"'Gate of Babylon'—!!!"
Countless Noble Phantasms rained from myriad portals toward Altera.
"…"
Her tricolored sword effortlessly deflected them, nullifying their power.
The repelled treasures gouged the earth, tore the air, pierced the sky, and ravaged distant mountains, leaving the landscape in ruins.
"I destroy," Altera declared.
Her flexible blade lashed out at the Hero King.
"Fool!" Gilgamesh sneered, leaping back.
The ground he stood on cratered, a gaping wound in the earth.
"I destroy you, the city, the nation—everything," Altera said.
"Hah! Try! Crushing me now is harder than splitting a star—!!"
Three hundred more portals opened, a deadly rain pouring on Altera.
No weak point in her. Overwhelm with numbers!
"Pointless," Altera said, her swordplay and aura neutralizing the treasures with blinding speed.
"Annoying. Destroy you, and the rain stops."
She charged, closing the distance.
"It's over."
Her sword neared the vessel.
"Hmph—arrogant!!"
"—!"
Without grasping it, the crimson-gold Sword of Rupture blocked her path.
"This…" Altera paused.
"Frustrating, but past melees taught me bitter lessons! This time, I prepared!"
This sword—no, this supreme treasure predates such categories. No weapon can break it!
"With treasures, I guard my form! This is my gorgeous, invincible strategy—!!"
Gilgamesh seized Ea, clashing with Altera's blade—!
"—!!"
"You're the Great King of Destruction! The blind fool's plan was apt! Your only miscalculation—"
Unlike against King Arthur, I show no mercy or carelessness!
"Is facing me here—!!!"
Ea's winds surged, matching Altera's peerless swordsmanship as a Saber—!!
"—!!"
"Hahaha!! Dance, vanguard's remnant! Fail to keep up, and it's your end!!"
"Hero King, Gilgamesh—!"
Ea and God's Whip clashed, shattering the earth, shaking the heavens with mournful cries—!!
"The terrain's changing!? What reckless power! Is this a king in his prime!?" Romani exclaimed.
"Mash! Ritsuka! Don't interfere! Watch!" Olga ordered.
"Olga!?"
"Don't just spectate! We have a role—!!"
"Yes, Senpai!"
"Got it!"
"Your treasures… possibilities themselves," Altera said, clashing with Ea.
"I'll destroy them. Possibilities, futures, everything."
"Fool! You think you can shatter my treasures!?"
Gilgamesh parried her sword.
"My treasures' number—even I can't count! Humanity's possibilities and treasures—no one can stop them!!"
"Why protect them, Hero King Gilgamesh? Why guard what fades?" Altera asked.
"Absurd question, Altera! Why protect treasures!?"
He pushed her blade back.
"I claim and guard worthy treasures! That's my singular kingly way—!!"
"—!"
No worthless thing exists in the Hero King's treasures!
Judged by absolute standards, stored in his vault—humanity's possibilities, treasures he loves, shining eternally!
The Hero King loves treasures, humanity's potential, and vows to protect them.
His Gate of Babylon is proof of humanity's worth!
Its bottomlessness means humanity's potential is limitless!
Great King of Destruction, Altera—know you face all of humanity—!!
"—!!"
"Still, I destroy! You, your treasures, everything!"
"Hah, impossible! You'll never defeat me! No matter how often you try!"
"What—?"
"Because you know no pleasure!!"
Gate of Babylon unfolded! Treasures pierced Altera's back and arms!
"Pleasure?"
"Yes! The joy of discovery, the instinct to thrill at the unknown! Entertainment that colors the soul! That's pleasure!!"
Joy of discovery, instinct for the unknown—entertainment coloring the soul…
"A hollow planetary vanguard! With that frigid soul—"
A crimson wind roared, blasting Altera back.
"You'll never rival me, who's tasted all the world's delights!!"
Gilgamesh readied Ea, unleashing a crimson storm.
"I am the King!! Hero King Gilgamesh!! Humanity's first, oldest saga!!"
The ancient Hero King proclaimed.
"—!!"
"As long as I exist—this star, my garden, is eternal—!!!"
Checkmate!!
"Silence…! I destroy! Always, forever…!"
Altera aimed her sword, its blade spinning with devastating force, revealing her true power as the Great King of Destruction!
"I destroy—!! 'Photon Ray'—!!"
Fast—! Ea's full power needs moments she won't give—!!
Altera's destructive charge closed the gap to Gilgamesh.
"Arrogant, as you say!"
The king, surpassing even my perception, roared!
"This time—I've treasures beyond my vault!!"
That's it!
"What—?"
"Noble Phantasm!! Deploy!!"
A snowflake shield leapt before Gilgamesh! Mash's pseudo-Noble Phantasm, Lord Chaldeas, blocked Photon Ray, becoming the king's foundation!
"—!!"
"Hahaha!! I said leave it to me, not that I didn't count on you! Fine work, Mash!!"
"Yes—! I'm a Demi-Servant… but a Servant the Hero King acknowledges!!"
She met the charge with courage.
"To protect Senpai! To meet the Hero King's expectations—!! Yaaaah!!!"
"Vanish—!!"
The charge intensified—then—
"Sheba, Trismegistus, lock position!! Olga!!"
"Reality Marble! 'Chaldeas Animusphere, Hope's Flower by Humanity's Side'—!!!"
Chaldea's Reality Marble projected!! A barren land of dark clouds and blizzards crippled Altera's stats, including her Noble Phantasm's rank.
"This—!!"
"Altera's weakened! Gil! Now—!!"
"Devoted woman! Giving you the Grail was no mistake—!!"
"Yes!! Ritsuka!! You too!!"
"Yeah! All Command Spells to Gil! Full power, no holding back—!!"
Ritsuka used all three Command Spells to fuel Gil's mana, filling vessel and soul with power.
"Go all out—!!!"
"Very well!! Your respect—received!!"
It ends here!! Selecting treasures! Reinforcing Ea, choosing every supporting Noble Phantasm!!
Take this, Great King of Destruction! This is our—!!
"Ea! Bind my vassals' will, show the incarnation of destruction primal truth!! 'Enuma—'"
All who save Humanity's Order—!!
"'Elish, Star of Genesis'—!!!!"
Dark clouds and the world were cleaved, revealing a silver expanse under a blue sky.
"This… scene," Altera murmured.
"See it with those hollow eyes. A girl's heart's landscape," Gilgamesh said.
The sun and star illuminated all.
"When I reclaim Humanity's Order, this view is my reward," Gilgamesh declared.
Altera smiled.
"So… the world has beauty…"
"…"
"Something my sword can't destroy… that's a bit…"
The Great King of Destruction, Altera—
"…glad…"
Fulfilled her role and faded.
"Fool. Such things litter this world," Gilgamesh said.
Yeah, I think so too.
This scene's beauty—
"Altera, to know it, come to my paradise," Gilgamesh offered.
No one can destroy it.
"There, I'll teach you all the world's pleasures and delights."
The sky stretched endlessly.
At the observatory, a grand flower bloomed—
-----------------------------
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