Chapter 263: Persuasion Successful

However, A Ge Lai Ya was by no means defenseless.

When Ying activated Shana, at the same instant, the Golden Thread that filled the space surged wildly as if it had its own consciousness, layering upon layer wrapping around Ying's entire body, attempting to impede her movements.

At the same time, the headless Tailor and two other silver slender swords of similar style that appeared from nowhere, as if teleporting, materialized at Ying's vital points—temples, the back of the heart, throat—with the sword tips a hair's breadth from her body!

This is the death‑binding net woven by A Ge Lai Ya!

Attack in place of defense; before you strike me, my sword already blocks your vital point!

But Ying's blade was a bit faster than she had anticipated.

Not the movement speed, but the moment of burst.

"Now, Shana."

The instant the whisper fell, a deep‑blue freezing field formed.

Those entwining Golden Threads, those lethal sword tips, in the instant before they touched Ying's body, were forcibly blocked by chilling air like Absolute Zero and a stilled spacetime, unable to advance any further!

And the blade in Ying's hand, like a cold thunder tearing through frozen earth, precisely pierced that brief defensive gap and struck the chest of A Ge Lai Ya, who sat upright in a wheelchair.

No blood splattered.

The instant the blade entered the body, extreme cold burst outward from within!

A Ge Lai Ya's pale gold long dress quickly blossomed with gorgeous frost patterns, starting from the chest wound, instantly freezing her body, the wheelchair beneath her, and even the portions of Golden Thread around her that had not yet been covered by the freezing field.

Ying's gray eyes were calm and still, her wrist steady as a rock.

She slowly drove the long sword all the way in, to the hilt, then cleanly and decisively pulled it out.

"Clang—"

A light ringing sounded as the blade left the body.

As the blade was withdrawn, the frozen wound on A Ge Lai Ya's chest released no blood, only sparkling ice shards scattering.

She, together with the wheelchair, turned into an exquisite yet cold pale gold ice statue, frozen in a Counterattack pose that had not fully activated.

The deep‑blue freezing field quietly dissipated, the Golden Thread's glow dimmed, and the Tailor and the two slender swords fell to the ground as if unsupported, turning into specks of golden light that vanished.

【System Prompt: Target 'A Ge Lai Ya' has lost combat capability. Persuasion successful. Status resetting.】

Ying sheathed the blade, and the cold encircling her slowly receded.

She quietly glanced at the ice statue of A Ge Lai Ya, then her figure faded from the beach scene and returned to Le Tu.

WangShiLeTu·ZhongYangDaTing

In the hall, a silence.

That lightning‑fast, rabbit‑leap decisive moment just now made all spectators—whether seasoned Heroic Spirits or those unfamiliar with combat, the Golden Descendants—hold their breath.

Until the System Prompt Sound rang, the image of A Ge Lai Ya turning into an ice statue, Ying's figure vanished, and the crowd seemed to have the Petrification Spell lifted.

【Pado Felice: …Is it… over?】

【Ailixiya: Wow… that was really fast! From Ying's sudden reversal acceleration, to the freezing field appearing, to a single‑blade victory… it felt like less than a second!】

【Kaiwen: Hmm. The ultimate of Shana.】

【Hua: Captured the absolute gap between Golden Thread Perception and Counterattack. The grasp of timing and distance, perfect.】

【Su: A strike where heart and technique both reached the pinnacle.】

【Wei Er Wei: Recording complete! Instantaneous speed peak broke theoretical limits! Freezing field deployment took 0.0003 seconds! Attack trajectory and Golden Thread interception net error less than 0.01 mm! Perfect! Too perfect! Ying! You are the embodiment of speed! (excitedly gesturing wildly)】

【Xi Lian: (patting chest, exhaling deeply) Great! Miss Ying won! That was really tense just now!】

【Da Ti Bao: (eyes sparkling) So cool! Whoosh—then crack! And won!】

【7】 Ke Xia also lightly clapped, a faint smile tugging his mouth, but deep in his eyes flashed a fleeting—perhaps even he hadn't clearly noticed—regret.

Na Ke Xia also lightly clapped his hands, a faint smile tugged at his lips, but deep in his eyes a swift flash of regret—perhaps even he himself had never clearly perceived—flew by.

(What a pity… didn't get to see that guy's humbled look… with her proud temperament, if she were conscious and defeated, her expression would be hilarious…)

He immediately suppressed that unscrupulous thought, clearing his throat.

Everyone's gaze refocused on the light screen.

In the beach scene, the frozen ice statue of A Ge Lai Ya was slowly melting, turning into specks of light.

And the data of A Ge Lai Ya's core seemed to be undergoing some kind of linkage by the system.

【System Prompt: Golden Descendant 'A Ge Lai Ya' synchronization rate rising. Confinement lifting… consciousness link establishing… estimated full awakening time: 12 hours.】

"Success!"

Xi Lian cheerfully whispered in delight.

AiLi also smiled brightly: "Great! That means we have another 'wise representative' on our side! I wonder what Miss A Ge Lai Ya will be like when she wakes up?"

The atmosphere in the hall became relaxed and cheerful.

A first‑battle victory is always uplifting.

Dongmu City·Port Warehouse District

While the tense showdown on Le Tu concluded, the atmosphere at the port surged toward even greater chaos.

Black Tower's impatient self‑introduction, like a stone tossed into a calm lake, rippled across the open dock.

Saber's emerald eyes flashed with a hint of doubt; she quickly searched her vast kingly knowledge base, finding no Heroic Spirit or historical figure named 'Black Tower'.

Ailisi Feier tilted her head slightly, whispering to Saber: "Is it a pseudonym? Or some kind of code?"

Only Rider, Conqueror King Iskandar, after a brief daze, not only raised no doubts but burst into an even louder laugh, his eyes like copper bells brimming with interest:

"Hahaha! Black Tower? Good! This name I, the king, have noted! Whether true name or code, a lady with such presence and power deserves respect!"

He waved his hand grandly, issuing another confident invitation: "Then, Black Tower Lady! Since we both vie for the Holy Grail, why not join under my command? Share with me the joy and glory of conquering the world! Your power, combined with my army, will surely sweep away all obstacles!"

Black Tower heard this, not even bothering to lift an eyelid.

Her violet‑black eyes swept over Rider's passionate face, emitting a faint snicker.

She could not muster any interest in the so‑called 'kingly ambition', 'knightly glory', or 'conquest ambition'.

"Join you? Share the joy of conquest?"

Black Tower finally spoke, voice cold, bearing a lofty indifference, "Heh. I don't care whether you call yourselves kings or are sung as emperors; in my eyes, your worth is limited to your very forms of existence, and those so‑called Noble Phantasms that are barely worth a glance."

She paused, looking at Rider's still carefree grin and the displeasure flashing on Saber and Lancer's faces, and continued in her flat yet piercing tone:

"As for the rest? Your ambitions, honors, grudges, and this make‑believe game of fighting over the so‑called 'Universal Wish Machine'…"

Black Tower tilted her head slightly, a hint of unabashed boredom flashing in her violet‑black eyes:

"…bored to the extreme."

Rider's grin stiffened for a moment, but quickly recovered, now tinged with regret: "How regrettable, Black Tower Lady. It seems you are a uniquely independent strong one. Still, The King will not give up! One day you will understand the joy of fighting side by side with The King!"

Black Tower was too lazy to respond further.

She seemed to have lost patience with the exchange, her gaze shifting elsewhere as if searching for something more interesting.

At the same time, around her, dozens of rhombic light mirrors of varying sizes, their edges swirling with intricate purple runes, appeared without warning.

These light mirrors emitted dangerous Magic Wave, their surfaces subtly adjusting angle to lock onto the present Saber, Lancer, Rider, and even the distant Ailisi Feier and the trembling Weber!

Each mirror's core began to coalesce a blinding purple energy.

"!"

Saber instantly brandished a horizontal sword to block in front of Ailisi Feier, and the Wind King Barrier rippled slightly.

Rider also suppressed the smile, and the bull on the Divine Car Wheel let out a low roar.

And Weber, who was hiding behind Rider's massive body, was now pale with fear.

His instinct as a Magus, together with his sensitivity to Servant data, caused him to subconsciously activate a detection Magic, hoping to glimpse the panel stats of this "Caster" whose tone was frighteningly bold and whose methods were equally enigmatic.

Magic perception extended cautiously like a whisker……