Different Convictions

At this moment, the difference in quality becomes clear.

If any of them had dared to do what they just did, they would undoubtedly have been reduced to ashes, yet this one still stands tall.

The two had no more grievances against the strongest person before them.

Without a doubt, this should be the most powerful Servant in this Holy Grail War, bar none.

However, even though they knew this fact, they still had unresolved doubts in their hearts.

They didn't understand what this servant was trying to do. If it was to win, he could have waited until they were both severely injured or wiped out before making his move. Why stop their fight, even at the cost of serious injury?

Yes, even the strongest hero Hercules could not withstand the strongest blows from Cú Chulainn, the Child of Light, and Richard I the Lionheart King without sustaining any damage.

Despite having an unparalleled physique and an indestructible lion skin, it was the same.

At this moment, Hercules was clearly in very bad shape.

Not only was his entire body scorched by the light of the King's Sword, but his hands had also peeled away a layer of skin from the Gáe Bolg, making them look like a horrifying, bloody mess. It was precisely because of this that Cú Chulainn and Richard I were even more unable to understand what he wanted to do? Why was he stopping them like this, even though he himself was seriously injured?

"Stop it, everyone."

Faced with their doubts, Hercules, standing before them, didn't say much, but calmly stated his own thoughts.

He then slowly released his grip, tossing the Crimson Magic Spear back directly in front of Cú Chulainn.

Clang!!

A flash of red light appeared, and Cú Chulainn glanced at the Gáe Bolg had been thrust back into his face, his expression becoming even more complicated.

He frowned and asked Hercules, "Are you pitying me? Or are you looking down on me?"

As a Lancer, a gun is undoubtedly his most important weapon. Although he wouldn't be unable to fight without it, he would be significantly less effective. Hercules returning the gun to him was undoubtedly a form of contempt and humiliation.

However, when he looked at Hercules, there was no hint of provocation or indifference in the other's eyes. He remained as firm and pure as ever, and stood there quietly, without wavering.

This made Cú Chulainn realize that there was absolutely no intention to provoke him in the other party's words.

So he picked up his magic spear again, examined it briefly, and found that it was covered with cracks. Clearly, the greatsword attack and the terrifying force of Hercules's hand had damaged the spear in the process of stopping the Gáe Bolg. The entire spear was now shattered.

Seeing this, Cú Chulainn felt a pang of heartache, but still managed a sudden, wide grin.

There's nothing that can be done about it. After all, this Gáe Bolg is just a mass-produced item by that old woman Scáthach. The material is just the bones of Sea Demon, so it's naturally inferior to a divine artifact. It's just that she likes to use it.

Moreover, although there is a lot of damage on the surface, it is not actually broken, and it can be repaired and still be used.

Cú Chulainn then twirled his magic spear, looked at Hercules again, and questioned, "Big guy who suddenly barged in, who are you? Why did you stop our battle? If it's just to fight us, that's fine, but at least tell us your name. Saber and I just revealed our real names."

"Yes, although your strength is unparalleled, out of courtesy, I would still like you to state your real name here."

Lionheart King reluctantly retrieved his replica of the Excalibur, then picked up the iron sword and spoke in the same manner.

When Hercules stormed into the battlefield, no one could hear his Noble Phantasm incantation because both of them were highly focused. However, he and Cú Chulainn, whether it was the Gáe Bolg or the seven summoned companions, could be said to have revealed their true identities.

Keep in mind that they originally went there with the intention of fighting to the death against the other side.

If we solve one problem, it doesn't matter even if the truth comes out.

However, this giant blocked their attacks with his massive axe and sword, which put them in a very difficult position.

"Archer, Hercules ..."

Faced with their questions, Hercules didn't try to hide anything. Although the two Servants were too caught up in the excitement of their fight to recognize him, their Master would definitely recognize him. After all, his lion skin, giant axe, and greatsword were all too famous; a simple search would surely reveal the answer, so there was no need to hide anything.

Things did indeed turn out as Hercules had predicted.

"Could those three Servant' true names be...?"

Compared to the three below, the three on the iron frame also recognized the true names of these three Servant.

"The wielder of the Gáe Bolg, the legendary Child of Light of Ireland, Cú Chulainn; Richard I the Lionheart King, leader of the Third Crusade history; and..."

Shinji Matou, with his profound knowledge, said with utmost seriousness, "Greek Mythology, the strongest hero, Heracles, or rather Hercules."

"These are all historical and mythical figures; no wonder they were so powerful!"

He expressed his sincere admiration.

"You actually know them all, Shinji?"

Shirou was somewhat surprised to hear Shinji Matou call out the true names of all the Servant at once.

"Isn't that obvious? These guys are mythical figures, historical celebrities; anyone with a modicum of knowledge should know about them."

Shinji Matou retorted speechlessly, "You two are clearly from the mystical world, you don't only know historical figures from the Christianity, do you? Even so, you should at least know Lionheart King, right? He was a representative Third Crusade, and the strongest hero in Greek Mythology and Celtic Mythology. You should have heard of them at least a little bit. They are all ridiculously strong figures."

"That's quite right, you have good taste."

Hearing Shinji Matou's words, Rovey nodded in agreement. "The following three are among the most outstanding Servants in Human History. One is the famous Child of Light from Ireland, and the other is the leader of the Crusades. If they were to move to their home turf and have the added advantage of fame, each of them would be no less impressive than the great Greece hero Hercules before us."

"Is that so? But why...?"

Shirou looked down at the situation below in disbelief, where Hercules was clearly dominating the other two.

"That's due to multiple factors, including job rank."

Rovey shook his head and said, "Servant are ultimately not the true forms of heroes. Due to class restrictions, many of their strengths cannot be fully displayed. Heracles, this time, is the optimal class, Archer. He can not only demonstrate his strongest martial arts but also lead the other Twelve Labors. However, Cú Chulainn's Lancer lacks other Noble Phantasm, Lionheart King is also missing many things, such as his army. This is where their current gap lies. Taking Cú Chulainn as an example, his Fragarach, castle, chariot, and other weapons are all missing."

"I see..."

Upon hearing this, the three nodded, indicating that they had grasped the new knowledge.

The three then looked down at the battle below, eager to witness the outcome of this mythical war.

However, Rovey simply stood up and shook his head.

"There won't be a fight. With Hercules here, this battle can be considered over. He won't allow any Servant to die."

Rovey said calmly, then took a step forward, preparing to jump off and put an end to their battle.

The three were somewhat surprised by his behavior.

What are you going to do?

"Is there even a question? Of course, we should declare the event over."

"That's perfectly natural," Rovey said, then looked at Shirou and Karen again and gave them a serious reminder.

"Quickly call Kirei Kotomine to clean up the mess. Although Hercules absorbed the Hercules, the resulting shockwave has still caused significant damage to the Fuyuki City Bridge. The bridge will soon fall apart. Let him come and repair it."

"Ah?"

With that, he jumped down from the height and landed near the three people below.

"This is..."

Sensing Rovey's presence, the tense atmosphere among the three eased considerably.

Hercules nodded slightly when he saw it was Rovey; he knew Rovey was a trustworthy person.

"Hey, buddy, you're here too."

Cú Chulainn greeted Rovey with great joy when he saw him.

After all, Rovey Wei was someone he only contacted because his master didn't have time to deal with him.

"You, you are...?!"

When Lionheart King saw Rovey, his eyes widened and his voice became incredibly excited.

"Oh my God!!"

Chapter 390 Different Awareness

"Alien attack, terrorist attack, natural gas explosion..."

In the early morning, Rovey calmly put down the newspaper on the sofa in Emiya Kiritsugu's house, then turned on the television, which was showing Kirei Kotomine's serious-sounding nonsense channel.

When questioned by the host, he stuck to his usual explanation, saying that last night's events were caused by a natural gas explosion, even though there were no natural gas pipelines on the Fuyuki City Bridge.

However, although his expressionless manner infuriated the host, there was nothing he could do. After all, Kirei Kotomine was a well-known and respected priest in Fuyuki City, and he certainly wouldn't say anything to that guy.

"That's really good. Kirei Kotomine has once again handled all the cleanup work for you, without revealing a single detail. Although the Fuyuki City gas company is taking the blame again."

"I really feel bad for them..."

Upon hearing this, Emiya Kiritsugu nodded, then his trembling fingers slowly reached into his pocket, seemingly wanting to light a cigarette. However, what should have been a simple action became exceptionally difficult for him, especially his battle-hardened hand, which could no longer even hold the cigarette, watching helplessly as it slowly slipped from his fingertips to the ground.

"..."

"Fine, I'll help you."

Seeing his expression, Rovey raised his finger and drew a line in the air. The cigarette that had fallen to the ground floated back into Emiya Kiritsugu's pocket.

"Thank you... cough cough cough!!"

Emiya Kiritsugu wanted to thank him, but his body involuntarily went limp, and he slumped onto the sofa, his face turning extremely pale. He took out his cigarette again, glanced at it, and then at the bloodstains he had accidentally spilled on it while coughing. A bitter smile appeared on his face.

"Has it reached its limit...?"

The once ruthless and inhuman Magus Killer, as tough as steel, has now become like this. Having abandoned those despicable attack methods, he is, in the end, nothing more than a third-rate Magus.

Moreover, due to the Black Mud from the Fourth Holy Grail War, his physical condition had been gradually deteriorating for a long time. Not to mention, having lost his goal, he had been living a quiet life for quite some time.

Lacking exercise and recovery, and remaining immersed in a comfortable life, his condition naturally deteriorated day by day.

"So, because of my naivety, I've become weak?"

Emiya Kiritsugu gripped the cigarette butt tightly, as if in silent protest.

How can this be accepted...?

"I know what you're thinking, but I understand your situation better than you do."

Seeing Emiya Kiritsugu's expression, Rovey sighed and said, "The Sacred Relic I gave you was Fragment of Heracles's Bow and Arrows. I didn't expect you to actually manage to summon him. Although Hercules is undoubtedly a powerful Servant, great power always comes at a price."

"Possessing multiple Noble Phantasm inevitably leads to a severe consumption of magical energy. The greater the power one unleashes, the greater the burden on the Master becomes. You, Emiya Kiritsugu, even when fighting alongside Saber in the past, struggled to cope with this, let alone when coordinating with Heracles. Your body simply cannot support Hercules."

"Yeah... no matter how you look at it, no matter when you look at it, I'm still that half-baked, dragging everyone down..."

Emiya Kiritsugu took out a lighter and finally lit his cigarette.

He inhaled the scent of nicotine, trying to ease the burden on his brain, and then let out a soft sigh.

It's always been like this, whether with King Arthur or Heracles. Such a despicable fellow is like a worm that fears the sun; he would be burned whenever he stood alongside these dazzling heroes.

He's simply not suited to partner with heroes.

Rather, stray dogs should just rot quietly.

However, while stray dogs may not deserve pity, they also have their own pride.

If it really were just him alone, Emiya Kiritsugu might have already given up on life. Perhaps he would have stopped struggling and quietly found a suitable day to die, to meet his wife in another world and say goodbye in person.

Sorry.

However, he now has a reason to live, or rather, a reason why he absolutely cannot die.

He would never die until he saw Illya return to being a normal child, grow up, and find her own happiness.

He had to keep his promise to his wife and protect the tiny snowflake in his hand.

"You..."

Seeing his expression, Rovey understood Emiya Kiritsugu's determination, so he said nothing more. At the same time, he also understood that Emiya Kiritsugu summoned Hercules not only because of the Sacred Relic, but also because the two of them were really similar.

Although he had indeed been quite ruthless towards Emiya Kiritsugu in the past, and never concealed it, he would not hesitate to offer a small helping hand to someone with a clear conscience.

With that thought in mind, he raised his hand and reached into a golden portal in front of him.

"This is... the King of Heroes's?"

Upon seeing the familiar portal appear, Emiya Kiritsugu with a wave of unpleasant memories.

"That's right, this is Gilgamesh's Noble Phantasm, but he only gave me a portion of its authority. Let me see if I can find something that can help you."

As he spoke, Rovey began to search earnestly.

Although he possesses the key to the Ea, he is ultimately not the true master of the Babylon Treasury. Therefore, aside from some commonly used Noble Phantasm, he will still need to search carefully for other special Noble Phantasm if he wants to use them.

And so, to Emiya Kiritsugu's astonishment, he pulled out a whole bunch of bottles and jars.

"This is a purification potion, this is a life-restoring potion, and this should be for restoring vitality... I don't know if it will work on your body, after all, Black Mud isn't something that can be dealt with by ordinary things."

After searching for a while, Rovey quickly placed all the bottles and jars in front of Emiya Kiritsugu and then indicated that he could give them a try.

Looking at the many potions in front of him, Emiya Kiritsugu was so surprised that he even dropped the cigarette from his mouth.

"You seem to have been through a lot over the years..."