Farther away, beyond the smoldering edge of the battlefield, down the slope still hazy with smoke, Jim strode swiftly toward Will.
The two finally regrouped.
Will's face was dark with tension, his brows knit with unspoken questions.
The moment he opened his mouth, restrained fury laced every word:
"What the hell is all this about? I followed General Eryx's orders—I cooperated with you as best I could."
His voice wasn't loud, but every syllable landed sharp and heavy, like he was finally confronting a mystery he could no longer ignore.
Jim casually brushed the dust off his jacket, seemingly unfazed.
Instead of answering right away, he turned to glance back at the still-chaotic battlefield behind them.
Then, in an almost lazy tone, he said:
"For intelligence, of course. I used the fragment I had to lure out the others—see who else was hiding the same thing."
"Now it seems… aside from me and General Eryx, there are three more forces holding fragments."
His voice was calm and steady, but beneath the surface lay a deliberate vagueness.
Will caught it instantly.
He narrowed his eyes.
"Three factions? You sure about that? Did you recognize them?"
Jim smiled faintly.
For a brief moment, a flicker of cunning flashed behind his eyes.
Then he shook his head slowly.
"Only one. Elias."
"The other two… their faces were unfamiliar. You know them?"
His tone was casual, but his words were laced with implication—he was clearly withholding something.
Will didn't answer at first.
He fell silent, and after a beat, as if reaching a decision, he said:
"I don't. But I'll compile a full report on their appearances and submit it to General Eryx."
"And you. I'll report everything you did today as well."
At that, Jim suddenly burst into laughter.
Loud, unrestrained, almost mocking.
As if the warning meant absolutely nothing to him.
"Hahaha—go right ahead."
"I'm planning to see the general myself soon anyway. Don't worry—I wouldn't dream of shortchanging our dear general."
He chuckled as he reached into his coat, slowly pulling out the Grail fragment.
It spun lightly between his fingers, like some innocent trinket.
But to Will, it looked more like a ticking bomb.
"I'll hand it over to him after this. Today was its one and only use."
Jim added with a smile, his gaze so open and unflinching that it made you question whether he truly had nothing to hide.
Will stared at him for a long moment.
Eventually, he gave up pushing.
He knew it was useless trying to extract the truth right here and now.
Jim was too slippery—every sentence had a backdoor.
The only thing Will could do was carry all of this back to General Eryx and let him decide what it meant.
But while Will stayed silent, Jim's mind was already turning.
To him, the Grail fragment had never been a trophy.
It was a cursed fruit—hot to the touch, dangerous to keep.
Possessing it might look like strength, but in reality, it was a beacon for enemies.
It would bring only pursuit, betrayal, and death.
"Better to give it up now," he thought coldly.
"Give it to Eryx, give it to them—let them fight over it, bleed for it. And when the fragments are all finally gathered… that's when I'll make my move."
He smiled again, but in the shadows,
his eyes gleamed cold—like a blade hidden just beneath the sleeve.