Iskandar was nowhere to be found.
Coupled with Gilgamesh's provocation, everyone else simply prepared themselves and rushed to Fuyuki City's Great Cavern.
This place is located underground in Mount Enzō, the convergence point of Fuyuki City's ley lines, hence it is also known as the Dragon's Den.
And the great holy grail was placed here.
Normally, according to the progression of the Holy Grail War, after the Lesser Grail gathered the souls of several Heroic Spirits, the great holy grail might manifest in multiple locations.
But due to this unexpected event, the location of the great holy grail was fixed here.
"Caster, remain in spirit form and appear when we call for you."
Because there were outsiders, Takatsuki called Medea by her class, which he hadn't done in a while.
Medea nodded and said nothing more: "Please be careful."
She then transformed into a spirit and disappeared, but Durandal could feel her presence nearby, ready to materialize at any moment.
Three people and two Servants entered the Great Cavern.
Although the Great Cavern was a cave, it was incredibly spacious, as its name suggested. Walking inside, one could even hear the echoes of footsteps.
"Something's coming."
Takatsuki suddenly stopped and looked around, and everyone else became vigilant.
"Fevor, meus sanguis (Boil, my blood)!"
Kayneth also timely took out a tube of silver liquid and poured it on the ground, forming a slime-like substance beside him.
At this moment, black figures appeared from the surrounding shadows. If not for the white masks on their faces, their original identities would be unrecognizable.
"Assassin!?"
Kiritsugu frowned; their attire was almost identical to the Assassin he had seen.
Takatsuki also recognized these guys as the clones of Hundred-Faced Hassan.
But…
Looking at the black liquid slowly flowing on their bodies, Takatsuki thought of the Servants formed from mud that he had seen in Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya.
"Were they corrupted by the black mud in the Holy Grail?"
As these Assassins surrounded them, and just as the others were about to fight, an arrogant voice resounded.
"Step back, all of you, by this King's command!"
Golden light appeared before Takatsuki and the others, and these Assassins slowly retreated and disappeared into the shadows after Gilgamesh's appearance.
"Hahaha, mongrel, you've finally arrived. I've been wanting to get revenge for your sneak attack on me."
Gilgamesh's crimson eyes stared at Takatsuki: "Let me show you! This King's true…"
"There's no need for the disguise anymore, Angra Mainyu."
Takatsuki suddenly interrupted Gilgamesh's words.
"…"
Without denying it, the expression on Gilgamesh's face gradually turned into a sinister smile, and his armor also turned black.
"How did you figure it out?"
Takatsuki did not hide the answer to the other party's question: "The true Gilgamesh wouldn't be so eager after just one defeat. Instead, it's my meddling with his treasury that he would hold a grudge over."
"Treasury? Oh… that matter. With so many Noble Phantasms, would the true Gilgamesh even care about such trifles?"
Angra Mainyu couldn't understand; he only had fragmented memories, merely controlling the empty shell named Gilgamesh.
"Even with countless treasures, this King dislikes others meddling with his possessions outside of his explicit gifts, even if… it's something that doesn't belong to him at all."
Takatsuki was referring to the Holy Grail. One of Gilgamesh's reasons for participating in the Holy Grail War was to reclaim the Holy Grail, because he believed all treasures should belong to him.
However, he would not be stingy in bestowing his treasures, but unauthorized meddling would greatly anger this "petty" King.
"Where are Tokiomi and Kariya?"
Takatsuki had no interest in further discussing Gilgamesh's personality with the other party.
"Dead."
He showed a strange smile: "Two overconfident fools, but I must thank them for awakening me."
"What do you want to do?"
"What do I want to do? Don't you already know what I want to do!? Hahahaha!"
Wearing Gilgamesh's face, Gilgamesh Alter let out a strange laugh. If the King knew his face was making such an expression, he would probably be enraged.
Unfortunately, Gilgamesh's soul was within the Lesser Grail; what stood before them was merely a controlled empty shell.
"You want to destroy the great holy grail, right?"
Gilgamesh Alter didn't beat around the bush and directly said, "I can let you pass."
"?"
Gilgamesh Alter's words made Takatsuki feel a bit abrupt. The other party was clearly the embodiment of the Holy Grail's will, so why would it let them pass so easily?
"However, Takatsuki, Gilgamesh truly has a strong obsession with you. I can let the others pass, but you must stay and fight me."
Gilgamesh Alter pointed at Takatsuki and stated his intention.
"Takatsuki, ignore him. Let's deal with him together first."
Kiritsugu said to Takatsuki.
"No need."
Takatsuki rejected Kiritsugu's suggestion.
Gilgamesh's abilities were very strong in chaotic battles; he only needed to smash things around, so the number of opponents was meaningless to him.
Judging from his previous actions of destroying the hotel, the other party had taken over Gilgamesh's Spirit Origin and could use his Noble Phantasms.
He just didn't know if Enuma Elish could be used.
"You all go first and destroy the Holy Grail as much as possible. If I'm not mistaken... Artoria might block your way."
Kiritsugu opened his mouth. Although he didn't agree with Artoria, he knew her strength.
Finally, he nodded: "Be careful yourself."
Takatsuki looked at Durandal: "Durandal, you also be careful and act within your capabilities."
"Mm, don't worry."
Kayneth didn't say anything and just led Diarmuid and the other two past Gilgamesh.
Angra Mainyu didn't stop them, just as he said, he only wanted to stop Takatsuki alone.
"It seems you know why I let them go."
Gilgamesh Alter looked at Takatsuki. He didn't stop Takatsuki from giving instructions to the others just now, only speaking after everyone else had left.
"Artoria and Lancelot, like Hassan, are also under your control, aren't they?"
Takatsuki realized this the moment he saw Hassan.
"You guessed right."
Gilgamesh Alter didn't immediately start fighting Takatsuki, but continued to chat: "But that Conqueror, he ran quite fast, even Vimana couldn't catch up."