"Gil, Enkidu, are you both alright?"
After tossing away the Origin Bullet, Ryuya turned and embraced Female Gil and Enkidu. Sensing Female Gil's magical energy fluctuation, he had rushed over from the Einzbern Castle immediately, his heart aching most for his wife.
"I'm fine, how could I... Mmm, no, Ryu, I'm severely injured. I need your treatment."
Gil-chan instinctively wanted to tell Ryuya she was fine, and her earlier shout of 'Hubby' was just due to excitement. After all, aside from private nights when she couldn't bear it, Gil-chan never called Ryuya 'Hubby'.
But thinking of the recent competition and those formidable rivals, she blinked. Her tacit understanding with Enkidu showed in this moment.
"I can't hold on, hubby. I think my magical energy is severely depleted. I feel like I'm about to collapse."
Her tottering appearance suggested she might fall at any moment. At this moment, Female Gil seemed to see shooting stars.
"Stop fooling around. Behave."
Gently tapping Female Gil's forehead, Ryuya also realized she was pretending. But his heart ached for his wife, so he whispered something in her ear, causing her eyes to light up instantly.
"Really?"
Her sparkling eyes looked at Ryuya, full of expectation.
"Really, but..."
He whispered something more in her ear. As soon as Ryuya finished, Female Gil suddenly blushed and took two steps back.
Gently putting her hands behind her back, she looked at Ryuya with a strange expression, "No, no, that's too weird."
"Up to you."
Not bothering further with the conflicted Female Gil, Ryuya scanned the surroundings and said, "Come out, all of you. Do I need to force you?"
"Oh, so there are still this many people."
Watching Kiritsugu, Kayneth, and the others emerge with various conflicted and strange expressions, Iskandar's eyes lit up. He saw Artoria and Diarmuid.
Adding Ryuya, Enkidu, Female Gil, and the already defeated Golden Gil, that made a total of six Servants.
"Hahahaha, to think the very first encounter of this Holy Grail War would feature six Servants! This is truly fascinating!"
His excited words were practically deafening. Listening to Iskandar's booming voice, Waver felt his head buzzing.
"Heh, I never expected to see six Servants either. And Mr. Velvet, it's been a while, hasn't it?"
They say when enemies meet, their eyes blaze with rage. This was especially true for Kayneth and Waver.
Thinking that a Servant like Iskandar should have been his, Kayneth wasn't so much regretful about losing Iskandar as he was furious that Waver had stolen his Servant!
Glaring at Waver with an unfriendly look, Kayneth's behavior drew a furious glare from Iskandar.
"I say, you there! What do you think you're doing to this king's Master?"
Grabbing Waver's shoulder, signaling him not to be afraid, Iskandar hadn't known Waver long but found his Master to be a kind, caring, and brave person.
Although Waver often said things like 'Rider, no!' or 'Rider, get away!', he always fully indulged Iskandar's whims.
Moreover, he had come with Iskandar to this battlefield where multiple Servants clashed, never thinking of escaping or using a Command Spell.
Having inwardly acknowledged Waver as his Master, Iskandar looked at Kayneth, then at Diarmuid, and said, "You were the one who ordered this Servant to ambush earlier, right? Although I don't know who you are, compared to a sneaky fellow like you, my Master has far more courage."
"Rider..."
Feeling the courage Iskandar gave him, Waver was deeply moved.
"Hmph..."
Kayneth didn't bother refuting Iskandar's words. His main concern was the being known as Ryuya.
Someone who could easily defeat a Servant of Golden Gil's caliber, plus Female Gil and Enkidu behind him... such a multiple-Servant combination could only belong to one entity: the Einzbern Family's False Servants.
After some thought, Kayneth felt he was currently at a disadvantage, but he still had hope for a turnaround.
Without speaking, he turned his gaze to Kiritsugu nearby, his disgust for someone using modern weapons completely unabated.
"Einzbern Servant, what do you intend to do?"
Having no interest in Kayneth's opinion, Kiritsugu also guessed Ryuya represented the Einzberns.
His first thought was how to escape this bizarre Reality Marble. Neither he nor Kayneth realized they weren't in a Reality Marble but inside a Noble Phantasm.
"Einzbern Servant?"
Blinking, Ryuya put on a helpless expression.
"I say... Kiritsugu, Kayneth, and Iskandar, haven't you all mistaken something?"
Casually adjusting his shirt, smiling relaxedly at them, Ryuya appeared completely at ease, "Like Kayneth and Kiritsugu, I am a Master. A genuine Master."
"What? You're a Master?" xN
Hearing Ryuya claim to be a Master, everyone present showed astonished expressions.
'That guy who just crushed that golden Servant, with such immense strength... was actually a Master? You must be joking!'
"If you're a Master, then your strength is simply too overwhelming."
"I must say, someone like you is quite remarkable, whether as a Master or a Servant."
After a brief moment of shock, Iskandar indicated that whether Ryuya was a Master didn't matter much to him… he was more interested in Ryuya himself.
"Everyone, before the battle begins, I'd like to ask: would you be willing to follow me, Iskandar, to gallop across the battlefield and conquer this world once more!"
Just like in the original work, Iskandar issued his recruitment declaration to Ryuya, Diarmuid, and the Saber upon their first meeting. Although he disliked Kayneth and Kiritsugu's sneak attacks, he still acknowledged Diarmuid and Saber.
Especially Saber.
Even meeting this young girl for the first time, the magical energy and majesty she emitted made Iskandar understand she was undoubtedly a King no less than himself.
"I'm afraid not, Conqueror. I have already pledged my loyalty to my Lord."
Since his personality somewhat inclined towards blind loyalty, Diarmuid naturally refused Iskandar's offer.
"Conqueror, I am also a King. I will not submit to your banner."
Similarly refusing Iskandar's offer, Saber spoke while unconsciously glancing at Enkidu and Female Gil nearby.
She felt their gazes were somewhat strange… an indescribable, particularly uncomfortable look.
Clearing her throat lightly, she was about to ask if they knew her when...
"Artoria, you are Artoria, right?"
Speaking up proactively, it was Enkidu. Looking at the petite Artoria, then glancing at her own chest, Enkidu, feeling newfound confidence, had been displeased with the Artoria at home for a long time, as had Female Gil.
Finding unexpected confidence in Saber, the two exchanged a glance and said happily, "Artoria, you need to grow taller!"
Saber: "?????"