Building a Monster Nation From Zero in Another World

It's impossible to win.

How could such a man ever be defeated?

Only by personally witnessing the Ogres' might could one truly understand how extraordinary Rin was as a Heroic Spirit.

Hoofbeats echoed across the scorched earth. Under the wary gaze of the Ogres, Iskandar and Waver arrived before Rin.

The closer they drew, the heavier the pressure pressing down from the Ogres became.

When they were only ten meters away, Iskandar's beloved horse could no longer endure the weight of the magical pressure and collapsed to the ground.

"Are you satisfied with this battle, Iskandar?"

Rin walked forward calmly, unconcerned that Iskandar might suddenly attack.

Not only were the Ogres surrounding them, ready to strike at a moment's notice, but with the strength of Snow Empress and Ogerpon nearby, Iskandar would be killed instantly if he made a move.

"Exhilarating!"

Iskandar straightened his body with sheer willpower, forcing himself to endure the crushing pressure.

He did not regret going to war with Rin.

He had given his all, yet still suffered a crushing defeat.

But losing to a strong opponent was no shame. For Iskandar, it was another honor in his long history of conquest.

"Iskandar…"

"Can you give me some time?"

"No problem."

Rin raised his hand, and the Ogres immediately withdrew the pressure bearing down on him.

"Phew…"

"What a terrifying group of men."

"Haha, it seems this is my end."

Iskandar gently set Waver down, then looked at the young man with solemn eyes and began his final instructions.

Waver, as in the original story, swore allegiance to Iskandar, vowing to be his vassal.

Rin did not interrupt. He stood silently, waiting until Iskandar had finished all of his arrangements.

Then Rin gave the final command.

"Kill."

Almost the instant Rin's voice fell, countless blades pierced Iskandar's body from every direction.

"Rider!!!"

Waver tried to rush forward, but Souei seized him from behind. All he could do was cry softly, tears welling in his eyes.

"Your journey ends here."

"Ah…"

Iskandar swallowed the blood filling his mouth and smiled. "What a truly exhilarating battle."

The blades withdrew with a wet sound, spraying blood into the air. Iskandar's body began to dissolve into golden particles of light.

"It was for me too."

Rin had no intention of subjugating Iskandar.

"Thank you for your gift."

He admired Iskandar's character and personality.

But Iskandar was a king.

A king could die, yet he would never submit to another.

Even if Rin had offered him the chance to conquer all realms together, Iskandar would likely have laughed it off.

For him, the point was never the scenery at the end of the road, but the joy of discovering new scenery along the way.

A faint hum filled the air as Rin slew Iskandar, and the Bounded Field began to collapse.

The remaining Heroic Spirits, along with Rin's Starfang Wolves and Ogres, vanished like fading illusions.

"Your Holy Grail War is over. Return to where you belong."

Rin patted Waver on the shoulder, then turned and walked toward the three remaining Heroic Spirits.

"Demon King…"

Seeing Rin approach, Diarmuid's expression grew tense.

Artoria and Gilgamesh, however, remained calm.

"The oldest King of Heroes."

Rin ignored the others and fixed his eyes on Gilgamesh. "Shall we find a place to fight to the death?"

"Arrogant."

Gilgamesh did not shy away. He accepted Rin's challenge with a confident smile. "But you do have the qualifications to stand before this King."

"Go back and prepare yourself well."

"Tomorrow, this King will personally pay you a visit."

Unlike Iskandar, Gilgamesh wanted to fight Rin at his full strength.

Though Rin's forces had suffered considerable losses in the battle, Gilgamesh's pride would not allow him to face a weakened opponent.

If Rin was weaker than Iskandar, Gilgamesh would not be satisfied.

And so, the battlefield was chosen: Ryuudou Temple.

Gilgamesh deliberately selected Rin's own territory, intending to balance the scales against the losses Rin had already suffered.

"Good."

Rin accepted calmly. Since Gilgamesh had this confidence, he would naturally give him the satisfaction of the duel.

"Hey!"

"You challenged them both, what about me?"

Ignored yet again, Artoria's anger flared.

She did not believe herself weaker than the other Heroic Spirits.

Ionioi Hetairoi was indeed powerful.

But with Excalibur and Avalon together, she could carve open a path, cut her way to Iskandar, and defeat him.

Leaving aside whether her magical energy would last long enough, this strategy could very well have succeeded.

Of course, such an approach would be useless against Rin.

His Ogres were too powerful.

Even if Excalibur destroyed dozens at once, the rest would overwhelm her eventually.

The result would be inevitable: she would be dragged down by sheer numbers.

"Defeat him first, then come and ask me that question."

Rin glanced briefly at Lancer, then turned to leave.

He needed time to consolidate the Bounded Field he had just acquired, not waste words with Saber.

"Hey!"

The Invisible Air surrounding Artoria's blade surged violently. "You bastard! There is a limit to arrogance!"

But before she could make a move, two figures appeared at Rin's back.

"What are you planning to do?"

"Ponooo!"

Snow Empress and Ogerpon glared at Artoria, their presence weighing on her like a mountain.

"No, I wasn't… I just…"

Artoria's breath caught. She had not truly intended to attack Rin.

What she wanted was recognition.

Just as he had challenged Iskandar and Gilgamesh, Saber wanted Rin to acknowledge her as a worthy opponent.

Even if the battlefield he chose became her grave, she would not regret it.

But Rin did not even grant her that much.

"Our war already ended at the banquet."

Rin's back was to her as his voice cut coldly through the air. "Someone who cannot even see themselves clearly is not qualified to be defeated by me."

"You…"

Humiliation, sharper than any blade, pierced Artoria's chest.

Yet no rebuttal came to her lips.

Without Rin's words, she might never have realized how lost she truly was.

She had been swinging her sword without even knowing what she was fighting for.

And now, she finally saw that perhaps it was she, not Rin, who had been unreasonable.

(To be continued.)