Rin, with her Heroic Spirit core activated, donned the black armor of the knight of the lake and leisurely advanced towards the most magnificent and darkest place within this ice-sealed castle, the Einzbern Chapel.
That place was certainly not somewhere to praise God's grace and find peace of mind; Maguss could not possibly praise divine favor.
In cities where Maguss resided, a so-called chapel referred to a ritual room for conducting magical ceremonies.
Rin, with some interest, looked up at the stained-glass windows.
They did not depict portraits of saints; instead, they illustrated the long history of the Einzbern Clan, who wandered in search of the Holy Grail.
Among the Three Founding Families of the Holy Grail War, the Einzbern had spent the longest time on the Holy Grail.
Secluding themselves in the ice-bound mountains, stubbornly cutting off all external contact, they had sought the miracle of the Holy Grail for almost a thousand years.
However, their quest was filled with setbacks, humiliation, and painful countermeasures, repeating over and over again without result.
It must be said that among the Three Founding Families of the Holy Grail War, the Tohsaka Family, responsible for providing the magical ley lines for the greater grail's manifestation, was undoubtedly the furthest from the core.
Even without using Fuyuki City's ley lines, there were many other large underground ley lines in the world that could supply the greater grail's manifestation.
The Einzbern, responsible for creating the vessel for the greater grail's descent, was the most crucial clan; their role in the Holy Grail War was irreplaceable.
Passing through the corridor, Rin's gaze fell upon a rather peculiar painting on a stained-glass window.
It depicted Justitia von Einzbern, the "winter saintess" of Einzbern, and two Maguss serving her on either side.
All three extended their hands towards the Holy Grail in the sky.
From the composition of this painting and the balance of its creative intent, one could discern how the Einzbern, two hundred years ago, went to great lengths to belittle the Tohsaka and Matou Families, and the sense of humiliation they felt when they had to rely on their help.
All of this could be glimpsed from this painting.
Seeing this painting, Rin couldn't help but show a disdainful smile at the corner of her mouth.
"Even so... but what does it matter? Ultimately, the victor is king.
No matter how great your value, how grand the miracles you can create, without sufficiently powerful military force to protect it all, the result is that everything becomes the spoils of the strong!"
"Thud!"
The tightly shut chapel door was completely forced open by Rin's black knight's battle boot.
Acht Einzbern, dressed in a magnificent gold and white patriarch's ceremonial robe, stood on the altar of the chapel, his solemn and dignified posture as if he had everything under control, standing perfectly straight.
"Hmm? Unexpectedly calm, aren't you?
Is it because you're too confident in the outer barrier and forgot to prepare an escape route beforehand, now cornered and ready to slit your throat before your ancestors?"
The seemingly calm Acht Einzbern looked at Rin and said:
"Tohsaka Rin, is all of this the intention of your Tohsaka Family?
Stealing the fruits of our clan's thousand-year-long efforts and mercilessly raising a butcher's knife against betrayed allies, aren't you afraid of being scorned by the entire Reverse Side of the World, or even being subjugated by the Mages Association?"
In response, the disdainful look on Rin's smiling face grew even more pronounced.
"Ridiculous.
First, it's not the Tohsaka Family that intends to annihilate your entire Einzbern Clan, but me! Tohsaka Rin, it's my personal intention.
Secondly, the rules of the Holy Grail War have always been that the final victor after a free-for-all takes all; it was never said to belong to your Einzbern.
As for the Mages Association, hmph, they won't seek justice for a group of dead people.
Oh, no, that's not right, the Einzbern Family doesn't even have a single human.
Do you really expect the Mages Association to seek justice for a group of Homunculi?"
The old patriarch of Einzbern, his long, snow-white eyebrows extending to his jaw, furrowed.
"Do you truly believe you have my Einzbern Clan cornered?
You, alone, will never understand how powerful the foundation of a great clan, accumulated over a thousand years, truly is!
Do you know why this old man is here?
Because this is where you will be buried!"
Upon hearing this, Rin couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, and with a flick of the Avalon in her hand—
"Clang!"
A rapidly approaching black shadow collided with Avalon, and the force of the rebound was somewhat beyond Rin's expectation, causing the holy sword in her hand to vibrate slightly.
Rin's gaze fell upon the spot where the repelled black shadow landed, and she discovered that it was also a Homunculus of the winter saintess type, holding a knight's greatsword.
"You just said that this offense was merely your personal intention, so it seems I must apologize to the current head of the Tohsaka Family.
Killing his eldest daughter, I must present a substantial gift to avoid being rude."
Acht Einzbern took two steps back, his gaze at Rin still grim, and he said in a low voice: "Come out, all of you!"
Swish, swish, swish...
Over a dozen white shadows suddenly darted out from around the chapel, surrounding Rin, who stood in the center of the hall, and blocking the exit door behind her.
They all held weapons and glared at Rin with murderous intent.
There were over a dozen individuals, all identical in appearance, indeed bearing an eighty to ninety percent resemblance to Irisviel.
It was no longer merely superficial; they were truly endowed with the same mimetic soul as Irisviel, not inferior products.
Over a dozen Irisviels...
Acht Einzbern's low voice, imbued with self-satisfaction, said:
"These Homunculuses are all creations of my Einzbern Clan over a thousand years, made by expending most of our resources to mimic the body structure of our clan's saintess, Justitia. Although their lifespan is short, lasting but a day, compared to types like Irisviel, the Holy Grail's guardian, they are the Einzbern Clan's last trump card for defense. Each possesses power not inferior to a Heroic Spirit! Facing more than ten Heroic Spirits in such a place, out of consideration for my clan and the Tohsaka Family being among the Three Founding Families of the Holy Grail War, I will give you ten breaths to prepare your last words!"
"Huh? So polite… you're even giving me time to prepare my last words?"
Rin's expression at this moment was extremely peculiar, a half-smile, half-frown; she wanted to laugh but feared she wouldn't be able to stop once she started, so she could only force a smile that didn't reach her eyes, resisting the upward pull at the corners of her mouth.
From her previous skirmish with that so-called Homunculus, not inferior to a Heroic Spirit, Rin had already analyzed the true level of these Homunculuses. Their basic ability parameters could probably reach twice that of an elite soldier from the Army of the King. As the foundation of a thousand-year-old Magus family, it truly wasn't embarrassing at all. A dozen or so combined could almost directly confront Diarmuid, a Lancer-class servant, but…
"Alright, since you're so generous, I won't be polite. My last words are… Thank you for appearing, allowing me to test how the chalice Magic I just acquired performs in actual combat. I'm truly dying of curiosity~"
With a composed smile, Rin slowly opened her right hand, holding it in an empty grasp. A golden chalice, shining with the light of a soul, had already appeared in Rin's palm!
"Kill her! Be careful not to damage the chalice Magic's inscription…"
Acht Einzbern gave the command indifferently, and as he ordered, his eyes fixed on the materialized chalice in Rin's hand, as if he wanted to reach out and grab it! More than ten elite Homunculuses, some wielding knight's swords, others battle axes… each carrying advanced alchemical magical weapons, charged towards Rin!
"Although their appearances are all as beautiful as Irisviel, as Homunculuses, they are also all extremely skilled martial artists. Heh heh, I like it!"
Yet, facing so many powerhouses, comparable to ordinary Heroic Spirits, attacking her simultaneously, Rin merely raised the chalice in her hand. The pure divine light, illuminating the soul's origin, instantly engulfed the entire chapel!
The light flashed only for an instant; even if seen, its speed was too fast, and the dozen or so Homunculuses charging towards her were all instantly affected.
Their rapid charge towards Rin instantly halted. The dozen or so Homunculuses, who had just been full of killing intent, all froze, standing motionless.
"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and kill her?!"
Acht Einzbern shouted from behind.
Rin put away the materialized chalice Magic, casually crossing her arms over her chest, standing relaxed and composed. She spoke with a similar indifference, tinged with a hint of triumph:
"Didn't you hear the old clan leader? Hurry up and kill him?"
"Yes!"
The moment Rin's words fell, the dozen Homunculuses uniformly responded with a "Yes." They all turned their backs, red lights flickering in their eyes, and charged towards Acht Einzbern, their former clan leader whom they had previously obeyed!
At this moment, Rin also materialized the Jeweled Sword from within her body, lightly drawing it through the empty space before her. There was clearly nothing there, yet the Jeweled Sword's blade seemed to cut through something.
Acht Einzbern, however, had no time to pay attention to Rin's peculiar actions. Facing the charging Homunculuses, a look of panic appeared on his face. He angrily shouted:
"What are you doing? Do you want to be destroyed? Stop right now?!"
As the eighth-generation humanoid control terminal of the Einzbern Clan, Acht Einzbern should have been an existence that no Einzbern Homunculus could resist. This was set from the moment the Homunculuses were created.
His furious roar, full of imposing presence, was unfortunately useless now, though his words would normally make these Homunculuses obey without question. It was as if the spell formulas etched into their bodies had lost their effect! Those Homunculuses, like wild beasts, their red eyes growing brighter, unhesitatingly swung their weapons at their former clan leader!
"Damn it!!!"
Seeing himself about to be destroyed by the Homunculuses created by his own family's foundation, Acht Einzbern cursed in a low voice, unable to maintain his previous composure. Retreat appeared in his eyes, and he pulled a small pocket watch from his 懷中. With a swipe of his hand, a visible blue magical energy was released, enveloping his body—
But what came next… Pfft~~!!!
Pfft pfft~~~!!!
A series of sounds of sharp weapons cutting into flesh rang out. Shoulders, chest, waist… every vital spot was cut by a sharp weapon. Blood instantly sprayed out, staining the shattered ornate robes. Acht Einzbern's eyes widened in disbelief, looking at the lifeless eyes of the Homunculus charging at the front, then lowering his gaze to the blue magical energy entwining his body… Pfft~~!!!
With another sound, several Homunculuses following behind also charged forward. One of them, a Homunculus wielding a large axe, even cut Acht Einzbern from shoulder to waist, directly cleaving him in two!
"Pfft~~!"
Blood gushed out, staining the ground crimson. Acht Einzbern collapsed powerlessly to the ground, his lifeless eyes gazing at the blue magical energy still entwining him, and he weakly said, his breath almost gone:
"Why… didn't… it transfer?"
At this moment, Rin leisurely strolled over, showing no reaction to Acht Einzbern's gruesome, mangled state. She reached out and took the exquisitely crafted pocket watch from his powerless hand, opening its cover and saying:
"Hmm~ This must have been made by our Tohsaka Family's grandmaster, Zelretch the Jewel, the Second Magus. He must have paid an unimaginable price to acquire it, a marked directional teleportation! Good stuff, but useless against the Jeweled Sword. If I cut off the link between this pocket watch and the mark and you still managed to escape, I'll just bash my head against Jalter's chest, hmph."
She twirled the pocket watch's golden chain in her hand a few times before letting it fall back into her palm.
"It's mine now!"
A ball of white fire ignited from Rin's fingertip, then gently landed on Acht Einzbern's corpse. The dismembered Acht Einzbern, unable to even leave behind a body, slowly burned under the white, sacred flames, rapidly turning to ashes.
"It's not good for someone your age to be left exposed like this. In the ice and snow, you wouldn't even rot, just become a dried corpse with no one to worship you. Who taught me to respect the old and cherish the young so much? Consider this your cremation and send-off."
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