And this ability is not perfect. If he is washed over by powerful energy attacks, then part of the free energy that makes up his body will be wiped out, which is the same as weakening himself in another way.
Secondly, his control has its limits. If he stays in a state of free energy for a long time, then when he gathers himself back together it will be slower, and there might even be some extra loss.
In a battle where life and death can be decided in an instant, this is without a doubt very deadly!
Vlad III may not know the exact traits of his ability, but he can make guesses based on a vampire's "mist form" skill.
The two do have similar principles. So he would naturally understand what kind of tactics to use.
"Hm?"
Vlad III stepped back half a step, holding his long spear horizontally...
Clang!
Brilliant sparks scattered across the night sky, and then Iori holding his sword appeared. He had slipped out through a gap in the stake swarm and used Shunpo to launch a surprise attack on Vlad III.
However, even though there were many stakes, every single one was the Grand Duke's Noble Phantasm. He could immediately sense any changes happening inside them, and so he was able to guard against Iori's slash.
"Your ability is even more troublesome than I imagined. It seems even harder to deal with than a vampire!"
Vlad III laughed in pleasure. His movements were extremely swift as he once again clashed with Iori. This time his assault was even fiercer, as if he wanted to see where Iori's limit lay.
Under his feet was the land of Romania. Behind him stood the Yggdmillennia castle where the Greater Grail was placed. It could be said that Vlad III had an endless source of magical energy.
Those thousands upon thousands of stakes could be activated again and again without caring about the cost. Various small techniques were used as he wished. For a time, he pushed Iori into a disadvantage.
There was no helping it. Sella, as a Master, was excellent, but she could not compare to the Greater Grail.
If Iori were not different from other Servants and able to recover magical energy on his own, he would have already been worn down to death in this battle of attrition.
"Wait a moment, Lancer."
Iori dodged the sharp stake that burst up beneath his feet, used Shunpo to create distance, and raised his hand in a gesture.
"Can we stop for the time being?"
"What?"
Vlad III was stunned, his brows instinctively knitting together. "At a time like this, are you joking..."
Before he finished speaking, his expression suddenly changed. His eyes first showed disbelief, then an anger and humiliation that could not be put into words.
The powerful surge of magical energy almost solidified around him, making the air nearby turn thick and heavy.
Seeing this, Iori instead smiled. "Looks like I guessed right. Something really did happen on the other battlefield… what is it, did someone from the black side fall?"
It sounded like a casual question, but in fact he was closely watching Vlad III's reaction.
He had only sensed a change in Shuten Douji's presence from afar and guessed that an emergency had occurred there.
He did not yet know exactly what had happened. However, Vlad III should know the details.
"What I cannot tolerate the most… is betrayal!"
At some unknown time, Vlad III's eyes had filled with bloodshot veins. A fierce aura rose from him, and the luxurious black robe on his body fluttered without wind, making him look like a ghost wandering in the night.
The smile on Iori's face slowly faded as he quietly gathered magical energy, ready to respond to any sudden situation.
Black Lancer's current state was not quite right.
But since the word "betrayal" had been mentioned, it was easy to understand, because this was Black Lancer's reverse scale.
Vlad III Tepes. His entire life was shrouded in hatred and slaughter. From childhood he had been held hostage in a foreign land.
After many twists and turns, he returned to his homeland, and afterward, as the king and hero of his motherland, he constantly protected this land.
His image was undoubtedly cold and cruel, but no one could deny his determination to resist invasion and protect Romania.
Even though the gap in strength between him and the Ottoman Turks was enormous, he bravely repelled the enemy's attacks again and again.
And such a king of iron and blood, the greatest failure in his life came from betrayal by his own kin.
His younger brother's rebellion caused him to lose the throne. Even after he regained it, everything had already completely changed, and nothing could be restored.
When he was alive, this was his greatest regret. After being summoned as a Servant, he still would not allow others to offend this wound named "betrayal." It had never healed.
Just now he had learned that Assassin Shuten Douji had not only taken Rhein Gold, but had also sneak attacked and killed Saber Siegfried from the same faction.
This was not only the loss of an important combat force for the black side, but also a naked act of betrayal.
Vlad III already had a tendency toward fallen madness. His mental state was not stable, and this incident had pushed his reason to the edge of breaking.
"Assassin! No matter what reason you have!"
Visible black energy surged from Vlad III's body and rushed into the sky. "This sin must be washed away with your blood!"
This guy's Spirit Origin was slowly transforming into another form. Iori slightly frowned.
However, Vlad III's change was not what concerned him most. On the far side of the distant battlefield, the abnormal change happening to Shuten Douji was more important to Iori.
If one sensed carefully, one would find that Shuten Douji's aura was constantly growing stronger and mutating. It seemed that Rhein Gold had most likely been taken by her.
This was within expectations. After all, it was not only Siegfried who needed gold. Strictly speaking, all Servants with the attribute of "dragon" needed this thing quite a lot.
It was just that… this degree of change and speed of evolution…
Of course, seeing once with one's own eyes is better than guessing here countless times.
What is more, if Shuten Douji had fallen into becoming an "evil dragon," then it would require Iori to step in and subdue the demon.
———
"Saber!"
When Siegfried barely tried to stand up but suddenly swayed and was about to fall, Jeanne flashed to his side and supported him.
"You…"
Jeanne originally wanted to say something, but as soon as she opened her mouth she felt something was wrong and quietly closed it again.
At this point, no matter what was said would have no meaning.
A Servant's Spirit Origin does not have as many weaknesses as a mortal body, but if the heart and brain are destroyed, they will still die.
After Siegfried's heart was taken out by Shuten Douji, he could already be called a "corpse."
This was not even a near-death state. It was merely the final echo of a dead person in this world.
The holy maiden was not good at handling such situations. She did not even know what to say as a farewell. Using Catholic prayers for Siegfried did not seem very appropriate either.
On the other side, Atalanta's expression was complicated. She and Black Saber belonged to different factions.
Now that one great enemy was gone, she should feel happy. But it happened in this way, and right before her eyes… it truly made her feelings complicated.
For the red faction it was good news, but neither Karna nor Atalanta showed any joy on their faces.
"I will go track Assassin. This night is not over yet!"
The huntress glanced at Jeanne and Karna. After letting go of Siegfried, she leapt like a leopard and merged into the night.
Just as she said, the chaos of this night would continue. The Servants of both red and black sides would not stop here.
Although Shuten Douji had seized Rhein Gold, her act of assassinating Siegfried had already cut her off from Yggdmillennia.
At this moment she had become a wandering ghost, the common hunting target of both factions.
"Thank you, Ruler."
Siegfried sincerely thanked the holy maiden. Then he freed himself from support and stood on the ground with his own feet, looking apologetically at Karna.
"I am sorry… it seems I cannot continue fighting."
"What a pity, Saber."
Karna's face had no expression, and his tone was calm. "Fighting you was very enjoyable. Unfortunately it was destined to have no conclusion."
"If in the future we have the chance to meet again on another battlefield… then we will decide the winner there."
"Mm, then let us make that promise."
Siegfried gave a self-mocking smile. "I originally intended to win the Holy Grail for my Master, but now it seems I am destined to achieve nothing."
"Lancer, can I ask you for one thing?"
"Yes."
Karna did not ask what it was. He agreed directly. Clearly he believed Siegfried would not make an excessive request.
It was strange. The two had only met twice, yet they could understand and trust each other like old friends of many years.
"Tonight I will leave the stage early. The direction and final outcome of this war have nothing to do with me anymore. But if in the future the red side wins… could you spare my Master's life?"
Siegfried said sincerely, "Although my Master is not very straightforward, he is not beyond saving. If the outcome is clear, he will not resist fiercely."
"It is nothing. The life of a mere magus. Within my ability, I will ensure his safety."
Karna responded cleanly and without hesitation.
"Thank you…"
With no more attachments, Siegfried closed his eyes. His body gradually turned transparent, countless brilliant light particles floating out, and finally he completely dissipated into the void.
Jeanne silently witnessed this scene. In Karna's eyes there was a trace of pity for this strong opponent. "Saber…"
After that, the Son of the Sun glanced at Jeanne. Earlier he had attacked Ruler with the goal of seizing Rhein Gold, but now there was no reason for hostility between them.
He gave a slight nod as an apology for his previous rudeness. Flames rose from his body as he turned into a streak of light and instantly chased along Atalanta's route. He too joined the hunt for Shuten Douji.
"Is it going to become a scene where the two factions join hands to suppress one person? What exactly is going on in this Holy Grail War…"
Jeanne frowned tightly, seriously thinking about Shuten and the actions of the red and black sides, whether they violated the rules of the Holy Grail War, and what action she herself needed to take.
But soon she did not need to struggle anymore, because an extremely powerful presence appeared in the distant wilderness.
The extraordinary intuition brought by Revelation made her sense the arrival of something evil.
"Something is about to… this is?!"
Jeanne took a deep breath, her eyes wide as she stared at the sky in the northwest, subconsciously clenching her fist.
It was neither a Servant nor a magical beast, but some kind of power above them, strong enough to turn this land into a domain of demons...
A god, or something close to one...
"I must stop her!"
Jeanne ran forward in large strides, her expression serious and firm.
"Otherwise all of Romania may be destroyed!"
For justice, the "evil" that will eventually be defeated is a necessary existence.
If a mortal becomes a hero by slaying an evil dragon, then for that hero, the dragon that dies under his hand is also part of what makes him who he is.
Right and wrong, good and evil, hero and dragon, are opposing yet unified existences.
Perhaps in reality there exists justice that does not need a stepping stone, but at least in "myth," the two support each other.
When an unmatched evil appears in the world, the one who steps forward and kills it will, under the cheers of the people, become a hero engraved in human memory.
And the duels between heroes and their destined enemies will also become mythic originals passed down and sung through generations.
In the Nasuverse worldview, such legends hold extremely powerful force. They can even rise into a concept or a Noble Phantasm.
When those bound by fate meet again, under the guidance of destiny, scenes from the myth will be reenacted.
For example, if Siegfried were to encounter Fafnir, then even if he himself were an ordinary Spirit Origin and the other side were a god or divine beast beyond Servants, once he activated the demonic sword of dusk, he would definitely be able to slay the evil dragon.
The relationship between King Arthur and Mordred is similar. In legend, Mordred seriously wounded Arthur, but she herself was stabbed to death by a spear.
This means that if the two release their Noble Phantasms at the same time, Red Saber would one hundred percent be killed.
Actually, even without considering compatibility, Arthur in any class overwhelmingly surpasses Mordred in raw strength.
From this point of view, Shuten Douji encountering "Red Berserker" in this Holy Grail War could be said to be drawing the worst possible lot.
Within his own myth system, Yamato Takeru holds a status not inferior to a god, and is the ancestor of samurai.
In theory he far surpasses figures like Minamoto no Raikou and Ushiwakamaru, suppressing Far Eastern Servants in terms of Mystery.
And he holds the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi. This is divine iron taken from the tail of the great serpent Yamata no Orochi.
It is the most famous sword-type weapon in the Far East. As a descendant of Ibuki Daimyojin, who is linked to Yamata no Orochi, Shuten Douji is almost completely countered by this sword.
Normally, if Shuten encountered an opponent like "Takeru," she might as well lay down her weapons and surrender.
But clearly she was not that obedient. Even under such unfavorable conditions, she still tried her best to create a possibility where a monster could kill a hero.
This is not a foolish dream. At least Shuten prepared quite thoroughly, the Golden Fleece from Greek mythology that can summon a dragon, the Rhein Gold from Norse mythology guarded by an evil dragon, and a heart of a dragon slayer famous across the entire world.
Normally, when a Servant's body part is cut off, it will disperse into pure magical energy and cannot remain in physical form. But there are exceptions.
For example, when a Servant concentrates a large amount of magical energy into an organ and then transplants it into a living person.
Under normal circumstances, this is no different from murder.
A Servant's organ is far beyond what a human can endure. The rejection reaction will burn up magic circuits and the nervous system, causing the recipient to collapse completely like a sandcastle.
Unless the recipient has a special connection with the Servant and a very high compatibility, only then can it successfully merge in a form similar to possession or spirit descent.
Shuten is neither a living person, nor does she have any fated connection with Siegfried. But she has the legend of "man-eating," and by relying on this she preserved Black Saber's heart.
It is said that she consumes the blood and breasts of young girls to increase her power. This legend gave her the corresponding talent.
By devouring the flesh of others, especially the heart, to gain power. This is an evil ritual that has existed in all times and places, even in primitive tribes.
As a descendant of Ibuki Daimyojin, Shuten Douji originally had the possibility of becoming a god.
In the end, she fell into becoming a demon. The reason was closely related to indulging her desires and swallowing too much blood and flesh.
If it were an orthodox hero, they would probably look down on such behavior.
They might kill innocents under their Master's orders, but there are some bottom lines they would never cross, because that would twist their will and stain their honor.
In the original Fate Apocrypha, Vlad III would rather die than become a vampire, even suffering a curse from his Master because of it.
But Shuten Douji does not care about such things.