Chapter 216: Coliseum.
"The deity of Mount Ibuki, Ibuki-Douji."
Da Vinci said so.
Hearing this, Eikou froze.So Ibuki-Douji might actually be the Legendary Servant from the rumors?
If Ibuki-Douji was summoned with Divine Servant parameters, then she would indeed be the Boss of this Singularity in Master GO — a terrifying existence capable of destroying the entire Singularity in a single night.
If he could somehow tame her, wouldn't he be able to clear the Singularity at lightning speed?
Eikou couldn't help feeling a bit excited, but he quickly forced himself to calm down.
Calm down. There is no such thing as free bread falling from the sky.Trying to tame a Divine Servant probably costs even more than conquering the Singularity itself.
"…Something feels off."
Eikou muttered.
"You're correct, Mr. Eikou. Something here is very off."
Holmes, standing beside him, said.
"Based on the records of the previous Keian Command Championship and the testimonies of the Servants involved, the Ibuki-Douji summoned back then was a genuine deity. A normal summoning ritual wouldn't even be able to bring out her tail. Unless someone in the Holy Grail War manipulated the ritual without permission, it would be impossible to summon a Divine of that level."
"And to seal her, they not only relied on the power of Ruler Gilgamesh, but also invited all participants of the Holy Grail War. If that was necessary back then, then this time…"
Eikou suddenly understood.
Hosting a large-scale tournament like this meant that a genuine Divine Servant really existed here.
And that Servant — Ibuki-Douji — was the strongest Pokémon of this Singularity!
If he could obtain a deity-level Heroic Spirit, what Gym challenge would he even need?He could just bulldoze the entire Singularity.
"Then how should we capture her?"
Eikou asked.
"Are we supposed to take it literally and go fight a match?"
"That, um…"
Holmes's voice grew much softer.
"Gods are capricious existences, their joys and sorrows unpredictable. Their actions cannot be deduced with logic. To put it bluntly… only by going inside will we know."
[You all quickly follow the flow of people into this magnificent, golden arena.]
[What greets your eyes is a Japanese-style ring glowing under bright lights, its inner layout like a dry garden, and its stage built from ancient wood. The scenery inside is far more grand and overwhelming than the outside, and the radiant lights dye the entire arena in red and gold, making you involuntarily think of a certain Golden Servant.]
[A Servant in a golden kimono stands atop one of the arena's lantern pillars, staring down at everyone with a transcendent, extraordinary presence.]
[Just one look is enough for you to understand…]
[Gilgamesh Ruler — he is the referee of this League (Holy Grail War), and also last season's Champion League.]
"…Have all of you arrived? Then let's begin."
The Hero King Gilgamesh stood on the lantern pillar, speaking with a particularly enthusiastic tone.
"Listen well, you mongrels who flock here chasing rumors of the Legendary Servant. As the referee of this ritual, this king hereby declares! Your Gym Challenge and this League will begin from this very moment. If you wish to become the Champion League, to claim the Holy Grail, then here, under this king's gaze, display your strength and defeat all opponents worthy of you!"
In an instant, the entire arena fell silent.
Only the resounding, bell-like voice of the Hero King echoed endlessly under the splendid roof.
All the Trainers exchanged glances, confused.
Judging by their reactions, rather than being overwhelmed by his powerful voice, they were simply unable to understand what on earth was happening.
The first to raise her hand and ask a question was Caren Hortensia.
"Hey, you very grown-up looking Hero King over there,"
The beautiful silver-haired girl smiled.
"Before anything else, could you explain what exactly this is? I came here because I heard there was a Divine Servant in legend, so why do I have to participate in some strange ritual? What benefit do I get from it?"
"A very good question. If we're talking about benefits, then pleasing this king is the greatest benefit you mongrels can possibly obtain!"
Gilgamesh said this with complete nonchalance.
Just how unreasonable and self-centered could someone get?!
Eikou — and everyone around him — all thought the same thing.
"Hmph. That was just a joke earlier, Hero King joke."
Gilgamesh snorted lightly, then suddenly shifted to a serious tone, narrowing those deep crimson eyes.
"Even if this king wished to speak vaguely, some Servants who once took part in the Keian Command Championship would see through it. The rumor of the God is no lie — that is precisely why this king summoned you here. This king wishes to conduct a most magnificent ritual to seal the God, and thus moved the League's battle venue to this place. And whoever wins to the very end of this League…"
As he spoke, the air surged with dazzling golden ripples.
A brilliantly shining golden chalice radiating immense magical power appeared before everyone's eyes.
It was the Holy Grail!
Eikou couldn't help but take a deep breath, his gaze completely drawn toward the Holy Grail's radiance.
"Whoever wins to the end shall be acknowledged by this king as the new Champion of the League, and be granted this omnipotent wish-granting machine!"
[Although Pikachu spoke a lot, in essence it can be summarized in one sentence.]
[Fight, win, and then you can have whatever you want.]
[This Holy Grail War seems to be experiencing some unusual situation — it appears someone has awakened the Divine Servant, forcing Hero King Gilgamesh to personally intervene, and thus all of you have been gathered here for the League.]
[...]
[Thinking this far, you and Caren instinctively look at each other.]
[It seems that right here, the two of you can directly decide victory and defeat.]
[Win the tournament here, seize the Holy Grail, fulfill the pact — repair the Singularity and also justifiably save Caren.]
"But don't think you mongrels can skip the Gym and directly initiate a challenge."
Hero King Gilgamesh said so.
"This king will arrange three trials for you mongrels — three days and two nights, layer upon layer of screening. Only the one who can win to the very end will be the true Champion. Struggle to your last breath right before this king, and display every ounce of your ability to bring this king joy."
[Just like that, your League tournament is about to begin.]
...