The Machine God… Justice.
As Zelretch addressed the man beside him, this Machine God from the Eternal Night Empire appeared once more.
Logically, having had their cores consumed by Hope and being utterly incinerated by Ryuya's Primordial Flame, both Justice and Prosperity should have been annihilated into nothingness.
But due to Zelretch's existence… yes, that very Second Magic capable of connecting parallel worlds, Justice, also a product of the Lunar Civilization, was born from the Counter Force Alaya in the Snowfield City World.
Becoming a participant in this Holy Grail War alongside Zelretch, its... no, his purpose was simple and pure: to destroy Crimson Moon, to kill that system-designated, fated enemy.
However...
"Zelretch, although asking this again might be tedious, I must confirm with you once more: you truly do not know of the existence of the Earth King, correct?"
The memory of Ryuya would absolutely not fade… it was that man who destroyed him and Prosperity.
It was also he who crushed the last hope of the Lunar Civilization.
He could accept the survival of humans on Earth, and he could accept his core being devoured by another Machine God. But Justice's instinct, the directive that gave his existence meaning, was to kill Crimson Moon, the former Moon King.
Well aware that to kill Crimson Moon, he must face her husband, the Earth King, Ryuya, Justice had repeatedly confirmed Ryuya's absence with Zelretch after arriving in the Snowfield City World. He had to ensure his greatest enemy would not appear in this world.
"Rest assured, Justice. I am very clear about this world's history. The Sun-Crowned King you speak of does not exist here."
"Even in our world, True Ancestors and such have never appeared. The Lunar Civilization is absent in this world."
Smiling and shaking his head, Zelretch, having lived from the Common Era to the present, knew far too many secrets. He was certain Ryuya did not exist in this world.
After all, according to Justice, the Sun-Crowned King's radiance could not be concealed. Zelretch did not believe such a man could hide for so many years without a single trace leaking out.
However...
"Speaking of which, Justice, could this Sun-Crowned King you mention be summoned through the Holy Grail War?"
"According to your account, since you, a Machine God of the Lunar Civilization, have appeared, wouldn't the Earth King's appearance also be normal?"
The thought of the previous Holy Grail War in Snowfield City suddenly crossed Zelretch's mind. He remembered Kayneth had once told him about the events in Snowfield City.
Pondering whether that figure in Snowfield City, who was involved with the oldest King and King Arthur, could be the Sun-Crowned King, this idea surfaced in Zelretch's mind for a moment before vanishing without a trace.
'Impossible. The era Justice comes from is too far removed from the times of Uruk and Camelot. The possibility of it being the same person is almost zero.'
Subconsciously believing that entities active across different worlds couldn't possibly be the same person, Zelretch's thinking was normal.
But Ryuya's very existence was abnormal from the start, so Zelretch was mistaken from the beginning.
On the other hand, unaware of Zelretch's thoughts, Justice shook his head, "The existence of the Earth King is detested by Alaya. The Human Order's Counter Force is incompatible as fire and water with him."
"If acting as a Master, the Earth King could forcibly form a contract with his immense power. But being summoned as a Servant... even though this Holy Grail War has been distorted to this extent, it is absolutely impossible."
Finally confirming with Zelretch that Ryuya would not appear in this Holy Grail War, Justice was at ease.
"Next, let's go, Zelretch."
"It's time to meet my other brother."
Setting off with Zelretch in another direction, Justice and the Magician King headed towards the territory of the Yggdmillennia Family.
Yggdmillennia, a family originating from Northern Europe, bearing the title Tree of a Thousand Realms.
Due to the dilution of their Magic Crest, corroded by time, the bloodline of the Yggdmillennia Clan began to decline into ordinary people.
To maintain their family's strength, forced to change their bloodline inheritance, the head of the Yggdmillennia Clan established a rather criticized rule: to absorb magi of other bloodlines.
Yes, regardless of whether you were originally a member of Yggdmillennia, as long as you had magical talent and no family, you could become a member of the Yggdmillennia Clan.
Impoverished magi, families with lost Crests, people with blocked Magic Circuits... Under this premise, Yggdmillennia struggled to survive in the magus world and passed down to this day.
Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia, the current head of the Yggdmillennia Clan.
About eighty years ago, as a young magus, he was full of talent and vigor. But due to his impure bloodline, the Mage's Association delivered disastrous news to him: Darnic's descendants would lose their magical aptitude after five generations.
Five generations, roughly a hundred years if counting twenty years per generation. From an ordinary person's perspective, this was a considerable length of time. But in the eyes of magi, this was undoubtedly a death sentence, marking him as abandoned.
For example, if an imperial dynasty was established, would you consider it long if it lasted over a dozen emperors, existing for several hundred years? Not really.
But if you were told that even if you became emperor, your lineage could last at most five generations, meaning your empire would collapse after a hundred years, would you still think the time was sufficient?
In the view of magi, this was essentially pronouncing Darnic's death sentence.
Reality proved just as Darnic feared. Whether his friends, brothers, or even his beloved fiancée, they all gradually distanced themselves from him one by one.
His dream of becoming nobility shattered, having lost everything, Darnic did not vanish among the masses. Instead, he began to endure patiently and research.
Gritting his teeth, he remained in the Mage's Association, striving to become stronger, to create a true magical family capable of changing everything.
By a chance opportunity, he learned about the Holy Grail War in Snowfield City. But at that time, he was merely an ordinary second-level lecturer, so how could he compete with Kayneth, who was already a Lord?
Fortunately, the Fourth Holy Grail War had ended. Although unclear about the specific events, Darnic began preparing for the next war: the Fifth Holy Grail War.
In the Apocrypha Timeline, Darnic utilized the power of the Nazis, successfully betrayed the Mage's Association, and initiated a 7v7 Servant War.
In this world, having endured patiently until now, he began using political means to climb step by step, finally becoming the Lord of the Elemental Conversion Department this year.
"The Holy Grail War... has finally begun!"
With political and economic skills so adept that he managed to steal gems and precious materials equivalent to over eight hundred years' worth from the Mage's Association, Darnic came to Snowfield City upon confirming the Fifth Holy Grail War's approach and established his base here.
As the Command Spell flashed on his hand, the man's laughter echoed throughout the underground facility.
"Excellent, excellent! A hundred years of waiting, and I have finally reached this day!"
His gaze fixed intently on the Servant he summoned, Darnic had never felt such joy.
But he was ecstatic, for everything from the past was now vindicated… his efforts had been useful.
Therefore...
"Come, Prosperity! Let us welcome... war!"
Standing at the highest point of his family's territory alongside the other Machine God, Prosperity, Darnic started his declaration of victory.