A woman may be frail, but as a mother, she is unyielding.
Irisviel had faced betrayal from both her family and her husband.
Now, only Illya could light up her world and warm her heart.
"Saber, there's something I'd like to ask of you."
"About Kiritsugu..."
"Please keep it a secret."
"Alright."
What could Artoria say? She agreed to Irisviel's request.
A knight's virtue is honesty.
But for Iris, she would remain silent.
"..."
Watching their exchange, Damien felt an odd sense of déjà vu: So, Iris is the mom, Artoria's the dad, and Illya's the daughter?
It felt a bit off.
Yet somehow, Damien found the dynamic oddly compelling.
"Lord Damien, can we find Illya first?"
"Sure."
Damien smiled, "Don't mind me. I'll just look around."
After spending time together and hearing Artoria's accounts, Irisviel had come to understand Damien's character.
He was a remarkably gentle and merciful ruler.
As long as you didn't cross him, Damien was easy to talk to.
"This way, Saber!"
"Illya!"
Soon, Irisviel found Illya in the castle.
The girl was sleeping in bed.
Stirring awake, Illya opened her eyes and saw her mother.
"Mama!!"
Illya leapt into Irisviel's arms with joy.
One big, one small... two white-haired, red-eyed girls.
Damien stayed silent, quietly observing the heartwarming reunion.
But soon, he stepped away.
He didn't want to intrude on their moment.
If he guessed right, Irisviel would likely pin the blame on Emiya Kiritsugu, fostering Illya's resentment toward her irresponsible father.
Damien had no obligation to intervene.
He found a spot to sit, waiting quietly for Justeaze's return.
"Finished the tally?"
Soon, Justeaze returned.
With her came a group of ethereal, white-haired, red-eyed girls.
Dressed in flowing white gowns or maid uniforms, they were the homunculi tasked with maintaining the Einzbern estate.
"Yes."
Justeaze reported, "Excluding the completely mindless dolls, the castle houses over thirty children."
Damien held no prejudice against homunculi.
Any being with a soul, in his view, deserved to be treated as a living entity.
"And the souls trapped in All the World's Evil."
Justeaze continued, "Some have lost all reason and can only be sent to reincarnation."
"The rest, about four hundred, I'd like to give new lives as reborn Einzbern individuals."
These reborn individuals wouldn't grow through natural human means.
Like the maids, they'd be created as fully formed beings via homunculus technology.
"They're exceptional children, capable of providing excellent service to you, Lord Damien."
"Service, huh..."
Damien's lip twitched at Justeaze's suggestive phrasing.
Thankfully, he knew she didn't mean it that way.
Justeaze wanted him to become the new head of the Einzbern family.
"Fine, whatever makes you happy."
Damien didn't reject her offer. He led the group out of the castle and activated his Reality Marble.
In an instant, the entire castle, along with its surrounding woods and snowfields, vanished into his world.
"Violet."
"Yes, my lord?"
"Let's return."
Having resolved everything, Damien issued the command to return.
Starting with the Star Wolves and Kijin, then the castle and materials within the Reality Marble, followed by Artoria, Justeaze, and the others.
Finally, even Damien dissolved into particles of light.
Thus concluded Damien's journey to the Nasuverse and his participation in the Fourth Holy Grail War... a resounding success.
[Gate of the Void has entered cooldown. Duration: seven days]
[Commencing analysis of rules gained from this traversal]
[Analysis in progress...]
[Analysis complete]
[Acquired new data: 'Heroic Spirit,' integrated with Cardinal World concepts of Elemental, Daemon, and Angel]
[Integration successful. New race created: 'Holy Spirit']
[Acquired exclusive skill: 'Hall of Heroes']
[Acquired new data: 'Reality Marble,' merged with 'Gate of the Void' abilities]
[Fusion successful. Exclusive skill 'Gate of the Void' evolved into 'Void Ark']
[Acquired new data: 'Noble Phantasm,' cross-referenced with Cardinal World knowledge of 'Magic Tools,' 'Magic Gear,' and 'Divine Armaments']
[Integration complete. Acquired exclusive skill: 'Prime Treasury']
This traversal was unlike any before.
Damien only needed to open his eyes to receive the Voice of the World's gifts.
"Heroic Spirits, Reality Marbles, Noble Phantasms."
"The Voice of the World deemed these new data?"
New data meant entirely new rules of power.
[Detected anomalous concept. Commencing analysis]
[Analysis complete. Acquired anomalous ability: 'All the World's Evil.' Initiating conversion...]
[Conversion successful. Acquired incomplete Ultimate Skill: Lord of End (Apep)]
"Whoa!!!"
If the three exclusive skills were a pleasant surprise, the appearance of Lord of End left Damien stunned.
This was an Ultimate Skill!
Though incomplete, it was still an Ultimate Skill!
What was an Ultimate Skill?
Simply put, the gap between a Demon Lord and a True Demon Lord lay in the qualitative and quantitative transformation of magicules.
The difference between True Demon Lords was the possession of an Ultimate Skill.
An Ultimate Skill was the benchmark for a True Demon Lord's strength.
A True Demon Lord with one was a different species from one without.
And now...
"Could I match a True Demon Lord?"
The thought crossed Damien's mind, but he quickly suppressed it, "Don't get cocky. I'm not invincible yet. Absolutely cannot get reckless."
"It's just an incomplete Ultimate Skill."
"Didn't Rimuru awaken multiple Ultimate Skills later and still stay low-key?"
There were gaps between Ultimate Skills.
Take Milim's Wrathful King.
Though it risked losing control, it could endlessly amplify strength, potentially annihilating entire worlds.
That was true terror.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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