IBHJ Chapter 901

Leaving the guild, hand in hand with Mordred, Shirou felt many eyes on them as they walked towards the city outskirts.

"Mom..." she began, looking up at him. With her Pendragon bloodline, she also sensed the prying eyes.

He put a finger to his lips. "Shh."

She nodded in understanding, covering her mouth with her hand—a rather adorable sight.

They made their way out of Zaun City towards Thunder Cave. As they passed through a small forest, a group of adventurers blocked their path.

"What can I do for you all?" Shirou asked, smiling at the adventurers blocking their path.

"Hand over your items," the leader demanded.

"I'm not sure I follow. The God's Brain is back at the inn, everyone's keeping an eye on it. It's not in my bag."

"I'm not talking about the God's Brain," the leader said. "I'm talking about the other items. The reward for the Hell-level newbie quest couldn't have just been the God's Brain, right? You handed it over so quickly to hide the other rewards, didn't you? Give them to us."

"Hmm, there are other items, yes. But why should I give them to you?" he questioned.

"Don't think your cute looks will stop us from getting rough. I suggest you hand them over to avoid getting hurt. Besides, we have a resurrection stone. You wouldn't want to use up all your respawns and end up as a specimen in the pyramid, would you?"

The leader pulled out a green stone, brandishing it threateningly.

"So, you're robbing me, I see. But what's this pyramid everyone keeps mentioning?"

"Huh?" The leader was taken aback. He couldn't believe Shirou didn't know something so basic.

"Didn't your parents teach you anything before you became an adventurer? How sad. Once you use up all your respawns, you turn into a baby, or even a fertilized egg, and then the system transports you to the pyramid to be preserved as a specimen."

"If you don't want to become a specimen," the leader continued, "hand over the items."

The other adventurers grew impatient with their leader's lengthy conversation with Shirou. But they understood his caution. Items had drop rates, and resurrection stones weren't cheap. If they used up all their stones and the items still hadn't dropped after exhausting Shirou's respawns, it would be a massive loss.

"I see," Shirou said, a gentle smile on his face. "However, I'd like to see with my own eyes how the system transports babies, or even fertilized eggs, to the pyramid."

The next moment...

Boom!

The world around them twisted and blurred, as if they had been plunged into a dreamlike state.

"This is... This is a succubus's illusion!" one adventurer cried out in terror.

Succubi were masters of control magic, particularly skilled in illusions. They knew Evil Flower had a succubus teammate, and that she was his daughter. But succubus control skills required a casting time. They had been so careful, so how had they fallen for the illusion?

"Don't panic," the leader said. "They're just two newbies. We're experienced adventurers."

He was a level 5 human, and the rest of his group consisted of level 3 and 4 adventurers.

With such a strong team, why should they fear two fresh-faced newbies?

"Illusions are barrier-type control skills. As long as we take down the caster, we'll be fine."

The leader turned, his gaze fixed on Shirou and Mordred. "Attack with me, take them down!" he yelled.

But there was no response.

Confused, he turned his head to look behind him, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

Corpses.

Corpses everywhere.

The adventurers who had been alive and well just moments ago were now lifeless bodies strewn across the ground.

What... what had happened?

The leader was stunned.

"What did you do?" he asked Shirou, his voice low and menacing.

"I didn't do anything," Shirou replied with a smile.

The leader didn't believe him.

"If that's the case, then I'll take you down first!" He roared and charged towards Shirou.

But before he could reach him, a sharp whoosh filled the air, and black spikes erupted from the ground, impaling the leader through the heart.

"This is..." The leader's eyes glazed over with realization. This must be another reward from the Hell-level newbie quest.

A self-activating defense mechanism, how lucky...

He didn't know that this wasn't an item or equipment from the game world, but Shirou's Noble Phantasm, Evil Blossom.

After the killed adventurers were revived by the resurrection stones they were holding, they howled in rage and charged towards Shirou. If they could kill him, that incredible item would be theirs!

This time, Shirou suppressed Evil Blossom's automatic defenses, allowing them to approach. This filled the adventurers with glee. If the item wasn't actively protecting him, what could a mere newbie do?

"I don't like conflict," Shirou said, "but that doesn't mean I'm weak or easily bullied. You've chosen to target me, so you better be prepared for the consequences." He drew two Holy Swords. "Prepared to die."

His gentle smile vanished, replaced by a cold glint in his eyes. A terrifying pressure emanated from him.

Instinctively, the adventurers stopped, overwhelmed by the immense pressure, as if a dragon had awakened and locked its icy gaze on them. Their throats went dry.

This feeling was familiar to them. They had felt the same bone-chilling pressure back at the inn, from the One King.

"She's... she's just a newbie," one adventurer stammered.

"Don't be scared. She's just a newbie," the leader shouted. "Even if she has powerful items, we have resurrection stones. We can keep coming back until she's worn down!"

His words seemed to bolster their courage, and they charged at Shirou again.

And so, a bloody massacre began.

Despite being a level 1 newbie, Shirou wielded two Holy Swords from Artoria's inventory, their stats far exceeding anything these adventurers had seen. Coupled with his vast combat experience, the fight was a one-sided slaughter, even with the level difference.

By the end, all the adventurers were reduced to babies.

"Please, spare me," the leader begged, sobbing. "I can't become a pyramid specimen yet!"

Hearing this, Shirou paused, a gentle smile returning to his face.

The smile was so bright, combined with Artoria's delicate features, it was like looking at an angel.

Such a smile must mean he was spared, right? A flicker of hope ignited in the leader's heart.

But in the next moment, Shirou's smile vanished. Like a king delivering a verdict, he swung his sword.

Swish!

With that final blow, everyone had exhausted their respawns.

Golden light descended from the sky, whisking away the babies on the ground. They were undoubtedly being sent to the pyramid by the system.

"All done!" Mordred dispelled the illusion, pointing to herself with a smile. "How was that, Mom? Isn't my illusion even better than Merlin's?"

"Of course it is." he reached out and ruffled her hair, his face full of warmth.

"Hee hee hee..." she giggled happily.

"All dealt with already?"

A gentle male voice suddenly sounded in Shirou's ear. He raised an eyebrow and turned to find two figures perched on the trees behind him. One was a white-haired girl, and the other was the One King's lackey, Chain, with her long green hair.

"Quite the efficient clean-up," Chain remarked, jumping down from the tree with a smile as she surveyed the scene.

She had clearly witnessed the massacre.

"Are you here to hurt my mom, too?" Mordred stepped forward, protectively shielding Shirou and baring her teeth at Chain and the white-haired girl like a tiny guard dog.

"Don't worry," Chain reassured her, pointing at the girl in the tree. "Leaving her aside, I'm only interested in the God's Brain. No matter how powerful or rare other items are, they belong to you. I wouldn't dream of taking them by force."

"Your method of arrival doesn't exactly inspire trust." Shirou said.

"I couldn't help it," Chain replied with a smile. "I saw those guys sneaking up on you earlier and figured they were probably going to try and rob you.. Since we want the God's Brain from you, I thought I'd lend a hand. But it seems my help wasn't needed."

At this moment, there was a "thud" sound. Shirou turned to see the white-haired girl fall headfirst from the tree, her head plunging into the ground like a carrot.

A number popped up above her head:

-1.

He looked at Chain, confused. "...May I ask what your companion is doing?"

"Uh..." Chain wiped sweat from her brow. "It might be some sort of... traditional custom of hers."