The golden king, the most ancient hero king, Archer, Gilgamesh.
On this turbulent night, he did not participate in the chaotic battle among the Servants. Instead, he appeared before the Masters, before Sakatsuki.
But Sakatsuki did not panic. He simply raised his head and calmly asked.
"Where is Kirei Kotomine?"
"Hmph, since I intervened, he naturally survived."
"Why did you protect him?"
"Are you joking, you fool!"
The golden king sneered coldly.
"The merits and faults of a subject should be judged by the king. When did it become your place to meddle!"
The plan to kill the "pleasure monster" in advance was once again foiled. Sakatsuki's expression turned cold. He tilted his head, his demeanour somewhat defiant.
"Speaking of which, I've wanted to ask you a question for a long time..."
"How dare you, a king who's been dead for nearly five thousand years, flaunt your outdated ideals in the modern world? Are you simply trying to protect your royal pride, or do you think that human civilization's progress since your death is utterly insignificant?"
"Are you... looking down on the progress of civilization over the past millennia?"
"Oh? You dare to speak so boldly?"
The hero king's expression turned icy, golden ripples spreading behind him.
From "fool" to "mongrel," it was clear that Gilgamesh was furious.
Countless Noble Phantasms poured forth, engulfing the ground where Sakatsuki stood.
However, diamond-shaped spaces unfolded layer by layer, like a ravenous beast devouring the swords and spears. Sakatsuki stood proudly on the earth, locking eyes with the ancient king, and shouted.
"Why don't you answer me? Are you at a loss for words, Hero King Gilgamesh!"
"Who do you think you are to demand answers from me, mongrel!"
The golden king frowned, pulling a short spike from his treasury and hurling it into the sky.
The spike, engraved with unknown patterns, hovered in the air, freezing space.
The diamond-shaped spaces shattered inch by inch. As the golden wave surged forward, the "Rho Aias" shield rose, protecting the pure land behind it.
Sakatsuki's white hair was blown into disarray, but the golden light in his eyes grew even brighter.
"I have no title. You can think of me as a fool, a brother, a magus, or even a king who rules himself... but before all that!"
The mountain-splitting sword roared forth, piercing through the storm of Noble Phantasms, heading straight for Gilgamesh, who stood atop a tree.
The ancient tree, over a hundred years old, was crushed into dust. The golden-armoured hero king gracefully landed, standing on the same level as the young man.
"First and foremost, I am a human!"
Sakatsuki raised his sword and charged at Gilgamesh.
"As a member of the human race that continues to this day, I challenge the ancient king recorded in the earliest epics—"
Black and white blades cut through the weapons one by one, and the young man closed the distance to the king, who stood with his arms crossed.
"In your eyes, is your path superior to all else? Do you believe that humans must be divided into hierarchies, that everyone must bow before the dignity of a king?"
Faced with Sakatsuki's sharp words and blade, Gilgamesh's anger suddenly dissipated. A faint smile even appeared on his lips.
"Modern humans? Truly amusing... Since you raise your weapon against me with such reasoning, I must show you the majesty of a king!"
The endless rain of swords abruptly ceased. Archer personally drew a battle axe from his treasury, shattering Sakatsuki's twin swords with a single strike.
"Then, listen well, you who claim to be modern!"
The axe slammed into the ground. The handsome king of Uruk, abandoning his usual arrogant tone, declared.
"Titles are merely footnotes to a person's journey through this world. Does a shoemaker have to be overshadowed by the glory of a king? No, every human life is equally precious!"
"But they are greedy, coveting the wealth and luxury of kings. They are fearful, trembling before the armies commanded by kings."
"Thus, they become humble out of greed, and they bow out of fear!"
"It is not because I force them to submit to me, but because they are awed by the radiance of a king, willingly serving under my command!"
"Remember this, Sakatsuki. My path has never been one of oppression or tyranny. Uruk prospered because of me. Do you understand? Only my will can dictate all, only my existence can reign supreme!"
The deep forest, the bright moonlight.
A giant emerald sword pierced through the night, golden light illuminating the darkness.
The ancient king stood on the eternal earth of the planet, laughing wildly without restraint.
The king's kingdom had become history, but as long as he stood here, Uruk would forever exist—because he himself represented that most ancient civilization.
The Hero King, Gilgamesh.
This form, this will, was the reason he was etched into the Throne of Heroes, becoming a Heroic Spirit.
Crimson flames bloomed in the darkness.
This was the battlefield where three Servants clashed. The stalemate between Saber, Lancer, and Berserker had become a thing of the past. When Berserker drew two weapons from behind, the situation took an unexpected turn.
Explosions echoed alongside roars. Lancer and Saber leapt back, sparks raining down like locusts, engulfing the nearby trees. In an instant, the lush greenery turned to ash, leaving no trace of its former self.
The smell of gunpowder filled the air.
Saber was the first to recognize the weapon in Berserker's hands. It was the firearm her Master was most skilled with, a mechanical device that had become the mainstream weapon in the modern world.
Ordinary bullets shouldn't have any effect...
But when the barrage of bullets came again, both Saber and Lancer honestly kicked off the ground, rapidly retreating to avoid the spray of gunfire.
The stray bullets, missing their targets, punched massive holes into the ground and trees with unimaginable destructive power. Even the two Servants were stunned.
"Even we would suffer fatal injuries if hit by those, right?"
"Is it because of Berserker's Noble Phantasm?"
Though it was unclear where Berserker had obtained the guns, the black-armoured mad knight wielded two modern firearms, their barrels and magazines corrupted by hateful magical energy, transforming them into demonic weapons capable of threatening Servants.
In the forest, where there was no cover—or where the cover was fragile—Lancer and Saber, armed with melee weapons, struggled to close the distance, let alone counterattack.
It was as if they were back at the beginning, forced into a battle of attrition, constantly moving to avoid Berserker's relentless assault.
But the critical issue was that while Saber and Lancer had to expend energy to keep moving, Berserker only needed to pull the trigger—the difference in magical energy consumption was staggering, meaning Berserker's Master had more than enough energy to sustain his actions.
However, this time, it was Berserker, who seemed to have the upper hand, who changed tactics—though "changed tactics" might not be the right term...
The deafening roar of gunfire ceased. Berserker threw his weapons at Saber and Lancer, then vanished into spirit form, disappearing from the two Servants' sight.
Saber muttered, effortlessly slicing through the discarded guns.
On the other hand, Lancer's expression suddenly turned grim.
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