Perhaps in the realm of magic, Tōsaka Tokiomi was brilliant, but when it came to judging character, the kindest description was a lack of foresight; to put it less charitably, he was blind.

Everyone knew Tōsaka Tokiomi’s downfall stemmed from his inability to read people, leading to him being stabbed in the back by his own apprentice—utterly naive and foolish. Although the timeline has now shifted, allowing Tōsaka Tokiomi to escape that tragic fate, it still didn't change the fact that he was profoundly naive and foolish.

He simply assumed Tōsaka Rei was an innocent, mischievous girl whom he could placate with lollipops or hugs to maintain a good relationship. The reality, however, was that if Tōsaka Rei were that easy to handle, Lin Luo wouldn't have been constantly overshadowed by her back at the Sky City.

Lin Luo once performed a highly scientific and magical assessment, discovering Tōsaka Rei’s IQ to be a staggering 288!

This near-three-hundred intelligence was something Lin Luo himself lacked, as did anyone else in Sky City; even genius-level figures like C.C., Yakumo Yukari, and Yagokoro Eirin, individuals considered sages, didn't possess such a score... Of course, a high IQ doesn't automatically equate to high wisdom, just as with Misaka Mikoto. Despite her IQ hitting 200, her wisdom was hardly outstanding.

Wisdom isn't solely determined by IQ; emotional intelligence (EQ) also plays a crucial role. Constrained by her EQ, Misaka Mikoto excelled only in learning speed and comprehension—at best, she was an unstoppable general who wouldn't be easily stunned. But asking her to serve as a strategist? For the sake of one's own life, it would be better to dissolve the alliance immediately.

In contrast, C.C., Yukari, and Eirin, while possessing IQs roughly similar to Misaka Mikoto's, had wisdom that was worlds apart... They had reached a level where they could peer into the hearts of others even without mind-reading abilities.

So, did Tōsaka Rei’s EQ match her IQ?

The answer was terrifying: her EQ was no less impressive than her IQ!

Consequently, ever since Rin Tōsaka and her daughter settled in their retreat, Tōsaka Tokiomi had been bested by Tōsaka Rei almost every moment. No matter how events unfolded, ultimately, it always ended up being his fault, leaving him tearfully crestfallen.

He finally understood now: never judge a book by its cover, nor a person by their appearance, and certainly never underestimate a monstrously precocious child!

Naturally, when facing a prodigious brat like Tōsaka Rei, even Lin Luo struggled; thus, it was entirely normal for Tōsaka Tokiomi to be brought to tears. Moreover, he wasn't the only one recently thrown into chaos. Compared to him, Tōsaka Tokiomi was lucky; besides feeling depressed, he suffered little actual harm. Some others, however, were genuinely living through sheer agony...

Take the Twenty-Seven Ancestors!

After Lin Luo assigned the "enticing" task to Arthur, Arthur activated his brain trust. Though he couldn't devise any brilliant solutions himself, he trusted that with so many minds working, someone would find a good method—after all, three mediocre minds are often better than one genius.

However, after a full day of discussion, Arthur grimly realized... the saying about three mediocre minds equaling one genius referred to cobbling shoes, not wisdom. In terms of intellect, not just three, but three hundred added together couldn't match a single toe of Zhuge Liang's foot. Anyone who believed that saying was either brain-dead or had once had their head slammed in a door.

Therefore, having exhausted all other options, Arthur finally decided... to strike with overwhelming force!

While Lin Luo had stipulated no "hardline measures," he hadn't forbidden the use of physical force—there was a fundamental difference between the two. So, as long as Arthur didn't knock people out and toss them into Fuyuki City, but rather herded the people Lin Luo needed towards Fuyuki City like cattle, he wouldn't be using hardline measures; instead, it would be... an open stratagem!

"Precisely, this is an open stratagem!" Before the operation began, Arthur confidently declared to his brain trust, "This mission marks the first time in the history of our Truth Alliance that we have swept across the globe; it must succeed, failure is not an option! So, everyone, follow my lead, utilize your intellect and strength, and give it your all. You must complete the task within one week!"

"Oh..." Although Arthur tried to use inspiring words to boost morale, the reality was that many below him were still eating, still playing on computers, or still sleeping. There was barely a ripple of enthusiasm, with only a few responding with a perfunctory "oh" because the silence felt too awkward.

But then, the little blonde girl scornfully interjected, "What open stratagem? This sounds like the actions of an idiot! And what history does the Truth Alliance have? It was only founded a month ago! If everyone follows your lead, we're doomed."

Not receiving the enthusiastic response he anticipated, Arthur was already irritated; being scorned and corrected by this little girl made him exceptionally frustrated.

Before he could retort, someone nearby chimed in, "Speaking of which, I've always thought the codename Truth Alliance was problematic... How about we call ourselves the SOS Brigade?"

At this, several people glared, "What kind of joke is that! We should clearly be the FFF Brigade!"

Immediately after, the young man with a strong 'bromance' inclination puffed out his shining chest and declared seriously, "I still think the 'Ji Jian Tuan' (Muscular Brotherhood) is most fitting."

"There are women here too! If it's 'Ji Jian Tuan,' then 'Ji Jian Tuan' (Feminine Health Group) would be better," a tall, dark-haired girl nearby licked her lips, her gaze fixed on the blonde girl opposite, a faint spark of fire in her eyes.

The blonde girl instantly felt a chill, recoiling and desperately trying to avoid the other's gaze.

Next, the girl dedicated to science for a hundred years piped up, "Shouldn't it be the Queen's Fan Club?"

"Why the Queen's Fan Club?"

"Because of science!"

"Science is something you should discard like your integrity."

"Go discard your sister!"

"Stop arguing! According to my suggestion, we should be called the Strongest Alliance..."

"Wrong, it should clearly be the Council of Sages..." Watching the argument spiral further and the topic veer dangerously close to Mars, Arthur was overwhelmed with despair. He sharply barked, "What is all this noise! Hurry up and move out!"

And so, the members of the Idiot Alliance... no, the Truth Alliance, charged out with great fanfare. While their personalities might be ripe for criticism, their efficiency in carrying out tasks was surprisingly fast. Combining science and magic, they pinpointed the locations of most targets in just two days, followed by the commencement of the herding operation.

For ordinary ability users or Dead Apostles and Magicians, Arthur and his group had no intention of herding them; with his family's influence in this world, a mere word could send countless Dead Apostles and Magicians swarming toward Fuyuki City like locusts.

Therefore, Arthur and his team's sole focus was the Twenty-Seven Ancestors and beings of UO level!

These entities represented the peak fighting strength of this world. In the past, even with their family's power, they wouldn't have dared to claim they could round up all the Twenty-Seven Ancestors at once. But now that Lin Xiaoke and Arthur had both become Walkers, and Lin Xiaoke had even ascended to the Fourth World King, the situation was entirely different.

One could only imagine the resources a World King could command. Take Lin Luo, for example: though his Bright Realm might not boast a large population, its resources were comparable to those of an entire Thousand World.

Lin Xiaoke, also a World King, certainly wasn't lacking either.

With a World King as their backer, the leap forward taken by the Arthur family was self-evident... It was like having an unparalleled master personally conduct marrow cleansing, impart techniques, and feed you countless elixirs and spiritual medicines every day; even if your talent was poor and your comprehension low, becoming a peerless expert would be nearly impossible to avoid.

So, at this moment, the Arthur family was undoubtedly the number one power in the Nasuverse, capable of commanding the entire world in an instant, a feat even the Two Inhibitors couldn't prevent... Of course, Lin Luo, the ultimate bug, was excluded from this calculation.

Given such immense strength, even though Lin Luo forbade Arthur from using supra-standard power, dealing with the Twenty-Seven Ancestors posed no major problems for them.

However, defeating and herding are fundamentally different, so the execution of the herding plan was indeed somewhat tricky.

First, when confronting the Twenty-Seven Ancestors, they had to conceal their true strength without causing fatal harm, and they couldn't appear too obvious, lest exposing their hand lead to an awkward situation. Second, the locations of the Twenty-Seven Ancestors were extremely far from Fuyuki City; driving them all there would require strategy... after all, the Twenty-Seven Ancestors were not cattle or sheep that would run simply because someone waved a whip.

As the members of the Truth Alliance dispersed across the globe to herd the Twenty-Seven Ancestors, Arthur sat quietly in a certain room, before him displaying numerous massive screens, each showing the figure of a person—running or flying.

This room was the main control center established by the Science Girl. It was linked to more than ten satellites overhead. As long as the Science Girl placed a receiver somewhere, the satellites would transmit complete information from that location directly to the screens in this room.

Currently, every member of the Truth Alliance carried an information receiver, so as Arthur watched these screens, all their actions were laid bare before him. This allowed him to issue timely instructions should any situation require attention.

Arthur had never experienced the feeling of sitting securely in a military tent before; being a Marshal for once, his spirits soared... Watching the ever-changing scenery on the screens, he felt as if he were Zhuge Liang reincarnated, Sima Yi reborn—secure in the command tent, securing victory a thousand miles away!

"Arthur, guess what I found!"

Suddenly, a voice sounded near Arthur's ear. He snapped to attention, instinctively glancing at one of the screens. On that screen, a young man was crouched low in the bushes, clutching a Swiss Army knife, his eyes intently focused on a clearing ahead, a slight drool escaping the corner of his mouth.

This youth was the gluttonous man who had been eating ramen during the earlier discussion. He was also a brother of Arthur's generation; though not blood-related, Arthur referred to him as 'older brother' out of respect. Despite his considerable strength, his voracious appetite was a significant weakness. His name was Bergriss, codenamed "Invincible Armor."

In fact, all members of the Truth Alliance were Arthur's siblings. Although they were all collateral relatives, they held core status within the family; only Arthur and Lin Xiaoke were true direct bloodlines. Maintaining such a vast family required relying on more than just the two of them.

Seeing Bergriss in that posture, Arthur knew he had found a target. Firmly ignoring the drool, he asked, "Who did you find?"

Bergriss wiped the drool from his mouth, spun the knife in his hand, and exclaimed excitedly, "I found a huge spider! Spiders are rich in protein. If I eat this big spider, I won't need to eat for a whole month! But catching this big spider will be hard. I must approach it carefully from behind, then remove the head to eat it. Tastes like chicken, crunchy!"

Arthur switched the camera view and saw a gigantic spider sleeping in the undergrowth. Realizing Bergriss was currently in South America, he instantly knew the spider's true identity... the Fifth of the Twenty-Seven Ancestors: Mercury Great Spider, ORT!

Arthur's face immediately darkened. "Don't bore me with your gluttonous knowledge. This spider is not food, and... don't assume it's easy prey; be careful it doesn't eat you!"

"Fine..." Bergriss agreed reluctantly.

Arthur then ignored him. Although the Mercury Great Spider was powerful, it might not be a match for them, provided Bergriss was cautious.

A moment later, Arthur received another transmission, this time from his younger brother, Ye Xing. "Arthur, I've infiltrated the church's secret grounds and detected the aura of the Dark Six Thrones. Should I draw it out?"

Arthur looked at the corresponding screen. It was completely dark, likely due to the lack of sunlight in the hidden area. Unconcerned, he nodded, "You must."

Next, Arthur glanced at the other screens. When he saw a short-haired blonde woman sitting by a lake fishing on one screen, he couldn't help but twitch. He raised an eyebrow, "Sister Jishui, what are you doing?"

The young woman hadn't expected Arthur's voice to interrupt her moment. She paused slightly, then declared righteously, "Don't you know? The Water Demon Smire dwells in this lake. I'm planning to fish her out."

"..." Arthur was speechless. "...Uh... good luck with that."

Simultaneously, Arthur heard the voice of another brother, Reient: "Arthur, I found Solomon *Merlin. He really is a beautiful boy; you'd never guess he's an Ancestor."

Arthur turned to look, seeing a youth seductively showing off his shimmering pectoral muscles on the screen. This was none other than the man who had previously proposed using an appeal to beauty. Arthur's face darkened, and he said sternly, "Don't get any improper ideas; focus on the task."

About ten minutes later, the Science Girl, Chiyue, who dedicated herself to science for a hundred years, also made progress... On a dark and breezy night, she stood before a gloomy yet elegant ancient castle, holding a laptop in her left hand and adjusting her glasses with her right. She looked toward the castle and smiled, "What great luck, I found it so quickly... it's the Black Winged Lord, Pthah! Let's test it out—which is stronger, your Reality Marble or my science!"

Watching Chiyue's focused expression on the screen, Arthur silently nodded. But before he could feel too pleased, on another screen, a girl was bouncing around like a willful child, occasionally sticking small saplings into the ground while singing: "I plant a tree in spring, and in autumn I will harvest many, many trees. I plant in spring..."

"Mingye, what are you doing now?" Arthur felt a headache coming on.

Mingye replied from the other end, "You're so slow! I'm a tree planter. Aren't I luring out Fuhai Lin?"

Arthur looked utterly bewildered. "...Your method is even more brainless than Jishui's fishing!"

"Young man, you are too naive. I am an expert tree planter... You wouldn't understand."

Almost at the exact same moment, an excited voice from another girl reached his ears: "Haha! Rita Voban, watch me shoot you full of holes today!"

The speaker was Takehime, the girl with the tendency toward 'yuri,' who had also eyed the little blonde girl earlier with ill intent. She had infiltrated the castle of Rita Voban, a quintessential noble vampire among the Twenty-Seven Ancestors, with a lovesick expression, bow and arrow ready, already drawn.

At this point, Arthur could no longer hold back his complaint. "Hey, you three from the 'Rural Retreat Group'—one fishing, one planting trees, and one shooting arrows—can you please take this seriously for a moment?"

"We are very serious!" the three roared in unison.

"I..."

Arthur opened his mouth, about to speak, but before he could utter a single word, another voice cut in: "Arthur, I've brought the Venus UO over."

Hearing this, Arthur instinctively looked at the corresponding screen. It displayed a little blonde girl, and trailing behind her was another young woman... This woman was stunningly beautiful, with flowing blonde hair, wearing a white dress, though she appeared somewhat clumsy and was looking around with a dazed expression, seemingly searching for the person the little blonde girl was addressing.

"Look at that! Little Sister Wu Yi is amazing; she captured the target so quickly... Huh?" Arthur was initially delighted, but then his brow furrowed. "Wait a minute. She's Venus UO? The legendary Venus UO is supposed to be a thousand-meter-tall carnivorous plant! Why is she a girl?"

The little blonde girl named Wu Yi maintained a placid expression. "How should I know? She's Venus UO anyway... and she's a natural airhead. I tricked her without any effort."

"Little sister, who are you talking to? And what is a natural airhead?" Venus UO tilted her head, looking genuinely puzzled.

Wu Yi blinked her eyes. "Don't mind me; I'm talking to my imaginary friend."

...

For a full week, Arthur commanded his Truth Alliance in a massive herding campaign against the Twenty-Seven Ancestors. Except for a few, like the Black and White Princesses, who managed to escape due to their extremely secluded residences, everyone else suffered brutal fates.

For these Ancestors, this week felt like the apocalypse; their suffering was immense. (To be continued) RQ