The Pharaoh Questions Qin Shi Huang / A Ruler's Magnanimity
This side, however, is the most unreliable group.
"Huff, huff, huff... I'm so tired! I feel like I've climbed every staircase I've ever walked in my life." Gordolf lay on the ground, panting heavily, his tongue lolling out.
"The fat I ate last night has all been burned off!"
"Really? If only you could burn off all that fat on your upper body too."
"Sisters, can you please stop arguing? Although the weight loss effect is indeed remarkable," Sakura said, panting.
"Wait, you guys, could you please stop hugging me? We're here." Shirou said to the people around him.
"Shirou, put me down," Anastasia said, patting Shirou 'Shirou back as she climbed onto his back.
"Sure, but they have to leave first," Shirou reluctantly agreed.
At this moment, Sakura was tightly holding Shirou's hand, which was being pressed down by something soft and warm. Her other hand was aching slightly from the struggle between Tohsaka and Luviagelita Edelfelt, and the blond, bearded man was still clinging to one of her long legs, dragging her all the way up.
The aristocrats, wearing top hats and suits, wiped their sweat with handkerchiefs.
"Hmph, in the end, they're nothing more than inferior copies. This world belongs to the living, and even Servant shouldn't be defiled by them."
Magecraft with high self-esteem, however, were unwilling to acknowledge these Servant. The reason for this was that they did not want to recognize these 'familiars' summoned through Magecraft, since it was essentially no different from summoning Demonic Beast or ghosts. At most, it only consumed more magic power, and the medium was a precious antique relic, and so on.
After all, true Servant should transcend everything, be detached from the mortal realm, and exist outside the timeline, like gods or elves. Only when Earth encounters a special crisis can they descend as guardians.
They are without desires or wants, existing in a higher dimension, completely severing ties with their past in the mortal realm. Servant that can be summoned by Magecraft are merely alien beings whose life stories are inscribed and who wear the skin of Servant.
"How dare a mere Servant, summoned from Servant- knows-where, know what it's doing?" the noble faction clamored.
"Exactly! Wanting your master to obey a familiar's commands? Are you out of your mind?!" a companion chimed in.
"No! That can't be! This sir is undoubtedly the greatest pharaoh, Ramesses II!!!" The Magecraft representing Africa stepped forward and said.
Rani VIII also came out and gave a lecture to the crowd, explaining:
"Indeed, the beings on the Throne of Heroes are far removed from this world. However, this assertion has a premise: that is, aside from a very few exceptional beings."
"And where did you come from, you little yellow-haired girl?" the nobles asked suspiciously.
"I am Rani from the Tesla Institute. My purpose in coming here is to witness a turning point for humanity," Rani said, bowing.
"They actually say it's the Tesla Institute... that ancient alchemical group. If that's the case, then the Tesla Mountains are indeed in Africa..." Amidst the shock, someone from the noble faction muttered to themselves.
"Since you are a member of our Magic Association, why do you want to submit to a servant?" A person from the noble faction asked doubtfully.
"This is because this Pharaoh is special; please do not regard him as an ordinary Servant." Rani nodded and continued the lecture.
Indeed! Beings of Gilgamesh's caliber often possess special powers comparable to Servant during their lifetimes, allowing them to disregard the constraints of the Throne of Heroes. Gods, True Ancestor, and Sages can all achieve similar feats to Servant through a process of demotion.
This kind of unorthodox approach is not an isolated case. There are even unknown humans who become Servant after death. They are not enshrined in the Throne of Heroes because of great achievements in their lives. Instead, they skip this process and sign a contract with the Counter Force while they are still alive, becoming guardians of humanity.
The pharaoh is both a human king and a god. For example, Nitocris, although her time as pharaoh was short, also possessed the attributes of a god of the underworld and a god of the sky, and she herself also had the interest of cosplaying the god Mejar.
To explain why things turned out this way, we need to go back to an even more ancient time.
Before humanity fully developed its intelligence and took complete control of the earth, various events occurred that led to the decline, separation, and eventual end of the Age of Gods. This occurred more than ten thousand years ago.
Chapter 473 Pharaoh Asks Qin Shi Huang
As we all know, the Age of Gods refers to an era in which gods existed. However, the term did not actually refer to that back then. A more accurate definition would be the Age of Gods, though this era had completely declined.
Because everything that happened in the Age of Gods will gradually be forgotten by people, and the traces will be erased by the world, eventually becoming an ethereal legend.
Around 12,000 BC, three starships carrying Velber arrived in the solar system, dispatched by a predatory planet. Among them was Attila, a giant known as Vepal 02, who descended upon Earth with the mission of destroying all intelligent life and civilization. Through threats, inducements, and contracts, he divided the gods in various regions.
After slaughtering gods across the land, they engaged in a fierce battle with the primordial gods of the Second Age of Gods, representing the sky, earth, and war. They seized the most powerful Photon Ray, and ultimately, even the giants were defeated by the Holy Sword Wielder. Due to the deaths of numerous gods, the Age of Gods began to decline.
In 2600 BC, the gods of Uruk arranged for a goddess to unite with a king, giving birth to the King of Heroes Gilgamesh. They intended to use him as a barrier to prevent the continued decline of the divine age. However, Gilgamesh valued his status as a human king more than his status as a divine child, and thus rebelled against the gods of Uruk!
The many gods of Mesopotamia eventually left Earth and returned to a higher dimension, existing only as illusory deities, observing the world from afar. This event also confirmed that the decline of the divine age was inevitable.
Around 1000 BC, King Solomon created Magecraft and made it available to humankind before his death. His death also accelerated the decline of the Age of Gods.
Between 700 and 500 BC, the following sages emerged: Shakyamuni) in the Indian subcontinent; Lao Tzu, Confucius, and the Hundred Schools of Thought in China; and Plato and Socrates in Greece, whose influence has lasted for thousands of years.
Confucius even proposed the principle of "respecting spirits and gods, but keeping them at a distance" as a way of life.
In the year 1 AD, marked by the birth of Christ, the mystery of all continents came to a complete end, with only a few mysteries remaining in some island nations or islands far from the mainland.
Around 500 AD, the Battle of Camlann, marked by the death of King Arthur, saw the rise of human powers on the mainland who invaded the lands of the island's remaining inhabitants from the Age of Gods. Knights like the Child of the Dragon and the sons of fairies were defeated by the Anglo-Saxon barbarians in the battle to defend their lands. The inhabitants then intermarried and merged with the barbarian tribes, eventually forming the modern British. This also symbolized the complete annihilation of the last vestiges of the Age of Gods by Human Order.
Thus, the principles of humanity completely replaced the Age of Gods. Only a very small amount of the mystery of the Age of Gods was buried deep underground through various means and preserved through multiple seals.
However, many more mysteries will be replaced by science, which is created and discovered by humankind, and will gradually become worthless tricks.
Even Magecraft of later generations would sigh with regret. In fact, gods from all over the world made various attempts to change this declining trend. The gods of Egypt naturally put up their own resistance, but in the end, it proved that the decline of the Age of Gods was inevitable.
"But Ramesses II is a very special figure among these pharaohs. He was not chosen as Servant to enter the Throne of Throne of Heroes as the dawn of humanity, but rather entered the Throne of Throne of Heroes by his own will," Rani said.
Besides the power of the Egyptian sun god, he seemed to possess the power of some mysterious Alien God. In the past, there was also a mysterious religious group that called him the "Black Pharaoh" with utmost respect. However, these things were too secretive and ancient for even the Tesla Institute to know them completely.
"In any case! This sir is the most suitable person here to lead us!!!" shouted the African Magecraft.
"But..." Some people still hesitated.
"Hahahaha!!! Your will is not important, my glory is like the sun, hanging high in the sky, shining selflessly on all! Wherever the sun shines, that is my territory, hahahahaha!!!" The robust young pharaoh with brown skin returned after his victory over the Vampire King, looked at the expressions of the crowd, and laughed loudly.
This kind of spirit, this kind of upright and righteous declaration of his superiority as a great man, when he stood before people, did not receive any doubts, and the hearts of those who had previously been skeptical began to waver.
"That handsome Egyptian guy, his gold jewelry and jewels look like magical treasures, they seem really valuable," Rin Tohsaka said.
"Hmph! What Sun King? Even if he were a reincarnation of the Pharaoh, we nobles would not easily submit to him!!! Right!" Luviagelita Edelfelt crossed her arms and turned to look at the European nobles.
The nobles who had been observing from the sidelines exchanged glances with their companions, and finally made their decision, walking towards the Pharaoh's followers. "We are all descendants of noble Magecraft family, please allow us to join!"
"Hey!!!" Luviagelita Edelfelt shouted at her unreliable ally with an incredulous look on her face.
"Don't stop us, Miss Edelfelt." The noble faction raised their hands and said confidently.
"After all, he was indeed a pharaoh from more than three thousand years ago. In terms of status, position, and family lineage, serving him is not a waste of his talent," the noble faction said.
"Yes, and there are better options now."
Faced with Luviagelita Edelfelt's questioning, the nobles, like proud geese, puffed out their necks and resolutely retorted.
The powerful Pharaoh was welcomed by the crowd and had become the most powerful force among all the contestants. These people had given up competing and were wholeheartedly devoted to supporting the noble Pharaoh and helping him ascend the throne as the master of the tower.
At this moment, a steel door had opened at the top of the stairs, with lights flashing inside, as if welcoming the athletes who had reached the summit.
Once people entered the gate, the steel doors closed automatically. Inside was the top floor of the Tower to the Sky, with a central platform featuring a Tai Chi symbol depicting black and white yin-yang fish. The surrounding walls were also carved with images of black birds resembling phoenixes and flying dragons. The overall decorations exuded a solemn, majestic, and grand aura.
At that moment, a loud, boisterous laugh came from all around.
"Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe!"
"Excellent! Truly excellent! What a magnificent performance! I haven't seen such a spectacular battle in a long time."
A clear sound came from the speakers in the surrounding walls, so people felt as if they were surrounded by sounds from all directions.
For those who had just been busy escaping for their lives and barely managed to escape the calamity of the Vampire King, such a sound was like being surrounded by an ambush, making them feel like they were being watched by something strange, and they felt extremely uncomfortable.
"Me? Do you claim to be the Emperor of China?" someone said doubtfully.
"Are you the owner of the tower? Please show yourself and speak to me," one of the more polite nobles couldn't help but ask.
"That's right, stop with the pretense! Where are you hiding? Come out now!" The more outspoken pro-war guys, who advocated resolving everything through combat, couldn't help but start cursing.
"Hmm... what foolish people you are. I can't even imagine entrusting a divine artifact to you. You'd be better off as law-abiding enforcers than as leaders." The man's voice muttered from all directions, continuing:
"However, inviting you here was indeed my decision. So I will be particularly lenient in answering your questions. If you really want to know, aren't you all currently inside me?"
"In vivo?"
"What happened?"
Whether they were aristocratic or fervent war enthusiasts, they were all baffled, turning their large heads in confusion and looking around in bewilderment.
"Stop looking! If you want to behold my glory, you must look up to the heavens." A majestic and clear voice came from above.
People looked up and saw that a mechanism had been activated on the ceiling above the tower, and the ceiling unfolded and changed position, separating to both sides.
Within the sphere of light, a figure appeared. He wore a dark robe embroidered with the wings of a black bird, the kind worn by Emperor in the Qin Dynasty palace. He also wore a long, jade-white shawl, as white as Ruri and glass, like a fairy's Feather Robe. Instead of hanging to the ground due to gravity, it floated high behind him.
The person who descended had long black hair, a Chinese face, and an otherworldly air, unlike anyone from the mortal realm. Three flower petals appeared on her forehead, perhaps a manifestation of the Daoist practice of "Three Flowers Gathering at the Top."
His gender is somewhat indistinguishable from his appearance. He seems to be a delicate and refined person. When still, he is like an ancient beauty with jade-like features. However, once he moves, his eyes and brows reveal a domineering aura that overlooks the world and encompasses it all.
However, judging from his flat and muscular upper body, he appears to be male. In fact, as an immortal being who is neither old nor dead, he has no need to reproduce. His body has already transcended gender limitations.
"He is..."
"... The owner of the tower?"
The crowd stared in astonishment at the sky, their eyes fixed on the jade-like immortal. They weren't bewitched, but they simply couldn't tear their eyes away. However, as the immortal drew closer, they covered their eyes and lowered their brows.
The aura emanating from the immortal was so intense that they dared not look directly at him, and no one dared to question him. Some even knelt down, trembling, because of the overwhelming light emanating from him.
A black-haired immortal landed on the Tai Chi Bagua platform, waved his hand, and said to the people, "Raise your heads, no need for formalities. This conference is to determine the ruler of the world, so you are now competitors like me, not my subjects. Yes, you can now call me 'First Emperor'."
"They actually said it was... the First Emperor!!!" Someone's eyes widened.
"A black imperial robe... Could it be that of the Qin Dynasty? Since an Egyptian pharaoh has appeared, it's not impossible for a Chinese emperor to follow suit..." someone exclaimed in surprise.
"But this First Emperor seems a bit different from the historical figure," some knowledgeable people said with a puzzled look.
"Another foreign tycoon has appeared! That outfit is Noble Phantasm -level costume. If it belongs to Qin Shi Huang, then it's an antique from two thousand years ago! It looks very expensive!" Rin Tohsaka exclaimed, her eyes wide.
"Why do you judge people by how rich or poor they are? Even though you're much more accomplished than those aristocratic types," Luviagelita Edelfelt said, exasperated.
Meanwhile, the aristocratic fellows were caught in a dilemma, feeling that they had revealed their cards too early and were now in a predicament.
However, this time, some people's attitudes changed. The previously calm white-haired youth stopped speaking and instead concealed himself, keeping a close eye on the immortal in the center of the platform out of the corner of his eye.
"Shirou!" The silver-haired girl beside him also lowered her head, revealing a chilling and murderous aura as she spoke.
"Hmm! Calm down first!" Shirou said, pressing down on the silver-haired girl's shoulder.
"Huh? Huh?! Why does the atmosphere around us feel so strange?" Gordolf, standing next to him, turned his large head, looking puzzled.
"Oh... so this is the immortal art of China! It seems to have other powers as well, hmm... technology I've never seen before. The body created by the combination of the two is truly an amazing feat!" Ramesses II stared intently at the Feather Robe man who appeared from the light screen, his eyes shining. He was very fond of the First Emperor's current perfect physical body.
When Egypt was conquered by the Romans, the mystical traditions that had been passed down in Egypt had severely declined, leaving almost nothing. That's why Egypt was conquered so easily.
However, at least in the era before the Age of Gods completely declined, the pharaohs did possess powers that surpassed those of mortals to varying degrees, but they were also greatly affected. The pharaohs were originally symbols of immortality, but due to the dissipation of the Age of Gods, they could now only move among mortals through their physical bodies.
So even if the pharaoh's spirit remained immortal, he could not change the aging of his physical body. In order to remedy this, after their bodies aged, the pharaohs would have their servants mummify their bodies and bury them inside the pyramids to preserve them.
The idea was that one day, the pharaoh's spirit, having returned to the realm of the gods, could use this to descend to earth once more. However, as it turned out, all of this was ultimately in vain.
Osmanthus looked at the First Emperor and asked, "If there is any regret about being the remnant of the sun... then there is indeed one: my physical body on earth is far too fragile. As the radiant sun, the greatest and strongest pharaoh, I must not decay. However, both in the past and now, this body is still far from the ideal..."
However... this time is different. You truly possess something remarkable! Emperor of Qin! If my glory surpasses yours, then this technology you have mastered will surely be offered to me, won't it?"
Chapter 474 The Magnanimity of a Ruler
Pharaoh Osmanthus made no attempt to conceal his ambition before the First Emperor. In fact, he even regarded the First Emperor as his own possession.
The First Emperor raised his eyebrows and stared at the Pharaoh. Their eyes gleamed, and they exuded the domineering aura of unparalleled Emperor, making those around them feel as if the atmosphere was suffocating.
The First Emperor then waved his hand, laughing heartily as he agreed, "Hahaha! Of course! The victor is king, the loser is a bandit! This is a universal truth that has existed since ancient times. Whoever can defeat me, whether it's the Tower to the Sky, everything in Qin, or even my life, it all belongs to the victor."
Osmanthus laughed loudly, "Hahahaha! What a delightful answer! As a pharaoh, I do not dislike capable rulers. If I had to choose, I admire those legendary heroes who sacrifice themselves to save the world. So this time, I will challenge you, First Emperor!"
"Pharaoh of Egypt, if you are confident that you can govern this world better than I can, then I am willing to abdicate this throne. Of course, that is on the premise that you have the ability to make me leave this place," the First Emperor said with a confident smile as he looked at Osmanthus.
"Hahahaha, the Pharaoh is both king and god, and I am the embodiment of the sun, the one who provides light and warmth to all things in the world, and all things in the world depend on me to grow. I will not force all things to obey my will; they will naturally follow behind the Pharaoh," Osmanthus said with a loud laugh.
The First Emperor smiled, then shook his head and said, "Oh, so your thoughts are quite similar to mine. But if it's only this level, it can't surpass me. I have already ruled a world, the whole earth is my territory, and all the peoples are my subjects."
I govern them fairly and justly according to the laws of Qin, ensuring their peaceful and prosperous lives.
The people obeyed my arrangements, each fulfilling their duties, working at sunrise and resting at sunset. Their basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, and transportation were met, there were no exorbitant taxes, and everyone enjoyed equal treatment. Naturally, there were no disputes, and no wars between ethnic groups.
Even if someone occasionally rises up in rebellion, it's just a minor internal strife that can be easily suppressed.
"..." People listened in stunned silence, wondering if the First Emperor was delirious or if they were hallucinating. No matter what, they could never have imagined that the First Emperor was a being from another parallel world, and a hegemon who had completed the great task of unifying the world.
The First Emperor continued, "But there was one person who told me that she didn't want that kind of future. Her frank and earnest eyes reminded me of one of my sons, making me want to cherish her."
I also believe that if her ideals can be realized, they will be dazzling and moving, and her future will be something to look forward to. Of course, if she cannot meet my standards, I will still take back that world and govern it myself.
Is it the 'human system' she envisions, where all humanity can shine, or my 'rule of law' that is best for humanity? That remains to be seen, given the formidable enemy she faces.
My laws seem to only satisfy everyone's basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. But once they reach a certain point, the people stagnate, and I can no longer bring genuine joy to the residents.
With these doubts in mind, besides being by her side, I created a new entity and transferred it to a parallel world, arriving in this world destined for destruction, to begin my scheme... well... you could call it an experiment. Those of you present here today are also part of that experiment...
Shirou, Shirou in the shadows, narrowed his eyes and thought to himself, "Just as I thought!"