Chapter 452

Erice pressed her hand gently to her chest, where a heart beating unlike anyone else's—a heart devoid of the Holy Grail.

"After all--"

Novia wasn't possessing the body at this moment because she was thinking about Yagai Yukinobu's memories. In those fragments, she understood that the 'Future scenario' of Yagai Yukinobu Ōkuninushi a gift from the Holy Grail. At the same time, she saw the Holy Grail War in the Tokyo area, and the Yagai, who, like the Yukinobu family, possessed Divine Body and appeared in the work 'Fragments of Blue and Silver' where Zhon summoned Ramesses II Ise, participated in the war in Tokyo.

The Divine Body of the Ise is Ise Ōkami, a serpent god who shares the same aura as Amaterasu.

Novia felt the girl pressing her hand to her chest. Since this was the gesture Erice used to summon him at school whenever she didn't want to listen to the lesson, he immediately possessed Erice's body.

' Demon King, you say the rest. This kind of situation is perfect for someone as eccentric as you to speak.'

A gentle breeze carried Erice's whisper.

Her silver hair, which appeared in an instant, shimmered brightly in the Sun, Erice, revealed a sly smile.

"I am the Demon King."

Chapter 472: Aoko Aozaki.

Three days later, Shinjuku Central Station.

The top floor is where the registration area for the Holy Grail Elimination Tournament is located.

As a unique activity that is most popular among the New Humanity in major City in the New Era, it is undoubtedly highly anticipated.

Therefore, every day, many Servant and Master come here to register with the Ais located here.

Through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, you can overlook the entire Shinjuku area. People come and go in the Hall, Servant can be seen everywhere, some holding weapons, some wearing gorgeous Spiritron Dress... but the most accurate word to describe it is 'noisy'.

"Next! Oh dear, is this young man's first time participating?"

"Um, that... my Servant is Mr. Shakespeare..."

Shakespeare, who was drawing a heart on the Autograph Board, opened his arms wide and smiled at everyone, shouting, "Ladies and gentlemen! Now is the time for a great drama to unfold! Master, please allow me to use my Noble Phantasm, 'The time for the performance has come, let us offer thunderous applause,' to open this grand feast--"

"Either Shakespeare is troublesome~ By the way, if Noble Phantasm causes mental pollution to the audience, there's an extra cleaning fee~ In terms of Caster Class Od, that's like working for a year, no days off."

Why?

"Because His Excellency 'Shakespeare's' Spirit Origin information shows that he publicly chanted 'Titus Andronicus' during other Holy Grail Elimination Tournament, causing thirteen audience members who love Rome history to burst into tears on the spot—by the way, now, insurance includes a pair of headphones co-branded with Pope Novia and certified by the Church! This is an extremely rare model, after all, there was no information about the First Pope showing up!"

At the same time, Elizabeth, who was holding the microphone on the other side, slammed her hand on the table:

"Hurry! Hurry! Make way! Make way! Our idol needs to get to rehearsal! Could you ask the Rider over there to move the Hippogriff away?!"

Astolfo, who was called upon, asked with a surprised look, "Eh? But the little King of Conquerors's warhorse is also stopped there... Oh no! Miss Medusa, don't drag it away with the chains!"

"Rule No. 87 of the Elimination Tournament: Mount- type Noble Phantasm must be parked on B2 Floor."

Medusa, acting as a security guard for the competition, held up a sign for the Pegasus parking lot in one hand and pulled on several chains in the other. "Also, according to Article 114, Phantasmal Species Mount are required to pay a cleaning fee and a food fee. Please remember to pay at the front desk."

Erice with her head down, almost had the urge to bury her head in the ground.

After all, as someone who admires Servant, none of the Servant present seemed to have any 'pride'. They all looked incredibly vulgar, and their taste was questionable. Before the registration even started, the girl was already worried that she might faint after seeing some shocking performance from the Servant.

"After all, everyone has different ideas."

Just then, Novia's voice rang in Erice's mind.

"Some Servant have adapted well to the peaceful New World, while Heroic Spirit have dedicated their lives to the battlefield; whether everyone feels they've had enough of war or still yearns for bloodshed, everyone's thoughts are different."

Upon hearing this, Erice cautiously glanced at Shakespeare, who was still making a scene, and Novia continued.

"The Servant and Master present all came by their own will. In other words, this can be considered the Fate revealed to them by the Holy Grail. The Holy Grail Elimination Tournament becomes a battlefield temporarily open to those who want to fully demonstrate their strength, gain excitement, and fame. I think this can also be considered a free way of life."

The initiator of the Holy Grail Elimination Tournament in the New Era was the Leidenfrost Family from the Department of Spirit Evocation faction of the Clock Tower.

They were the first to break the taboo, overturning the Mage's Association's highest principle of 'Concealment of Mystery,' and at the same time assigning various Homunculus researched by their families to win the Holy Grail Elimination Tournament in various places, because the Elimination Tournament themselves absorbed Od from all the participating Master and spectators.

It's important to understand that Fr's New Era wasn't gradually built up, but was born the moment Chizuru Misasagi made her wish—just like the Colosseum in Shinjuku, Rome Colosseum venue for the Holy Grail Elimination Tournament, already existed in the city when the entire world was reorganized; it was part of the city.

Communication between different regions is limited to City AI. Ordinary people and Servant cannot cross the "separated worlds" without the ability to "explore" or "discover". City strictly prohibit "explore" and "discover" at will, so the Underground Routes were born.

For example, the Mitsukoshi Department Store in Shinjuku has an exhibition of the British Museum's collection. Because the exhibits were borrowed in the past and had not been returned to their home countries, the Holy Grail War broke out. The war escalated and the world was divided, leaving the collections in a state of being unable to be returned.

"... I mean, how long do we have to wait in line?"

Erice hesitated as she changed the subject, glancing repeatedly at the crowded Hall.

"There are too many people, so let's just wait in line. Oh, and remember, to fool the City's AI, you need to do precise calculations. When you meet the AI, overlap the aspects of your Astrolabe, and also adjust your breathing frequency to Synchronization with the City's Od."

The citizens of Marseille are different from Master in the true sense. Citizens do not have the hereditary Inheritance of family bloodlines like Magecraft, nor do they have Magic Circuits activated through hard training, and of course, they do not have any Magic Crest passed down from generation to generation.

The energy they wield through Magecraft, or Od, is provided by the Holy Grail through the Leyline of the City.

"... Speaking of which, why is no one going to that window?"

Following the girl's gaze, one could see a green-tinged seat engulfed by ivy, upon which stood a blue Robin.

"Oh, I heard it's newly opened, so I don't know yet... But I heard from the AIs that the moderator there is actually there specifically for us, so it's not an AI, but a human."

Why?

"Because of Yagai Yukinobu's death, just as he said, the Holy Grail and AI could not understand suicide. Ultimately, the death was explained by the Drone wreckage piled up behind Yagai's house, which was described as 'the old injury being accidentally aggravated by the restarted Drone.'"

Erice was speechless, unsure of what to say.

Novia then continued:

"That auditor, like Yagai Yukinobu, seems to frequently stay outside the City, often having his Familiar equipped with Life Detector and Wireless Camera to observe and explore the sky. As for his name, it's—"

"Kuonji (Kuonji)"

A few minutes later, Erice walked to the empty registration table. Behind the table, the examiner was looking down at a document. She was wearing a black uniform from the Reien Girls' Academy, with short black hair hanging over her shoulders. Her skin was so white it was almost transparent, and her black pupils were cold and deep, as if they could see through everything.

"Name."

The reviewer asked without looking up.

"Utsumi Erice."

Erice answered, her voice full of self-assurance.

You do not have the Holy Grail.

The reviewer's voice remained calm, but his tone carried an undeniable coldness.

"Yes."

Erice nodded.

"Without the Holy Grail, it is impossible to summon Servant."

The examiner closed the document in his hand and looked directly at Erice. "You are ineligible to participate in the Holy Grail Elimination Tournament."

This remark made Erice jump up and cheer loudly.

That's natural, since she came here simply to thwart the 'Demon King's' plans. In her opinion, if the Seleucid Astrolabe could deceive AI, it couldn't possibly deceive normal people, right? It's something she can't help but do.

However, Novia wasn't going to let her just go through the motions, so the next instant he ignored Erice's protests and possessed her directly.

At the same time, Erice's hair turned from black to silver-white, and a deeper blue light flashed in her pupils. Her temperament changed instantly; her original smugness and sense of entitlement disappeared, replaced by a calm and composed aura.

"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible."

The silver- Erice shrugged. "Besides, the City's system has also recognized my participation."

Novia traced the edge of the Astrolabe with her delicate fingertips, the astrological trajectory casting a pale blue halo on her retina. The next second, a form listing various pieces of information appeared on the table where the blue Robin was perched.

'Contestant (Master) Utsumi Erice, age verified: eight years and three months; Servant status: none.'

Novia could clearly see the Magic Crest moving within each byte, but the Astrolabe patterns were seeping into the system, altering 'nothing' into 'something' that qualified her for the competition.

The reviewer, Aoko Aozaki, paused slightly, her fingers tapping lightly on the table as if she were deep in thought.

This is indeed the list that the Holy Grail only reveals to those who approve and permit the competition... Of course, she understood that the Astrolabe had only temporarily confused her perception.

"So that's how it is. Those intelligence brokers from Rome even possess Holy Relic of this caliber?"

Aoko Aozaki narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at the girl with cascading silver hair before her. "Name and Class."

"Foreigner Class, as for my real name, let's just call me the Demon King."

Generally speaking, the Foreigner Class is associated with Outer God, making it an extremely special Class.

However, while Foreigner are rare in the Fr World, they do exist. For example, the Alexandria Library in the Tama District houses 'Euclid Foreigner,' a famous Mathematician and astronomer from Common Era pre-Christian Greek. The English pronunciation of 'Euclid' has practically become synonymous with geometry, and that is the Servant.

By the way, Fr's Euclid, just like the characteristics of the moon, is a girl with a hood, pale skin like porcelain, and long, fluffy, wavy hair.

For this reason, Kuonji was not particularly confused. He simply traced the air with his pale fingertips and wrote down the terms with Quill dipped in Iridescent Ink.

"Anonymity is allowed according to the rules, but information about the Noble Phantasm must be disclosed."

Suddenly, the mist boiled before Aoko Aozaki's eyes, Erice heard Goethe's verses spill from her lips once more, the German words transforming into fireflies that danced in her palm.

Alice's eyelashes trembled slightly. "The Epic Poem Materialization... I see, is it related to Goethe's Spirit Origin?"

"So, what other tests need to be done?"

"Od detection requires contact with the Spirit Core."

Aoko Aozaki Erice, "Please place the hand with the Command Spell on the application form."

Following the Black-Haired Girl's instructions, Novia controlled Erice's hand, which touched the Astrolabe and the application form. In that instant, the Evil Spirit Erice collectively emitted groans audible only to the two of them. The Class 'Foreigner' automatically appeared on that hand, while the blank portrait began to dissolve and reform—

Ultimately, based on the tampered Astrolabe parameters, a large headshot of Erice shrouded in mist, was included.

Generally speaking, this type of photograph illustrates why Master use Servant powers in battle, as seen in the Marseille Mosaic City.

"Summoning time, just now?"

Alice stared at the completed application form, "But the Spirit Origin resonance curve shows..."

It's been at least two years.

"Yes."

Erice, picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and smiled slightly, her tone tinged with a hint of teasing, "Is there a problem?"

Aoko Aozaki remained silent for a moment, then finally shook her head:

"No, your registration has been approved. The Holy Grail Elimination Tournament will begin in Queen of Heaven. Please arrive on time."

As Erice, stepped out of Central Station, the Contestant Badge in her arms suddenly heated up, and a countdown to Queen of Heaven appeared on the Obsidian surface.

"Speaking of which, is Miss Kuonji's Servant that blue Robin?"

Erice asked curiously.

"That's her Familiar; her Servant must be possession-type..."

Novia paused, "Could it be her?"

"You mean she summoned her Future self? How...?"

Erice 'Aoko Aozaki cold face flashing through her mind, "It doesn't seem impossible, but thinking about it, it's still too fantastical. Could it be that she'll use the Life Detector and Wireless Camera you mentioned to do something incredible and make a name for herself in the world?"

The girl subconsciously turned around and saw that Aoko Aozaki was standing in front of the glass on the top floor, her fingertips stroking the wings of the Familiar Robin, as if gazing at her as she left.

"Instead of thinking so much, you should focus on how to become the champion in the Holy Grail Elimination Tournament."

For Novia, the appearance of Aoko Aozaki was not very surprising, because there were already characters in the world of Fr who resembled her.

"You're so annoying! Since you forced me to participate, you're the one who should take responsibility for me."

Erice waved her hand casually, "We've been getting beaten up by Lucius for so long anyway, a few more days won't make a difference."

Meanwhile, Aoko Aozaki, who had returned to the registration table, quietly sipped her Black Tea.

After an unknown amount of time, amidst the clamor, the teaspoon in her hand made a crisp sound, and suddenly cracks appeared all over it.

"Even Yumina's power can't fully analyze it? What exactly is this 'Epic Poem Materialization'...?"

Chapter 473 The End in Every Meaning.

And so, the opening day of the Holy Grail Elimination Tournament arrived.

As a result, the number of Armed Guards stationed throughout the Rome Colosseum in Shinjuku was quite noticeable. Upon entry, they intensified checks on carry-on luggage and body searches. For spectators targeted by staff, they would even check their Command Spell.

The colossal stadium exudes a powerful presence, making the surrounding buildings appear much smaller in comparison. Arches, some three or four stories high, are stacked together to form thick, oval walls that enclose the vast arena inside.

This space was created purely for humans to compete with each other. In ancient Rome, this form of entertainment was a legitimate right granted to citizens. Rome poets even described it as "Bread and Circuses," and the Rome Colosseum is its most representative symbol.