"Huhahahaha, that's enough, you petty cultivator!"
With a demonic laugh, the Sky Chain yanked violently, dragging Gilgamesh into the air.
Earlier, that Roman cultivator had been unbearably arrogant. Now, Gilgamesh would repay the favor with the same brutal force—no, perhaps not just yet. But it didn't matter. He had endured countless trials before. He could endure a little longer.
As expected, Lucius had no intention of letting Gilgamesh go.
He raised his hand, and a light cannon materialized.
"Your laughter is disgusting, you bastard!"
"Hmph. You might as well savor your pride while you still can." Gilgamesh sneered, snapping his fingers with elegant disdain. At once, an impressive array of shield-shaped treasures appeared before him. A moment later, they were blown apart as Gilgamesh was hurled backward, yet he smiled all the same.
Of course, this was calculated.
Gilgamesh's treasury held countless Noble Phantasms, among them numerous shields. But though vast, his knowledge was not omniscient; he could only wield them to the extent of his familiarity. Thus, these shields, though powerful, were ultimately limited—strong, but not invincible.
Lucius's attack was so fierce that even Gilgamesh's defenses could not withstand it.
Yet being blown away had its advantages. The distance between them widened.
And distance was all Gilgamesh needed.
The golden key in his hand finally turned.
Click—
The metallic whir resonated through the Ryūdō Temple grounds, drowning out every other sound. An oppressive silence followed, broken only by that mechanical whirring.
A bright red glow flared and collapsed into itself the next instant.
In Gilgamesh's hand appeared a bizarrely ornate weapon—a "sword" formed of three connected cylinders, its blunt shape bearing little resemblance to any true blade.
Though called a sword, it was not one in form.
The cylinders began to rotate in unison, and immeasurable magical power surged upward, defying calculation.
"This is the true end, cultivator. Originally, a mongrel like you was unworthy of beholding the other half of my being… Be grateful. Open your eyes and witness it. This is—Enuma Elish, the Star of Creation that Divides Heaven and Earth!"
Buzz—
Heaven and earth roared.
The outpouring of magic shook the very laws of the world. Crimson lightning and golden ripples alike were annihilated by invisible waves. A crimson hurricane tore through the air, sundering space itself.
It was an indescribable principle—the very act of creation, of dividing chaos into order.
Lucius immediately understood: no sorcery or mana could withstand this strike.
There was only one way to survive—meet it with equal power.
But in his current state, he was nowhere near capable of such a feat.
The Demon Sword Florent, an Anti-City Noble Phantasm ranked A+, could not hope to rival the Sword of Rupture. On its own, it was insufficient.
Then there was only one path forward.
"In the name of the Command Seal, I unleash my frenzy. In the name of the second, my blade becomes invincible. In the name of the third, grant me victory!"
Without hesitation, he invoked all three of his Command Spells at once.
Blood suffused Lucius's eyes as crimson energy coursed through his body.
The Emperor's Privilege magnified him beyond human limits.
Everything was ready.
He swung his sword.
"Magic Sword Restriction Release, Florent—Liberatio Angelus Florenta!"
In that moment, Lucius felt as though he had returned to one of the fiercest battles of his life—the day Arthur struck the final blow. Compared to then, this almost felt… less perilous.
BOOM!
The scarlet hurricane collided with the crimson thunder. The impact leveled the Ryūdō Temple in an instant. Even Kotomine Kirei and Kayneth, locked in combat nearby, were thrown aside by the blast, too overwhelmed to continue their duel.
One second. Two seconds.
The two colossal forces hung in fragile equilibrium.
Both Lucius and Gilgamesh understood—this strike would decide victory.
Gilgamesh had no magical reserves left to release Ea again.
If Lucius failed here, he would die.
Neither held back.
Then—
A golden flash burst into the battlefield. A blood-red spear pierced their vision.
"Avalon!"
"Damn it—mongrel!"
"Red Dragon?!"
A miraculous golden radiance, suffused with every color, enveloped Diarmuid. Bathed in Avalon's blessing, he strode unharmed through energies that should have annihilated him a hundred times over. Shielded by that light, he cut through the chaos and reached the clash's very heart.
With unerring calm, he thrust his spear.
It pierced Lucius's soul core.
It pierced Gilgamesh's skull.
Bang—
The twin torrents of energy collapsed at once.
Diarmuid landed softly. Avalon's light dimmed, but he remained whole.
Gilgamesh dissolved into spirit form without a word. Lucius clutched the wound at his chest, spat blood, and sank to his knees.
Death was inevitable.
He was not enraged—merely weary. Looking up at Arthur, framed by a twisted black shadow, he managed a helpless smile.
"So it's this again… You really haven't changed, Red Dragon. Can't you ever indulge me with a fair fight?" he said bitterly.
"Sorry. That's impossible. Rider and Assassin—both were slain by your hand. If I don't return the same treatment, they'll find no peace. I'll avenge them as they fell. That much will bring them some comfort in the afterlife." Without glancing back, Arthur took Altria's hand and set her gently aside.
Come to think of it, throughout this Holy Grail War, every Servant who fell had been struck down from behind.
Perhaps it was cruel.
Arthur's brow twitched as he gave Lucius one final glance.
A dog with a human head, punished as a dog with a human head. The ending was fitting.
"Stop lying, you bastard." Lucius chuckled, even as blood stained his lips. "Haven't their fates always been in your hands? I was merely your puppet, my every move foreseen, every step manipulated. No—more than that. You orchestrated it all. It was you who killed them both, wasn't it?"
-End Chapter-
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