Departing

If Li Ye was indeed someone connected to Chaldea, then the source of the information could be explained.

Furthermore, Li Ye's previous information retrieval clearly indicated a deep understanding of Spiritron Transfer, not just a superficial one—

Holmes pinched his pipe, his deep gaze flickering.

While retrieving information on the Holy Grail War, he had performed an additional search, and the target person was naturally Li Ye.

But no matter what, Li Ye's information was a blank slate.

It was quite strange that even Hermes couldn't find even a shred of information—

Li Ye wasn't aware of what Holmes was thinking at this moment, though he could roughly guess that Holmes was pondering his situation.

"Mr. Holmes, since Hermes is unusable, why don't we head back to the surface? I still have things to attend to."

Li Ye glanced at the now dull Hermes, then turned to Nitocris, who was not far away. "Miss Nito, I apologize for bringing you here for nothing. I will accompany you to meet King Ozymandias later and explain everything that happened here."

Li Ye had no intention of escaping with the Holy Grail.

After recognizing his destiny, Li Ye's perspective on the previous situation had changed.

And after meeting King Ozymandias, the remaining Crusaders would still need to be dealt with.

Li Ye wasn't sure if the remaining Crusaders had a leader after Maji, but this issue definitely needed to be resolved.

"Are you, Mr. Li Ye, returning to the Holy City in the desert with Nitocris?"

Holmes glanced at Li Ye and Nitocris. He was a bit surprised to hear Li Ye mention going to the Holy City to meet King Ozymandias.

If his guess was correct, Li Ye and Ozymandias were currently on opposing sides.

The situation seemed to be slightly different from what he had anticipated?

"That's right, after all, I received this—"

Li Ye picked up the Holy Grail in front of Holmes. "King Ozymandias gave me the Holy Grail. The existence of the Holy Grail compels me to see this journey through to the end."

The Holy Grail—

Holmes's deep gaze swept over the golden cup and then moved on.

Li Ye had never hidden the existence of the Holy Grail. Holmes had initially noticed Li Ye and the others because of the Holy Grail.

Although Li Ye had never used the Holy Grail during their previous travels together.

Holmes had also never brought up the topic of the Holy Grail himself, as it was a conversation that would be difficult to conclude once started.

And Holmes had finally waited for Li Ye to voluntarily explain the existence of the Holy Grail.

"So the Holy Grail was held by King Ozymandias—"

Holmes couldn't understand Ozymandias's reason for giving the Holy Grail to Li Ye. According to Li Ye, the Lion King was already an enemy of the Human Order. It was unbelievable that Ozymandias, who appeared as a Servant, would hand over the Holy Grail to the Knights of the Round Table under the Lion King's command after obtaining it.

This was too absurd.

"I won't elaborate on the reasons. As for why I'm carrying the Holy Grail like this, it's because I haven't learned how to use it—"

As he said this, Li Ye subconsciously turned his head away, avoiding Nitocris's gaze.

Seeing that Li Ye did not wish to continue the topic of the Holy Grail, Holmes turned his attention to Trismegistus.

"Hermes should have an energy self-recharging system, but at its natural speed, it would take at least half a year to perform another retrieval—"

"Half a year is enough. We'll come back later."

As Li Ye and the others left the central cavity, the familiar alarm sound instantly blared!

Red lights suddenly illuminated from all directions.

"I can understand the automatic defense devices on the way back, but why so soon?" Li Ye subconsciously clicked his tongue.

"Of course. And the opponents this time are nothing compared to those you've encountered before. The Atlas Institute shows no mercy to those attempting to leave—

Did I not mention that?"

"Did you?!"

Hearing Holmes's indifferent words, Li Ye pulled at his lips and shot him a glance.

Holmes, acting as if nothing was wrong, said with a smile, "This is the final battle of the underground world, Mr. Li Ye. Please fight with all your might!"

"Miss Nito, please assist me with your Noble Phantasm."

Li Ye turned and said to Nitocris.

"No problem. The great Pharaoh Nitocris will fight."

Nitocris proudly tapped her Staff of Vance.

As Nitocris finished speaking, extremely powerful magic power fluctuations stirred up a gale, causing Li Ye's clothes to flutter and cling to his body.

Facing these deadly weapons, Li Ye's aura was no less imposing, and he decisively unleashed his full power!

BOOM!!

The Red Dragon ascended, its surging magic power sweeping through the underground world like a tidal wave!

Unlike the instinctive activation before Hermes, Li Ye, as if reborn, had a different understanding of his own power.

Li Ye lowered his stance, the magic power surrounding him erupting at high speed.

Crackle—

Crimson Lightning flashed again, streaking past Holmes and Nitocris, extending like a swimming dragon in all directions!

The rapidly spreading Crimson Lightning continued to snake along the deep tunnel, as if to illuminate the entire Atlas Institute!

In that instant, Li Ye captured the figures of all the Automatic Defense Devices about to attack, and the colossal entity behind them!

Li Ye's actions, tantamount to a declaration of war, caused the approaching Automatic Defense Devices to immediately prepare their cannons!

Terrifying magic power from the tunnels in all directions converged.

They were preparing to blast Li Ye and the others to death in one go with their cannon fire!

"Not a chance!"

Sensing the magic power fluctuations, Li Ye's eyes sharpened, and he decisively pressed the final switch.

Almost simultaneously, Nitocris immediately began her Noble Phantasm chant.

"Mirror of Corpses, Mirror of Darkness—"

"Thunderclap Flash!"

An absolute strike reaching supersonic speed, like Crimson Lightning racing through the deep tunnel.

The air was torn and evaporated.

Where the Crimson Lightning passed, rolling shockwaves slammed into the bluestone walls on either side!

The unleashed violence met no resistance, and a violent roar exploded the moment the two made contact.

Accompanied by a delayed sonic boom that echoed through the underground world!

"Become a gate, and bring terror here—Mirror of the Netherworld!"

The high-pitched chant ended, and from the unfurled Mirror of the Netherworld, the undead howled and surged into the tunnel like a tidal wave!

And the dazzling beams of light from those tunnels erupted, clashing head-on with the horde of undead!

Boom!!

The endless stream of undead melted in the beams of light, but they also successfully blocked the beams' advance!

Just as Nitocris was holding off the enemy alone, locked in a stalemate with a host of Automatic Defense Devices, the crimson lightning flashed past Nitocris once more.

The distant voice could faintly be heard, its meaning discernible.

"Second Strike!"

Rumble!!

The high-frequency roar sounded like thunder, but it immediately eased Nitocris's pressure.

"Third Strike!"

As Li Ye swiftly dealt with the Automatic Defense Devices and forcefully charged into a spacious area, the last shadow he had seen earlier bared its fangs.

Heavy breathing echoed, and a gale was stirred by the unfurling of enormous dragon wings.

Li Ye looked up, meeting the gaze of a pair of cold, vertical pupils.

It was a Dragon—