Controlling two monstrous entities summoned from an alternate dimension with sheer mental force seemed straightforward on the surface, but only Shokuhou Misaki truly understood the immense difficulty of the task.

To offer a simple analogy, her mental domination functioned like a switch.

Normally, if the target were an ordinary human, pressing that switch meant complete, unbreakable control until she personally released it.

However...

these two demons were entirely different.

Initially, she had gained control easily enough, but in less than five seconds, her consciousness was hit by a massive backlash.

The demons weren't fully subdued; instead, they began to struggle violently, pushing back. "Ah..." At the instant of the counter-attack, Shokuhou Misaki clutched her head, an involuntary moan escaping her lips.

The resistance from the two monsters was overwhelming, impacting her mind like the thundering crash of colossal waves, inflicting excruciating pain.

Mental attacks are formless; they cannot be seen or grasped, lacking the dazzling spectacle of physical assaults, yet their danger far surpasses that of tangible close-quarters combat.

In the mildest case, the spirit suffers a devastating blow, resulting in idiocy.

In the worst, the psychic world is utterly destroyed, leading to brain death.

And Shokuhou Misaki was currently facing just such a peril.

If she couldn't suppress the demons and allowed them to rampage through her psyche unchecked, her mental world would be swiftly annihilated. "Crack." She held on for barely three seconds before realizing the profound abnormality of these creatures' minds; mere electrical impulses were insufficient for control.

Without a moment's hesitation, she flipped the switch on the remote control in her hand, rapidly severing the electroencephalographic link to the two demons. "I apologize, I can no longer suppress them." Immediately after, she collapsed onto the ground as if utterly drained, drenched in sweat, and spoke to the three figures beside her with a hint of apology.

This entire sequence had transpired in mere seconds, so only then did Mikoto and the others fully react.

Though they didn't grasp the specifics, it was clear Shokuhou's mental control had failed.

Turning to their adversaries, the two demons were gradually regaining full awareness...

The group dared not let their guard down and immediately prepared for a renewed fight. "You just stay put and hide.

Unless you want to end up an idiot..." Mugino Shizuri shot a glance at Shokuhou Misaki, then stepped forward, deliberately placing herself between the others and the newly recovered demons.

A cruel smile touched the corner of her lips as she fixed her gaze on the monsters. "Tch.

Invincible demons, are you? I'd like to see just how powerful your physical regeneration truly is." As she spoke, black feathers danced in the air, falling like a dark snow.

A pair of black wings, each feather nearly two meters long, sprouted from Mugino Shizuri's back—Fallen Angel Transformation.

With a gentle beat of those wings, she ascended into the sky.

Though the wings seemed grossly disproportionate to her current frame, she positioned herself.

Aligning her hands toward one of the demons, her left hand manifested a white electronic wire—Atomic Collapse—while her right formed a black feathered arrow—Wing of the Fallen.

The demon charging directly at her was instantly suppressed.

Its damaged flesh regeneration slowed dramatically, and its body visibly began to shrink at a rate perceptible to the naked eye. "Awoooohhh..." The demon emitted a sound that was perhaps pain, perhaps rage, retreating step by step under the assault from Mugino Shizuri.

Meanwhile, after swiftly securing Shokuhou Misaki, Mikoto and Rin also launched their attack on the second demon.

While Mikoto's overall combat strength matched Mugino's, she lacked the high-grade Fallen Angel body.

Against enemies who were not rule-level, her inherent Rule Power was useless, making the engagement significantly trickier.

However, with Rin's assistance—the synergy of sorcery and esper abilities—the situation transformed entirely.

The instant the demon charged toward the pair, an Iron Sand Wall, two meters high and thirty centimeters thick, sprang up before them, completely blocking the monster's attack...

And it wasn't just defense.

After integrating the Heart of the World, Mikoto's strength had vastly increased.

The Iron Sand Wall she now controlled was not limited to defense; under her precise calculations, the iron sand rotated back and forth at incredible speeds, grinding against the demon's flesh and inflicting damage.

While Mikoto occupied the demon with defense, Rin, standing beside her, held three Magic Gems in her hands, immense magical energy surging within her. "Eight, nine, ten...

Not a single scale shall remain." The moment the incantation ended, a vast expanse of white frost swept toward the demon, instantly freezing it entirely.

At that precise moment, the original Iron Sand Wall shifted shape under Mikoto's command.

It surged upward like a wave in the ocean, only to crash down the next moment like a waterfall...

Crunch, crunch.

The demon, frozen solid like ice, was utterly pulverized by the torrent of iron sand in an instant...

No regeneration followed.

Success...

Seeing this outcome, Mikoto and Rin broke into smiles, then turned their gaze toward Mugino, catching the final scene.

It was the moment the demon was completely shattered, bone and sinew, engulfed by countless black feathers and white light...

One, a demon from an alternate dimension; the other, a Fallen Angel body.

A higher-tier being attacking a lower-tier one left no chance for survival.

Both demons were entirely annihilated. "Let's hope we never run into those hellish creatures again," Mikoto sighed in relief, her tone carrying a hint of disgust...

Her prejudice was understandable; the monster had been truly grotesque. "Alright, the gatekeeper monsters are dealt with.

Following standard procedure, the main event should be next," Mugino stated calmly, directing her gaze toward the storage room across the way.

To avoid another surprise attack from the enemy's monsters, the group entered the storeroom with heightened caution this time, constantly vigilant of their surroundings.

Yet, they encountered no further attacks as they moved inside.

Rin let out a breath of relief. "It seems the only monster Cer used to guard his ATER was that one." "That makes sense.

If there were others, they would have attacked us during the previous engagement," Mugino nodded, surveying the area. "The man is gone." After a sweep of the room, Mugino noted the disappearance of the homicidal maniac, a flicker of regret in her eyes. "He probably fled." Rin frowned.

He was, after all, just a perverted killer who didn't use magic—a strictly ordinary person.

It was natural he would run after witnessing the battle they just had.

Saying that, she approached the girl lying on the table and confirmed she had ceased breathing. "That brute is truly cruel, to do something like this," Mikoto sighed internally, her face contorted with fury. "If I meet him again, I won't let him go." "I'm sorry I couldn't save you, but I promise I will avenge you." Rin spoke heavily, her words sounding like an oath, before gently closing the girl's wide-open eyes.

The group searched the room for a while longer and eventually discovered over a dozen small children, both boys and girls, aged around six or seven, on the second floor.

Rin's target, Kotone, was among them.

Fortunately, none of the children were dead; they were simply unconscious. "Let me erase their memories.

It will be better for them this way," Shokuhou suggested.

No one opposed this; such an ordeal would be far too terrifying for six or seven-year-olds.

Forgetting everything would be preferable.

Finding nothing else of note, the group departed.

Under Shokuhou's mental control, the rescued children were guided back to their respective homes.

Once inside, the control would lift, and they would forget everything that had happened here. "Although we saved the children, Cer himself never appeared," Rin sighed.

At that moment, a purely white figure materialized beside them—Lily.

She spoke in a low voice, "After all, it's Cer.

He might have sensed my presence." Originally, their plan was to use themselves as bait, allowing Lily to deliver the final, fatal blow.

This was why Lily had remained absent, existing only as a spiritual entity, keeping her presence concealed to the maximum extent.

However, whether Cer was absent entirely or if he detected Lily, he never showed himself—a regrettable outcome. "Forget it.

We saved the kids anyway.

We'll find another way to deal with Cer later." The others nodded.

They hadn't ascertained Cer's abilities, and given his power level, unless they achieved a surprise attack, escaping would be easy even if they cornered him. "Well then, let's go meet up with Lin Luo now," Rin said, letting out a deep breath with a look of relief.

Little did Rin know that at that very moment, Lin Luo was trapped in a decidedly less comfortable predicament.

...The journey there had been lighthearted and casual; the journey back was weighted with heavy concern.

This phrase perfectly described Lin Luo's current state.

Originally, in the source material, "All the World's Evils" was merely a composite entity forced to bear sin—the person, male or female, was just an ordinary human who had all the world's wickedness heaped upon them so that the world could enjoy happiness.

This individual bore all the evil of the world and was subsequently forced to become a Heroic Spirit, summoned accidentally during the Third Holy Grail War as the eighth class—Avenger.

Because they began as an ordinary person, they were extraordinarily weak even after becoming a Heroic Spirit.

They died shortly after the Grail War began.

However...

everyone knew that after death, one was absorbed by the Grail.

Thus, when the Grail absorbed the Avenger, it also absorbed All the World's Evils.

Immediately, the Grail was tainted.

This meant that every Holy Grail formed after the Third War was a corrupted Black Grail.

Since All the World's Evils began its influence then, the Holy Grail Wars had become utterly meaningless.

Regardless of who won, the wish-granting machine they received would only bring about destruction.

This was why Lin Luo had initially aimed to destroy the Greater Grail.

But now...

the All the World's Evils he sensed was not just the composite being that carried sin.

While that entity was present, beneath it lay something far deeper, something akin to the Root—intangible, ungraspable, yet undeniably real.

To use something known as a comparison: the consciousness of the Earth itself forms a power called Gaia, which can be an invisible push or a tangible life form.

The collective consciousness of all humanity forms a power called Alaya, containing wisdom and might akin to Gaia's infinity.

So, when all the evil of this world gathers together, what does it form? Even if it doesn't equal Gaia or Alaya, it must be close to them in magnitude.

Lin Luo was absolutely incapable of dealing with something of this magnitude.

Even operating at full capacity of his Rule Power, he couldn't contend with it, as the Rule of Man is subordinate to the Rules of the World.

If he could fight entities on Gaia's level, he wouldn't need to painstakingly analyze the world's rules.

But preventing that entity from emerging was a massive headache.

Heroic Spirits and Magicians participated in the Holy Grail War to realize their personal wishes; they could never be simply made to stop.

The only way to halt their battle was through overwhelming force, yet he absolutely could not kill them... "Arghhhh, this is an unsolvable dilemma!" Lin Luo was close to breaking down.

Why did he encounter such a thorny problem? Whether he chose to observe or intervene, if all seven Heroic Spirits died, All the World's Evils would emerge, or worse, it might awaken even before all seven were absorbed.

So, what could be done? If he truly couldn't stop it when the time came, and All the World's Evils truly manifested...

only Gaia and Alaya could possibly suppress it.

But who could rely on those two lolis? If it reached the point where those two lolis were needed to put out the fire, this world would likely already be ruined, and he and his allies would certainly have turned to ash long ago. "Ah, misfortune." "Hmph." Just as Lin Luo sighed, a cold snort came from behind him. "I hear a spurious eighth ATER and a second self-proclaimed King of Knights have popped up since I departed.

Is that you, the sighing trash? You are truly disappointing." "..." Someone was behind him? Realizing this critical development, Lin Luo's expression shifted sharply, and he spun around.

The next instant, a blinding golden light flooded his vision...

Ah, Brother Kamijou, is this retribution because I stole nearly ten thousand of your harem members via NRT? Are you inflicting your halo of misfortune upon me out of resentment? If so, please take it back.

I beg you...

If Lin Luo had merely been on the verge of collapse before, now he was numb.

He didn't need to see the opponent's face; just that intense golden radiance confirmed who the newcomer was...

No one shone as dazzlingly as Gilgamesh.

Lin Luo felt a surge of regret.

Because his mood had been heavy when leaving the Ryūdō Temple and he needed mental space to think clearly, he had reluctantly sealed the immensely unwilling and noisy, energetic little ABER away using a Command Spell, thus lowering his vigilance over his surroundings.

Now, being discovered by Gilgamesh was truly...

Lifting his head, Lin Luo looked up at the golden figure standing atop the five or six-meter-high lamppost.

While the figure's radiance was intensely bright, thankfully the distance wasn't too great, allowing Lin Luo's vision to make out the details clearly.

But the moment he saw the figure, he froze, his jaw nearly dropping to the ground.

The reason was simple, yet utterly bizarre.

The Gilgamesh before Lin Luo's eyes was not the tall, heroic, domineering man of legend, but...

an arrogantly diminutive loli? She stood about 1.5 meters tall, appearing to be perhaps fourteen or fifteen years old.

She had shoulder-length golden hair, and her exquisitely beautiful face was layered with arrogance.

Her crimson eyes looked down from a superior height, gazing at her subjects like a queen.

She wasn't wearing golden armor suitable for battle; instead, she wore a camisole—the kind many modern girls wear in summer—and appeared quite slender...

Though, being a Heroic Spirit, she likely didn't feel the cold.

And what utterly broke Lin Luo was that this apparent Gilgamesh loli was actually holding a rag doll in her hand.

What the hell is this? Is this really Gilgamesh? Girlgamesh? Loli-shining? What has happened to the Nasuverse??? Lin Luo was rendered completely speechless, gazing up at the figure on the lamppost, utterly petrified and unable to utter a word. "Hmph, are you gazing up at this King? Although you are a lowly mongrel, you possess some minor redeeming qualities." Lin Luo's stunned silence seemed to please her; she nodded with a hint of satisfaction. "You...

Are you truly the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh?" Lin Luo, finally recovering, stared at the girl above—or rather, the loli—in disbelief. "Insolent cur! Are you doubting the identity of this King? A base creature fit only to grovel on the ground dares to question the status of the sovereign soaring in the heavens, mongrel!" The loli-Gilgamesh was initially furious, but then seemed to recall something, furrowing her brow in confusion. "Wait.

A mere mongrel—how do you know my identity?" It was really her? Lin Luo couldn't comprehend why even Gilgamesh had been feminized.

But more importantly, why had this loli sought him out? "I suspect no one in this world, save for the King of Heroes, would make an entrance enveloped in golden light like that." "Indeed, you are correct," the loli-Gilgamesh agreed readily. "Gold is the most noble color in existence.

Besides this King, no one else is worthy of wielding gold." Such supreme narcissism... "Very well, King of Heroes.

I have answered your question.

Now, is it not time for me to ask mine?" Lin Luo spoke neither subserviently nor defiantly.

While he didn't particularly wish to confront Gilgamesh, having done so, there was no point in showing fear. "What did you say? A mere mongrel dares to negotiate terms with this King?" The loli-Gilgamesh was visibly enraged. "Listen, can you stop calling me 'mongrel'?" Lin Luo stated this with a slight edge of dissatisfaction...

Anyone would be annoyed by being constantly called a mongrel.

But... "Hmph! If I say you are a mongrel, then you are a mongrel! Mongrel! Mongrel! Mongrel!" Lin Luo was speechless.

Was this arrogance? Or was it cuteness? A