Chapter 1650: Master of Courting Death

Su Xiao gestured to Bu Bu Wang and A Mu, while in the adjacent bedroom, Illya was curled up in the blanket. She hadn’t closed her eyes the entire time because she was constantly contemplating how to remove the bomb within her.

Boom!

A loud crash echoed, and Rin Tohsaka in the next bedroom jolted in fright, falling off the bed with a thud.

“That hurts~”

Rin clutched her head, but the next moment, her expression froze because large ice crystals were clinging to the wall beside her bedroom.

In the adjacent bedroom, the ice had frozen everything within, and Illya raised her hand, seemingly about to activate the command seal on her hand. Beside her, Su Xiao’s long knife pierced Hercules’ head, continuously channeling Blue Steel Shadow energy into him.

Moreover, Su Xiao’s left arm, exuding blue smoke, pressed against the back of Hercules’ neck. At this point, Hercules was in a state of absolute despair, as A Mu held him tightly from the back, and Ice Energy continuously spread into his body. Bu Bu Wang bit down on his throat, and the Boundary Line tangled around his legs.

“Roar!!”

Hercules let out a furious roar, trying to break free from A Mu’s restraint, but Su Xiao’s right hand quickly formed a light blue crystal layer, delivering a punch to Hercules’ head.

Hercules’ roar was deafening, the shockwave spreading out. Windows within a hundred meters showed cracks, but unfortunately, Hercules couldn’t escape A Mu’s grasp. Normally, A Mu indeed couldn’t control Hercules, but now Su Xiao was using the Core of Devour to absorb the energy in Hercules, greatly weakening the enemy’s power.

Blue smoke gradually enveloped Hercules, and once it completely surrounded him, he would lose all opportunities.

The blue smoke slowly spread, soon reaching Hercules’ knees, while Illya, frozen in solid ice, could only watch.

A sharp wind noise approached swiftly from the side. In an instant, the wall beside Su Xiao blasted open, sending concrete debris flying, and a Spiral Sword was shot.

Two Energy Shields appeared beside Su Xiao. The Spiral Sword pierced through the first Energy Shield, but instead of shattering it, it got stuck on the sword.

A loud explosion erupted, magic power spread, leaving slight marks on the second Energy Shield.

Su Xiao glanced through the broken wall and vaguely saw a figure far away wearing a red windbreaker.

“Indeed, if our paths differ, we can’t work together.”

Su Xiao tightened his grip on Hercules’ neck, and the blue smoke completely enveloped Hercules.

Two kilometers away from Su Xiao, on top of a tall building, the Metal Bow in Guardian Spirit Emiya’s hand dissipated.

“As you wish, we are now his enemies.”

Guardian Spirit Emiya looked toward Shiro Emiya.

“This way, how soon will he come to kill us?”

While Shiro spoke, he clenched his fist. He had Guardian Spirit Emiya attack Su Xiao not to actively seek death but for another reason.

Guided by Guardian Spirit Emiya, days ago, Shiro Emiya found the spot where Su Xiao and Iron Rat fought—an abandoned factory district. Seeing the scene of scattered limbs and splattered blood gave Shiro no small shock.

Aside from fear, his heart was filled with guilt and a sense of responsibility because he always believed that Su Xiao was the ‘Demon’ he summoned, and he needed to bear some responsibility for the demon’s actions.

Believing that if he hadn’t summoned the ‘Demon,’ these people wouldn’t have died, Shiro Emiya resolved his mindset. With Guardian Spirit Emiya’s observations over the past days, Shiro Emiya formulated a plan to become Su Xiao’s enemy and then escape, trying to stall him to prevent more victims. However, unable to fight, Shiro could only do this.

If it were someone else, they might not take such action, but Shiro Emiya was determined to be a partner of justice. In his view, Su Xiao belongs to the Chaotic Evil Camp and cannot be ignored.

Thus, Guardian Spirit Emiya’s ambush of Su Xiao at a critical moment came to pass. In Shiro Emiya’s plan, Su Xiao should soon try to hunt them down.

However, the wind was strong atop the tower, and Su Xiao didn’t come, nor did he leave the residential house because he knew that this unprepared sudden assault meant Shiro Emiya would attack a second time. For now, solving Hercules was more important.

Inside the bedroom, the blue smoke enveloping Hercules gradually shrank, and Hercules inside slowly faded. With his Heroic Spirit Energy extracted, he could only exit without glory, or rather, this great hero never had his time, merely appearing as a beast without reason with his shell.

The blue smoke dissipated on Su Xiao’s arm as he checked the Blue Steel Shadow level with a furrowed brow. Despite having devoured most of Dog Brother and the entirety of Hercules, the Blue Steel Shadow Ability remained at Level 45, without an increase. The energy needed to enhance this ability was more than Su Xiao anticipated.

The Level 30 to Level 35 stage of the Blue Steel Shadow Ability required 5 points of energy per level, but Level 35 to Level 40 needed over 40 points per level, with Level 40 to Level 45 demanding at least 300 points each level. Beyond Level 45, judging by the current scenario, it required at least 2000 points of energy per level.

Originally, Su Xiao expected devouring several Heroic Spirits would elevate the Blue Steel Shadow Energy to Level 50, but with the current circumstances, this seemed unlikely.

[You have killed Hercules (berserker)]

[Hercules, being one of the seven Heroic Spirits in this Holy Grail War, has gained 9.6% of World Source, now totaling 17.1% of the World Source.]

Upon seeing the Reincarnation Paradise’s notice, Su Xiao felt something was missing. He realized that Hercules didn’t drop a Treasure Chest! That was definitely ‘luck overload.’

Su Xiao looked at the vanishing blue smoke in his hand and calmed himself before turning his gaze to Illya, signaling A Mu to unfreeze her.

A crisp sound echoed, and the clear ice crystal shattered, leaving Illya slumped on the ground.

Su Xiao stepped before Illya, whose fists clenched as she looked up at him.

“Liar, you’re a liar.”

Illya seemed very angry, yet she hadn’t realized that when she swallowed that candy, she had already lost, forfeiting the right to compete for the Holy Grail. No, as the Lesser Holy Grail’s vessel, she could never obtain the Holy Grail.

“Already two, significantly weaker than before.”

Su Xiao observed Illya’s demeanor. Whenever a Heroic Spirit died, Illya weakened considerably, indicating the proximity of the Holy Grail’s summoning.

“Four remain.”

Su Xiao signaled A Mu to keep an eye on Illya. He needed to leave the Holy Grail World as soon as possible. The Blood Gate’s old scores had been settled, and with the Holy Church’s envoy dead, if the Holy Grail War didn’t end quickly, unforeseen circumstances might arise, and risk wouldn’t justify the reward.

To conclude the Holy Grail War swiftly, Illya—the Holy Grail vessel—mustn’t die just yet. As long as Su Xiao could eliminate the remaining four Heroic Spirits, the Holy Grail War would be over.

Su Xiao’s stamina had mostly recovered, and to completely recuperate, he needed one to two days. But what he lacked most was time.

Outside the room, Rin Tohsaka sighed with relief, despite the sudden upheaval, her friend Illya still lived.

Su Xiao exited the residence; next stop, Liu Dong Temple.