Fantasy Crystals!
This was an upgraded and enhanced plus version of Fantasy Power, and the second kind of "currency" Su Yun had designed for the system.
As a shameless game planner, Su Yun was quite experienced when it came to designing in-game currencies. If a game didn't have at least five or six—no, seven or eight—different kinds, he just felt uncomfortable.
He'd brought that habit into the real world, so the system's design included Fantasy Crystals as a second kind of "currency."
In Su Yun's design, this currency played a very important role. It acted directly on the "Operators" he had selected.
For example, Artoria was an "Operator" chosen by Su Yun. Having already gained supernatural powers and the opportunity to grow, she would need Fantasy Crystals to achieve certain breakthroughs that crossed the boundaries of fantasy.
Of course, since Fantasy Crystals had been designed to be so powerful, condensing them was no easy task. Although Su Yun had obtained some, he was still far from gathering enough to form one complete unit.
In numbers, that was 3/100.
He had collected three Fantasy Crystal fragments so far. Once he had a hundred, they could be condensed into one complete unit.
Mobile game players would've recognized the system at once!
Of course, the system Su Yun had fashioned didn't have such rigid rules. Breakthroughs and enhancements could also be achieved using Fantasy Power.
But as mentioned before, using Fantasy Power alone for these things was the crudest and most wasteful approach, resulting in a great deal of meaningless expenditure.
Everything Su Yun had designed was intended to use Fantasy Power as rationally and efficiently as possible. Of course, there might be better methods, but he couldn't think of any. As a game-planning dog, he could only do things in the way he knew best.
The real world, the Supernatural Disaster Countermeasures Office.
When Murata Himeko received the latest information from the intelligence department, her pupils contracted. "That old man just now was actually Mr. Li Shuwen!"
A century ago, Mr. Li Shuwen had been one of the martial arts instructors for several military districts. His name had even been recorded in the history books. The Yingzhou Autonomous Region, which admired the Flame Kingdom for choosing cultural victory despite being so brimming with martial virtue, revered him even more than people in the Flame Kingdom itself.
Their textbooks had even included accounts of Li Shuwen's deeds, so Murata Himeko knew of his existence.
"Can people from the modern era become Heroic Spirits, too? If so, does that mean people in modern society can also become Heroic Spirits? And if that's the case, when did this world lose its supernatural powers? What happened in between?"
She couldn't help falling into deep thought. As the head of the Strategy Room, she considered things from a different perspective than the others.
Following that train of thought revealed a wealth of implications.
However, there were still too few clues, and many things remained unclear. She needed to keep watching the Light Screen footage to learn more before she could make further deductions.
Then, watching what was happening in the footage, Murata Himeko couldn't help praising her. "As expected of King Arthur. She really is terrifyingly strong."
In the Light Screen footage, Saber's fist slammed into Lancer's chin. Just as Lancer had grown accustomed to her two-handed swordsmanship, she suddenly released her right hand during their next clash and drove a punch into his chin.
Lancer's handsome face distorted in an instant. The impact even produced a sonic boom, showing just how terrifying Saber's strength was.
After all, she was King Arthur. The idea that turning evil made someone three times stronger was just a joke. Nasu had said long ago that the blue-haired Saber in her peak condition was far stronger than her corrupted self.
The footage was simply showing the true power of King Arthur in her role as Saber.
For anyone who didn't understand, they could refer to the scene of Saber Alter fighting Berserker in the Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel movie.
The real Saber possessed even greater strength than Saber Alter—when she had a sufficient supply of magical energy.
Saber's Master was Emiya Kiritsugu, and Irisviel was helping provide her with magical energy. Irisviel's constitution was extremely unusual, and she possessed an enormous amount of magical energy. With both of them supplying her, Saber could fight without holding back.
At that moment, Lancer had been struck in the chin. His head was spinning, his guard was wide open, and he had exposed a huge weakness—giving Saber the chance to finish him off with one blow.
So in that instant, Saber completely dispelled the Wind King's Barrier around her Holy Sword. Brilliant golden light bloomed from the Golden Sword as magical energy surged within it. She was clearly about to unleash the maximum output of her magical power and kill her enemy with a single strike.
But at that very same moment, Lancer's Master demonstrated the skill of a top-tier mage and activated a Command Spell he had prepared in advance.
He didn't need to give an order. The Command Spell's instruction had already been set, and it would activate as soon as Lancer's Master formed a sufficiently powerful thought.
Now, the Command Spell activated.
"Escape certain death, Lancer!"
One of the three Command Spells held by Lancer's Master disappeared, unleashing its power.
A Command Spell wielded in the name of a miracle could naturally bring about miracles.
The moment the Command Spell took effect, magical energy enveloped Lancer's whole body. He instantly teleported a hundred meters away, reaching a safe distance even faster than Saber could swing her sword.
Saber's slash struck empty air, carving a deep gash into the ground and sending sand and stones flying everywhere. Her expression tightened. "This... is the power of a Command Spell?"
This made it clear to the audience what had happened, and they immediately remembered the explanation of Command Spells shown in the Light Screen footage the day before.
They could be used to issue absolute orders to Servants. And since Command Spells were miracles in themselves, even some miraculous orders could be carried out.
So...
This was a miracle?
Well... judging by what it had done, it certainly counted as one.
Lancer's Master voiced his dissatisfaction at that moment, too. "Lancer, you've disappointed me!"
In the safe area, Lancer clutched his chest. A sword wound gaped across it, deep and horrifying, seemingly exposing the bone beneath. Blood was flowing from the wound, which had clearly been inflicted in that brief moment.
Even though he had escaped by using the Command Spell, he had still been left with a severe injury.
In these circumstances, Lancer's Master's healing spell was already taking effect, and the wound stopped bleeding quickly. But the injury was too serious for him to recover in a short time.
Lancer looked remorseful. "I'm sorry, my Lord. I have disappointed you. Saber—King Arthur—is indeed as powerful as the legends say..."
Lancer's Master said, "Hmph. I can see that."
His voice was heavy, too. Saber was stronger than he had imagined. As expected of King Arthur—she was terrifyingly powerful.
The real world—
People finally understood why the Light Screen footage had a title centered on King Arthur and called this her Holy Grail War.
Her strength truly lived up to the title of King of Eternity. Based on what they had seen so far, people had every reason to believe that King Arthur might well be the last one standing in this Holy Grail War.
Now, the question was how Saber would claim final victory.
Just as people were thinking this, a sudden change appeared in the Light Screen footage.
A flash of blue lightning suddenly lit up the sky with a rumble, followed by the sound of a cow mooing.
The next moment, people saw a chariot pulled by two oxen tear through the clouds in the night sky and plunge straight down into the harbor.
The footage slowed at that instant, allowing people all over the world to see who was aboard the chariot.
It was...
Rider, who had appeared in the Light Screen footage before, along with his meek Master, Waver Velvet!
Everyone, I love you, mwah~!
Before you continue