A Person in Type-Moon, Possessing a Hero Simulator Chapter 9

Fujimaru Kyoya wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Beneath the Holy Tree, I am invincible."

The Holy Tree still shone brightly, while the rain concealed deadly intent. Though the Knight was badly wounded, he remained invincible.

When the Water Birds Cried

[Reality Marble "Rhongomyniad's Rainy Night": The endpoint of Knight Lloyd's life. A grand Magecraft that manifests the most suitable battlefield through the will within one's heart. Lloyd beneath the Holy Tree shall receive the protection of an era.]

On the rainy night beneath the Holy Tree, blood splashed amid dancing water birds.

Fujimaru Kyoya's sword moved through the rain like a fish in water. Guided by the Holy Sword, the rain took the forms of birds one after another. Their wings sliced open the Knights' armor and drank deeply of their blood.

"A Reality Marble?"

Merlin, shut out by the Reality Marble, had no way to intervene. Though he could observe the scene within through Clairvoyance, breaking open the Reality Marble from outside and entering it was impossible in a short time.

It was grand Magecraft that used the scenery of one's heart to erode the real world—a crystallization of Magecraft that was just one step away from being called a "Miracle."

"Good thing she has Avalon."

That was all Merlin could say now. Within that Reality Marble, where danger lurked everywhere, Artoria would be safe with Avalon protecting her. As for the other Knights, that was harder to say.

Bang—

Fujimaru Kyoya dropped from above and landed on the ground. Mana mixed into the splashing water, turning it into deadly blades. Rain flowed over his sword, and before long, another water bird took flight.

Wind howled across the wilderness, and the heavens and earth heard the cries of cranes.

The closer one came to death, the more piercing those mournful bird cries became, as though they wished to lay bare everything this life had held in a single instant.

The killing intent on the sword and the killing intent in the rain merged as one. Waiting only for the instant a leaf fell, the heavens and earth themselves would be cleaved apart by those watery blades.

A massive Water Tornado erupted. Mana, water, and swords filled the entire Reality Marble. There was nowhere to evade wherever it swept through, and the Knights were thrown into disarray, all suffering grievous wounds.

Bloodied water seeped into the earth. Some of it was the enemy's blood; some of it was Fujimaru Kyoya's.

"So strong."

At this point, aside from Fujimaru Kyoya and "Artorius," who was protected by Avalon, only Lancelot barely remained conscious. But he would not last much longer either.

If Fujimaru Kyoya had previously suppressed everyone by relying on the Holy Tree's protection, then this Reality Marble was something he had displayed through his own ability—a power that came purely from Fujimaru Kyoya himself.

This time, Lancelot accepted his defeat wholeheartedly.

Thud—

Lancelot finally collapsed into unconsciousness from exhaustion. At last, only this pair of Arch-Nemeses remained within the Barrier.

"Artorius, did you feel it? My sword, my resolve."

Even though his remaining lifespan could only be counted in seconds, Fujimaru Kyoya still sought the answer of the man before him.

"I felt it. The courage your choice required, the determination to protect what you wished to protect even if it meant betraying everything—you had already prepared yourself the instant you joined Vortigern, hadn't you?"

"Artorius" savored the rare calm amid the rain. At that moment, there was no killing intent in the rain, only two old friends exchanging pleasantries.

"You made me choose, so I made my choice."

"Artorius" stepped forward and brought down the Holy Sword in his hand, cleaving apart the curtain of rain. This strike was meant to free his friend from suffering.

"I felt it too. 'Wanting it all' truly suited humanity's greed. Then let me see whether you possess the courage worthy of that greed."

When the water birds cried, the two swords clashed.

Fujimaru Kyoya silently calculated his remaining lifespan. He still had... one hundred and eighty seconds.

One hundred and eighty seconds was enough to explain his convictions, enough to perform the most beautiful dance of the sword.

Clang—

The instant their swords collided, several impacts rang out from "Artorius's" body. Without Avalon's protection, the victor would have already been decided.

Fujimaru Kyoya said nothing. In a battle to the death, each relied on their own abilities. There was no such thing as fair or unfair.

If anyone wanted to speak of unfairness, the Dragon Slayer and Blade of Vortigern on his person had practically maximized their advantage against him.

He could not break through this layer of defense.

The final consciousness Vortigern had sent him had mentioned this defense—the scabbard called Avalon, an absolute defense that pulled the Guardian it protected into a higher dimension. It was a domain that could never be reached through purely physical means.

If the physical could not reach it, then what about the spiritual?

If he burned everything he had and pushed his spirit to its limit, could he reach that domain?

He would give it a try.

With a thought from Fujimaru Kyoya, the rain immediately responded. Centered around the Sword of Perpetual Purity, it formed a massive drill and drove straight into "Artorius's" chest.

Sadly, despite the overwhelming spectacle of the attack, it could only stop one meter before him, unable to advance another inch.

The more the Flowing Water Sword built momentum, the stronger it became. Yet even so, it could not break this defense... could it?

"How...?"

"Artorius" watched the Water Tornado slowly approach. It was slow, but it truly was inching closer bit by bit. Especially after Fujimaru Kyoya's blood mixed into the Water Tornado, it continued drawing nearer to "Artorius," carried by that will.

Enormous pressure bore down on him. Even with Avalon's protection, "Artorius" could still feel that fighting spirit. The tremendous impact forced him to retreat again and again.

Back, back, back—he kept retreating.

"Artorius" was pinned against the Holy Tree by the overwhelming force of the sword.

This was Fujimaru Kyoya's final will, but his lifespan had still reached its limit. Since he had reached the limit, then... he would surpass it.

The flowing sword force erupted at full power. The mighty Water Tornado dispersed completely, leaving only a single drop of bloody water to fall onto "Artorius's" breastplate.

"Thump~"

A drop of bloody water had no weight to speak of, yet when it landed on "Artorius's" chest, it was no different from being struck by a Battering Ram.

It was not any physical means, but the resolve of a dying man.

"Goodbye, Lloyd."

"Artorius" watched the man before him, who had burned away everything. The Sword of Perpetual Purity fell into the mud and rainwater, while its master turned to ash and vanished between heaven and earth.

The Reality Marble disappeared, and the Holy Tree revealed its withered state. A leaf drifted down, bringing... a message.

[You died.]

[You completed the ending "Rhongomyniad's Rainy Night." You may draw one of the Three Basic Talents.]

[Please wait while the draw begins... Draw complete.]

[You obtained the talent "Divine Ancestral Regression."]

"I'm back."

Fujimaru Kyoya came back to his senses and found himself still on the way home. That life he had lived as Lloyd seemed as vivid as though it had happened yesterday.

Real? Fake?

Fujimaru Kyoya could not tell, but if all of it had truly happened, then...

Fujimaru Kyoya took a step forward. His body felt almost weightless, and with a single step, he crossed several meters.

For the first time as Fujimaru Kyoya, he sensed "Mana."

"Though it's Mana, it's different from before... In other words, this era is no longer the Age of Gods?"

Although he had confirmed the simulator's authenticity, he still could not determine whether that life as Lloyd had truly existed.

"I'll ask Shinji tomorrow."

Fujimaru Kyoya remembered that Matou Shinji was not only an excellent student, but had also studied occultism. If it was him, perhaps he might know something.

Within the Hall of Heroes, which stood apart from Human Order, a Knight leaned against the Holy Tree, sleeping with his sword in his arms. He seemed to have already died, yet he could open his eyes at any moment, merely waiting for that... fallen leaf to bring him a message.

I'm putting up a bounty, damn it.

Those who read my previous book know that I generally don't open bounties before the paid release, but it seems everyone on the rankings has one, so I'll set up a free bounty too.

Since it's free, donations and blades won't count toward it. I'm not taking readers' money during the free period, but since it's free, the requirements will be a little higher.

My usual updates are 2,000 words per chapter, with 4,000 words a day. Every additional 2,000 words counts as one extra chapter.

One extra chapter for every 150 monthly tickets, and one extra chapter for every 1,500 recommendation tickets.

Current numbers: 483 monthly tickets and 5,685 recommendation tickets. The tally closes at 23:59 this Sunday, and there will be no upper limit.

Also, I'll probably update three chapters today. Yesterday, a reader donated 10,000 Cat Biscuits, so to show my gratitude, I'll add another chapter. Don't imitate him and spend that much on a book that hasn't gone paid yet.

Wouldn't 100 yuan be better spent on some meat?

That's all.

Fatherly Kindness, Filial Piety

"Old man, where are the books in our house about 5th Century AD Britain?"

At dinner in the Matou Family home, Matou Shinji was rarely conversing with the old man who called himself his grandfather. If not for Fujimaru Kyoya's request, he could not have been bothered to ask.

"5th Century AD? Shinji, that's quite a clever point in time you've chosen."

Upon hearing his grandson's question, the sinister little old man immediately broke into a chilling smile.

Although official historical records on the mystical side stated that the Official Decline of the Age of Gods had occurred around the beginning of the Common Era, the long-established Matou Family possessed different records.

"5th Century AD Britain was the era when the Last Remnant of the Age of Gods disappeared. Why are you suddenly asking about this?"

"That's none of your business."

"Let me guess. Is this about that friend of yours?"

Seeing Matou Shinji tense up, Matou Zouken knew that his guess had been correct.

He had heard a little about his grandson's friend. It seemed the two had become acquainted after a fight, and since coming into contact with that person, his hopeless grandson had changed somewhat.

But none of that mattered. A change in personality could not make up for the disparity in talent. Shinji, who possessed no Magical Talent, was nothing more than useless trash.

"What a pity. When you killed your father back then, I actually looked at you in a new light. If you were able to practice magecraft, it would not be impossible to consider passing the position of Head of Family to you."

The old man treated something as horrifying as murder as casual dinner conversation, while the deceased had been his son in name and the continuation of his bloodline in truth.

To be honest, even he had been greatly shocked when Shinji killed his own father back then. After thinking it over, that newly made friend must have been the one who changed Shinji.

"Stop talking about useless things. Magecraft isn't the only path in life, and even if I can't use magecraft, I will still become the Head of Family of the Matou Family someday."

Unable to get the answer he wanted, Matou Shinji left the dining room and went to the study to look through the records himself.

As for his original act of patricide, he had indeed been influenced by Fujimaru Kyoya.

Before entering high school, Matou Shinji had been someone who thought very highly of himself. This came not only from his looks and family background, but also from his talents.

Academically, he had always been an outstanding student, consistently ranking at the top; in martial pursuits, he was now the ace of the Archery Club.

Even without Magecraft, he had already surpassed ordinary people, not to mention that he was bound to learn Magecraft sooner or later.

Back then, Matou Shinji had "compassion" for others. He lent a hand to Emiya Shirou, that perennial good guy, and showered his younger sister, Matou Sakura, with affection.

It was not because he had such a loving heart, but rather a condescending act of charity born from his sense of superiority.

Until his dream shattered.

When he discovered that he had no talent for Magecraft at all, and that the position of Head of Family was destined to be passed to the sister he looked down on, he completely broke down.

His beatings and abuse of Sakura continued both at home and outside, until, in the end, he ran into someone even worse than himself.

Fujimaru Kyoya, who also had a younger sister, naturally could not stand Matou Shinji's behavior. He went in with a flying kick that split the seams of Matou Shinji's school uniform.

Then he beat him while he was down, thoroughly beating Matou Shinji into submission.

"The strong raise their blades against those stronger than themselves; the weak raise their blades against those weaker than themselves. Look at what you've done—I really don't know where your usual arrogance comes from."