"Ah, oh, it seems you are in trouble."

Cú Chulainn, who had been quietly watching as a bystander, looked at Ethan with a gleeful expression after seeing the person on the wall.

Although he knew Ethan was very strong, an existence on the level of a god, the person before him was a truly powerful being with the ability to slay gods, the queen of the Land of the Dead, the Land of Shadows, and also the teacher who taught him spearmanship and Rune magecraft.

Ethan had just used Rule Distortion, changing many rules of this world, and the resulting effects were numerous. Besides a certain old bug being certainly dead, people who had undergone magical modifications, like Sakura Matou, would also be affected. Since she was healthy, the effect would be a positive change. All the messy magical modifications on her body would lose their effect under the rule change, allowing her to recover and become a normal person.

Pure magecraft constructs like the Greater Holy Grail and the Einzberns would completely lose their effect. To some extent, Ethan could be said to have thoroughly destroyed the Einzbern family and the Holy Grail War.

Special existences like Illya, who is half magecraft construct and half human bloodline, would also be severely affected if not dealt with in time, as seen from her condition just now. However, whether she could ultimately transform into a normal person or directly die was a fifty-fifty chance. At this point, it would depend on Illya's own mental fortitude to withstand that painful modification.

However, before Ethan, Illya would not face such immense risk and struggle for survival based on her own willpower. Ethan had enough ability to ensure Illya completed this transformation without any risk.

In addition, the Land of Shadows, which belongs to the mysterious side, was also affected. Under the distortion and change of rules, the Land of Shadows was directly destroyed.

"Rule Distortion... such powerful magecraft... No, this kind of power should be called True Magic, right?"

Directly rewriting the rules of the entire world, such a powerful ability is something probably only a few true gods could achieve. Rin never expected this Ethan to be such a powerful existence.

Although Ethan stated outright that this was not something he could do alone, and that he completed this feat with the help of two other powerful friends, everyone present was also very curious about who those two helpers were. However, this did not hinder their admiration for Ethan.

No matter in any era, any world, or in the eyes of any person, the strong are always worthy of reverence.

Although this strong person does not look so good right now.

That powerful True Magic, capable of distorting the rules of the entire world, would have terrible side effects after being cast, which was a fact everyone could completely accept. Ethan's current appearance was like an elderly man around sixty years old.

Although his body was still strong and tall, his back did not seem as straight as before. His hair had completely turned gray, and more and more wrinkles had appeared on his face. Even though he had become an old man, Ethan was still a very charming old fellow.

"This world is just so unfair."

Zouken, who should have been the cause of the incident but was now completely ignored, looked at the still handsome old Ethan and sighed unhappily, who would not want to be a handsome guy? He also wished he could be full of charm even when he became an old man.

And the very charming old man, Ethan, casually took a bottle of Fountain of Life from his storage space, then gulped down a large bottle, stopping the continuous aging of his body.

Although he did not immediately recover to his peak state, the worsening symptoms were under control. As long as he rested quietly and took medicine, he would recover quickly.

"However, I presume you will not give me that time."

The woman opposite, with long purple hair, had jumped down from the top of the wall. She held a red demonic spear identical to Cú Chulainn's and continuously sized up Ethan.

"A god from another world?"

"Something like that."

"I am Scáthach of the Land of Shadows."

Scáthach turned her head and glanced at Cú Chulainn not far away. Cú Chulainn happily greeted her, "Yo, I really did not expect to see you again, Master!"

"I had always hoped to see you again, Setanta, but unfortunately, you were never able to appear before me again."

Cú Chulainn looked a little embarrassed. He knew what Scáthach meant. Scáthach had always hoped that someone could defeat and kill her, preferably someone she had taught and gifted the red demonic spear to. The most promising among them was Cú Chulainn, but he failed to meet her expectations.

"However, being able to see you before the final battle is also something worth being happy about."

Ethan looked at Madeline. Madeline took a few steps back, clearing the space in the entire courtyard. "Do not mind me, I am happy to enjoy a wonderful battle."

Then she turned her head again and asked Ethan, "Do you really not need me to help you deal with this trouble?"

"I said, this is not trouble at all for me."

Although Scáthach was a powerful existence who had achieved the feat of god-slaying while still human, and had gradually become a demigod or infinitely close to a true deity over the long years, Ethan did not think she could cause him any trouble. Even if he could not win, would he not be able to run?

With a slight lift of his hand, condensed mana gathered in his palm, forming a blue energy layer that solidly blocked the red demonic spear that instantly appeared before his eyes.

"Since you have finally met your dear disciple, are you not going to exchange a few more pleasantries?"

"What needed to be said has already been said long ago, there is no need to waste any more time."

While Scáthach was speaking, the movements of her hands did not stop. As the first thrust was blocked, she smoothly withdrew her spear and twisted her body. At the same time, another red demonic spear suddenly appeared in her originally empty left hand, and using the twisting motion, she thrust it toward Ethan from another tricky angle.

"After all... I have been waiting for this battle for too long."

The demonic spear passed through Ethan, but it was as if it had struck air. As the spear pierced through, Ethan's figure slowly dissipated. When he defended against the first thrust, he had already left his original position and moved behind Scáthach.

Almost at the same moment Scáthach pierced the illusion he left behind, fifty fireballs had already begun to rain down on her back.

The rumbling sounds of explosions continuously rang out. Although the barrier that trapped everyone had long since disappeared, none of the people present wanted to leave.

For the Servants, such a battle was rarely seen. With Ethan having distorted the world's rules, whether they could continue to exist, or how long they could exist, was a question. Witnessing such a battle between god-level beings as their final memory before completely dissipating could be considered a good ending.

As for Shirou and Rin? This was Shirou's home, and although Rin had lost her mana and could no longer be a Magus under the distorted rules, this did not mean she lost interest in such a battle. In fact, she was even more engrossed than the other Servants.

"What a pity. It seems your physical condition is not very good."

Ethan's current condition was obvious to anyone with eyes. He was not in his peak state. Distorting the rules of a world, even with the help of Merlin and the Ancient One, was not a simple matter.

His current physical condition, mana level, and even mental strength had all dropped to a low point. It was precisely because of this situation that Madeline said he was in trouble.

"Yes, if you want to have a match with me at my peak, why do you not wait until I go back and recover before fighting?"

Scáthach continuously twirled her hands, batting away or piercing and detonating all the fireballs Ethan threw out. After that, the red demonic spear in her left hand disappeared again. Her left fingers slid repeatedly in mid-air, and then several fireballs, many times larger than the ones Ethan released earlier, hurtled toward him.

"I am not that picky of a person."

Ethan chuckled wryly, looking at the several fireballs before him. He gently spread his hands, and a transparent wall appeared in front of him, swallowing the Rune magecraft released by Scáthach.

This move was supposed to first swallow and then return, but as it swallowed the fiery light, Ethan suddenly discovered there was also a silent arrow closely following the fireballs. It was even attached with a spell-breaking rune. Taking advantage of the momentary gap caused by the structural change as the defensive wall swallowed the light and prepared to return it, the arrow pierced through the defensive wall and truly reached Ethan.

Clang.

It was just that close. This arrow could have hit Ethan's forehead, but at the last moment, it was blocked by a golden shield.

"How do you even have this thing!"

Others did not recognize it, but Zouken recognized what that shield was.

"I forged it myself. Although there are some differences from the original, it is also a very powerful piece of equipment."

Along with Ethan's voice, streaks of golden light appeared from the void and landed on his body. When the golden light dissipated, Ethan, who had been wearing casual clothes, was clad in a set of golden full-body armor. The shield that had been floating in front of his forehead also landed on his right shoulder.

At the same time, he gently raised his left arm and used the round shield on it to block a sudden slashing attack from Scáthach, who had closed in.

"Hm?"

Not just Scáthach, but Madeline, who was watching from the side, also noticed that Ethan's physical condition seemed to have instantly returned to its peak.

"Not recovery, it seems like an enhancement?"

Even more miraculous was that Ethan's originally aged face was slowly returning to its youthful appearance. Besides wearing the golden armor, Ethan had also returned to his previous look.

"Could that summoning chant also have a prophetic effect? This time, he truly became the Guardian of the Scales..."

(To be continued.)

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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.

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