69novels Page 41
Page 41
After only a few exchanges, Quinn realized that if he didn't use some ruthless moves, he would likely be defeated by Lucius in a few more moves, so he stopped holding back.
Fairy magic, activate, legend reborn, selected...
The image of Lancelot wielding the holy sword from the lake, radiating azure light, flashed through Quinn's mind. Immediately afterward, the technique Lancelot had used countless times on the battlefield—compressing the power of the holy sword into a seemingly ordinary slash—appeared in Quinn's mind.
As the skill entered his mind, Excalibur in Quinn's hand also began to glow faintly. The next moment, the holy sword and the demonic sword clashed once again.
This time, the enormous impact instantly blew Lucius dozens of meters away. The Roman emperor rolled several times on the ground before barely managing to dissipate the force of the impact. He suddenly raised his head and looked at Quinn with surprise and delight at the fact that Quinn had replicated Lancelot's famous technique with fairy magic. For a moment, he could not hide his joy.
He, the Roman Emperor Lucius, simply loved powerful men like that; the more powerful a man was, the more he desired to conquer him!
But compared to the ecstatic Lucius, Quinn's expression was not so good.
After the initial exchange, you clearly realized that Lucius's martial arts skills far surpassed yours. Even if Lancelot were standing here now, he would find it difficult to defeat Lucius in a short time, and could only drag him into a war of attrition. You looked around at the battlefield and found that your army was already in a state of decline.
With the magician's assistance, the Roman soldiers have suppressed your conscripted army, causing the army's previously high morale to plummet. Normally, a commander should be there to boost the army's morale, but Artoria, having used the Holy Lance repeatedly, is now exhausted and can only barely hold her own against the Sword Emperor's giant guards.
And your heir, Mordred...
Chapter 92
She was full of energy, even somewhat excessive. You saw her kill a giant blocking her path and head towards your location to help you, but before she could take more than a few steps, she was surrounded by the Roman army again.
You have no help now. You know that you only have one way to win—unleash the Holy Sword.
[You possess the right to claim all of Artoria's treasures. You can use the Holy Sword in battle, and the Holy Sword will not resist you. However, this Holy Sword is ultimately not something you obtained. It is a star-forged Holy Sword, the ultimate weapon used by this world to fight against alien enemies. Even the guardian of the Holy Sword cannot wield this superhuman power with impunity.]
[Thirteen constraints originating from the Knights of the Round Table are imposed on this holy sword, limiting its true power. Only by overcoming seven of these constraints can the sword unleash its true power, but... you know, in your battle with Lucius, let alone satisfying seven of them, even overcoming five is a question...]
Who says the Holy Sword can only be used through a seal passed by the Round Table?
Some people use the Holy Sword and need to pass a resolution to seal it because they abide by the law, while others use other methods, such as—veto power, passing the resolution dictatorially.
[You only need to consider one question now: When you wield the Holy Lance, you will be unable to live long due to its power. Artoria also paid her due price when she obtained the Holy Sword, unable to embrace death as a normal human being. Now, are you prepared to pay the price required to become the second guardian of the Holy Sword?]
cost?
The simulator kept displaying pop-up warnings in front of Quinn's eyes, as if advising him to choose carefully, but he ignored them.
The entire simulation flashed before Quinn's eyes like a revolving lantern. Whether it was official history or unofficial history, all the comments focused on him were aboveboard. Even if there were scandals, they were limited to matters of private morality. In this era, his private morality issues were nothing more than matters of love and romance. Would that be considered a problem for an emperor?
That's not good at all!
However, if he is regarded as a Roman by later generations because of Lucius, then that would be a real problem!
I don't want my story—which started with a bowl and became a legendary emperor from scratch—to suddenly turn into a messy Roman royal family drama! Even worse, I don't want to be blacklisted as a target by the Restraint Force!
"Lucius, your delusion of restoring Rome ends here!"
Quinn's eyes flashed with a determination to sacrifice everything; he would not allow anyone to let his efforts go to waste!
"Holy Sword—Release!"
You have unleashed the Sword of Excalibur, and your actions have drawn the attention of "the world." "The world" is aware of the consequences of your actions and is trying to stop you.
The whisper of the holy sword echoed in your ear.
[The Round Table Resolution is initiated; enemy searches begin; the Knights of the Round Table begin voting.]
[You cast your vote, you rejected the Round Table referendum, the Holy Sword Liberation Resolution passes.]
The next moment, a dazzling light shone from the holy sword in Quinn's hand. Unlike the divine radiance of the holy spear, it was a brilliant and dangerous starlight, a simple and unadorned combination of light and heat.
The price to wield this holy sword is far beyond what ordinary people can pay. This holy sword only unleashes its full power when the planet itself faces a annihilation crisis. At that time, the planet itself will also aid in the sword's release. But now…
Quinn could feel all the power in his body being absorbed by the Holy Sword. He was almost drained dry by the Holy Sword, but even so, the Holy Sword in his hand was like an unsatisfied woman, relentlessly squeezing out the last bit of true ether from him. But alas, Quinn really had nothing left...
Seemingly realizing that if it continued to drain the power, it would extract the very marrow of its new master, the Holy Sword itself began to stop absorbing power. But Quinn knew that this was not enough.
Quinn saw that the demonic sword in Lucius's hand had also begun to emit a terrifying, dazzling red light.
The Roman emperor also unleashed the power of the divinely blessed demon sword in his hand. Quinn vaguely remembered that in the old Type-Moon setting, that demon sword also possessed considerable power, and Highland was a master who could fire light cannons.
In an instant, Quinn's mind conjured up the scenario that Lucius would still be alive after the battle ended.
I can't accept this! Absolutely not! Even if I die today, I'm taking you, Lucius, with me!
then……
Without the slightest hesitation, in order to prove his innocence, Quinn decided to launch a super attack.
[You used the final fairy magic. A series of images flashed through your mind. You poured all your life force into the holy sword. The holy sword roared with joy. It sensed a will from you that was even more unwavering than that of Artoria.]
The Catholic God is pleased with your act of self-sacrifice; your actions are so in line with His aesthetic sense that He has decided to offer you a tiny bit of help.
A whisper rings in your ear, "Rome is a dragon too. Your NP is full, go for it!"
[You have unleashed the Holy Sword; you have entered "Battle Continue" state.]
Chapter 81 What is a perpetual empire?
The gleaming tip of the holy sword engulfed the emperor, erasing him from history, and also destroyed the surrounding terrain, causing the imperial army, with its countless fierce and violent forces, to collapse on the spot.
In the original Type-Moon universe, the description of the duel between the Roman emperor and King Arthur replayed in Quinn's mind. He had once imagined what that scene would be like, but in the end, all he could picture was a beam of light slashing out and the Roman emperor Lucius disappearing in the light. And now...
Quinn finally understood what the Star-Forged Holy Sword was, and what the ultimate weapon forged specifically to save the world was.
The light of the Holy Sword not only destroyed Lucius, but also evaporated the forest, land, and ocean in front of Quinn. Quinn could originally see the seaside forest and highlands, but now, all he could see was an endless sea. The seawater that had been split by the power of the Holy Sword was pouring into the gap in the coastline, and the sound of the large amount of seawater pouring in was like continuous thunder.
Instead of choosing a location near the coastline for this battle, the complete liberation of the Holy Sword of Salvation would likely be enough to take away a significant portion of the island of Ireland. Such power is indeed beyond what human strength alone can sustain.
The excruciating pain coursing through his body made Quinn acutely aware that he was truly doomed. He could clearly sense that he was now nothing more than a skeleton in a tomb, unable even to move an inch, but…
Satisfied.
My innocence has finally been preserved!
[Lucius is dead, and you feel exceptionally satisfied, because with Lucius's annihilation by the holy sword, the Roman Empire will also dissipate into the annals of history. That great empire will disintegrate according to the normal course of history, the Western Roman Empire will completely vanish, leaving only the Eastern Roman Empire to hold Constantinople alone, unable to withstand the onslaught, until the Ottomans send it on its final journey.]
Of course, this is the outcome of normal historical development. Now, you no longer know how history will unfold, because you are no longer able to watch over the future of the empire you have built. The Holy Sword has drained all your power and taken away your life force. Without the support of the "world," the price to pay for fully wielding the Holy Sword on your own is so cruel.
Fortunately, you have a unique trait called "Dragon Slayer." Because the Roman Empire itself was regarded as the "Great Red Dragon" by the Catholic God, Lucius was also recognized by God and considered a kind of "dragon." This makes your battle with Lucius meet the conditions for triggering the trait, and the "Battle Continuation" state can be successfully triggered.
[Relying on "combat continuation," this allows one to continue fighting even before facing death.]
Chapter 93
You've been using your skills normally for a while now, and you're still clinging to life. Although you don't have much time left, you can still fulfill some of your last wishes, such as killing someone, issuing a final decree, or giving your loved ones their final words.
Normally, the skill "Battle Continuation" is a manifestation of a Servant's fighting spirit. A Servant possessing this skill can forcefully continue fighting even when critically injured and near death, thanks to a powerful will to win. By this standard, Quinn, a normal mage, should never possess such a skill, but...
I just want to die right now, Brother Tongzi, please, I'm begging you to abide by the Type-Moon Law and just let me die already.
The intense pain emanating from his limbs and bones had rendered Quinn too weak to even speak. He no longer saw the "Battle Continuation" skill as anything special; he only wished to die as quickly as possible to end his suffering.
However, while the trait skills provided by the simulator were useful, they clearly did not respond to Quinn's thoughts and desires. It was as if Quinn initially only wanted a Feilu system to carry him, not a simulator. This mechanical system was a complete blockhead, a pure machine, devoid of any humanity.
Even though Quinn was in excruciating pain, "Battle Continuation" was still working its original function, keeping Quinn alive.
In the end, Quinn abandoned his pursuit of a swift death. He endured excruciating pain, as if his testicles were being crushed, and forced himself to move back to the battlefield with the holy sword, because he did have something else he wanted to do.
Driven by unwavering will, your body, now already in the underworld, traversed a battlefield strewn with corpses, your back to the setting sun sinking towards the horizon, searching for your target. When you appeared before the army, your body riddled with wounds, every vein bursting, blood nearly drained, all the soldiers cheered your triumphant return, chanting your title and celebrating the victory of the war—except for two people.
"Your Majesty the Emperor is invincible!" "Long live the King of Britannia!"
On the battlefield, the surviving soldiers watched the emperor return from the direction of the enemy leader's tent and cheered in unison. They knew that the invincible emperor had once again led them to victory.
However, among the crowd, Artoria and Mordred's expressions turned extremely panicked. Unlike ordinary people, they had already seen the full appearance of the returning emperor.
Bathed in blood, his armor shattered, his hair disheveled, and his face as pale as a corpse, the figure dragged his feet with faltering steps. The holy sword in the emperor's hand was still shining, but its radiance was as bleak as dusk. To anyone who looked at him, he was already a dying man, or even a walking corpse.
A mixture of shock, panic, terror, and fear exploded within the two women.
How could this be? Didn't I already hand over the Avalon sword sheath to him?
The information fed back from her eyes was too much for Artoria's brain to process. She had never imagined that Quinn would suffer such serious injury while protected by the scabbard. She froze on the spot, unable to move for a moment.
Mordred, who witnessed the scene, rushed towards Quinn like a madwoman. She was unaware of the complicated relationship between Quinn, her mother, and Artoria. She only knew one thing: a normal person could not possibly survive such severe injuries. An immense sense of fear instantly overwhelmed this girl who had never encountered any misfortune since birth. She ran while letting out heart-wrenching screams.
"Father!"
Mordred rushed to Quinn, trying to hug her, but before she could do so, Quinn could no longer support her body.
The tall, imposing figure she had always admired suddenly collapsed. She instinctively reached out to catch Quinn, only to realize that Quinn's body was not heavy at all, but rather light, to a degree that shouldn't be normal. Mordred was at a loss, not knowing what to do. She could only hold Quinn and carefully kneel on the ground, afraid of aggravating Quinn's injuries.
This sudden change silenced the previously jubilant army. The soldiers realized that something seemed wrong; they had indeed won, but it seemed they had paid a price they could not accept.
"You're kidding, right? Father, you're not joking, it's just a Roman barbarian, you must be acting, right?" Mordred's voice trembled. She finally realized the situation and what she was about to face, but she didn't want to admit it. "Get up quickly, everyone is watching you. Go to sleep and talk about it when you get home..."
"Mordred..."
Quinn's gaze swept over the first daughter to come to his side, and he forced a miserable smile through his pain. He had originally thought that Artoria would be the first to come to his side, and he had even planned to have Artoria become his regent.
Now that's great, we can skip one step and just say our last words.
So what should I say? According to the process most in my own best interest, I should talk to Mordred about the policy of entrusting the young emperor to her, tell her who can be used after my death and who cannot, maximize the interests of the empire, and then plant a seed in her mind to ensure that the Britannian Empire will dissipate in the same way as normal pan-human history.
In this way, once the simulation ends, not only can he reap the benefits of the simulation, but he can also ensure that he will not become a thorn in the side of the inhibitory force. It is a huge win, and it is the choice that any normal magician should make.
The physical pain didn't affect Quinn's thinking; he was still contemplating how to maximize the benefits of this simulation, which could potentially come true and bring him advantages, but...
"Father... Mother is still waiting for you to come back..."
When he looked at Mordred, who was unaware that tears were streaming down her face, Quinn's selfish thoughts suddenly vanished. He recalled everything he had done during his time in Britain, and the faces of Morgan, Artoria, Gawain, Agravan... all the people he had been deeply connected with flashed through his mind.
Initially, Quinn's goal was to secure a good future for himself in the Clock Tower, a magician's stronghold that valued lineage and bloodline, after the simulation ended. So he approached Morgan, hoping to marry into the Pendragon family and become a blood descendant of King Arthur.
Then, he caught the eye of the Counterforce, and the idea arose that he could enter Valhalla after death and become a civil servant within the system. He then began to pursue merit, to leave his name in history, and to do something great that would not affect the history of humankind, but would still make him a hero...
But... isn't this version of myself a bit too calculating?
While he was preoccupied with his future, Artoria, upon hearing that her lifespan was nearing its end, gave him the scabbard that could protect her. Morgan, after hearing about his fabricated prophecy, was preoccupied with how to protect himself from its harm...
Quinn fell silent, unable to utter the words he had intended to say. The low sobs of Mordred echoed in his ears, no longer the ethereal murmurs of a god or something else. The pain emanating from his body repeatedly reminded him that he was truly here, not hiding behind the scenes manipulating a string of data.
"Mordred."
The Emperor of Britannia suddenly realized his mistake. He mustered his strength and, with a burst of willpower, rose from his heir's embrace. He reached out and gently touched his beloved daughter's cheek. "From this day forward," he said, "you are the Emperor of Britannia. Promise me you will take good care of your mother, protect your godmother, and cherish your brothers and sisters. Under no circumstances will you harm them. Everything else is yours."
Chapter 94