"Jiang You...? Has there ever been a bearer of the Golden Fleece by that name?"
Atrum Galliasta scrutinized his own Servant. Judging by appearance alone, there was nothing Greek about him, and even the name didn't match up.
Using his authority as a Master, he examined Jiang You's status panel. The Servant hardly seemed powerful; even his primary stat, Mana, was only rated at C. The only remarkable aspect was his Noble Phantasm, which was rated EX.
"Are you a Heroic Spirit from the Age of Gods?"
Unwilling to give up, Atrum asked again. He desperately hoped he had summoned a dragon-based familiar.
"Damn it, it's not Illyasviel!"
Jiang You grimaced as he sized up his Master, a man with distinct Middle Eastern features. He hadn't expected to be summoned into a standard class at all—he'd been hoping for a visually appealing female Master this time.
Looks like he was about to get snatched up by Kuzuki Souichirou.
Atrum, however, was displeased by Jiang You's disappointed expression. He had joined the Holy Grail War to win an honor equal to his family's status. For him, this was a matter of personal pride, and he took such things very seriously.
"Mere familiars..." Atrum swallowed the words of disgust that had almost escaped his lips. Instead, he composed himself, regaining his refined and genteel demeanor.
"Caster, don't get the wrong idea. As your Master, I am fully prepared to outmatch any opponent."
He gestured for Jiang You to follow him.
"War is a contest of resources. The availability of supplies tilts the scales of victory."
They arrived at a luxurious villa, extravagantly furnished and secured with excessive measures. Even during the short walk to the front door, Jiang You sensed magical fluctuations from at least a dozen individuals.
In other words, Atrum had at least twenty magi at his disposal.
Though in terms of quality… even Hundred Faces Hassan could probably massacre them all with ease.
"Our lineage employs a cost-equivalent magecraft system, an efficient yet primitive method of generating mana."
At Atrum's command, his subordinates dispelled the illusion spells, revealing an elevator door hidden within the lavish interior.
Stepping inside, they descended underground. Fluorescent lights flickered on in succession, illuminating a sterile, high-tech white room that seemed completely detached from the concept of magecraft.
It resembled the command center of a research facility. At its core stood a ritual altar, surrounded by six nutrient tanks, each containing a curled-up adolescent—clearly not yet of age. They were like offerings waiting to be sacrificed.
They remained motionless in their cramped containment units, smaller than prison cells. If Jiang You hadn't sensed faint traces of mana from their bodies, he might have assumed they were already dead.
"Live sacrifices. This is my form of ancient curses."
Atrum observed his work with evident pride.
"Of course, this workshop is far more modern and efficient than before. It will only take a moment to craft a fresh batch of mana from these high-quality materials."
Jiang You suddenly recalled Atrum's fate in the original story. The man's presence had been so insignificant that he had already been eliminated before the main events even began, which was why Jiang You hadn't recognized him at first.
"That won't be necessary."
Jiang You grabbed the arm of the magus who was about to activate the ritual. The mere term "live sacrifice" was enough to tell him the fate of these young victims. His face twisted into an unsettling smile.
"From what I recall, this ritual takes an entire month to produce mana, correct? I imagine you've poured a great deal of effort into optimizing it to this point."
"Caster, you're quite knowledgeable."
Atrum's mood brightened, mistaking Jiang You's remark as appreciation for his work.
"Magecraft is the culmination of generations striving toward the Root. Effort? You flatter me."
"You're concerned about mana consumption, aren't you? This amount is barely worth mentioning."
With a snap of his fingers, Atrum illuminated an adjoining chamber.
Countless young bodies hung from the ceiling like stored goods, awaiting their turn for ritual consumption.
"Life is a resource. And so long as one has the right connections and enough money, this resource is endless. Rest assured, I won't be sourcing materials from Fuyuki—I have no intention of causing unnecessary trouble."
"I see. Well, as it happens, I know a thing or two about cost-equivalent magecraft myself."
Jiang You's smile grew wider.
"Have you ever heard of Soul Crystallization?"
"The materialization of the soul… a phenomenon of the fabled Third Magic? Of course I have. But Caster, surely you don't intend to claim you can produce such a thing using mere live sacrifices?"
Atrum scoffed, thinking Jiang You was joking—perhaps testing his knowledge of magecraft. That was, until Jiang You tossed him a dazzling crystal.
Atrum knew nothing about Soul Crystals—he only understood the concept. But he could feel the near-limitless mana contained within this one. Even if he sacrificed an entire city, he wouldn't be able to generate this much.
"Impossible… Who are you!?"
Only now did Atrum realize Jiang You hadn't been speaking in jest. His own magecraft achievements were like fireflies before the full moon. No—no mere firefly. They were dust beneath his feet.
For the first time, Atrum felt fear. Could he really control this Servant?
"Aren't you curious about how it's made?"
Jiang You's smile remained as Atrum shivered.
"How… how is it made?"
Atrum wanted to flee, yet the allure of the Third Magic held him in place. If he could grasp even a fraction of its secrets, his accomplishments would surpass anything he had ever dreamed of. His greed momentarily stilled his hand from using a Command Spell.
"Sacrifices, naturally, must be magi with functioning Magic Circuits."
Jiang You stepped toward Atrum, each footfall echoing like a hammer against the magus' heart. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.
"By the power of my Command Spell, I order you, Caster—do not use your Noble Phantasm against me!"
Before his team of magi could intervene, Atrum invoked a Command Spell. He had studied Jiang You's status. He knew that above all else, he had to be wary of the Servant's EX-rank Noble Phantasm. This Caster relied too heavily on his trump card!
"No matter how great you were in life, even if you were a Magician of the Third Magic, you are nothing more than a mere familiar now!"
As the Command Spell vanished from his hand, Atrum exhaled in relief. Clutching the Soul Crystal, he let out a triumphant laugh. Even if Jiang You had been lying, this gemstone alone was an unparalleled treasure in the world of magi.
"Now my bloodline finally has the qualifications to pursue the Third Magic! Thank you, Caster!"
His earlier humiliation boiled into rage. Swinging his arm, he threw a punch at Jiang You, determined to reclaim his dignity.
A Servant could never defy a Command Spell-wielding Master.
Yet his fist stopped mid-air, blocked by an invisible force.
A realization struck Atrum—Jiang You's Noble Phantasm had activated. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"How… how is this possible?! The Command Spell already took effect!"
Jiang You grinned as the Duel Field unfolded around them.
"The Command Spell activated, but it didn't register as an attack—perhaps because I never specifically targeted you with my Noble Phantasm. Or maybe…"
He chuckled.
"Maybe it's because the true effect of my Noble Phantasm isn't bound by mere text descriptions?"