Chapter 1240: Chapter 840: Showdown Chapter 1240: Chapter 840: Showdown “AAAARRRGHHH!!!”

Duanmu Ai leapt up, her War Hammer coming down hard on the massive, pitch-black surface of the Holy Grail. Under Duanmu Ai’s strike, even the colossal Grail began to sway, its surface cracking with fissures that quickly healed, restoring it to its original state in the blink of an eye.

And at the same time, a voice rang out.

“It is truly foolish, as a human, to vainly attempt to obliterate the desires of humanity… I am the being venerated for granting the wishes of those who obtain me, known as the existence called the Holy Grail.”

“So what?”

Duanmu Ai stepped back, gripping her War Hammer once more, while simultaneously Alice and Yellow Dragon emerged at her side, unleashing the powers of death and thunder and lightning upon the Grail.

However, even after being attacked by two powerful Electronic Demons, the Grail remained unshaken.

“What you have witnessed, the vista within the prison returning to the beginning, is the form of human desires. Bound equally, bereft of thought, hearts uncaring to the world… turning everything into nothing, the imbecilic masses. Their souls have long since fallen due to indolent desires and become the prison.”

“BOOM!!”

The War Hammer swung out again from Duanmu Ai’s hands, smashing into the Grail, yet its speech did not cease.

“This is the choice of the world’s people, so why do you wish to save them? To let them perish within the cage of their own creation seems a fitting end, does it not?”

“Ugh……”

Hearing the other’s tedious speech, Duanmu Ai let out a silent sigh.

“Why does every dumbass BOSS spout this sort of speech to justify their actions? Sure, I admit humans have their gullible, naive, and stupid sides but…”

While talking, Duanmu Ai lifted her head to look at the massive Grail in front of her.

“What about it, and what the hell does it have to do with you? The affairs of humanity, when was it your turn to poke your nose in? What choices humans should make, what fate they should face, are matters for humans themselves, what does it have to do with a broken cup like you?”

“Hehehe, me? Do you want to know who I am? I am the Holy Grail that grants wishes–no, I am a deity who rules through the granting of wishes, maybe it’s more fitting to call me a God!”

“God?”

“Yes, the freedom without the need to think, the freedom without the need to choose, but if everyone believes someone will hold up the sky when it falls, it’s only natural that in the end, nobody will take responsibility. So, when the sky truly falls, who will bear the responsibility?”

“Hmph, the bystander effect?”

Duanmu Ai had heard something about psychology from Lumiaire and naturally knew what the Grail was driving at.

The people who gave up thinking in the prison earlier incarnated the herd mentality, and now, what the Grail spoke of was the bystander effect.

As the Grail said, when people are alone facing a task, they feel a strong sense of responsibility. Conversely, when a task is to be completed by a group, individuals within the group feel less responsible and often choose to shrink back in the face of difficulty or responsibility.

“Are you suggesting that you should take on the responsibility of protecting humanity?”

“Yes! Humanity longs for the Holy Grail to become the deity that rules over them, so I have thus appeared here!”

The Grail’s voice grew increasingly vehement, followed by a sudden burst of dazzling golden light from the originally pitch-black Grail, illuminating all around.

“Submit to me, stop resisting my existence. If you continue to resist, there will no longer be a place for you in this world! You will be thoroughly expelled from this world! I and the world-consciousness of humanity shall merge into one, they are me, and I am them!”

“——BANG!!”

However, the Grail’s impassioned speech was cut short at that moment, for the Golden Warhammer roared through the darkness, heavily smashing onto its surface. Under Duanmu Ai’s full-powered strike, the vast and heavy Grail began to shatter–only to be restored once more.

“It’s useless! As long as there are humans in this world who yearn for me, I will not lose! Nor will I die!”

“You make it sound so moving, almost like you’re the main character.”

Duanmu Ai landed once more, spinning the hammer in her hand.

“Too bad, though. This is as far as you go.”

“What?”

“Boom——!”

As Duanmu Ai’s voice fell, the next moment, not far behind her, a dilapidated statue emitted a dazzling radiance, sending a blazing white pillar of light soaring into the sky. An armored Angel held a Sharp Blade high, aiming at the Holy Grail before her.

“Since you talk too much, don’t blame me for being impolite! Finish it off, Lebis!”

That’s right, just like when D fought against the Ten Great Disasters, having recognized the Grail’s unkillable trait, Duanmu Ai sneakily summoned the “Sealed Seraph.” Luckily, the Grail talked so much that Duanmu Ai didn’t even need to use other Soul Cards to speed things up, easily allowing the “Sealed Seraph” to awaken once again!