I'll Be Borrowing Your Head.

"When did you become aware of my presence, Master?"

This was a very tall woman with bluish-purple skin that resembled a demon but was not ugly. Her physique was comparable to that of Ivan the Terrible. She lacked the delicate beauty of an ordinary woman; her well-defined abdominal muscles and thick thighs conveyed the powerful strength hidden within her body.

What's even more striking is the pair of sharp horns on its head, somewhere between a demon and a dragon!

Although it was their first real meeting, she and Iori were, in a sense, old acquaintances.

Ibuki-dōji!

During the Holy Grail War in Romania Shuten-dōji used some means to transform himself into Ibuki-dōji, and this is what he looked like at the time.

However, Iori is encountering now is not an existence sublimated by external force, but the real Ibuki-dōji, a high-grade Servant who inherited the divine aspect of Yamata no Orochi, a powerful existence comparable to a god.

The reason she calls Iori "Ookami" is probably because she sees him as Susanoo.

"Are you the Lord of this distorted space, Ibuki-dōji?"

"No, although I enjoyed watching it, I don't have the ability to manipulate so many Servant."

"I think so too."

Iori nodded as expected.

Having stayed here for so long, Iori had already noticed something was amiss.

"But I want to know your stance—are you my enemy, or my ally?"

"We should be considered friendly forces, right? At least we share a common goal."

Ibuki slightly, "Once the true master of this space awakens, I will definitely become a living sacrifice. Only by cooperating with you can I have a glimmer of hope."

As he spoke, the ground began to tremble slightly, and the beautiful night sky distorted as if reflected on water. The moon, swaying and rippling, unknowingly multiplied into two, three, four...

A colossal creature slowly emerged from the darkness, its massive, slender body seemingly draped in a cloak of stardust, while its five heads, high above, coldly surveyed everything in the bathhouse.

Although it was a monster, it was surprisingly not too ugly. On the contrary, its white jade scales, rippling with water patterns, made it look magical and beautiful... However, the deformed structure of five heads ultimately ruined its overall aesthetic appeal—it should have either one head or nine heads.

Designs that fall somewhere between ultra-maximalism and ultra-minimalism are generally unpopular.

But putting aside subjective impressions, a serious experience will make you realize just how powerful the sense of oppression emanating from this monster is!

Its mere presence made the entire atmosphere heavy, and even Iori showed a serious expression.

"Five heads... not bad. Although I can't handle them, you should have more than enough."

Ibuki-dōji grinned.

Iori frowned slightly. "Is this Yamata no Orochi?"

"No, it's Shuten-dōji."

Ibuki said seriously, "I am just Shuten-dōji who obtained the Holy Grail and divine sake and began to evolve into the true Yamata no Orochi Shuten-dōji —that is, another me!"

Chapter 289 I'll borrow your head for a while.

How old are you?

Iori drew the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, and the surging magic power formed a lightning-like beam of light that instantly disappeared into the atmosphere. The next moment, it appeared directly above the White-scaled Serpent. With the swing of the sword, a sword pressure that was at least twenty meters long slammed down!

"Hold head high!!!"

Hearing the deafening screams and watching the head, as big as a house, fall to the ground, followed by the other four ferocious attacks from above Iori's face remained completely expressionless.

He didn't have high expectations for an opponent he had already defeated once, especially since, in terms of magical power, this White-scaled Serpent was even inferior to the one in Romania.

In Type-Moon, there is a concept called the "Dragon's Sin." Yamata no Orochi is undoubtedly an existence that is equal to or even surpasses Fafnir. Its true form is certainly not so easy to manifest. What is summoned is often just a clone created through the "Dragon's Sin."

The "Dragon's Sin" also varies in scale. In Romania, it required a number of conditions, including Rhinegold, the heart of Dragon Slayer, and the bloodline of Orochi. But this White-scaled Serpent is just a mere figment of the imagination, filled with magic based on the concepts of "divine wine" and "corruption."

Her power still far surpasses that of ordinary Servant; perhaps even a god would find it difficult to subdue her, but before Iori—

"How ugly!"

Clang!

Like a whirlwind, Iori transformed into an indestructible Blade Wheel, flying through the gap between the snake's heads and sweeping across its thick body. Instantly, the skin was torn open, and a mixture of blood and flesh gushed out like the residue of an industrial machine, almost revealing the white spine inside.

"Oooooo!!!"

As Iori landed, another figure surged forward along the serpent's long body, easily piercing the tough snake skin with a two- or three-meter-long greatsword, which was then swiftly torn apart amidst the sound of the wind!

"Since you're my clone, at least show some backbone!"

The water Divinity kept the blade sharp and clean, without a trace of blood. Ibuki-dōji, who looked like a small giant, laughed and swung his sword with all his might. With a horizontal slash, blood splattered everywhere. The sharp blade tore a horrific ten-meter-long wound along the ribs of the White-scaled Serpent.

"—!"

The White-scaled Serpent, writhing in pain, split its head and looked at Ibuki, its blood-red, berry-like eyes revealing a deep-seated hatred and greed.

Although they share the same origin, the relationship between the two is not harmonious. For the White-scaled Serpent, encountering Iori (Susanoo) is considered a very bad omen, but encountering Ibuki is a rare and good thing.

As a strange electronic sound rang out, a flashy slot machine appeared in the void. Without anyone noticing, the lever automatically yanked down hard, and the various patterns on the screen began to change in a dazzling display...

"Not good!"

Ibuki's expression changed.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The winning bell rang, and three identical snake patterns lined up in a row. An invisible force descended upon Ibuki-dōji, causing her tall body to immediately slump, her skin to lose its luster, her muscles to lose their vitality, and even the greatsword in her hand to dim, losing the luster it had when it was covered by divinity.

Conversely, the White-scaled Serpent visibly swelled up, sprouting long, demonic horns from its head. The head that Iori had severed regrew back instantly, appearing almost unharmed were it not covered in mucus.

"Damn it! I didn't expect that even I couldn't escape it!"

Ibuki-dōji said fiercely, filled with remorse.

She originally thought that she and the Yamata no Orochi were of the same origin, so this power should not affect her. But that was not the case. The moment the slot machine appeared, she had already vaguely sensed that something was wrong.

It seems that this power is not something that Yamata no Orochi possesses himself, but rather that it was borrowed from somewhere. Therefore, Ibuki-dōji, who shares the same origin as Yamata no Orochi, has no power to resist it.

Thinking of this, Ibuki looked at Susanoo beside her— Iori, and then suddenly froze.

In her mind, since she would be affected, Iori should be no exception. But in reality, the young man didn't seem to have changed at all. His calm demeanor was more like playing with his pet than fighting the Yamata no Orochi.

Is this your limit?

Iori narrowed her eyes slightly as she watched the White-scaled Serpent gradually grow its sixth head.

"Not bad, this level is enough to make me take it seriously."

As he spoke, he raised the longsword in his hand, and storm, thunder, and Flowing Water —three different divine elements—intertwined on it, transforming into a beautiful light and shadow like a painting.

With a thought, Iori unleashed a massive surge of magical power, forming illusory light and shadow that gradually solidified into a towering half-body statue. Armored and wielding a katana, it was unmistakably a majestic wandering samurai, yet the vague outline of his face bore the likeness of Iori.

It is undoubtedly smaller than the giants of gods that have appeared in Romania, but its image is more vivid and clear, as if the essence of the statue has been infused into it, making people feel as if they can understand the joys and sorrows of this Warrior God.

And its current emotion is—

Indifferent.

Just as the sun rises and sets, stars shift, and the world changes... everything has its own natural order. For a hero, slaying the dragon is a matter of course, and there is no need to be surprised.

"Roar!"

Seemingly sensing a threat from the Nether, the White-scaled Serpent opened its blood-red maw and condensed six pitch-black magic bullets emitting terrifying energy.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Before the magic bullet could be fired, Ibuki-dōji, having mustered a little strength, leaped forward, unleashing the magic power stored in the sword. The resulting torrent, comparable to Anti-Army Noble Phantasm, bombarded the serpent, causing it to momentarily pause.

At that very moment, the half-giant reached out and pressed down on the serpent's body, then exerted tremendous force, ignoring the difference in size and forcibly flipping it to the ground.

The powerful magic bullet shot into the sky, tearing apart the false starry sky and shattering the illusion controlled by the Yamata no Orochi, revealing a true bright moon.

Then, the oppressive force, enough to cover a small city, was released along with the magic, and the entire atmosphere instantly became humid. The increasing moisture even made people feel "thick" when breathing, like a deep mountain shrouded in mist.

The whole world inexplicably darkened, and wisps of clouds gathered from all directions, forming an endless Sea of Clouds that turned into dark cumulonimbus clouds at a visible speed.

The dark cloud outlines resembled inverted mountain peaks, hanging heavily in the sky and giving people a great sense of oppression, as if you could touch them if you stood a little higher.

The Heavenly Cloud!

Ibuki-dōji watched this scene in astonishment. Although she also wielded the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, she could not have done this on her own without the blessing of the Holy Grail or something similar.

So... it can only unleash its true power in the hands of its master?

It is a divine sword that was born from the body of the Yamata no Orochi, but the hero who slays the dragon is more qualified to wield it than the evil dragon!

"Hold head high!!!"

The White-scaled Serpent struggled frantically, biting hard at the giant's body, but the massive creature remained unmoved, like a rock struck by a tsunami.

With eyes devoid of joy or sorrow, Iori gazed at the giant serpent and swung the blade in his hand—

"[The World Carving Heavenly Flash]!"

—Buzz!!!!

In an instant, the entire world was frozen. The majestic Yamata no Orochi and space itself were all shrouded in gray and white. The overwhelming Kamui seemed to want to Plunder all colors and turn the world into its own domain!

A scene that had once appeared on the Romania battlefield was almost exactly repeated!

Clang!

A thin line appeared, and the middle head of the Yamata no Orochi no Orochi snapped off!

Next came a thunder and storm that swept everything away, surpassing even the National Noble Phantasm, severing and shattering All Creation!

Boom!!!

The aftershocks of this attack directly dispersed the clouds in the sky, and most of the heads of the Yamata no Orochi on the ground were completely destroyed, leaving only a few with exposed white bones!

A massive ripple swept across, shattering the illusion completely. The hot springs vanished, replaced by a barren mountain that looked out of place amidst the lush greenery.

Is it Shuten's magic?

The Servant who were originally soaking in the hot spring were blown away to various places. As the illusion was dispelled, everyone's location could no longer be determined.

"Hold head high--!"

Not completely dead yet!

The remaining magic repaired one of the snake's heads, and it pounced on Iori as soon as she dispelled the Giant Phantom!

But Iori remained calm and composed, her hand holding the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi slightly raised—

Call!

Someone was faster than Iori, leaping into the air from behind and unleashing a dazzling Lightning Bolt.

However, Iori attacked later, was able to arrive first and intercepted the White-scaled Serpent in mid-air almost in the blink of an eye.

"Eight--"

Two voices rang out simultaneously, one in front and one behind, while a torrent of magic, crackling with Lightning Bolt and water ripples, swept across the serpent's neck—

[Yamata no Arashi]!

Without a doubt, the White-scaled Serpent was decapitated in a series of swift cuts, its massive body crashing to the ground, its eyes losing all light of life.

Buzz!

As if it had its own consciousness, almost the instant the Yamata no Orochi was annihilated, the "elevator" automatically came to Iori's side and opened the silver metal door, seemingly welcoming the victor to ride it to the next floor.

After a slight pause, as specks of golden light coalesced in the air, a Servant card engraved with an intricate True Magic circle slowly descended...

Iori reached out and took it, then looked at it from the other side:

[Berserker]!

"It ended so easily... I thought it would be a tough battle."

A weakened Ibuki-dōji walked over and sighed, "It seems that the legends bind us 'dead' more than we imagined. Even though we have expanded ourselves to the God-tier, we have no power to resist our nemesis."

"Since you enjoy the benefits of fame, you must also bear the corresponding weaknesses."

Iori examined the new Servant card repeatedly before storing it in her storage space.

He still doesn't know what this thing is for, but it doesn't look like an ordinary object, so he'll keep it for now.

"Nameless Spirit Base? These fallen creatures actually possess such treasures. It's a pity I don't have Hero's Proof, otherwise it would be useful."

Ibuki noticed Iori's actions and casually remarked.

Iori's eyes narrowed. "What did you just say, Hero's Proof?"