Chapter 483: [483] The Great Shuffle of Red and Black
Before the red and black factions lay a dimly lit room.
A silver-gray mist hung in the air, mingling with the sunlight that slipped in, painting the walls and weaving through the tables and chairs, sketching shadowy figures that resembled a hazy still life, with only the mist revealing hidden malice in scattered specks.
From the Command Spells in the hands of the magi, it was clear they were undoubtedly the masters of the red faction.
This quiet scene persisted for a long time, so long that people began to think it was merely a photograph, when suddenly, a woman’s crisp laughter broke the silence.
"Hehe..."
The misty night swayed like liquid in a cup, and everyone heard that distorted, cruel female voice.
"It’s time to start the slaughter."
Without a hint of warning, without a trace of foreboding, the magi’s eyes bulged in an instant, blood spilling from the corners of their mouths, dripping onto the table, hissing as it evaporated into white smoke.
Undoubtedly, it was poison.
What followed was a farcical display of people struggling against the poison—within three minutes, the masters dispatched by the Clock Tower succumbed to their agonies, their Command Spells dimming, ultimately vanishing from sight.
In the end, even Amakusa and the Empress were left speechless.
They had only recently received the news of the masters’ deaths, and based on the principle of "those who do not do wrong need not fear the knock of the ghost," they had boldly released this video. But the cause of death for the masters clearly appeared to be poison!
Not to mention that distinctive female voice; even if all the female servants present tried to imitate it, none could deliver such a naive, such a matter-of-fact tone while uttering words of murder.
Only the Empress, known for her poison and deceit, could so cruelly strip away everything from a person.
In summary—
"Is that so, priest? It seems you are quite confident now." Achilles’s voice had calmed, not in forgiveness, but swirling slowly like a brewing storm.
Killing intent began to fill the chapel.
I’m not me, I didn’t say anything foolish... Amakusa felt helpless; he never expected such a coincidence.
No, could this really be just a coincidence?
With a sudden realization, he shot a glance at Sakatsuki, but Sakatsuki remained oblivious, merely lost in thought, as if pondering something.
Not Sakatsuki? Or is he simply not planning to reveal himself just yet?
Amakusa frowned; his intuition yielded no response. Sakatsuki was like a black hole, consistently blocking his probing—this was why he had always harbored suspicion towards this servant of the Clock Tower.
Yet, upon closer reflection, every move Sakatsuki made was under the watchful eyes of him and the Empress. Even if he truly found an opportunity to strike, he shouldn’t resort to poison.
So, who could it be?
As Amakusa found himself in a quandary, Sakatsuki was also deep in thought.
Not contemplating the mysterious deaths of the masters, for the killer was he—more accurately, it was Jack the Ripper.
With the skills of "Murder on a Misty Night" and "Information Erasure," little Jack was a born assassin. For these magi, who had long been stripped of their ability to act, it was as easy as slaughtering pigs and sheep. The key was that even if some information leaked, it would be disguised due to "Information Erasure."
As for why it was poison... Have you heard of the London fog, refined by ancient methods from 1888? Foul, toxic, and deadly—just a thought?
Little Jack’s assassination was a success; all the red masters were dead, the Command Spells did not fall into Amakusa’s hands, and the red faction crumbled. Karna, Achilles, Atalanta—these three renowned heroes, once their contracts were severed, could only helplessly dissipate, right?
The balance of power had shifted, and now it was time for the blue faction to unveil its true face...
"Wait a moment, Achilles."
Chiron patted his disciple’s shoulder and handed him three test tubes, which Achilles caught.
"What is this?"
"Spiritual veins from Romania; they should support your consumption." Crafted from the spiritual veins extracted after Vlad III’s death, the great sage smiled, "Remember, this is a debt to be repaid."
From afar, Sakatsuki nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.
Danik, Vlad III, and Chiron—those three were at it again!
For a servant to maintain their existence in the present world, they needed their master to provide them with mana. Conversely, as long as they were continuously supplied with mana, a servant could continue to exist even without a master, much like the "masterless servants" in FSR.
Coincidentally, Danik had brought the Romanian spiritual veins to enhance Vlad III, so even while in the Hanging Garden, Achilles and the others could still receive the spiritual veins and restore their strength.
There was no stopping it; once Sakatsuki made a move, Achilles and the others still had the strength to take him down, then revive fully.
An unexpected variable in the plan... Sakatsuki sighed, but felt little regret; as long as the blue faction remained hidden, it was advantageous for them regardless of how the red and black factions fought to the death.
"Thank you, teacher!" On the other side, Achilles, Atalanta, and Karna accepted the spiritual veins, flexing their limbs and playfully smiling at Chiron, "Since I am a servant, I have nothing of value, so let me repay this kindness with my spear and my chariot!"
Upon hearing this, Chiron smiled as expected, and Astolfo raised his fist in excitement.
Achilles’s implication was clear: he was joining the black faction and opposing the red.
With him leading the charge, Atalanta, who also harbored grievances against the Empress, opened her mouth to speak but suddenly turned to Sakatsuki: "What... do you plan to do?"
Would this young man representing the Clock Tower continue to stay with the red faction that had killed the masters?
Under Amakusa’s anxious gaze, Sakatsuki’s eyes flickered, and he decisively cast him aside: "Of course not. Since the red Assassin and its master are suspected of killing members of the Clock Tower, and the mastermind behind the treachery of the Yddmillennia, Darnic, has already been dealt with, my next target is naturally changed."
"Then, I will follow you." Atalanta made her decision readily.
In that moment, among the servants who had lost their masters, only Karna remained undecided.
"...If it is you, you should understand that I am not lying." Amakusa pressed his lips together, his gaze towards Karna filled with a glimmer of hope.
With the skill "Discernment of the Poor," Karna was the most unlikely to betray.
Yet even so, this noble hero shook his head slightly, refusing to respond to Amakusa’s expectations: "Indeed, your words are not lies, but the master did die in the Hanging Garden. Until the true culprit is found, I will also sever ties with the red faction."
The situation had undergone a drastic reversal; Achilles, Atalanta, and Karna, along with Sakatsuki, had joined the black faction. With the blue faction continuing to lie in wait, only Shakespeare, the Empress, and Amakusa remained in the red faction.
The disparity in power was overwhelming, but even now, the strength of the blue faction, even when allied with the red, could not completely defeat the black faction. Moreover, Jeanne had consistently stood against the blue faction, that much was certain...
Furthermore, he felt himself drifting further away from Artoria. As a judge, the one with the ahoge was destined not to abandon everything to help Sakatsuki... And once the two judges united, even Sakatsuki would find it quite troublesome.
Not to mention, there were still loose ends to tie up, such as little Jack, and also... Mordred.
Calculating gains and losses in his mind, before the tipping scales, Sakatsuki ultimately picked up the largest chip and placed it on the red side.
Artoria shuddered, casting a glance at Sakatsuki before stepping forward, standing beside Amakusa under the astonished gazes of everyone.
"Convey my master’s intent—" Artoria raised her gaze expressionlessly, ignoring the stiffened Mordred behind her, her sharp eyes sweeping over her former ’companions.’
"We, the Osarei clan, follow only the Holy Grail. Wherever the Holy Grail is, there we shall be."
The Holy Grail, brought into the Hanging Garden by the Empress, shone with a cold golden light behind Artoria.
"It is regrettable, but the Osare clan has chosen to leave the Yggdmillennia once more."
Meanwhile, in the crumbling Fortress of Millennia, the golden-masked Avizblon reached out and took the well-preserved heart of the magus from Reika Rikudou.
"Let’s begin, Caster." Reika smiled brightly, completely unconcerned about the conflict in the Hanging Garden, "Realize your ideals."
"...Mmm." Avizblon responded dully, the heart beating fiercely, hot blood coursing through his body, nearly igniting him.
His ideals, his obsessions, at this moment, finally completed the last piece of the puzzle.
He had indeed considered the possibility of Karna and the others withdrawing... but given that several side quests had not been resolved, it was impossible to hastily conclude; he could only try to speed things up (laughing and crying).