The Second Magic.
The legendary Magic wielded by the Wizard Marshal Zelretch. It allows the user to travel freely between parallel worlds while maintaining their own identity. It was highly probable that Su Shu's own transmigration was related to it.
However, the Old Man of the Jewels had long since vanished from the public eye. No one knew which backwater dimension he was vacationing in now, or what grand scheme he was plotting.
So, rather than pinning his hopes on such a distant, legendary figure, Su Shu would be better off trying to reproduce the Second Magic himself. If humanity was truly doomed, at least he would have an escape route.
"Correct. The Second Magic," El-Melloi II confirmed, exhaling another wisp of ethereal smoke. "If it's you, Shu... you might truly have a chance to step into the Swirl of the Root..."
Unlike magecraft, which were mere "tricks," Magic was a true miracle connected to the Root. Throughout history, countless magi had thrown themselves into the pursuit of the Root, conducting all manner of research, human experiments, breaking taboos, and even abandoning their own humanity. Yet, those who were fortunate enough to even glimpse the Root remained few and far between.
"A genius who transcends the rank of Grand, with the potential to touch the Root."
That was how highly Waver regarded Su Shu.
My disciple, Su Shu, has the makings of a Root-reacher!
Waver could already imagine the day it happened. He himself would become a "Mentor of a Magic User," another figure of legend. Then he would never have to work his ass off with overtime again! He could finally pay off that mountain of debt and live a lavish life where he could afford to smoke one mystic cigar and toss it away halfway through.
Eager to secure his comfortable future, the teacher painted a grand picture for his student.
"There's no need to pay any mind to the jealousy of petty people. What's most important is to focus on your own path."
Lost in his grand vision, Waver luxuriously stubbed out his barely-smoked cigar in the ashtray.
"People will envy those who run ahead of them, but they can only stop and gaze up at a towering mountain. As the ancient Chinese saying goes, 'One looks up to a high mountain, and one follows a great road,' right?"
No, that idiom refers to admiring someone of high moral virtue...
The degenerates at the Clock Tower would be doing him a favor just by not tripping him up. The thought of them shamelessly trying to cozy up to him was frankly nauseating to Su Shu.
But, even though the idiom was used incorrectly, Su Shu wasn't about to spoil his teacher's mood.
"I never concern myself with such tedious malice," the black-haired young man said, shaking his head. "But what about you, Teacher? Do you not feel any regret? After all, this was an opportunity you pursued for so long..."
His words hung in the air.
The Lord of the Department of Modern Magecraft fell silent.
El-Melloi II stared blankly at the ashtray, watching the last embers of his cigar die out. After a long moment, he finally shook his head softly.
"...The Holy Grail War should not be the occasion for a reunion between my king and his subject."
That's right.
Waver Velvet himself had originally been the one planning to participate.
The reason was simple. As a loyal subject, he wanted to see his King once more, even if only for a single glance.
But his disciple's thunderous words had dealt a critical blow to his heart.
"Your King commanded you, his subject, to live on. If you were to place yourself in harm's way just to see him again, would that truly be the reunion he wished for?"
...He was right.
To summon his King back into something like the Holy Grail War just because he wanted to see him... in the end, wasn't that just his own selfish desire?
Nearly a decade had passed, but the young man named Waver Velvet had never truly left that night in 1994. Even now, a Lord of the Clock Tower... he hadn't matured at all.
Realizing his own immaturity, El-Melloi II had finally let go of his obsession with a bitter smile. He stopped scrambling for a spot in the Holy Grail War and instead chose to honor his promise to his King: to live his life to the fullest.
"We will surely have a chance to meet again."
Waver touched his chest. Since that day, he had always kept a fragment of his King's cape close to his heart.
"When it comes to clarity in life, Shu, you are the one who is my teacher."
Recalling that heart-to-heart conversation with his disciple, El-Melloi II looked at the black box on the table with a wave of emotion.
What a nostalgic item.
He too had once "procured" such a Holy Relic from his own teacher, Kayneth... It was procuring, of course. How could you call what a magus does "stealing"?
The grand journey that followed, and the bond forged between king and subject, had all begun with the Holy Grail War.
"A Holy Relic..." Waver began, his voice laced with scorn. "I must say, those old fools at the Clock Tower only seem to use their pathetic brain capacity for shady schemes like this. They claim to have 'carefully selected' an 'extremely powerful' relic for you..."
Waver bit down on the two sarcastic words.
"And yet, they pulled this near-insulting thing out of a spirit tomb. What are they trying to say? That my disciple is some kind of heretical villain trying to subvert the rules of the Clock Tower? Hah—"
He tapped his knuckles on the black box. A meaningful smile spread across his face.
"Shu, do you know what's inside?"
"...What is it?"
Seeing the interest on his disciple's face, El-Melloi II's long fingers slowly unlatched the box. With a soft click, the case opened, revealing its contents to Su Shu's eyes.
"Is this... a scale?"
The young man narrowed his dark eyes, which were as deep as tranquil pools.
Inside the box, resting on a blood-red velvet cushion, was a single, incandescent white dragon scale, branded with a jet-black circular pattern.
"The 'Son of the White Dragon, Harbinger of Calamity,'" El-Melloi II said, enunciating every word. "This is said to be a reverse scale from his body."
"...Never heard of him."
Su Shu shook his head, intrigued despite his ignorance.
The Son of the White Dragon, Harbinger of Calamity?
The title sounded intimidating enough. Was he a Heroic Spirit from some part of the Nasuverse he didn't know? As an anime-only fan, Su Shu truly had no memory of him.
Moreover, a name like that didn't sound like a good guy. Judging from the "Harbinger of Calamity" part, Su Shu immediately understood why his teacher said the old fossils at the Clock Tower were trying to screw with him.
An Easterner of lowly birth deserves a calamitous Holy Relic? Tsk, what a petty, symbolic insult.
To entice him into joining the Holy Grail War, Su Shu thought they would at least offer him a holy sword from some Knight of the Round Table. This was Britain, after all; the Clock Tower in London must have a massive collection.
But not only did they give him some third-rate catalyst, they had to use its symbolism to mock him. It seemed he had thought too highly of those old bastards. They could keep their holy swords. He'd just have to come and make them drop their loot later.
"...It's only right that you haven't heard of him. They're counting on your ignorance," Waver said, shaking his head with a sigh. "In fact, not many people within the Clock Tower itself know this secret. It's because this is a part of history that Britain has deliberately forgotten."
"A... 'deliberately forgotten history'?" Su Shu repeated the information-heavy phrase. This was his first time seeing a Holy Relic up close.
Curiosity piqued, he reached out his right hand, picked up the scale, and held it up to his eye for a closer look. It felt smooth and warm, like jade.
Unexpectedly, at that very moment—
A sound, as beautiful as heavenly music, chimed in Su Shu's mind.
Ding—!
Huh? What was that noise...?!
As a System voice began to speak, a gray mist rapidly filled Su Shu's vision, completely obscuring his sight.
[Compatible Mystic Relic detected. Loading Villain Simulator...]
[1%... 10%... 100%... 1000%... Limit Break in progress—]
[Villain Simulator has finished loading!]
[Commencing first simulation. Please draw your initial talents...]
"The Son of the White Dragon who sought to pierce the Inner Sea of the Stars... The secret history behind that is a rather long story. And from what I've gathered from apocryphal sources, it's vastly different from the official history of Britain. To put it simply, it's incredibly heretical... Well, you're Chinese anyway, so you can just listen to it as a story. That said, if this Servant were actually summoned, Shu, his compatibility with you might be exceptionally good..."
"Since you're so interested, I suppose I can reluctantly give you a brief overview..."
"—Eh?! He's... he's asleep?! I haven't even started talking yet!!!"
Lord El-Melloi II's mini-lecture on Holy Relics hadn't even begun. His disciple, as if he'd chugged a gallon of drugged tea, had collapsed onto the sofa, fast asleep.
This dealt a crushing blow to Waver's teaching confidence, a blow as devastating as a wilted flower pierced through the heart. The lectures in the El-Melloi classroom were always lively and engaging, with not an empty seat in the house! Su Shu was the first student in his entire teaching career to fall asleep in his class, mercilessly stealing Waver's important "first time."
Well, the class hadn't actually started, but still...
"Tsk... is he just exhausted from all that research? The mysteries of magecraft are captivating, but you have to remember to balance work and rest..."
Su Shu often overworked his brain, causing him to fall into sudden bouts of sleep (it was actually his Clairvoyance activating), which had earned him the nickname "The Sleeping Dark Magician." El-Melloi II was already used to it. The young man would usually wake up on his own after half an hour. All he needed was someone to watch over him in the meantime.
Taking off his own overcoat, he draped it over his disciple.
Waver Velvet walked to the window, looked out at the cloudless sky over the London suburbs, and silently lit a new cigar.
"Rumor has it that the Son of the White Dragon drew the Sword in the Stone before King Arthur, but cast it aside. If the truth is that world-shaking, it's no wonder the Anglo-Saxon usurpers buried this piece of history under the dust..."
Unfortunately, his disciple could no longer hear what he was saying.
In a strange space filled with gray mist, Su Shu stared at the translucent panel in front of him that read [Please draw your initial talents]. He was overjoyed.
Holy crap, I got a cheat!!! It's finally my turn!
A small cheat isn't really a cheat. Don't force this Master to get serious. The Type-Moon world is full of cheaters, and normal magi are less than dogs. If everyone has a cheat, it's like no one does! This was especially true for a world line that was about to be destroyed. You couldn't turn things around without a powerful cheat, right?
Gimme the cheat!
Today, I shall once again enter the realm of the Terrestrial Cheat Immortal!
Suppressing his excitement, Su Shu took a deep breath, calmed his thoughts slightly, and began to examine the panel.
Okay, let's not get ahead of myself. What if this is some piece-of-junk troll system?
"...'Draw initial talents'? Looks like a simulator-type cheat. The power level of these things can vary wildly, and I don't know what the cost of simulating is yet. Okay, System, System? Can you respond?"
As he asked, new text appeared on the panel.
[The Villain Simulator is at your service!]
[The Villain Simulator is dedicated to assisting you in becoming the ultimate villain, overflowing with evil. If you are satisfied with your experience, please remember to leave a five-star review.]
[Please draw your initial talents for the first simulation...]
Good. Being able to communicate with the System is good news. But... its slogan leaves me speechless.
Assist me in becoming... the "ultimate villain"?
That sounds morally bankrupt and twisted, like the kind of evil person who posts lewd art but deliberately refuses to share the source. But he was a red-blooded, model student from a small town! Even after transmigrating, his heart was still set on humanity's future. He was clearly a hard-working, inspirational protagonist. The most villainous thing he did was get addicted to Paradox Interactive games, but that hardly made him a war criminal... He didn't think he fit the profile of an "ultimate villain."
However, as soon as the thought appeared in his mind, the panel flickered with a response, as if it could read his thoughts.
[Incorrect.]
[Host, you undoubtedly possess: a strong motive, a clear plan, an unwavering will, an ulterior secret, excellent execution, outstanding charisma, and the determination to subvert the world.]
[Without a doubt, you are the perfect candidate for the Ultimate Villain.]
"...Huh?"
Su Shu thought about it for a second and realized...
Holy crap, it makes a good point! I can't even refute it...
First, a "strong motive"? Su Shu wanted to live. That motive was definitely strong enough! He could accept his own death, but if there was a chance to fight for his life with his own hands, why wouldn't he give it his all?
Second, an "ulterior secret"? The world was about to end. How could he tell that to the lunatics at the Clock Tower? Write an anonymous tip and slip it into the director's mailbox? He knew perfectly well that if he stood up and started preaching about the apocalypse, some members of the council would be overjoyed; it would be the perfect excuse to slap a Sealing Designation on him. So yes, that secret had to stay hidden.
And finally... "determination to subvert the world"? Damn it, this Type-Moon world line is about to get blended into a chaotic mess blessed by the Four Chaos Gods! Rather than let those degenerates ruin it, I'd rather subvert it myself! Lead humanity down the tech tree of Psionic Ascension, break free from Earth, and head for the stars! If he could one day touch the Swirl of the Root, he might actually be able to do it...
In short, Su Shu had realized... he seemed to have collected all the "excellent qualities" often found in the villains of various stories.
Ah... this...
From the Clock Tower's opinion of him to the System's own words, he had suddenly been designated as the ultimate villain. Su Shu didn't know whether to be happy or sad.
He was very concerned about his System's "pedigree"—whether it was from a top-tier site or some trash-tier one. But after giving its introduction, the System just kept urging him to start the simulation. It would only repeat [Permission pending] to any other questions, suggesting it wasn't very smart.
Well, let's see what this simulation is all about, folks. It doesn't seem to have any other functions...
With that thought, Su Shu decided to give it a try and chose to draw his talents. If the cheat was good, everyone would be happy. But if it was a useless piece of junk... well, he'd just have to keep beating it until it became useful! A System can't be that inconvenient, can it? He, the host, would just have to whip it into shape!
He didn't know if the System could still read his thoughts, but its loading speed seemed to have increased.
[Drawing initial talents for you...]
[1. Jet-Black Will: A will as deep and dark as the abyss, representing your unshakable resolve and determination. To achieve your goals, you will honestly face your desires and unhesitatingly pay any price, even treating your own life as a disposable bargaining chip. You are immune to nearly all forms of mental interference.]
Su Shu: "?"
Holy crap, a [REDACTED] Will! We're starting with the heavy hitters, aren't we? Don't tell me I'm going to have to face off against the President... I, Su Shu, have a dream in this Type-Moon world, and that is to become a Root Star! ...Wait, wrong line, that's the Golden Spirit... Anyway, immunity to mental interference sounds pretty good.
As he thought this, the second talent appeared.
[2. The Ultimate Lifeform: Born from the bloodline of Phantasmal Species of the Age of Gods, you steadily advance toward the realm of the ultimate lifeform with each passing day. Your base stats, the Quality of your Magic Circuits, and your Magic Resistance will continuously increase with age. All anti-trait special attacks are weakened against you.]
Su Shu: "??"
This one's even more of a JoJo-level freak... I have to admit, this talent is... incredibly strong. Insanely strong. But am I going to unlock the "gets thrown into space and eventually stops thinking" ending?
[3. A Quiet Life: You yearn for a quiet life, unconcerned with victory or defeat, untroubled by strife. Your nature is chaotic and evil, but your modest and gentle exterior serves as the perfect daily camouflage. When that quiet life is broken, you will erupt with unprecedented and terrifying efficiency. In intense conflict, your growth rate will increase dramatically, and you will more easily achieve breakthroughs in your skills.]
"..."
When the third talent appeared, Su Shu was at a loss for words.
Jet-Black Will, the Ultimate Lifeform, a Quiet Life...
The combination of these traits brought to his mind the image of a half-paralyzed, muscular, moonlit version of Yoshikage Kira riding a horse.
...Tsk. What the hell kind of bizarre villain character design is this?!
The bad news is, it's a Frankenstein's monster.
The good news is, it stitched everything together!
Just as that thought flashed through his mind... Su Shu's vision suddenly went black.
Only the cold voice of the System remained, echoing in his ears.
[Talent import complete...]
[Loading Module: "The Last Embers of the Age of Gods"]
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