Chapter 1121: The Trap

This is a trap, a scheme, designed to lure out the terrified monsters hiding in the shadows.

The Hero King Gilgamesh set up the broad framework of the trap; the immortal queen Scáthach devised the specific plan; Solomon, the Magus King disguised as Roman, filled in the gaps as a safeguard; and Merlin, the Magus of Flowers, who manifested through dreams of his kin, pushed things forward from behind the scenes.

Three men and one woman—each of them sages with the power to foresee the future, standing at the pinnacle of human history.

Although, with their strength and abilities, they could have easily crushed their foes head-on without much trouble, they went ahead with this plan for their purposes and reasons. The plan, mixed with personal motives and biases, couldn't be good or bad.

The plan had two objectives:

The first objective had already been mentioned: to gather enough heroic spirits to activate the Greater Grail and end the Holy Grail War as quickly as possible.

The second objective was to draw out the monsters hiding in the shadows and wipe them out all at once.

These two objectives were interconnected, each being both the main and secondary focus at different times.

Of course, for Gilgamesh, these were merely bait to entice others into cooperating. He had already achieved his goal during the process, which is why Scáthach was tasked with formulating the detailed plan, as follows:

They had to act as if they were in a rush, fearing that delays would lead to complications.

This was quite reasonable since Dead Apostles are common enemies of humanity (at least on the surface), and no one wanted a bunch of monsters lurking in the dark, waiting to strike at any moment.

Given that, a typical free-for-all filled with various tricks and schemes wasn't suitable. Thus, a grand tournament was organized, with rankings, followed by duels. The rules were enforced through binding contracts, ensuring a relatively fair and just outcome (by certain standards).

By putting everything out in the open, Roa and his group were left with little room to maneuver. If things continued like this, the Greater Grail would activate within a few days, and the Holy Grail War would end.

During this period, if Roa and his group showed themselves, everyone would unite to crush the troublemakers. If they didn't appear, the Holy Grail War would end, their plans would fail, and they'd have to wait another sixty years.

This was the safest, most reliable, and most acceptable plan for the participants. Most masters and servants only knew this much and thus agreed to sign the contracts and participate in the grand tournament.

However, for Shinji, this plan was insufficient.

This was an open scheme, visible to both allies and enemies alike. Considering the strength disparity between the two sides, even if most of the servants were killed, Roa's chances of victory were slim. These ancient beings, having long outlived their mortal lives, never lacked patience and would likely wait out another sixty years.

But this wasn't what Shinji wanted. With Araya, a grand bounded field expert capable of evading the Counter Force's surveillance, helping them remain hidden, finding them was like searching for a needle in a haystack. If they escaped now, there would be endless trouble in the future. Given the enmity between them, Roa could seek revenge on Shinji at any time.

Shinji himself wasn't afraid, but he had to consider his family. Thus, he had to eliminate Roa and his group here, once and for all, to prevent future threats.

Thus, they crafted a second plan: feign weakness to lure the enemy into a trap!

Just as Shinji wanted to kill Roa, Roa also harbored a deep desire to kill Shinji—not only because he was the knight protecting Arcueid, but also due to a reason even Roa himself didn't fully understand. Scáthach saw through this and predicted that if given the chance, Roa would undoubtedly attack Shinji.

However, given the strength Shinji had displayed and the fact that Roa's group had already suffered several setbacks, they wouldn't act rashly. The opportunity had to be enticing enough.

First, they needed to separate from the others, moving far enough away. Gilgamesh's Enki and Spirit Particle Sealing provided the perfect excuse for this.

Next, they had to weaken their forces. Shinji's original plan was for Gilgamesh to lose, Scáthach to be heavily injured, Rin to fall unconscious, and him to retreat with several burdens, luring Roa to attack.

But Scáthach felt this wasn't enough. Her very existence as an immortal, one who had transcended death, was a form of oppression. So, she chose the most intense way to fight Gilgamesh, ending in mutual destruction—though Gilgamesh was actively cooperating. Their battle wasn't fake, and neither of them held back; they merely shortened the process as much as possible.

On the other hand, Shinji, as the main player, also had to weaken himself. His previous behavior had left Roa and his group with such a psychological shadow that even if he were alone, Roa might not dare to attack unless Shinji was gravely injured.

Thanks to Arcueid's blessing, Shinji's recovery ability far exceeded that of humans, making it difficult to keep him in a severely injured state without using special techniques or Noble Phantasms. Luckily, Cu Chulainn had such a Noble Phantasm, so Scáthach orchestrated a duel between her two disciples, under the pretense of a missing heroic spirit and an assignment.

Given her understanding of her two disciples, she knew Cu Chulainn would find an opportunity to release his Noble Phantasm, and Shinji would still claim the final victory, ultimately understanding her plan.

Would there be unexpected outcomes, like Shinji accidentally dying or Cu Chulainn failing to release his Noble Phantasm?

To this, Scáthach simply shrugged and said, "Risk and opportunity go hand in hand. I'm the kind of teacher who throws their disciples into nests of Phantasmal Beasts and lairs of evil spirits. Do you think I care? I've given them the opportunity—if they can't seize it, that's on them. They deserve it."

Of course, the result was exactly as Scáthach predicted. Cu Chulainn completed his task and withdrew, while Shinji's heart was shattered, leaving him barely able to walk. Although Rin, who had been let go earlier, unexpectedly returned, this only added to the credibility of Shinji's injuries—since the girl knew little about the plan, her reactions were entirely genuine.

Finally, the masterminds lurking in the shadows couldn't hold back any longer. After tracking the duo for half an hour, led by Fabro's beasts, Roa finally confirmed that this was the perfect opportunity. He gathered all his forces, determined to eliminate this mortal enemy once and for all.

At the same time, when Shinji saw the familiar beasts, he silently began preparing, calculating the timing to take his medicine—the one bottle of divine medicine Gilgamesh had given him.

Note: It's divine medicine. Not only could it rapidly restore his body, but it could also dispel all curses. This king, who claimed to have sealed his clairvoyance, had foreseen this outcome.

When Jack the Ripper unexpectedly appeared, Shinji knew he couldn't wait any longer. Taking advantage of the dense fog, he swallowed the medicine and, just as Roa and his group thought they had secured victory, struck back fiercely, turning the tide in an instant!

At that moment, the roles of hunter and prey swapped.