Chapter 635

Chapter 635: Julius’s Story, Rin’s Invitation

From that moment onward, Moon Ocean Academy descended into complete chaos.

Slaughter, slaughter, slaughter... The false peace was utterly shattered. Even within the academy, the clashing of blades never ceased. Only by retreating into one’s private room could one find a semblance of tranquility.

On the first day of the updated rules, three Masters were executed by the special Master, Sakatsuki. Remaining participants: 13.

On the second day, the Archer (Atlanta) team was betrayed; the Berserker (Heracles) team was ambushed but counter-killed two opponents; the Assassin (Fuuma Kotarou) team was eliminated by Gawain. Remaining participants: 9.

On the third day, the Berserker (Heracles) team exhausted their final life; the Saber (Roland) team encountered the special Master, Draco, and perished. Remaining participants: 7.

On the fourth day, the Caster (unknown) team launched a full-scale attack, and their Master was personally executed by Julius (myself). Remaining participants: 6.

Key surveillance targets—special Masters: Sakatsuki and Draco maintained their usual routines. Refer to Report 2.5.1 for details.

Key surveillance target—Kishinami Hakuno: Did not actively participate in conflicts, movement patterns restricted to traveling between the arena and private room. Refer to Report 2.5.2 for details.

Key surveillance target—Rin Tohsaka: No detailed information captured. This individual exhibits strong counter-surveillance awareness.

End of report.

"Mmm, quite a detailed report. Good work."

The cafeteria—an open area no Master dared to visit anymore, as it had become the top-tier "boss spawn point" of the Holy Grail War.

Leo, who never smoked or drank, always returned to his room by 10 PM at the latest, went to bed by 11 PM, and ensured he got a full eight hours of sleep, naturally refused to neglect his stomach. He never skipped any of his three daily meals, nor would he settle for eating in his room.

Ever since the last unfortunate soul who tried to have breakfast in the cafeteria encountered Leo and was subsequently eliminated by Gawain for "disturbing His Majesty’s meal," no one dared to come here looking for trouble.

After all, even without hostile intent, Leo wouldn’t hesitate to claim some extra points if given the opportunity.

"Thank you for the praise." The dark-robed man beside Leo nodded before continuing, "Our usable pieces are dwindling, Leo. If we wish to defeat Sakatsuki, we must act quickly—"

"Are you implying that my lord and I are inferior to that man?" Gawain shot him a sharp glare, but Julius remained unfazed and finished his interrupted sentence.

"We must quickly recruit the remaining Masters. To secure victory, we must proceed flawlessly."

Under the increasingly brutal elimination rules, the number of Masters had halved in just a few days. Aside from Sakatsuki, Hakuno, Rin, Leo, and Julius, only one other Master remained alive.

The final victor would emerge from among them.

In Julius’s view, the optimal strategy was to gather their forces and eliminate the most overpowered team—Sakatsuki’s. Yet, in response to his suggestion, Leo merely set down the report calmly.

"Understood. Let’s go, Gawain."

"As you command."

"Leo?!"

Julius frowned, about to press further, but Leo turned back to face him.

"Brother... tell me, how should I achieve victory?"

"Sakatsuki and Draco... they’re already on another level of strength. Can sheer numbers alone overwhelm them?"

Shaking his head, the golden-haired youth smiled and gave his answer:

"What we need is power that can rival theirs."

————

After Leo left, Julius silently gathered the reports, his expression dark.

"Keke, that kid’s got a good eye. He reached the same conclusion as me," the Servant’s eerie laughter echoed in his mind. "Well, Master? It’s not just me—no one believes in your plan now."

The man in dark robes remained silent. If there was one thing he and the two brothers shared, it was their identical stubbornness—or perhaps, their unwavering resolve.

"I’ve already transferred all my QP and items to Leo’s account. The plan he chose doesn’t require the help of a ’person’ like me."

Storing the reports away, Julius spoke calmly, "In that case, rather than waiting in my room for Leo to claim my points after his victory, I might as well increase his chances of winning... even if only by a sliver."

"Why go this far?" Li Shuwen asked. "Even a wandering ghost should have some basic will to survive. Yet the way you live—it’s like firewood ready to burn out at any moment."

Enduring the pain of body modifications to board the Moon Cell, hacking into the Holy Grail War system despite the risks, tirelessly carrying out assassinations—all just to sacrifice yourself in the end, becoming a stepping stone to push Leo onto the throne?

"Don’t you... have a wish you want the Holy Grail to fulfill?"

Faced with his Servant’s question, Julius responded with silence once more. But this time, ripples stirred in the still waters of his heart.

The reason was painfully simple. All he had to do was touch his soul to recall the fragments of his past.

["Take care of Leo for me, okay?"]

Julius Belkisk Harwey—originally an "artificial child" born with the Harwey family’s high expectations. Yet even as a fetus, he was deemed inferior, defective. The adults, seeing no profit in him, discarded him.

"A failure..."

"Such trash, born from the finest materials."

"Strip this specimen of all rights. Redirect resources to the next project."

"As for this failure... just let it rot."

Stumbling through a world of scorn and disdain, the young Julius, in his darkest hour, encountered the brightest light.

She was the most beautiful woman. Turning back in the afternoon sun, she smiled and opened her arms, warming Julius’s barren heart.

In the vast, frigid world of the Western European conglomerate, only her eyes saw Julius—and treated him as her own child.

Without her, the entity called "Julius" would have long perished in some dark corner.

For Julius in his childhood, the time spent with her was the only thing that made him feel "human."

But that time ended far too soon.

Why—kill.

I want to die—kill.

Kill, kill, kill...

Crack.

Bang.

How ironic—the price Julius had to pay for gaining "worth" was losing the last shred of "humanity" that could have kept him grounded.

Ordered by a father he had never even met, he killed Leo’s mother—the woman who had treated him as her own child. Until the very end, she simply smiled and accepted her fate.

"Please take care of Leo for me."

The cost of keeping that vow was killing the very person who had inspired him to make it. Such a laughable existence nearly wrung dry tears from his withered heart.

From that moment on, Julius lost his soul entirely. But he still had life—a life that would not betray his oath until it burned to ashes.

His drive to support Leo in becoming the victor did not stem from loyalty to the Harway family. He fought to uphold the dying wish of Alicia, Leo’s mother, who had treated him as her own son in his youth.

"So, for her sake, I’m willing to pay any price."

After muttering these words almost aimlessly, Julius strode out of the room and dialed a certain unused number—one that could only be contacted once.

"An unknown number? Hello~? What business does the kind and adorable Miss Rin have with you today?"

"...It’s me."

"Wha—Julius?! How the hell do you have my number—"

"Don’t hang up yet, Rin Tohsaka." The cloaked man leaned against the corridor wall, letting the tide of darkness swallow him whole.

"You want to win the Holy Grail War too, don’t you? Then help me."

"Join us in eliminating the greatest threat."

———

Sakatsuki’s Room

"What art thou waiting for, exactly?"

The crimson-clad little girl hugged a pillow, watching Sakatsuki lounge leisurely in his chair as he flipped through a tome on magecraft. "If thou and I were to join forces, a handful of Masters would stand no chance against us, even if they attacked together."

"Oh?" Sakatsuki’s voice was light with amusement. "If the enemy were Nero, could you bring yourself to strike her down?"

"Of course."

"Wow... Truly the charming and adorable villainess." Sakatsuki clapped mockingly. "But I’m different. If a perfect ending is possible, what’s the harm in waiting a little longer?"

"And this ’perfect ending’ of thine—does it involve waiting to be slain by Hakuno or Leo?" The little red dragon narrowed her eyes. "If thou went through all that trouble to restore my power just to aid another woman, I will bite thee."

"Energy back already? Then come at me—right here, right now!"

"Thou—! Thou knowest that is not what I meant!"

The little dragon pounced onto Sakatsuki, gnashing her teeth with flushed cheeks. Sakatsuki smoothly apologized before deftly running his fingers through her golden hair, stroking her like a cat as he murmured wistfully:

"I will seize control of the Moon Cell. But the true enemy isn’t them—it’s someone lurking in the shadows of the Holy Grail War."

"Still, once I have the Moon Cell, am I really supposed to just sit here and play administrator? I’m not cut out for the slow-and-steady approach."

"Ohhh—" Draco was well aware of Sakatsuki’s lazy nature. "So thou art currently... selecting a suitable manager."

"Ex~act~ly~. What a clever little dragon you are."

"Hmph." Draco closed her eyes and nestled deeper into Sakatsuki’s embrace. "Even if thou sayest so, We shan’t be pleased..."

The little dragon’s tail quietly coiled around his waist as Sakatsuki curled his lips, fox-like eyes glinting with amusement.

Though his explanation to Draco was about choosing a suitable administrator between Leo and Hakuno, in truth, the candidate had already been decided through his biased selection during the first round.

Regarding Leo, Sakatsuki simply anticipated that this most outstanding creation of Western conglomerates—the ideal Holy King—might bring him pleasant surprises.

Having grown to this level of power, ordinary Servants could no longer satisfy Sakatsuki. Only beings comparable to gods, the highest-ranking phantasmal species, or legendary calamities (Beasts) could reignite his passion for life-or-death stakes.

Rather than caution and elimination, Sakatsuki preferred to believe Leo could accomplish this grand undertaking for him.

As for those outside Leo and Hakuno—they simply didn’t factor into Sakatsuki’s considerations when it came to the true decisive battle.

No matter where one goes, when a path nears its end, those remaining at one’s side inevitably dwindle to a mere handful.

Yet precisely at this moment, someone Sakatsuki had spectacularly forgotten initiated contact.

"Rin? To what do I owe this sudden pleasure~~"

"Sakatsuki." Rin’s voice carried a slight dryness, though it soon regained its usual composure. "There’s something I need to tell you."

"Could you... come to the rooftop?"