Above the Demonic Front.
Roy calmly regarded the silent Karna and the indignant Arjuna, who was questioning him.
Seeing Karna halt his attack, Arjuna turned, glaring at the young man who had intruded upon their battlefield.
As he spoke, his bow was already aimed at Roy.
"You're Karna's Master?! Why interfere in our fight?!!"
"Indeed, my name is Roy. I'm Karna's Master and his ally."
Ally…
The word made Arjuna lower his head, pondering briefly before continuing, "If you're his ally, then why…?"
"Why stop your fight?"
"Calm yourself, divinely gifted hero, Arjuna."
Roy met the bow aimed at him without a trace of fear, speaking evenly. "I have no intention of meddling in your grudge or preventing this battle of vengeance across time. But…"
"Even a fated battle requires the right time and place. Humanity's history faces a dire threat. The enemy's strength is unclear, the final battle looms, yet here you are, fighting to the death, depleting our forces. Don't you think that's a bit selfish?"
"…Perhaps you're right."
Arjuna bowed his head, brows furrowed, his expression conflicted.
"But… I'm sorry. This man, Karna alone, I cannot ignore."
"At this point, the only way to quell my rage is to kill him again!"
"Hmph!" Hearing Arjuna's roar, Karna shifted his gaze, his eyes radiating cold killing intent.
"Your strength hasn't grown, but your boasts have. Without underhanded tactics, how could you ever defeat me?"
"Master, no need for words. This paranoid fool needs no reasoning, just let me crush him with force!!"
"Then try it, Karna!!"
Seeing his mediation fail and the Indian brothers ready to bypass him to continue their clash, Roy's expression grew troubled.
For the sake of their plans, he couldn't let them keep fighting.
It was time for more drastic measures.
[Heaven Hymn!]
Seals formed in his hands, and blinding white light flared behind him. Before the dueling brothers could react, they were enveloped by the instant Reality Marble.
A white world of light and shadow, a blackened sun, a gray desert…
This place, isolated from reality, was Roy's personal domain.
Standing in this unfamiliar gray-white sky, Arjuna looked surprised. He gazed down at Roy atop a white tower, frowning. "A Reality Marble?! What are you planning?"
"This pale world reflects Master's psyche? Real and powerful…"
Having seen Roy deploy his Reality Marble once in Ur, Karna now experienced it firsthand.
The sight shocked him no less than it did Arjuna.
"What am I planning? Isn't it obvious? To stop you two from causing more chaos. Once all enemies are defeated, fight as you please, I won't interfere. But not now. Neither Gilgamesh nor I will allow you to disrupt things here!"
As he spoke, Roy shifted his seals. A massive angelic silhouette appeared behind Arjuna, swinging a white greatsword, while a giant hand swatted at Karna, forcing him to retreat and widen the distance from Arjuna.
"Do you really think I won't kill you?!"
Interrupted again, Arjuna, unlike the even-tempered Karna, raised his bow and fired at Roy atop the tower, aiming to bypass the angel and eliminate the caster swiftly.
"Careful, Master!!"
From the other side of the sky, Karna saw Arjuna attack Roy. Though irked by his Master's interference, he still cared for him.
He adjusted his stance, ready to dive and protect Roy.
But the angelic silhouette blocked his path, preventing him from passing.
"No need. Such an attack doesn't require dodging…"
Roy, unfazed by Arjuna's incoming magical arrows, stood his ground, watching calmly.
Someone would handle it.
ROOOOOAR!
A beastly howl echoed through the white world, and a faint mist rose around Roy's tower.
A blurred figure appeared before him.
Facing the onslaught, the figure struck, wielding a strange weapon, part axe, part gun, shattering Arjuna's arrows with ease.
"You're late, Berserker."
Seeing Tezcatlipoca appear, Roy couldn't help but chide.
"Hahaha, still getting used to the new ride's controls, but I made it in time for the critical moment, didn't I?"
Brushing off Roy's reproach, Tezcatlipoca scratched his head, laughing it off.
He'd never admit he'd been so caught up racing through the fiery rain that he nearly forgot the time and was almost late.
Seeing Tezcatlipoca, Karna frowned, questioning, "Berserker, you're here to meddle too?"
"Meddle? Hahaha… How's this meddling?"
Tezcatlipoca shook his head, eyeing Karna with a playful smirk. "Didn't you say a Servant's first duty is to protect their Master? I'm Master's Servant, here to protect him. Is that wrong? You're the one acting out of line, Karna."
"How ironic. In Ur, you were the most loyal and noble, yet now, for your own selfish grudge, you've dragged Master into danger. I enjoy watching opposites clash, and your fight's quite the spectacle. But since it's a client's request, I've got to step in reasonably…"
Twirling his firearm, Tezcatlipoca spoke, his laughter accompanied by thickening mist enveloping his form until he vanished completely.
Seeing this, Karna and Arjuna's pupils shrank.
Even Roy felt a lethal threat from the dense mist Tezcatlipoca summoned.
The golden-haired Berserker was getting serious.
The mist cleared, and Tezcatlipoca reappeared, his modern attire replaced by a wild, South American-style outfit with feathered headdress and spear.
"Uh…"
The three fell silent at his appearance.
Given Tezcatlipoca's region and era, the outfit fit the local style, but to Roy, it seemed… a bit garish?
"Hey, what's that weird look, Master? In my era, this was an honor worn only by elite warriors."
Noticing Roy's odd glance, Tezcatlipoca clicked his tongue, retorting indignantly.
"Ugh, it's because you modern folks can't appreciate this unique aesthetic that I avoid wearing it."
After a brief complaint, Tezcatlipoca dropped the topic of cross-era aesthetics and got to work.
These two weren't easy foes, so he'd brought out this form.
Though his Servant state couldn't unleash even half his true power, his Saint Graph was top-tier, accommodating much of his strength.
Dealing with these Indian brothers was no issue.
"Master, how should we proceed? Take them both out?"
Twirling his forked spear, Tezcatlipoca's gaze swept over the Indian demigods, separated by the giant angel.
To him, "taking out" Sounded effortless, as if handling both Karna and Arjuna would cost him little.
And it was true.
In the Seventh Singularity, aside from two troublesome entities, no enemy warranted his concern.
Even his rival Quetzalcoatl, limited by her Saint Graph, couldn't match him.
"No. You handle Karna, I'll take Arjuna. Don't kill them, just subdue them. Once you're done, assist me. Got it?"
"Keep them alive? Tsk, I thought I could take out this sun-scented nuisance. Fine, as long as the payment's good, it's a small matter."
Tezcatlipoca eyed Karna and Arjuna, his form fading, ready to strike.
"You're determined to…"
Arjuna glared furiously at Roy.
Karna, lowering his head, offered no resistance as Tezcatlipoca held a spear to his neck.
He wouldn't fight allies, save for Arjuna.
"Huh? Not even resisting? How boring…"
Tezcatlipoca, itching for a fight, was miffed by Karna's compliance.
Karna sighed, shaking his head, and looked at Roy. "Master, if we eliminate this Singularity's enemies, will you allow us to fight?"
"Exactly. Once this Singularity's enemies are defeated, I'll envelop you both in my Reality Marble again. Then, fight however you wish, I won't interfere." Roy replied with a smile.
"Is that so…"
Karna glanced at Arjuna, then at the smiling Roy, nodding firmly.
"I agree, Master. I won't initiate a duel with Arjuna until then. Once this Singularity is resolved, it will be Arjuna's end!!"
"That's more like it. True warriors don't fuss over when to fight."
Tezcatlipoca eyed Karna, confirming his lack of hostility, then glanced at Roy, who nodded, understanding each other. He lowered his spear.
Then he turned to leave.
With things at this point, Arjuna had no recourse. Karna had agreed.
If he persisted, he'd appear petty, losing to Karna in character.
He shot Roy an angry glare, then turned to Karna, saying coldly, "Be grateful for your Master's protection, Karna. Once this is over, I'll take your life myself!"
Karna responded coolly, "Boasting won't make you stronger. Try to survive until then, Arjuna."
The Reality Marble dissipated.
Roy returned with Karna to Gilgamesh's side.
Arjuna, unable to settle his score with Karna, departed in frustration.
___
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