Slowly, I pull out a single sword from the golden ripples.
For some reason, detailed information about that Knight King—let's call her Saber—was recorded in this vessel.
And by reading and obtaining past records and knowledge, I slowly began to see the emotions this vessel holds toward that Servant.
Saber, who possesses a dragon's heart, is inevitably weak to weapons that kill dragons.
Relying on this insight, I pull out the original dragon-slaying sword, which apparently was used when fighting a different Saber from 'that one' in another dimension.
If there's a proven track record, I'll gratefully use it. If I know a weakness, I'll exploit it thoroughly. For a nameless soul like myself with no name, there's no room for complacency or carelessness.
—It also says that Saber's sword, without releasing its True Name, cannot shatter this armor.
—I'd better not rely too much on this. From what I can see, she's unleashing massive amounts of magical energy with each strike and body movement to accomplish everything.
The spirit of the king hasn't soaked into this nameless one enough to boast that full armor makes rocket collisions meaningless.
—It says that Excalibur without its sheath is nothing to worry about.
The sheath...? Excalibur's sheath?
Confusion rises. Can a sheath really be stronger than the blade? Does it have uses beyond sheathing the drawn blade?
I tried to learn more details, but the vessel stubbornly didn't record how things turned out. Why...?
I look at the black Knight King before me. —I don't see anything resembling a sheath anywhere. It seems the situation this vessel's king feared won't happen. I breathe a sigh of relief.
—There are things that are beautiful precisely because they can't be obtained—
...?
What does that mean? Did the king who obtained and stored all treasures from everything in existence, past and present, really have something he couldn't obtain? Really?
—Is that the source of this discomfort? Is that the cause of this irritation?
—Don't tell me the King Of Heroes, toward that Knight King...
...I dismiss the thought that briefly surfaced.
I won't do something as low as exposing someone's heart. Battle information is one thing, but digging up old sentiments is unmistakably a disrespectful outrage.
—I repeat: I don't want to control or toy with this vessel.
Whatever happened, this vessel unmistakably has experiences, dignity, and pride.
For the respect I pay to the existence called King Of Heroes Gilgamesh, and for the generosity that hasn't yet expelled me, I, a nameless soul, must not forget at least this gratitude.
I must discipline myself not to show off with someone else's achievements in a shameful manner.
"You're thinking quite deeply. Have you grown tired of that brainless, childish fighting style?"
A stern voice pins me down. Someone with a weak spirit would be driven to madness by that pressure alone.
"No, I was just thinking about the proper way to paint you with blood. The fresh blood flowing from you will surely look splendid on that corpse-like or wax-like white skin of yours."
Always composed, fearless words. While I admire an unwavering sense of values, it never brings opportunities or chances of victory.
Rather—
"...Cheap provocation. I'll take the bait. Know that you can't swallow spit you've spat out, golden one—!!"
Naturally, the one who heard it would be enraged. Respect and exasperation come simultaneously for the kingly way and way of life ingrained from birth.
A mass of magical energy flies in like a jet plane. An ordinary hero would be cut down and killed without even perceiving it.
—Don't underestimate me, black one.
"Ngh!" (Gilgamesh)
My arm moves from experience faster than perception, barely blocking the massive slash.
The impact transmitted from the blocked sword is like taking a bombing at close range—but it hasn't threatened my life.
In terms of absurdity and being beyond normal standards—
I still don't know of two existences as great as this king—!
"Hoh... with those weak thin arms, you impudently block my strike?"
"A fly could land on it. A barbaric sword technique driven only by power is disgusting even to look at, Saber!"
It's true that if I hadn't reacted, it would have been fatal. But the vessel's words, which don't show even a trace of that, lift my spirits.
"...Heheh, I'm looking forward to it."
With a sound like an engine starting—
"To when that false bravado peels away and you show your usual indignation—!"
At explosive speed with vicious propulsion, a furious flurry of holy sword strikes assaults Gilgamesh—!
Countless sword strikes scatter sparks. One, two, three—countless deadly exchanges in the blink of an eye.
In the midst of this death game where a failed parry blooms into a great flower of blood, gold and black clash.
The momentum becomes a storm sweeping the area, causing the earth to groan and the heavens to shake with great tremors.
"Amazing, they're evenly matched!" (Dr. Roman)
Romani raises an admiring voice. For some reason, he doesn't break his casual manner of speaking toward the King Of Heroes.
"Amazing, Senpai! Even though the King Of Heroes is an Archer, he's crossing swords with King Arthur!" (Mash)
"Yeah...! Gil can do anything...!" (Ritsuka)
Mash and Ritsuka also raise their spirits without hiding their excitement at the tremendous spectacle unfolding before them.
"Please, win—!" (Olga Marie)
While Olga Marie watches with bated breath, one warrior calmly observes the situation.
"—Get ready, lass."
"Eh?" (Ritsuka)
Ritsuka responds in surprise to Cú Chulainn suddenly speaking.
"Um, get ready for what..." (Mash)
"Ain't it obvious? For the next battle."
"—That golden bastard's gonna lose."
"—Eh." (Ritsuka)
—It may be wrong to call it the nameless one's mistake.
It's also true that I could say I wasn't yet familiar with the body's fighting style.
However, the opponent I chose to get used to the fighting style was far too specialized in close combat.
"Eh, what do you mean the King Of Heroes will lose!?" (Ritsuka)
Ritsuka asks back at the too-cruel declaration.
"Just what I said. He's an archer, Saber's a swordsman. The advantageous distance was brought to zero in one move." (Cú Chulainn)
"But he's managing to handle it!" (Ritsuka)
As she says, he hasn't taken a fatal blow yet.
—But, under Saber's fierce assault, it seems Gilgamesh doesn't even have time to land an effective hit.
"He's handling it, but that's all. Noble Phantasm release or throwing—at that distance, there's no time. Besides, I heard he hardly ever does close combat. Well, no wonder. Shooting's enough for him." (Cú Chulainn)
Caster calmly speaks. A battle situation analysis with cold detachment based on a veteran warrior's intuition.
"It's a gradual decline. Eventually he'll be overwhelmed. At that distance, he won't get time for his signature move or to switch to other weapons." (Cú Chulainn)
"Eventually, a head will fly. The golden bastard's."
"N-no way—" (Ritsuka)
As if witnessing an incomprehensible alien language, her ears and heart refuse to understand.
Lose? Gil will?
That arrogant but kind, scary but caring King Of Heroes will lose—?
What happens if he loses? Naturally, he'll disappear. It's not an opponent merciful enough to let him live.
The meeting, the encounter with him floats in her mind.
"...Gil..." (Ritsuka)
The first Servant she could summon besides Mash. The playful king who joked during the summoning to ease her tension.
He was very scary at first, but he protected her and Mash when they didn't know left from right. He defeated Servants alone because it was dangerous. The king.
No matter how pathetic she was, he stayed with her without abandoning her. The scary but kind king.
Disappear? Never see him again? Really? Never again?
Can she summon him again? Is that really 'the Gil here now'? Isn't it a completely different person?
No, I don't want that.
"...That's..." (Ritsuka)
I don't love King Of Heroes Gilgamesh. Servants or whatever—none of that matters.
"That's..." (Ritsuka)
He answered my summoning.
He encouraged Mash.
He praised the Director.
He gave us candy so we could all get along.
I love the Gil who's here now, my Gil.
So what if I can summon him?
So what if I can call someone new?
That's not—the Gil I want to stand beside...!
'The Gil who fought together here' is what I need!
"Aah!" (Mash)
Mash raises a scream-like voice.
—What was there was, after the last high-pitched clang of swords—
"—Ah." (Ritsuka)
The Noble Phantasm Gil held shattered.
It was the moment when Saber's returning strike cut through Gilgamesh.
"—Gil———!!" (Ritsuka)
—
Not overconfidence—I was presumptuous.
Thinking I could assess myself in battle. Thinking I could establish a fighting style next time.
—Sweet outlook. A sweet thought typical of humans.
The upper body is still connected. But the armor on the upper body is shattered to pieces, and the standing hair droops from the impact.
"I don't know if you were overconfident, but I'll just say you were foolish. Your mistake was trying to compete with "The Red Dragon of Britain" in sword play."
A cold voice echoes.
"—Tch, curse it... even I became confused. I played around too much." (Gilgamesh)
"A commendable confession. Somewhat insufficient, but are those your final words?" (Saber Alter)
...I'm truly impressed.
Not a curse, but bravado. Taking responsibility for all faults and mistakes...
The one who misjudged this time was me.
I lost the moment I took up a sword. I lost the moment she stepped in.
The moment it turned into a sword fight—I had lost.
There was dullness somewhere in me. That's the reason for defeat.
The vessel actually did well. It handled all those swords well.
But—I couldn't grasp the chance of victory beyond that. That's all there is to it.
"Then, I'll sever your head. Don't waver—King Of Heroes."
"—..." (Gilgamesh)
—Give up? Here?
The soul wavers.
End? Here?
The soul wavers.
Disappear? Here...?
The soul—
"—No."
"—From here is where I get serious!"
The soul—burns up.
"...!?" (Saber Alter)
Saber felt something strange with her right hand the moment the sword was swung down.
"This is—!"
"Heh, this is my greatest secret! The supreme treasure that ultimately brings me victory when I'm in a desperate situation by some mistake!" (Gilgamesh)
Chains—yes, chains.
Silver chains wrapped tightly around her right hand, the ultimate weapon King Of Heroes Gilgamesh relies on as his last resort—
"I owe you one! 'Chains of Heaven'—!!" (Gilgamesh)
Instantly draws his sword. Takes out the magic sword, the original dragon-slayer again.
"Ugh—!!" (Saber Alter)
That momentary stop became her downfall. Piercing through armor, boring through magical energy, the sword stabs deeply into Saber's body.
"Fuhahahaha, fool! Did you think I would honestly accept defeat! A king must be more tenacious than anyone! Dying from overwork is out of the question! I don't even want to imagine it!" (Gilgamesh)
"You, bastard—!" (Saber Alter)
"Your long lecture became your downfall, Saber! Licking your lips before your prey is the height of foolishness!! My shattered armor is regrettable, but as long as my precious body remains, it's a trivial matter—now, here's my return gift!" (Gilgamesh)
Golden ripples undulate in the air. Five gates.
"Savor it fully!! This is what a true archer is!!" (Gilgamesh)
Treasure spears are released at sonic speed, successively stabbing into Saber's limbs.
"Guh—!!" (Saber Alter)
Even with her limbs wounded, she still lives—truly worthy of one who bears the dragon's name. She pushes away the chains and instantly creates distance.
So what if I was cut?
Compared to the helplessness I tasted back then, this is nothing.
So what if I'm wounded?
Compared to the emptiness I tasted back then, this is nothing.
That's right. This soul has only just started walking.
To do what must be done.
To leave behind the meaning of my own life.
Besides, if I worried about every wound like this—
"Now—look well! This is the pinnacle of archery! The peerless shooting permitted only to me as an Archer!" (Gilgamesh)
—To Mash, who grits her teeth and tries hard even when scared and anxious.
—To the Master who doesn't turn away from her own fate.
"I'll show you a glimpse of my supreme treasures!" (Gilgamesh)
Golden ripples undulate. Ten, twenty, thirty, fifty—a total of one hundred gates.
Arranged to 'surround Saber from all directions.'
Above all—
To myself dwelling in this vessel—to King Of Heroes Gilgamesh!
"'Gate of Babylon'!!!" (Gilgamesh)
I can't make excuses—!!!
"—!!!" (Saber Alter)
Countless swords, axes, spears, halberds. All kinds of weapons rain down on Saber.
Supreme bullets that never run out no matter how much is unleashed. An all-too-merciless carpet bombing.
And this time—all of them are a carefully selected lineup of dragon-slaying weapons.
Reflecting on my earlier failure, while the vessel was roaring proudly, I was desperately selecting weapons to give not even the slightest mercy.
That's right—if the King Of Heroes's shooting is crude, I just need to select the ammunition to load.
If the countless bullets fired haphazardly are all lethal kills suited to the enemy—that ascends to supreme shooting combining quality and quantity.
Invincible certain-kill shooting combining the king's overconfidence and the nameless one's caution.
Here—the Noble Phantasm 'Gate of Babylon' has been fully deployed.
—Eventually, feeling the spiritual core shatter through the dispersal of magical energy, I stop the bombardment.
Though her entire body is thoroughly pierced with weapons, the figure standing firm and glaring at me is like an unsinkable battleship—
—She quietly opens her mouth.
"...If it were wasteful weapon throwing, I would have deflected it, but with dragon-slaying weapons fully mobilized, there's no helping it." (Saber Alter)
"Think of it as at least a funeral offering for you. —If only you weren't wrapped in unnecessary thoughts, you could have finished me with those slashes." (Gilgamesh)
"—You'll understand eventually, King Of Heroes." (Saber Alter)
"The journey seeking the Holy Grail—the Grand Order has only just begun." (Saber Alter)
"—" (Gilgamesh)
Before I could ask "what," the black Knight King vanished.
...She was strong. He—no, she was also a strong hero who forged her own soul.
Gratitude to that soul. May we be granted to meet again in another form—
--
Join Patreon to read 6+ chapters ahead!