[FMMISM] Chapter 35: No Name Assassin, Zealot

No Name Assassin, known as Zealot, only pursued one thing—proof.

Proof that she was a devoted follower of God.

In her youth, she diligently trained to earn the title and position of 'Hassan-i-Sabbah', also known as the 'Old Man of the Mountain' or simply 'Hassan'.

In order to claim the position of 'Hassan-i-Sabbah'. which proved one's status as the leader among the Hashashin, she had to demonstrate her piety by obtaining a 'Divine Miracle' bearing the name of the angel of hell—an ultimate killing technique that had to meet the criteria of swiftly and efficiently bringing death to its target, known as 'Zabaniya'.

In the Hashashin, which was known as a sect of assassins and a group of zealots, even among these zealots, she was treated with disdain as a zealot among zealots.

Regardless, she eventually achieved feats that astounded the ages.

No one dared to believe.

She, a mere teenage girl, mastered all eighteen Zabaniya that belonged to the past Hassans.

'Zabaniya: Delusional Heartbeat', 'Zabaniya: Dream Marrow', 'Zabaniya: Imaginary Computer', 'Zabaniya: Delusional Poison Body', 'Zabaniya: Phantasmal Shadow', 'Zabaniya: Disrupted Body Temperature', 'Zabaniya: Meditative Nerves', 'Zabaniya: Delusional Spirit Circulation', and so on.

Mastering these eighteen Zabaniya was a clear testament to her painstaking training.

Yet, even so, the elders of the Hashashin still refused to acknowledge her as 'Hassan'.

When she asked, their reason was that she had not created an original Zabaniya of her own.

"What have you really done? Merely copied old miracles like a scribe. Your inability to produce a divine miracle on your own is due to your immaturity."

Although what they claimed was true, it was only a half-truth.

In reality, the true reason was their fear of her.

Even the great Hassans of the past took a lifetime to develop their unique Zabaniya, yet she mastered almost all of them in mere months.

With a belief steadfast enough to endure any trial and talent seen only once in a generation, history had proven time and again that those who deviated too far from the norm were met with envy and hatred.

"You're still too immature. Someone like you can't inherit the position of leader."

Facing such an extremely forced reasoning, she obediently complied without a hint of doubt.

"So, my faith isn't enough?"

"How immature I must be to insult the legacies of past leaders."

She harbored no hatred towards anyone, continuing to hone her skills relentlessly.

When someone named 'Hassan of the Hundred Faces' was chosen as the new leader, she had only one thought.

"Ahh... That's indeed a divine miracle I can't acquire."

She didn't envy the new leader, only ashamed of her own immaturity. In the end, she received no reward, disappearing into history as an unknown zealot, thus her name, 'Zealot'.

Although it should have been this way, she was summoned by Ryuunosuke to this far eastern land, as a Hassan who couldn't become Hassan.

Zealot had only one wish for the Holy Grail—to personally destroy it.

She learned that several past leaders had also pursued the Holy Grail, but to this, she merely felt sorrow.

She had no intention to hate these leaders or scorn their aspirations since in her eyes, they deserved respect.

What should be hated was the heretical ritual that misled them, the 'Holy Grail War' itself.

With such a reason, Zealot unhesitatingly resolved to oppose the entire Holy Grail War.

Days had passed since her Master's death, and the supply of magical energy had long ceased. Without a skill like 'Independent Action', she could only survive by relying on her A-rank skill, 'Zealotry'.

Until the moment she disappeared, even if her body was temporary and illusory, she would kill as many participants of the Holy Grail War as possible.

===

"Watch closely, Zealot... this is how 'Delusional Heartbeat' is used."

Ragna's voice pulled Zealot's thoughts back from the past to the present.

As she looked up, the boy, who should have been killed by her, still stood there as if nothing had happened.

Was it because of her own lack of skill?

No, that was not right.

For the first time, Zealot did not devalue herself.

Confronted with absolute power, she clearly recognized her own capability.

'I stand on the shoulders of great predecessors. My ultimate killing techniques are flawless.'

Unfortunately, the boy before her was exceptionally abnormal.

At this moment, Ragna raised his slender right arm.

It was hard to imagine that this delicate arm had just effortlessly snapped her demonic crimson arm.

Zabaniya: Delusional Heartbeat—to acquire and use this Zabaniya, Hassan of the Cursed Arm, who was its original owner, paid a severe price.

Enduring excruciating pain to shatter his own body, he fused the evil spirit arm of Shaytan, summoned through ancient Middle Eastern sorcery, into himself.

Upon activation, it created a mirror image of the heart of the assassination target with an ether clump, a dual existence that resonated with the original one. By crushing the fake heart, he could crush the real heart with this curse without laying a finger on it.

A true devilish technique that cursed its target, akin to the arm of Satan.

Even though this arm itself should have been untouchable by physical means due to its curse, why was it being held so naturally by this boy?

Initially skeptical, Zealot carefully examined Ragna for a moment before realizing something.

In her eyes, this boy, no, this lord was—

"Zabaniya... Delusional Heartbeat..." Ragna murmured softly.

"?!"

With a faint sound, a passage was opened in Zealot's chest.

She looked down to see a perfect cylinder on her chest as if space itself had been cut away.

Looking up again, she saw her heart beating vividly in the boy's hand.

Even with her exceptional vision, Zealot couldn't see or understand how the boy did it.

She didn't feel any magical energy or curse, nor did she notice any indication of his arm elongating and turning crimson.

Of course not, after all, Ragna wasn't using Zabaniya in the first place.

"What a swindler..."

As Morgan stared at Ragna's antic, she brushed off the bits of flesh from her body.

Regaining her composure, Morgan understood clearly that her Master had just taken advantage of the Holy Grail's authority.

Just as Delusional Heartbeat's attack didn't target the real heart itself, Ragna's true objective wasn't the black-robed girl before him. He simply altered Assassin's Servant data within the Fuyuki Holy Grail, akin to a game server, changing it to a state without a heart.

Being a walking Holy Grail that possessed a system similar to the Fuyuki Holy Grail, Ragna could naturally accomplish such a feat. With this power akin to a background modifier, Servants who were products of the Holy Grail could never oppose him.

Cough! Cough!

Gazing at the boy clutching her own heart, Zealot's golden eyes beneath the hood revealed a vacant expression.

Even though she didn't know the details, everything happening now seemed so natural to her.

Because this boy was the true angel of hell, Zabaniya.

Splurt!

Accompanied by a spine-chilling sound, the heart of the no-name girl was crushed in the boy's grip.

In that instant, Zealot collapsed forward.

"...Lord... Angel..."

Zealot muttered hoarsely, thus ending her foolish endeavor to challenge all participants in the Holy Grail War.