"Last night, the central area of Fuyuki City suffered widespread destruction, the cause of which remains unconfirmed."
"However, as you can see, a massive floating garden appeared in the skies above Fuyuki City starting from midnight yesterday."
"Some claim this aerial garden is an alien spacecraft fortress, responsible for attacking Fuyuki City, while others believe it to be a mirage or a high-tech projection. The authorities have yet to provide a definitive answer."
"We have invited expert Mr. Oshima for an exclusive interview in the studio. We now switch to our studio."
"Hello everyone, I am Oshima. Based on the information I've gathered overnight, the floating garden appearing above Fuyuki City bears a striking resemblance to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon recorded in historical texts. You can see here, these are images I found in my research..."
Bai Ye picked up an apple from the table and took a bite, watching the news on television.
He switched through several channels, and although the reporters were different, the content was the same.
Looking at the floating garden during the day, it was even more awe-inspiring. It was immense and luxurious, with a towering castle in the central area beyond the outer gardens, grand and magnificent.
The twelve stone pillars surrounding it also gave a peculiar feeling, exuding an ancient aura.
There were also fragments of rock floating around the aerial garden, seemingly drawing closer to it, which Bai Ye found strange.
In addition, some colored halos constantly swirled around the floating garden.
"What are these halos?" Bai Ye mumbled, puzzled. "They seem to be merging into the aerial garden?"
"That is magic!"
At this moment, Gilgamesh's voice suddenly rang out, startling Bai Ye.
Bai Ye said speechlessly, "Why do you walk without a sound? And can you knock before entering?"
Gilgamesh snorted, walked to the wine cabinet, took out a bottle of red wine, and sat down on the sofa. "Under the heavens, all land belongs to the king. I go where I please, and need not inform anyone beforehand."
"As you wish," Bai Ye shrugged and asked, "What about that magic?"
Gilgamesh said, "Grand Noble Phantasms like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon cannot be used casually. The current aerial garden is incomplete and is continuously absorbing the magic of this city."
Bai Ye asked, "Isn't this the best opportunity to attack?"
Gilgamesh replied, "On the surface, it appears so."
Bai Ye pondered, "But in reality, it's the same issue we discussed last night. If this is a trap, why appear so conspicuously? But if it's not a trap, then it shouldn't have appeared so conspicuously either."
Bai Ye scratched his head. It was a contradictory problem.
Especially since the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were not yet complete, it shouldn't have appeared, but instead should have secretly absorbed magic until completion before launching an attack.
From this perspective, unusual occurrences often signal trouble. Since the opponent revealed the Hanging Gardens of Babylon before its completion, they must have ulterior motives.
Bai Ye asked, "Could it be intentional? Using the incomplete state of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to lure others into attacking."
Gilgamesh replied, "Perhaps."
Bai Ye asked, "You don't seem too concerned?"
"Do I need to be concerned?" Gilgamesh sneered. "No matter who the opponent is, or what Noble Phantasm they use, I will obtain the Holy Grail."
Bai Ye asked, "Then why didn't you attack last night?"
Gilgamesh said, "This Holy Grail War is very interesting, with some intriguing individuals. However, the Saber and Rider classes have not yet appeared. I wish to meet them first before ending everything."
Bai Ye shrugged. It was indeed in character for Gilgamesh.
Bai Ye tossed the apple core into the nearby trash can and said, "Shall we wait and see then?"
Gilgamesh nodded, then looked at the floating garden on the television.
...
Meanwhile...
Above Fuyuki City, in the aerial garden.
A long, narrow corridor, hollow and silent.
Li Jiayi walked down the corridor, each step creating an echo that made the corridor seem even deeper and more secluded.
Soon, Li Jiayi reached the door at the end and pushed it open casually.
This was the core of the aerial garden.
In the spacious hall, a man and a woman stood.
The man was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with golden curly hair and a handsome, resolute face, but his brows exuded a violent aura.
Cenel Dalilo, one of the executives of the Hidden Dragon Association.
To be precise, he was currently the third-in-command of the Hidden Dragon Association.
A ruthless killer. After all, Cenel was the initiator of this wish, and the participants for this wish mission were selected based on the number of kills. Cenel's kill count...
Ranked first!
However, Li Jiayi did not pay much attention to Cenel.
Li Jiayi was more interested in the woman beside Cenel.
The woman possessed a beauty that fascinated men, with long, flowing black hair like a waterfall, and a black dress that accentuated her shapely figure. Her eyes held a hazy, decadent look, yet strangely, a noble elegance.
Most importantly...
She was the mistress of this aerial garden. Reading 138.
The legendary queen of the Assyrian Empire, who poisoned her husband. In heroic epics, she was known as the oldest poisoner. However, her outstanding governance and martial prowess made people forget her cruelty and sing her praises.
She was Semiramis, the woman known as the Empress!
Thinking of this, Li Jiayi couldn't help but feel a bit dejected.
Look at the Heroes summoned by others.
Legendary queens, the oldest kings, guardians of the Shadow Realm who controlled souls, berserkers known as demigods...
Each summoned Hero was terrifying.
What about himself?
Fuma Kotaro...
A ninja from the Land of the Rising Sun...
Although a famous ninja and the leader of the Fuma clan, wasn't he just an employee?
Others were kings or queens, or guardians who were also queens. He finally got someone not related to a king, but his father was a king of gods...
Li Jiayi felt his life was too difficult.
At the same time, Cenel looked at Li Jiayi and suddenly asked, "Is your plan feasible?"
Li Jiayi snapped back to reality and smiled, "There is no absolutely successful plan in this world, but at least it seems to be working for now. No one has made a move, have they?"
Why did the aerial garden appear so conspicuously?
There was no special reason.
This was Li Jiayi's idea for Cenel, intended to make others speculate about why the aerial garden appeared so ostentatiously!
And then...
While others were speculating and holding back, it would absorb magic and complete the aerial garden.
...