced with the collapse of the world, humanity is far too insignificant. Even though the Clock Tower, one of the three major powers of the Mage's Association, has now sunk to the bottom of the sea along with Britain, they still fought desperately back then.

As icebergs melted and the climate changed drastically, sea levels rose continuously, raising the world's elevation by more than 60 meters in just a few years. In other words, areas that were previously below 60 meters in elevation were completely submerged by seawater.

Even areas above sea level are not necessarily safe.

The threat from the ocean has also been magnified several times over. If any upheaval occurs on Earth, such as an earthquake or tsunami, and a giant wave thousands of meters high rolls up on the sea surface, it's like a mountain crashing down from the sky, destroying an entire country or even a continent.

Besides the sunken Britain, nearly half of the territories of European and American countries were submerged at sea, including many economically developed coastal cities such as New York, Washington, and San Francisco. The losses were devastating, and the remaining inland areas were turned into islands. The world hegemon and superpower had long since become a mere shell of its former self.

However, as the saying goes, "Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse." Accustomed to a life of high welfare and having long held a dominant position in the international arena, some Europeans and Americans have still preserved their strength. They are not willing to remain subservient to others forever.

Before the disaster struck, wealthy and influential people, as well as Magecraft family backgrounds, foresaw the danger and moved their assets to other safe places.

Those who are reluctant to leave their homeland will choose to settle there, for example, by entering the Tower to the Sky. As long as they abide by the rules of the tower, they can live a safe and peaceful life.

Even if there is war, turmoil, tsunami, storm, or meteorite impact outside, there will be no problem as long as you are inside the Tower to the Sky.

This has been proven by facts: even in countries where entire cities were submerged, the Tower to the Sky still stood firmly, and important government departments in Washington, D. C., moved inside.

This epoch-making, miraculous building has been completed in about seventy buildings around the world, housing less than one hundred million people.

However, ordinary people who were not eligible to enter the Tower to the Sky had no choice but to give up their houses and real estate, becoming refugees and fleeing to Asia and Africa like locusts to make a living.

Complex populations, injustice, poverty, and anxiety breed violence and crime, causing various incidents and leading to global chaos.

The chaos in the world has also given rise to many dangerous individuals, making the world even more dangerous and dark, creating a vicious cycle with no solution. Natural disasters and man-made calamities continue to occur in various regions, causing homes to fall apart and nations to crumble, leaving humanity's future seemingly only despair.

At that moment, the master of the Tower to the Sky made a proposal: to redefine the rules of the world for humanity by selecting the most suitable person.

Chapter 464 Choosing a Target for Backstabbing

The master of the Tower to the Sky gave everyone a fair chance to compete. He issued a limited number of black letters as tokens of participation in the tournament, which people were then vying for!

The ultimate goal is to determine the one and only being who can make choices on behalf of all humanity, regardless of their motives or intentions. The victor will gain control of the world!

This is not a metaphor, but a feasible solution in reality.

The master of the Tower to the Sky will relinquish all power and appoint the victor as the new manager of the more than seventy Tower to the Sky, who will have the power to dispose of the Tower to the Sky and, in effect, the lifeline of one hundred million human elites.

The Tower to the Sky provides humanity's elite with the most comprehensive protection, safeguarding their personal safety; however, in return, it also confines them within the tower's closed walls.

Of course! It's free to leave the tower. The space inside is always in short supply. As long as one person is willing to move out, hundreds of people will fight tooth and nail to squeeze in.

Compared to the constant fear of dying from earthquakes and tsunamis outside, or encountering bandits and robbers on the road, the rest of humanity, except for a small group of thrill-seekers or those who don't want to live anymore, would much rather live inside the tower.

As long as they want to live inside the tower, they have no choice but to rely on the protection of the Tower to the Sky's master and obey his orders. Because as the builder, he has the ability to disintegrate more than seventy giant towers, each capable of holding millions of people, in ten minutes.

This is also what Shirou dislikes most about that person.

The outsider used his advanced technology to build the Tower to the Sky, forcibly intervening in this world and successfully taking control of a portion of it, attempting to rewrite its social rules.

He treated this world as his own pasture, conducting what he called a social experiment. The world is about to face terrible consequences because of this experiment.

The chaotic tournament being held by the Tower to the Sky's master is precisely aimed at ensuring that whoever has the strongest fist will rule this world.

People who are wealthy and generous tend to have the most appealing words. Those who wield power and control personnel appointments often have more people willing to listen to them. Ultimately, policies can only be implemented through force; a stable social order requires law enforcement agencies to uphold authority and violent organizations to suppress social unrest.

Which would you rather live: a life of obtaining the truth but remaining a beggar, or a life of becoming a superior person, living a wealthy life but forced to accept lies?

Perhaps the only thing that can determine the course of humanity's fate, from ancient times to the present and into the future, is 'battle'.

While it may seem unreasonable to allow someone who prioritizes violence to rule the world, in essence, this aligns with what countries are currently doing.

For example, when developed countries provoke conflicts and wars on the land of other countries, and attempt to support governments that submit to the will of major powers, such behavior is no different from the fighting tournament in the Tower to the Sky.

In terms of the number of casualties, the scale here is actually more moderate. After all, the ultimate goal of this conference is to redistribute power in this world that has undergone tremendous changes.

Among the participants who came to this venue, there were indeed ambitious individuals with personal interests, but those who came here with simple intentions were actually in the minority.

After all, when a person faces excessive power or responsibility, the things they have to consider and handle are actually much more complex than imagined. Therefore, the contestants in the venue are mostly powerful warriors selected by interest groups composed of nations and various major powers.

At this moment, Shirou used his Eagle Eyes to silently scan the entire venue, observing the contestants from all sides, analyzing the weapons they carried, and trying to memorize as much information about everyone he saw as possible. In fact, everyone else was doing the same thing.

Among the figures in the venue were Extreme Evil criminals wanted by the United Nations; martial arts experts from a certain country; elites from the military; bloodthirsty murderous demon usually roamed the dark alleys; and gentlemen dressed as nobles.

These individuals often possess some special ability; some are awakened beings with mysterious superpowers, some are dangerous Magus, some are Magecraft have inherited a thousand-year-old mystery, or they are Servant whose power is beyond the reach of ordinary people...

Intelligence is extremely important. The leakage of information and the revelation of one's trump cards are often fatal. After all, the outcome of a battle can often be decided in a mere instant, less than a second.

If someone targets you, you'll find it difficult to move an inch. Even a small obstacle can turn into a fatal problem.

After all, in a battle between masters, a moment of carelessness or a small accident can change the outcome of the fight.

In fact, many geniuses have failed because of some trivial reasons.

These Magecraft stars, who often possessed profound and comprehensive Magecraft and were unafraid of head-on confrontations, still died at the hands of second-rate Magecraft whom they would never have given a second glance.

For example, the Lord in the Clock Tower, the genius lecturer Kaineth El- El-Melloi Archibald, who is admired by all, is strong, extremely strong. The Mage's Formal Wear Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid he developed can even block Servant's Noble Phantasm three times under certain conditions.

But this genius died young, and twice at that.

In his previous life at the Clock Tower, Shirou also received instruction from Lord El-Melloi, a disciple who inherited his status and name.

It is said that Professor Kaineth is a genius rarely seen even in the Clock Tower. He reached the Color Rank at a young age and has the potential to reach the Grand Class. He developed and perfected the almost omnipotent Automatic Mage's Formal Wear: Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid, which can be used for both offense and defense, has exploration capabilities, and can also transform into a maid.

However, due to the cruel twist of fate, even in this world where the Holy Grail War did not take place in Fuyuki, Shirou heard that he was killed after participating in a pseudo- Holy Grail War.

Shirou's gaze stopped; he saw an unfamiliar face in an unexpected place.

Beside Grand Duke Vlad the Impaler, who was resting with his eyes closed, sat a blond, stout man with a large nose and a curly mustache, dressed in a magnificent white suit. In fact, he was no more than thirty years old, and his mustache did not add to his majesty, nor did it give him the elegance of a scholar; it only made him seem pretentious.

At this moment, he was staring intently at Shirou and the others who were observing him, his small eyes wide open and his expression impassive, though his legs were trembling slightly.

'Is he deliberately putting on airs to appear weak?'

'That must be it, otherwise how could he possibly control two vicious Anti-Heroic Spirit Servant at the same time?'

'This fat guy is really skilled. He must be a seasoned expert hiding his identity somewhere.'

'Hmph, that old fox is cunning and shrewd. I must warn the others to be careful around him.'

Those observing this area were all quickly calculating in their minds, adding the blond man with the handlebar mustache to their list of particularly wary individuals.

At this moment, the blond, mustachioed fat man was sweating profusely, only he knew his own state of mind.

His name is Gordolf Musik. His father was a man who survived the Red and Black Holy Grail War between the Thousand Tree Family and the Mage's Association. His name was Gordes Musik Thousand Tree, and he was the Master of the Black Faction. The Servant he summoned was the powerful Black Saber!

Whether it's relatives related to the family Magecraft or uncles and aunts who know him, their comments are often, "Ah, he really is just like his father." But for some reason, after they finish saying that, they always let out a long sigh.

The reason he was chosen as the representative of the European Union has to do with the system of this alliance.

The European Union has more than twenty member states, all of which are equal. There are powerful countries like Germany and traditionally strong countries like France; there is the UK, which is about to separate and is still trying to gain more benefits; and there are also small countries like Latvia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, and Finland. We cannot only take care of the large countries, but we must also consider the interests of the smaller countries.

As an equal and mutually supportive whole, the country here has twenty-four languages, so all of these languages must be designated as official languages. Twenty-four languages must be used in the same context, and publications must also have twenty-four language versions.

When meetings are held in the European Union, special translation devices are usually provided. Attendees only need to wear headphones, and the headphones will automatically play their own language.

Because of this system, sometimes, while great powers are vying for power, the major powers in the European Union often take the lead and push to concentrate resources on a major undertaking. However, a few smaller countries can often vote against it and discard a plan that seems beneficial to Europe's future.

Even if France produced another Napoleon, or Germany produced another Iron Chancellor Bismarck, it wouldn't actually bring any benefits to these small countries. On the contrary, they might find themselves in a passive position, being led by the nose, because their neighboring countries are too powerful.

In short, individual heroism is unacceptable; the European Union doesn't need such overly capable individuals!

This blond man with a mustache, under such circumstances, made various compromises, eliminated the descendants of heroes, selected the elites from all levels, and finally chose the marginal figures.

In some ways, he is indeed the most suitable candidate.

Gordolf Musik, as a member of a long-standing Magecraft family, is indeed one of their own. However, he is not from a major country, and his family has never produced any great figures in history who have accomplished anything that will be remembered in history.

His talent as Magecraft is only above average; he doesn't possess the innate talent to reach the Root. Let alone the Grand Class or Color Rank, even the Pride is unlikely to be attained in this lifetime without a privileged family background. He's not particularly strong, but he's not weak either; he's ranked in the middle among the Clock Tower graduates.

As an alchemist, his family had once stolen non-core information about the Einzbern Family's artificial human technology, and possessed artificial human technology that was above average in the Magecraft industry, barely reaching the level of the Einzbern family.

In the automotive industry, it's like saying you can't build an Audi, but you can build an Alto. With a little effort, you might even be able to produce a few high-quality models, like a Wuling Hongguang – a decent but not exceptional Magecraft.

From a politician's perspective, although he can be considered a descendant of officials, none of his ancestors had ever reached the provincial level. The most successful thing he could do in his life was probably to spend a lot of money to buy the position of director.

Unfortunately, even this is no longer possible in this world.

Gordolf himself seemed to be somewhat aware of his own limitations. So after entering the hall, he sat quietly next to Vlad the Impaler, without giving any instructions or doing anything that would attract attention.

Ultimately, the only reason he was here was because his pride as Magecraft prevented him from refusing this glorious task.

Of course, this conference was indeed of great importance, and the European Union dared not act recklessly. Therefore, the European Union provided Gordolf with two powerful Servant: Elizabeth Bathory, the Bloody Countess with a special attack on women, whose class is Assassin, and Grand Duke Vlad the Impaler, the protector of Rome, whose class is Berserker.

Regardless, there's no doubt that their combination is indeed very strong. Although, as the Master, they have many weaknesses.

Shirou thought to himself that this might be a good target for backstabbing.