Chapter 18: The Young Demon King and the Great Holy Grail War (7)

BOOM! CRASH!! BOOM!!

"Uuugh.... You... You!!"

"My, my. Such a tragic lady. Could you speak properly? I have no taste for women who can only utter mindless groans."

The Berserker of Black, Frankenstein’s Monster, and Zod were trading blows in a raw display of violence—and it was the Berserker who was being pushed back.

Frankenstein’s Strength parameter was C. Zod, however, was a superhuman beyond human limits, capable of easily overwhelming Cu Alter, who possessed Strength Rank A.

When he was first completed as the sole success of a top-secret superhuman project conducted by the United States government, his Strength Rank was B+, enough to crumple steel like tissue paper. After devouring the Subspecies Holy Grail, his reinforced Strength Rank reached A.... Even when pitted against a Servant, he had become powerful enough to trade blows with the Three Knight Classes or a Berserker with inflated status parameters.

Human weaponry could no longer kill Zod.

Even a nuclear bomb, the ultimate tool of modern science, could only leave him battered and in tatters; it could not claim his life. He could survive the vacuum of space and move freely in the crushing depths of the deep sea....

He was, quite literally, a Man of Steel....

Hshshshshshsh!!

Using his 'Cold Breath,' Zod froze the Berserker in place before brutally tearing her arms from her sockets. From the severed limbs, there was no sign of bone, muscle, or blood; instead, there were jagged metal plates, intricate wiring, and various mechanical components and electrical cables, shredded like paper.

"AAAAAAAGH!!!!"

"Hoh.... A machine masquerading as a human? How intriguing."

Despite being an artificial lifeform, she possessed emotions and the capacity to feel. Frankenstein screamed in agony, her body writhing from the pain of being dismantled. She sent a telepathic plea to her Master, Caules, begging him to use a Command Spell to let her escape, but...

"Too slow!"

Vvvvvv—BOOM!!

Zod’s Heat Vision was faster, incinerating Frankenstein’s Spiritual Core in an instant.

"Agh... Cough... Huk...."

"You have a decent face, but I'm not a mechanophiliac. Farewell, Servant..."

"You... Curse... You..."

Zod merely sneered at Frankenstein's dying breath.

"A curse? Give it your best shot! I’ve killed countless people up until now. Starting with the researchers who experimented on me, I’ve slaughtered everyone regardless of age or gender. And every single one of those wretches told me they’d curse me as they died beneath my hands."

With those words, Zod tossed the dissipating Frankenstein aside as if she were mere garbage.

"Nothing changes just because you curse me, Doll-Lady... Curse me all you like. In the end, I'll live out my full lifespan and ascend to Heaven anyway. Did you know? The Lord only guides superior species like myself to His kingdom."

"You... The... Worst..."

Leaving only those final words, Frankenstein faded away, her existence returning to the Throne.

"How dull...."

.

.

.

"The wicked dragon shall fall, and the world now reaches its sunset. Strike them down, 『Balmung: Phantasmal Greatsword, Downfall of the Sky Demon』!!"

"Quiver—the Demonic Spear of the Ultimate Reach! 『Gáe Bolg: The Gouging Spear of Blood-Soaked Death』!!"

A wave of twilight radiance erupted from the dragon-slaying holy sword Balmung, spreading in a semi-circular arc to annihilate everything in its path.

In direct opposition, the Gáe Bolg thrown with full force by Cu Alter created a massive sonic boom. The spear tore through the Rank A+ Anti-Army Noble Phantasm, Balmung, and surged toward Siegfried. In its original mythos, this spear had easily shattered Rama's Rank A+ Brahmastra as if it were child's play, obliterating eighty percent of his heart.

True to its legend, the demonic spear forcibly pierced through the Dragon Slayer’s Noble Phantasm, aiming for his heart. Siegfried managed to avoid a direct fatal puncture through his chest thanks to his other Noble Phantasm, Armor of Fafnir—the Blood Armor of the Evil Dragon—but...

"It's a slaughter. Every last one of you."

The Noble Phantasm of the madness-drenched Berserker was unleashed.

"Release all curses. I'm not holding back. Sink into despair…… 『Curruid Coinchenn: Crumpled Death Fang Beast』!"

To manifest this armor across his entire body, the Noble Phantasm Gáe Bolg must be sealed. In exchange, his Strength reaches Rank EX and his Endurance skyrockets. When clad in this plate, he attacks with the armor's claws instead of a spear; upon piercing an opponent, countless spears sprout from within the victim's body.

One of those jagged spears sprouted and pierced through the small patch on Siegfried's back—his sole weak point where the blood of the evil dragon had not touched. With that single strike, his Spiritual Core was pulverized.

"That heart... I'll be taking it."

"Cough! This... how...."

As Siegfried began to fade into golden particles with his core destroyed, Cu Alter looked down at him with eyes devoid of interest.

"It was fun at first, but I'm bored now. Playing with Master is much more entertaining."

"Urgh...."

Siegfried spat up blood, using the last of his fading strength to speak.

"That boy who said he would handle Berserker... surely..."

"Yeah.... That's my Master."

"A Master... defeating a Servant...."

"My Master is absurdly strong, you see. And also—"

Thwak!!!

Cu Alter’s Gáe Bolg transfixed Siegfried's head.

"Do you think I didn't see through that pathetic attempt to fish for information until your very last moment?"

Cu Alter glared at the now completely vanished Siegfried with irritation. Having lost all interest, he turned away and began to walk off.

"The Black Faction must be in an absolute uproar by now."

"Their trump cards, Saber and Berserker, have both been wiped out."

Achilles and Atalante began a cold analysis of the current situation. Saber, often called the strongest of the Three Knight Classes, and Berserker—who is frequently considered the most powerful class provided there is sufficient mana—had both retired in an instant. The Black Faction had just lost a third of its total fighting force.

"Ha! I thought it might finally be worth a fight, but how disappointing."

"The same goes for this side... Boring."

The Master who had personally slain a Servant and his own Servant strolled out leisurely. Atalante stared at Zod; he should have been a child she was meant to protect, yet his interior was so wicked and his power so immense she didn't know how to handle him. Achilles, conversely, felt a surge of competitive spirit.

"You.... are you alright?"

"Hmm? Oh... I'm fine. Why? Are you worried about me?"

".................."

Atalante pushed aside her confusion and nodded. Zod gave a small, airy laugh in response.

"Because I am the strongest..."

He punctuated his claim with a slight wink. Atalante suppressed a hollow laugh as she looked at him.

"It seems my concern was misplaced."

"Well, let’s head back. We have to report to that fake priest, after all."

​

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