https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-885-The-Accumulated-Evil-of-This-World-Erupts-After-Seventy-Years-/12948771/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-887-Black-Jeanne-s-Scheme-to-Corrupt-Saber/12948773/
Chapter 886: Villains, the Philosophers
Chapter 886: Villains, the Philosophers
"Humans are ugly and greedy, with endless desires, craving more than any other creature."
"While there is a light in human nature, the evil within it is far more significant and not worth mentioning compared to its goodness."
"If not for the endless evil in human nature, even if Angolamannu had corrupted the Holy Grail during the Third Holy Grail War, how could the Grail have accumulated so much of this world's evil in just seventy years?"
"Shirou, you only see the good side of human nature, while I, Kiritsugu, have only felt its ugliness. In other words, there's no real difference between us."
It is well-known that every elegant villain is a top-notch philosopher, and Kiritsugu's words left Shirou and his companions speechless.
Although Medea, a fellow villain, had grudgingly redeemed herself and disliked Kiritsugu's opposition to Yecheng, she had to admit that Kiritsugu's words were entirely reasonable.
The birth of this world's evil was due to the greed of the Einzbern family during the Third Holy Grail War, and its growth over the years was a result of humanity's negative emotions and inherent flaws, not Kiritsugu's fault.
Those who stand on the side of justice often attribute evil deeds to their opponents based on their subjective perceptions.
As a sorceress, Medea had committed many misdeeds, but she never tried to hide them. However, she despised those who blamed her for everything without understanding the truth.
In the legends, Medea did commit the evil deeds of a sorceress, but if not for the goddess' schemes and Aeson's abandonment, would she have become a malicious sorceress?
The legends never mentioned the goddess' or the hero's mistakes, and since she was a villain, she was made to bear all the blame.
If the goddess and the hero were at fault, then those influenced by them, who eventually became tragic figures, were truly absurd.
Shirou, as the protagonist, wasn't skilled in verbal sparring, but his determination to be a 'justice partner' was unshakable, even to his future self, let alone someone like Kiritsugu, whom he considered extremely evil.
The trash-talking concluded, and the final battle of the Holy Grail War officially commenced—Master against Master, Heroic Spirit against Heroic Spirit.
Kiritsugu wanted to bring this world's evil to Fuyuki City, while Shirou and his allies aimed to stop it. With opposing stances, there was no room for compromise, so they clashed once again.
Due to the manifestation of this world's evil, Black Jeanne, as an Avenger, became stronger than ever. Additionally, Kiritsugu had used a large number of Command Spells beforehand to enhance Black Jeanne, ensuring his uninterrupted spellcasting.
This resulted in Black Jeanne's current strength surpassing that of most Heroic Spirits. It was estimated that even without her Noble Phantasm, she could easily defeat Hercules.
The empowerment from this world's evil provided a boost of at least ten Command Spells' worth of mana, efficient self-regeneration, and a rejuvenated physique. Without exaggeration, Black Jeanne was undoubtedly the strongest Heroic Spirit to date.
In the previous Cathedral battle, Saber had barely managed a stalemate with Black Jeanne, but now, after just a few exchanges, she was overwhelmed and even dominated by Black Jeanne.
Although Rin had also used Command Spells to enhance Saber, it was unfortunate that the effect of her one or two Command Spells couldn't compare to the nearly ten Command Spells Kiritsugu had used on Black Jeanne.
Saber was thrown into the air by Black Jeanne's flag, and before she could even attempt to use her Noble Phantasm, Black Jeanne struck her down without hesitation.
Everyone present was a seasoned Heroic Spirit, and through the previous battle, Black Jeanne had discovered that Saber's Noble Phantasm, "Excalibur", possessed formidable power, but to unleash its full might, it required a certain amount of charging time.
Rin and Shirou were holding their own against Kiritsugu Emiya, but as they watched Saber being overwhelmed by Black Jeanne, Rin grew increasingly anxious, turning to Medea and Medusa, who were merely spectators. "Are you going to just stand there and watch? If this world's evil destroys Fuyuki City, what benefit does that bring to you? And didn't we agree to temporarily work together?"
Medea and Medusa, being Heroic Spirits, could easily tip the scales of the battle if they joined the fight.
However, Yecheng was preoccupied with channeling mana into the Lesser Holy Grail and had no spare capacity to intervene. As for Medea and Medusa's inaction, it irritated Faruzuki Rin.
"While the destruction of Fuyuki City by this world's evil might not benefit us, it won't harm us either. And don't misunderstand; we merely exchanged information and never agreed to cooperate."
In Medea's perspective, whether this world's evil destroyed Fuyuki City or not had nothing to do with them. As long as Yecheng successfully modified the Holy Grail, their objective would be achieved.
As Yecheng had previously stated, setting up such a barrier was already an act of utmost kindness on their part.
It would be unreasonable to expect them to risk their lives alongside Saber and Shirou just because they wanted to play the role of heroes saving the world.
Moreover, Yecheng was currently engrossed in modifying the new Holy Grail, leaving her virtually defenseless and fully focused. What if she were to be disturbed or ambushed? Medea's top priority was the new Holy Grail, and everything else took a back seat.
Furthermore, asking a notorious sorceress like her to save humanity was a joke.
When they were adversaries, they had gleefully labeled her a traitor to witches. Now that they needed her help, they suddenly remembered her existence? Unfortunately for them, Medea didn't care about her reputation, so attempts at moral coercion fell on deaf ears.
"Boom——————!"
Another deafening sound erupted from the area where Saber and Black Jeanne were fighting. Saber's body was sent flying backward, sliding across the ground for a considerable distance before finally crashing into a boulder that seemed to weigh several tons, shattering it.
Due to the Command Spell and the enhancement from this world's evil, Black Jeanne now completely outpaced Saber in terms of speed. While Excalibur could be unleashed without charging, its attacks in that state were ineffective against the Avenger.
With Avalon, Saber could withstand Black Jeanne's assaults and heal her wounds, but maintaining such a prolonged battle was disadvantageous for her.
Setting aside the mana factor, it was crucial to remember that Yecheng had previously stated the barrier could hold back this world's evil for, at most, two days.
Currently, Shirou and Rin were entangled with Kiritsugu Emiya, unable to descend the mountain to evacuate the ordinary citizens of Fuyuki City.
The longer the battle dragged on, the more unfavorable the situation became for them. If the barrier collapsed and this world's evil descended upon Fuyuki City, the consequences would be unimaginable!
(End of Chapter)
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