1930s (Part 2)

...I have been wrong.

'For killing an Ant +0.5 EXP'

I have been very wrong.

'For killing Ants(4) +2 EXP'

I have been terribly. Horribly wrong.

'For killing a colony of Ants(43,508) +21,754 EXP'

'For killing a colony of Ants(17,143) +8571.5 EXP'

'For killing a colony of Ants(356,224) +178,112 EXP'

I am sorry, System. This Fenric confesses his love to you so please marry me!

'For killing a supercolony of Ants(3,908,416) +1,954,208 EXP'

'You have leveled up! +5 SP'

'You have leveled up! +5 SP'

Why have I never thought of something like this? Was I mentally handicapped previously? A wise old man once said that "Bruh, if you ain't got quality then go for quantity!" Oh wait, I think that was me! Yeah, bravos for Fenric the Wise!

Why should I face the smart and dangerous wolves when I can simply trample on creatures that are below me? For example, insects. Find a colony, snap my finger, burn the entire habitat with my flames, and voilà. Just 675,341 EXP from earlier sent me straight from level 5 to level 12!

Eh.

Come on, come on. Why are you doing this to my, System? Have I wronged you before? I have killed millions of ants and I have not even gotten a single Title? Not an Insect Hunter, Insect Slayer, Bug Repeller, or Natural Enemy of Insects?

Do I seriously have to do something that is acknowledged by others to receive a Title?

Oh, where am I, you ask? Ants don't like living in Germany? Yeah, I'm not in that frosty country anymore. I have already traveled to the Far East since I left the Eternal Fortress to 'procure' a gun.

Yes, my old home, the Leiqritus castle is called the Eternal Fortress. They really do like fancy names, don't they?

No, I'm not running away from home. There are so many knowledge on Magecraft back at the fortress and I'll not let them go. "I want to see more of this world!," was what I told my dear father and he just nodded before letting me go while only telling me to be back within a year. Who lets a child go free like that? Crazy Mages.

Nevermind, it doesn't matter since it benefits me. My Magic Circuits have fully matured, and I can even defend myself against a battalion of soldiers. Not such a 'child' anymore, am I? Well, my father doesn't have to know about that.

Hmhm, wasn't there a supercolony of ants with estimated millions of nests and billions of workers in Southern Europe? It was discovered decades later, but there should already be a few billions in it. Let's pay it a visit during my return trip. Wait for me my dear friends, Fenric will come find you soon.

Oh look at where I am right now!

China is a beautiful country, you know that? I love the ancient atmosphere and the abundant nature it has. Mountain ranges, Oriental structures, exotic animals, I do really appreciate these fine little things in life.

Let's see, what did that article say?

China is an ancient civilization aged more than 5,000 years old. The Chinese culture features an abundance of the material and spiritual values, unchanged over millennia. In spite of the influence from outside and numerous foreign invasions, the nation have managed to preserve its individuality and unique identity.

Thanks brain. Well, I do really like the country... considering that they invented paper and... gun powder. Come, simply look at this beautiful yellow river beside me, what a stunning sight it is. Hang on, let me just flare up my Magic Circuits, and-

'For beginning floods and extending its period, you have indirectly killed 3,958,273 humans +197,913,650 EXP'

'You have leveled up! +5 SP'

'You have leveled up! +5 SP'

'You have leveled up! +5 SP'

'You have leveled up! +5 SP'

'You have leveled up! +5 SP'

'You have leveled up! +5 SP'

Yes, I love China.

I am not laughing. I might be a cold and ruthless person, but I am doing it because it is needed. Massacres, genocides, I'd execute them with a smile if it's necessary for my own gains, nonetheless, I will not enjoy the scenes of carnage nor will I smile before death for I am not a psychopath.

The 1931 China floods killed many, and many deaths meant a massive amount of experience points. I merely encouraged and manipulated the rivers a little bit and it went 'boom'. Although the System message may say that I have extended it, the floods will at most be lengthened by one or two days.

It's funny how the death estimation is actually on the higher-end. Sure, I might have played a tiny part in it, but in the end, numbers do not lie... at least not before you involve the supernatural.

Unfortunately, it seems that you only gain 10% EXP if you indirectly though deliberately causes someone's deaths. I'd like to slaughter more for experience points, but that will affect the history too greatly.

The Spanish Civil War... let's leave that alone. I do not know much about it and it might backfire on me. Despite having eidetic memory, I can't remember what I don't know in the first place. I am not a historian after all.

...Talking about genocides as if I'm on a happy lunch break... At least the System hasn't given me a Genocider Title.

Am I calm right now? Yes, I am. If not for the help of [Absolute Composure], I would be vomiting my lungs out right now. I did swore to do anything for my goal, but I am still an ordinary human. Magus or not, the species does not change.

How pathetic.

Hmm... Thinking about it. Don't I need a philosophy? I mean, the reason, the beliefs, the ideology of a villain.

What? I need something to say during my final evil antagonist's soliloquy so that the hero can unlock his potential and breakthrough his limits. He will then refute me on what motives I have no matter how true and right it is just because I am the bad guy.

Ah, sometimes I think that this is merely a bad dream. Someone who was a common man in his previous life have just massacred millions of innocent people. How many families have I just murdered? How many dreams have I just trampled on? Have many promises have I just forcefully broken?

It's funny how no matter who they are, an elder, an adult, a child... a baby. As long as they are unarmed, harmless, and not hostile, all civilians are worth 500 EXP. Five hundred fucking points. That's the price of a human life?

I might be the one who have killed millions, however, I still think that lives are worth more. Everyone will die one day, but is decades of life only worth five hundred points?

I do not, and will never justify the acts I have just done, because it is my intents. It's all for my benefits.

As for my philosophy? Let's just imitate Kiritsugu while toning his ideals down a little bit. I don't want all the salvation and utopia bullshits to start sprouting from my mouth after all. Let's go with: "One life for many. The minor for the majority. At the end of the day, someone has to sacrifice himself." Sounds great! Now I only have to-

Sigh.

...I am truly a monster, aren't I?

Look at these rushing waves. The river shall drown all sorrows away. The farmlands, the natures, the people, their memories, all shall be drown in this yellow river. One day, just one day... I will hold onto that immortality.

So for that day. Please die.

'For reaching level 20, the [Quest] option has been unlocked!'

"And thank you, nameless ones, for your assistance. You have my eternal gratitude." I lowered my head towards the flooding river and distanced myself from the place. I can't have someone seeing me there. It might potentially blow up my cover.

Reinforcing my body, I jumped onto a large tree branch and glanced at the new option available.

[Quest: The Third Holy Grail War

Objective: Be victorious

Rewards: A wish, 200 SP, 100,000,000,000 EXP, $5,000,000 US Dollars

Failure: None

Do you accept? Y/N]

I immediately chose yes. There's no reason not to. I will win, and there's no punishment for failure. It might sound foolish of me to declare my victory this soon, but I know the truth and strategies behind the Holy Grail War. I also know the identities of some of the participants so it will work in my favor as well.

However, let's focus on becoming stronger for now. My target of getting involved in the 1931 China floods have been accomplished. I will return to the Eternal Fortress since I already spent a few months traveling and practicing Magecraft.

Oh, I haven't forget about those ants in Southern Europe...

-x-X-x-

"Thank you for today's lesson, father."

I gave Reinhard a noble salute. He merely nodded and left the room, leaving me alone, again. Despite us being father and son, we are not really that close to each other. In addition, I still have to pay him the minimum amount of respect because he is the patriarch of our clan.

The year is 1936, and I am now 17 years old. Little Fenric isn't little anymore.

The experience points required has also crossed the billionth line. Excluding the few ant supercolonies I have destroyed on my way back, I have not made much progress with my levels at all.

However, my skills in Thaumaturgy have increased by leaps and bounds. I have recently mastered Mental Interference, and I am near the end of our family's specialty, Curses. Of course, my father and the other members do not know of that.

[Magecraft]

Rank: B

The skill on knowledge about modern Thaumaturgy.

At this rank, many branches of Magecraft have been grasped as advanced spells are created and learned.

[High-Speed Incantation]

Rank: C

The skill to speak magical incantations at an accelerated speed.

At this rank, incantations of Five-Line spells can activated instantly while Ten-Count spells can be cut down.

My Alchemy has been improved by a lot and I gained the Skills [Item Construction] and [Enchant] when I combined all my knowledge of creation to make my own Mystic Code.

[Item Construction]

Rank: D

The skill to manufacture magical items, from implements of war to items for daily use.

At this rank, basic yet useful magical items and Mystic Codes can be created.

[Enchant]

Rank: D

The skill to endow concepts to items.

At this rank, average functions can be added to items with sufficient Mystery.

I have not expected this, but I am a genius. Although I am not a genius of Magecraft, I felt incredibly comfortable when I have a gun in my hand. Yes, looks like I'll become an Archer if I were to die, boys. No, just joking, I'm not going to die.

I am not on the level of Billy the Kid, no I should say that I am not like him. Unlike Billy the Kid who can fight with a gun in close ranges, I am a genuine Arche- No, let's just clarify here first, that the Archer-class is the class of Servants that uses projectile-based weapons, alright?

After I discovered that I was a natural with guns, I practiced again and again and again in the snowy forest. Five years of unstop training in a forest full of tiny and camouflaging animals landed me multiple skills.

[Marksmanship]

Rank: A

The skill of all-round shooting techniques, which includes quick drawing and trick shooting by means of small arms.

At this rank, targets can be accurately hit from 7 kilometers away.

[Eye of the Mind (True)]

Rank: C++

The skill of a heightened capacity for observation, refined through training, discipline and experience. A danger-avoidance ability that utilizes the intelligence collected up to the current time as the basis in order to predict the opponent's activity and change the current situation. This is not a result of talent, but an overwhelming amount of combat experience. A weapon wielded by none other than a mortal, gained through tenacious training. So long there is even a 1% chance of a comeback, this ability greatly improves the chances of winning.

At this rank, analysis of the opponent with absolute calmness is possible. The skill is greatly boosted by [Absolute Composure].

[Clairvoyance]

Rank: D+++

The skill that connotes superior visual perception and dynamic occipital capture, such as to supplement the long-range aiming of projectile weapons.

At this rank, keeping track of fast-moving object within a range of two and a half kilometers is possible. Due to a limitless body capacity, when Reinforcement is used on the eyes, the range can be greatly extended.

[Presence Concealment]

Rank: D

The skill to hide one's presence.

At this rank, it is possible to hide oneself in the shadows. However, it is possible to be detected through supernatural means.

It's a massive power-up... However, I am not happy at all. I'm not using a bow that can mow down buildings. I am using a gun. A modern weapon that can be easily shrugged off by Servants. They are invulnerable to physical attacks, so I have to upgrade my weapons.

With the resources available to me, I managed to get my hands on some ancient wood and blessed metals. After a month of hard work, sacrificial rituals, Mystery gathering, reinforcing and enchanting, I have created my first specialized Mystic Code.

Desperate

Rank: -

Type: -

Classification: Mystic Code

Effect: Bullet acceleration, elemental imbuement, sound and light dampening.

Prerequisite: Only Fenric von Leiqritus

Description: A bolt-action rifle based on the Karabiner 98 kurz. It is made out of ancient materials with great Mystery and reinforced to level that it won't break down even after suffering a direct artillery barrage. Muzzle flashes will be hidden as all bullets fired from the gun will be muffled, accelerated by the wind, and then enchanted by lightning, causing its speed to massively increase while anyone hit by it will be temporarily stunned. Its effective firing range is 6,000 meters and its maximum firing range is 28,000 meters. Its enchantment can be switched on and off through the influence of its wielder's Od.

Yes. I named the Mystic Code Desperate because I actually am. I am not Billy the Kid, I am talented at hitting an object from a long distance away. It is perfect for me since I don't want to get up-close-and-personal in the first place.

I'm will just lie down, and aim for someone's head from far, far away. Erect a simple Bounded Field that decreases sound in addition to my Mystic Code's sound dampening, and they won't even see it coming.

I am a coward, and I know that. Will you rush into a battlefield knowing that your opponent can easy kill you with a slap? Not me, no thank you. On the worst-case scenario, I can take care of close range combat with my sword and try to escape with Magecraft.

Oh? I have not mentioned that I picked up the sword? Good, you don't need to know because I'm mediocre with it at best. It's a sabre to be exact, and I am not good with it at all. Sure, I can probably reach the level of a swordmaster in decades and the level of Sasaki Kojiro after a few hundred-

Yup, definitely not worth it.

I can deal so much damage, yet I'd die even if a Caster-class Servant were to slap me... I am the definition of glass cannon, aren't I? And um, a sniper looks cool in movies but don't they get taken out every time...? Did I just-

Ahem.

Lastly, I have finally spent my Status Points on something.

[Name: Fenric von Leiqritus, (No Title)

Level: 25

EXP: 1,509,318,738/3,355,443,200

Strength: 2.3

Endurance: 2.6

Agility: 3.4

Od: 330/330 (330)

Circuit Quality: B (1.5)

Circuit Quantity: C (22)

Circuit Composition: Dynamic

Origin: Limitlessness

Elemental Affinity: Fire, Earth, Water, Distortion

Sorcery Trait: Divine Chant

Innate Talent: [Infinite Potential], [Absolute Composure]

Skills: [Analyze], [Magecraft B], [High-Speed Incantation C], [Item Construction D], [Enchant D], [Marksmanship A], [Eye of the Mind (True) C++], [Clairvoyance D+++], [Presence Concealment D]

Status Points: 85]

I was planning to go all cool and give myself the Death Element, but then I realize that I didn't even know what I can do with it. Something about adding instant-death effects to my spells? Nope, I don't have enough knowledge for that.

On the other hand, I knew of one Element that is incredibly, no, insanely compatible with the Leiqritus clan's specialization.

Distortion.

What a frightening thing. Frankly, I was horrified and ecstatic of my own ideas. I truly wasn't prepared for what I was going to create at all...

Do you know how lethal and severe it is when you add Distortion to Curses?

There are many types of Curses. I'd classify them into two types: direct and indirect. A direct Curse will be something like the Scandinavia Curse, Gandr. You have to actually hit someone with it in order for its effect to take place.

The indirect Curses are ones that you don't have to hit them with. Say, a voodoo curse doll or a cursed Bounded Field. You only need materials for the curse doll, and you can just erect a barrier and wait for someone to come into.

Then, what happens when you add the Element of Distortion to a Bounded Field?

...You not only distort someone's senses, but you distort their perception of reality. The Bounded Field I created is on the level of an alien world where there is no escape. A limitless world of endless confusion.

I'm not good with names, so I named it Distorted World.

When reality itself is distorted, they won't be able to understand or even theorize what is going on. They'll be trap in it indefinitely. Their sense of reality, time, and space are all unknown and constantly changing. Perhaps their own personality will also change, and it will continue for all eternity.

However, it is not as strong as you think it is. In fact, it's quite fragile when compared to a Reality Marble.

If the enemy is strong enough and does not need to rely on wisdom, they can simply escape by destroying the entire Bounded Field using an attack that is strong enough to directly overpower the barrier and crush it from inside.

Nevertheless, this will be very effective against Mages and even Servants of the Berserker and Assassin classes. In addition, I can extend and reinforce the Bounded Field, though that'll require an immense amount of magical energy, which I do not have.

...But what will happen when I lay my hands on Heaven's Feel?