Chapter 498

【However, this guy messed up halfway through; a sneeze actually triggered the barrier, and dense magical arrows shot out, all of which were blocked by Svin's quick reflexes.】

Waver: "Uh, that's it?"

Shishigou Kairi: "Maybe we're overthinking it, but I don't feel like that's very likely."

Kayneth: "If this is the second warning, then what follows will be the truly dangerous stuff. After all, things happen in threes."

【Svin: "Was the attack just now just a warning?"】

【Flat: "Mm-hmm, is this an automatic defense mechanism?"】

【The two bickered a bit more, and the barrier was dispelled by Flat.】

【Just then, a figure suddenly appeared, leaving both of them stunned.】

【It was a familiar figure wearing a hood and holding a scythe.】

【The scythe flashed and swung down, passing through the neck of the boy who hadn't resisted.】

【"A silhouette?"】

【Svin touched his own neck where it had been grazed; there was no injury, but he couldn't help breaking out in a cold sweat.】

【Because it was 'Gray', he had subconsciously let his guard down and almost met his end.】

【And just after that shadow swung the scythe, it dissipated as if melting away.】

【Flat: "Doggy! What are you doing!"】

【Svin: "You're asking me what I'm doing... wait, what did you see?"】

【Flat: "Eh? I only saw a blurry shadow. By the way, Doggy, you were frozen stiff, you scared me! That shadow disappeared again! What was that, it's like the movie 'Ghost'!"】

【Could it be that the shadow image they both saw was different!】

【What exactly was the significance of that phantom?】

Waver: "Is this the third warning?"

Emiya Kiritsugu: "No, this isn't a warning; that thing is likely..."

【"Don't talk about that, more importantly, look over there!"】

【Flat pointed not far away, to their target destination: the swamp.】

【An abnormal stench irritated their noses, signifying that it was real and not a phantom.】

【Suddenly, white mist emerged from nowhere.】

【No, this wasn't mist, it was...】

【"Undead!!!"】

【The two groaned; they had never seen a swarm of spirits of such massive scale.】

【That was a sea of undead, like an ocean. No, it should be called a sea of undead directly!】

Shishigou Kairi: "F***, there are actually this many undead!"

Seeing something like a sea of undead, even Shishigou, a necromancer, was shocked.

Kayneth: "Hiss! The Blackmoore graveyard actually hides something so dangerous!"

Tohsaka Tokiomi: "A sea of undead, how many undead had to be accumulated to form such a scene..."

Shishigou Kairi: "Those two kids are in danger."

【"Doggy, assist me!"】

【Flat raised his finger and opened a hemispherical magical shield, and Svin also poured his essence into this magical formula, increasing its strength as much as possible.】

【Immediately, the two were swallowed by the tsunami of undead.】

【Svin: "What is this?"】

【Flat: "No, no, no, this is amazing! It's like riding a roller coaster! However, that group of undead seems like they are trying to escape from somewhere..."】

【Flat looked deep into the tsunami, staring intently at the magic that was swirling, twisting, and leaping in the direction where the swamp should be.】

【"So amazing! It's my first time seeing such a dense and delicate spell! I don't understand how it's established at all, it's great! Come and look together! Doggy!"】

【"Idiot, don't stick your head out of your own barrier! Think from the perspective of me, the assistant! Rather, what do you want to do by getting close to that stinging, numbing scent! Just go die, idiot!"】

【Svin grabbed Flat's belt tightly, holding back this fool who might rush out at any moment.】

【Flat: "Ah, ah, ah, something moved!"】

【Just as Flat shouted, the scene slowly began to distort.】

Rin Tohsaka: "Is there something wrong with this guy named Flat's brain?"

Waver: "Sigh... (I feel my stomach hurting again)"

Tohsaka Tokiomi: "Suddenly distorting, is it a problem with the screen or..."

Kayneth: "Idiot, how could it be a problem with the screen."

Shishigou Kairi: "So you're saying the space in the video is distorted; is it because of the sea of undead?"

Emiya Kiritsugu: "Although a single undead probably couldn't do it, with so many undead gathered together, a qualitative change isn't impossible."

【Time returns to a few minutes ago, on the other side.】

【Waver and Gray chose to head to the small hill to check out the windmill hut.】

【Gray: "Master, did you separate from them because you intended to come here?"】

【"I believe splitting into two groups is the best solution."】

【Waver said with an unhappy face: "It's just that if there's any contingency, I want to avoid those two guys meeting Zepia. I can't predict what chemical reaction that would cause."】

【The two arrived in front of the windmill hut, cautiously pushed open the door, and were immediately stunned.】

【Inside the house, just as Luvia described, peculiar crystal machines were flashing and shining.】

【It just means that after so much time has passed, that person still hasn't left.】

【"Oh my, I didn't expect the girl who acts as the gravedigger to actually return on her own initiative."】

【Sure enough, the person Waver least wanted to see appeared; it seems he was specifically waiting to welcome them.】

Kayneth: "According to the situation, it should have been over a year since Waver left the village with Gray, is he actually still staying here?"

Shishigou Kairi: "Investigating some data shouldn't take that long, right? And the villagers are all gone now, yet he's still staying here just fine."

Everyone actually already has an idea in their hearts; Zepia definitely can't be separated from the disappearance of the villagers.

Everything is too coincidental; Waver and the others returned to the village on a whim, but the village happened to have this kind of thing happen; no matter how you look at it, it's intentional.

The only one who could do this kind of thing is Zepia, who can predict the future, right?

Waver: "Sure enough, investigating anything is a lie; he has another purpose here."

【Waver swallowed his saliva and said: "To be honest, I didn't expect you to still be here, although I was thinking it would be nice if some clues were left behind."】

【"Is it that unbelievable, Lord?"】

【Zepia laughed: "That's true, the villagers should have all disappeared; no wonder you would feel it's very strange for me to stay here alone."】

【Gray: "Mr. Zepia, what happened here?"】

【"What happened?"】

【Zepia said slowly: "This question isn't wrong, but it's not very good. The content that should be asked in the script should revolve around the theme. I'm not saying that the theme is very important, that's a cliché, but rather stating a simple fact; the elements of the story are arranged with the theme as the center."】

【Gray was angered by his nonsensical answer.】

【Zepia: "Hehe, don't be impatient, I will answer you on this premise. What was here was purely an ancient contract."】

【Waver: "A contract?"】

【Zepia: "Ah, it's rare for you to return to this place, so I'll talk a bit more about the inside situation. You know about the Atlas contract, right? A contract established long ago, before I became the director."】

【The Atlas contract refers to seven contracts said to be scattered across the world; as long as someone activates the contract, the Atlas Academy must provide assistance.】

Kayneth: "The Atlas contract! I didn't expect even this thing to be involved!"

Shishigou Kairi: "This also means he was entrusted by someone to provide some kind of assistance here."

Kayneth: "Who exactly could get their hands on an Atlas contract? Could it be Heartless!?"