[Real World – Fuyuki City]
Lucas arrived at Emiya Kiritsugu's secluded hideout, his body fully transparent as he observed the man closely. The frail figure of the infamous "Magus Killer" lay before him, weak and battered.
With the power of the Ten-Tails within him, Lucas had access to all chakra natures and even advanced kekkei tōta abilities. Transparency techniques were nothing to him now.
[Chat Group]
Irisviel: "Group Leader… What happened to Kiritsugu? He looks terribly injured! Is this the aftermath of the Fourth Holy Grail War?"
Lucas: "Exactly. Aside from Kotomine Kirei and the King of Heroes, everyone involved in that war suffered severe losses. Kiritsugu is no exception. His body is deteriorating, and his spirit is broken. If things follow the original timeline, he has only a few years left to live."
Irisviel: "How could this happen…"
Ding! Irisviel has sent an exclusive red envelope [Magecraft – Matter Manipulation] to Group Leader Lucas.
Ding! Irisviel has sent an exclusive red envelope [Advanced Healing Magecraft] to Group Leader Lucas.
Irisviel didn't hesitate. She immediately transferred all her magecraft skills to Lucas, silently begging him to save Kiritsugu Emiya.
Lucas: "Well… your red envelopes are pretty useless to me. But, since you're so determined, I'll give him a hand."
Irisviel: "Really? But… judging from your earlier comments, it didn't seem like you liked him very much."
Lucas: "You misunderstood. I never said I hated him. I only meant that I personally wouldn't make the choices he did. But that's precisely why I respect people like him. Fools with noble dreams are rare. Don't believe me? Ask the others."
Howard Stark: "Exactly! Just because we can't make those sacrifices ourselves doesn't mean we can't admire those who can. It's their madness that makes them memorable. You can't help but appreciate it."
[Real World – Emiya Kiritsugu's Hideout]
Suddenly, Lucas dropped his transparency and appeared before Emiya Kiritsugu.
Kiritsugu's eyes sharpened instantly, his body tensing despite his weakened state. His hand instinctively reached for his weapon. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice hoarse but firm.
Lucas smiled lightly. "Relax. If I intended to kill you, being cautious wouldn't save you."
The calm confidence in Lucas's voice only made Kiritsugu's guard rise further. With a swift leap, he created distance, ready for a fight.
Lucas sighed and shook his head. "Tch. So stubborn."
The ground beneath Kiritsugu's feet suddenly shifted, turning into solid gold and locking his legs in place. He struggled, but his body, weakened by years of decay, had no strength to break free.
"Easy now," Lucas said, his hand glowing with pure white energy. "I came here to heal you, not harm you."
A warm, radiant light from the Six Paths Yang Power flowed into Kiritsugu's body, filling him with surging vitality. The burning ache in his organs subsided, and the relentless fatigue plaguing his body faded away.
Kiritsugu felt the change immediately. After a long silence, he spoke, his voice laced with gratitude and confusion. "Thank you… but why? You didn't have to do this."
Lucas chuckled. "Why? Has the 'Champion of Justice' finally lost his faith?"
Kiritsugu's lips curled into a bitter smile. "Champion of justice? That dream was always too heavy for someone like me to carry. And I realized it far too late…"
His eyes darkened as he lowered his head. "I once believed I could save the world by weighing lives on a scale. If sacrificing one person could save a hundred, I'd pull the trigger without hesitation."
Lucas responded dryly, "Very hawkish of you."
Kiritsugu's voice grew heavier with sorrow. "I placed everything on the scale—human lives, hopes, dreams. But then… the world and my wife stood on opposite ends. According to my principles… it should've been my wife I abandoned."
He paused, his voice trembling. "Yet… I let it happen. I let her die, telling myself it was meaningful. I thought—this is justice."
Kiritsugu's voice cracked as he struggled with the confession. For years, these words had remained buried in his heart.
Lucas's tone was calm but knowing. "You don't have to explain. I already know. The Holy Grail was corrupted. Your wish for world peace turned into a nightmare. You tried to stop it, but the cost was everything."
Kiritsugu stared into the distance, his voice hollow. "The Fourth Holy Grail War didn't kill me, but it took everything else—my wife… my comrades. Now, I'm just a dead man walking. Healing me is meaningless."
A flicker of something desperate crossed his face, and suddenly, he looked at Lucas with newfound resolve. "But… if you truly have power beyond reason, then I beg you. Help me save someone—my daughter, Illyasviel. She's being imprisoned by the Einzbern family. I don't have the strength to rescue her. But you…" His voice trembled, "I can't see how you're doing all this, but I know you can help me."
Lucas's response was swift and simple. "The Einzbern family, huh? I was planning to drop by anyway. You can come along. We'll pick up your daughter."
Kiritsugu's eyes widened in disbelief. "You were… planning to go there? Why?"
Lucas smirked. "Their homunculus technology is top-notch. I want to take some notes. Also… your son, Emiya Shirou. I need what's inside him—Avalon."
Kiritsugu stiffened, his fists clenching. "Avalon is inside Shirou… but he needs it. Without it, he would have died long ago."
Lucas waved dismissively. "Relax. With me around, even if he wanted to die, he couldn't. Avalon will be safe—both inside and outside him."
Kiritsugu stared at Lucas for a long moment, then slowly nodded. "Fine… If you can keep Shirou safe, Avalon is yours."
[Chat Group]
Irisviel: "Group Leader… are you really going to the Einzbern family?"
Lucas: "What's wrong, Irisviel? You don't want Emiya Kiritsugu to rescue your daughter?"
Irisviel: "No, it's not that. My feelings are… complicated. I know I'm just a homunculus created by the Einzbern family, but… Illya is still my daughter."
Senju Tobirama: "Wait, you're an android?!"
Lucas: "Yep! A homunculus, to be precise. She has a specially constructed body, but her soul is almost identical to that of a human. The Einzbern family's technology is fascinating—mainly because it revolves around souls."
Senju Tobirama: "Souls? I thought it was some kind of biotechnology!"
Lucas: "There's bioengineering involved, but their real focus is magecraft. The Einzbern family has spent centuries researching the Third Magic—Heaven's Feel, the materialization of the soul. That's what really interests me."
[Real World – Emiya Residence]
Lucas placed his hand over Emiya Shirou's chest. A warm, radiant energy from his Six Paths Yang Power flowed into the boy's body, instantly stabilizing his condition. Simultaneously, a shimmering scabbard emerged from within Shirou's body, pulled out by Lucas with a single motion.
The moment it appeared, excitement exploded in the chat group.
[Chat Group]
Lancelot: "That… that's the king's scabbard—Avalon?!"
Lucas: "Exactly. Avalon, also known as 'The Ever-Distant Utopia.' It's the sheath of the Sword of Victory Excalibur, capable of healing any wound and granting the user an almost immortal state. It can even serve as a catalyst to summon your 'Dumb King.'"
Doflamingo: "Wait… did you just say immortality?"
Lucas: "Before you get too excited—Avalon has extraordinary healing abilities, yes. But true immortality? No. Such a thing doesn't exist in this world."
Doflamingo: "Tch! Why do these other worlds have so many things close to immortality?"
Lucas: "Quit whining. Your world has plenty of immortal cheats too—Pure Gold and the Immortality Surgery, remember? You just don't have what it takes to get them."
Uchiha Madara: "Group Leader, what would Emiya Kiritsugu's fate have been in the original future, if you hadn't intervened?"
Lucas: "Hah… Martyrs."
Irisviel: "??? What do you mean?"
Lucas: "Exactly what you're thinking. In the original future, Emiya Kiritsugu, you, Illya, and even his adopted son Shirou—all ended up as Heroic Spirits."
Lancelot: "As expected from the boy who held my king's scabbard! He carried the makings of a Heroic Spirit all along!"
Lucas (sighing): "You're really hyping this up, huh? Fine, since you're so impressed, let me share a little-known secret—"
"In a certain possible future… your 'Dumb King' and that boy ended up… well, let's just say he conquered her in a way you'd never imagine."
Lancelot: "???"
Howard Stark: "No way?!"
Sebastian Shaw: "Now that's spicy!"
Lancelot (furious): "Impossible! The King of Knights sees herself as a man—there's no way she'd… fraternize with some random boy!"
Lucas: "You're underestimating Emiya Shirou. He inherited more than just Avalon—he inherited the spirit of a foolhardy hero. His ridiculous sense of justice makes him irresistible to women in this world. He's a walking magnet for heartaches… and heartthrobs."
Howard Stark: "Wait, you're saying… he's a playboy hero?"
Lucas: "Absolutely. And unlike his adoptive father, Emiya Shirou has terrible self-control. He's swept up countless girls—his charm's so absurd they practically line up. Even your King Arthur (Dumb King) and the Tohsaka sisters weren't spared from his… charms."
Tohsaka Tokiomi: "…"
Kariya Matou: "…"
Lancelot: "…"
Lucas: "Don't worry, though! My arrival has already erased that future. So, you can thank me for preventing 'Shirou the Casanova' from ruining your peace of mind."
Lancelot (reluctantly): "…"
Howard Stark (grinning): "I dunno… I kinda wanted to see that trainwreck play out. Could've been entertaining."
[Real World – Emiya Residence]
Emiya Kiritsugu watched as Lucas effortlessly extracted Avalon from Shirou, but he didn't show any sign of protest. Instead, he rubbed his hands together and asked urgently, "So… when are we heading to the Einzbern family?"
Lucas glanced at him. "Before that, I've got some unfinished business in Fuyuki City. Kotomine Kirei and the King of Heroes… Want to tag along?"
Kiritsugu's expression darkened immediately. "Are you serious about taking on them? Kirei is one thing, but… The King of Heroes Gilgamesh is a monster. Right now, he's probably the only Heroic Spirit left in this world. Killing him… won't be easy."
Lucas chuckled coldly. "Whoever told you that only a Heroic Spirit can defeat another Heroic Spirit… lied. Let's see how 'The King of Heroes' fares against me."
[Real World – Secluded Valley]
The King of Heroes—Gilgamesh, the Golden King—resided within a luxurious villa, enjoying his solitude.
Lucas made no attempt to conceal his approach, soaring through the sky directly toward his domain.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A massive golden throne materialized mid-air. Resting upon it, draped in divine arrogance, was Gilgamesh himself. His crimson eyes glinted with disdain as he looked down at the intruder.
"Mongrel." His voice carried authority and scorn. "Who gave you permission to trespass in my presence? Kneel before me, and I may consider sparing your pathetic life."
[Chat Group]
Golden Lion Shiki: "This guy's arrogance is through the roof! Ugh, I wanna punch that smug face!"
Whitebeard: "King of heroes? Bah. He acts more like one of those Celestial Dragon scumbags."
Lucas: "Can't argue. But there's one key difference between him and those clowns—he actually has the power to back up his arrogance. Still… yeah, he's beyond annoying."
Lucas, floating mid-air, narrowed his eyes. Gilgamesh's condescending gaze, his dismissive attitude—everything about him was grating. Lucas wasn't one to get annoyed easily, but there was something about this level of pompous arrogance that rubbed him the wrong way.
"Well…" Lucas muttered, his voice cold, "Since you love looking down on people…"
He clenched his fist. A white halo of pure destructive force swirled around it—the power of the Gura Gura no Mi (Tremor-Tremor Fruit).
"…let's see how well you can look down when the sky shatters."
Lucas threw a devastating punch. The air itself shattered like fragile glass, sending a monstrous shockwave roaring toward Gilgamesh. The earth trembled, and the sky seemed to crack under the raw, seismic force.
"Hmph!" Gilgamesh's eyes flashed with annoyance rather than fear.
"Gate of Babylon!"
With a snap, a portal of golden ripples opened behind him. Dozens—no, hundreds—of legendary weapons surged out like arrows, screaming through the air to intercept the incoming shockwave.
BOOOOOM!!!
The valley erupted into chaos. The clash of divine armaments against the power of the earth's fury created a cataclysmic explosion that shook the entire region.
As the dust settled—
Gilgamesh smirked. "Interesting. You're the first mongrel to amuse me in centuries." His eyes glinted, full of battle lust. "Very well… I, the King of Heroes, accept your challenge!"
Lucas, his expression cold and sharp, cracked his knuckles. "Challenge? No…" His voice was filled with contempt.
"I'm not here to challenge you. I'm here to remove you."
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