Night had deepened.
The war was nearing its end.
Someone made a choice.
Someone lost to fate.
Someone surpassed fate.
Someone found resolve.
Someone still fought against fate.
"…So this is the scent of the decisive battle."
The Conqueror King casually tossed an empty can into a nearby trash bin.
"Hmph. The mongrels have finally arrived."
Beside him, Gilgamesh discarded the game he'd already beaten into submission, donned his most proud golden armor, and—together with Iskandar—stood beneath the night sky, gazing toward the direction from which the allied force approached.
In the courtyard of the Tohsaka estate, gold and crimson stood side by side.
These two kings, usually so relaxed, now stripped away their habitual levity and flippancy—replacing it with solemn gravity.
Behind Iskandar stood Waver, tense to the point of trembling, hands tightly clasped. Yet his eyes were unwavering—serious, focused—and he made a choice that would make anyone look at him anew:
He refused Tokiomi's proposal. He did not hide in a workshop.
He would step onto the battlefield alongside the two kings.
It looked reckless—but it carried an uncommon courage, and it loudly declared his resolve and trust.
He believed they would win.
And he had also prepared himself to die.
That was why he could cross the fear in his heart and stand here.
Seeing this, Iskandar's eyes filled with satisfaction and emotion.
Not long ago, Waver had been timid and shrinking. Now he stood as a warrior who could face death without flinching—an almost explosive transformation.
Death and war truly were the strongest engines of human growth. Only by losing something did people gain understanding.
As Waver's Servant, Iskandar felt pride—real pride.
He reached out with a broad hand and clasped Waver's smaller one, passing warmth and conviction between them. Their wills resonated.
Iskandar felt Waver's determination.
Waver, in turn, felt reassurance within Iskandar's strength.
Master and Servant were now in their best state—synchronized, sharp, ready.
"…"
Gilgamesh frowned slightly at the sight. He had opinions, but he didn't ruin the moment with needless venom.
After all… his own Master was simply worthless.
Tokiomi Tohsaka wouldn't step onto the battlefield. He wouldn't even show his face.
Since the afternoon, he'd barricaded himself in the deepest part of his workshop and communicated only through familiars. That skulking, rat-in-a-gutter caution—so completely opposite to Waver standing at Iskandar's side—was humiliating.
Every time Gilgamesh thought of it, irritation welled up.
That man dragged everything down.
If Gilgamesh could, he'd replace him on the spot—but now that Kirei had transcended his fate and slipped out of Gilgamesh's influence, there was no convenient substitute.
So Gilgamesh would use this useless man one last time.
If he was to be replaced, it would be after tonight.
"Hmph. So they noticed the forest's abnormality?"
From the highest vantage point, using Archer's enhanced vision, Gilgamesh clearly caught the allied force's silhouettes—and saw them hesitate at the forest's edge.
"No need to worry, Hero King."
Iskandar rubbed his chin. "That forest is obviously a trap, but it's also the only direct path here. After fighting them twice, I know that Saber's temperament. They'll come."
"As if I needed you to tell me."
Gilgamesh crossed his arms and snorted. "I understand that holy-sword wielder better than you do."
Then he tilted his head toward Iskandar.
"Still—Tokiomi's preparations are painfully dull. Those useless little traps won't do anything besides waste time. You can see that too, can't you?"
"Yes."
Iskandar nodded. "Modern magecraft isn't going to stop a Saber with high Magic Resistance."
"So…"
Gilgamesh's smile sharpened. "Instead of crouching here and waiting like cowards, I'll conduct the opening ceremony myself."
His hand slid into the golden ripples beside him.
A sword emerged—its shape twisted like a spiral.
"You mean… you'll attack first?" Iskandar's eyes lit up. "Shift the battlefield to the forest?"
"What?" Gilgamesh's voice turned mocking. "Afraid, Conqueror King? If you're that timid, then I'll greet them alone—"
"How could I be? Hahahaha!"
Iskandar's excitement flared instead. "I'm thrilled!"
"I've wanted to say this all along—hiding behind terrain and forcing a defensive siege is disgusting. Direct assault suits me far better! So you think the same way, Hero King!"
"Hmph."
Gilgamesh's grin widened, equally eager. "You usually disgrace yourself like a clown, but yes—there is still the dignity and authority of a king in you."
"Passive defense was never a king's style. You know what to do next, don't you?"
"Hahahaha! Of course."
Iskandar clapped his hands.
In the next instant, a jet-black steed appeared.
"NEIGH—!!"
Its ringing cry tore across the night sky.
Waver, as a magus, didn't immediately feel much. But even Gilgamesh's eyes brightened when he saw the horse.
"A fine horse!"
"Long time no see, old friend."
Iskandar stroked its head. "My Divine Chariot has been destroyed—so I'll have to trouble you to ride into battle with me again."
He swung himself onto the saddle, then turned.
"Even without the chariot, my mobility as Rider is guaranteed. Hey, boy—get up here!"
"Wha—huh?!"
Iskandar grabbed the non-rider Waver and hauled him onto the horse behind him.
"Phantasmal species? No… Heroic Spirit?"
Gilgamesh recognized the steed's nature. Even he couldn't hide a note of surprise. "Even the horse is a heroic spirit… Hah. Truly a good horse. I didn't expect a mongrel like you to have such a treasure."
"A king should always keep something hidden," Iskandar replied with a grin. "You use it only when it matters. And now is exactly when it matters."
"Hero King—I'm heading to the front."
"Advance!"
He yanked the reins.
The black steed surged forward, plunging straight into the forest that had been prepared as a barrier.
Watching from his workshop, Tokiomi's face turned green.
This wasn't what they'd agreed on.
Hadn't they said the enemy would enter the forest first, be worn down by the familiars and traps, and only then would the decisive battle occur at the estate gates?
How did it become this?
"King—please don't—"
He tried to contact Gilgamesh, hoping to stop Iskandar's reckless charge.
Gilgamesh's reply was a single, indifferent word:
"Scram."
And with that, Gilgamesh severed the connection unilaterally, leaving Tokiomi frozen in the room—helpless fury boiling over.
Then, seeing Iskandar already charging ahead, Gilgamesh moved without hesitation.
Left hand: the legendary spiral sword.
Right hand: a massive bow drawn from the Gate of Babylon.
He held the bow in one hand, drew the string with the other, and fitted the spiral sword as an arrow—aiming toward the allied group now entering the forest.
His lips curved.
"Accept the opening ceremony I prepared for you, holy-sword wielder…"
…
On the other side—
After scouting with familiars, Ritsuka confirmed the forest was packed with Tokiomi's traps. He asked the others: should they go through?
The answer was obvious.
They had to.
It was the fastest route. It was the only direct path. And more than that—if they were forced to retreat or detour because of a few modern magecraft traps, then there was no point talking about victory… let alone revenge for Lucius.
So Saber took the lead.
With high Magic Resistance, he used his own body as the vanguard and cut a path forward.
Every trap, every familiar Tokiomi had placed—Saber erased them with a single sweeping slash, forest included. The holy sword's power was unstoppable.
Against absolute strength, Tokiomi's "attrition" traps were a joke.
They didn't meaningfully drain anyone.
They only helped Saber warm up.
Which was exactly why Gilgamesh had no intention of following Tokiomi's "idiotic" plan.
From above, Gilgamesh completed a short charge. He had already predicted their entry, already found an angle they could not evade.
His eyes glowed.
Rampant mana surged—and a strange luster gathered on the Noble Phantasm in his hand.
Schemes?
Terrain?
Timing?
He never cared for such things.
He believed in one thing only:
Strength. Absolute strength.
And so, this time, he chose to be serious—drawing from his treasury, releasing a stored Noble Phantasm, and exercising true power.
Then—
"Enjoy it, holy-sword wielder!"
"—Caladbolg!!"
In the next instant, Gilgamesh's eyes widened. Golden radiance converged as he invoked a Noble Phantasm's True Name—one that was not his.
The spiral sword hovered unnaturally in midair.
Inside the forest—
"This mana…?!"
Saber's eyes snapped wide.
"It's the Hero King."
Because the light of a released Noble Phantasm was too dazzling to ignore, even Ritsuka's mystic eyes could clearly see Gilgamesh standing at the highest point.
"So it was a trap…?"
Gilles de Rais sounded surprised. "But I didn't expect him to use a Noble Phantasm this early…"
"Because it isn't his."
Ritsuka shook his head. "It's a Noble Phantasm stored in his treasury—belonging to another hero. He's merely releasing it."
"So he's serious."
Ritsuka's expression hardened. "Sha Naqba Imuru, paired with True Name Release… that's what he's doing."
Whoosh—!!
The spiral sword—treated as an arrow—was loosed.
It fell like a meteor, streaking toward them.
Even from a distance, the pressure made the heart tighten.
"Enough talk, Mr. Ritsuka!" Saber barked. "Take the Master behind us and fortify your defenses—his Noble Phantasm is coming!"
Saber made the call instantly. Ritsuka seized Irisviel's hand and pulled her back.
That light… that trajectory…
Ritsuka felt like he'd seen it before.
And then he spoke sharply, warning the others:
"That's Caladbolg—Fergus mac Róich's sword from Celtic legend. Forged by fairies of the Land of the Gods, said to contain the thunder of the heavens."
"Estimated rank: at least A+."
"In legend, it can blow apart multiple mountain peaks in one strike. Do not treat it lightly!"
"A+… an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm."
Saber's eyes narrowed. "Then I'll answer it with a return gift."
He lifted his holy sword.
"Master—permission to release my Noble Phantasm!"
"Yes!" Irisviel responded immediately. "Fight with everything you have, Saber!"
"Understood."
Saber's mouth curved upward.
The holy sword flared—golden starlight blooming from it, power sourced from the planet itself—the proof of Arthur's radiance.
"…Sorry. I can't help much here," Gilles muttered with frustration. As a modern-era Servant, he couldn't fire "light cannons" like mythic heroes.
"It's fine."
Saber smiled calmly. "For this much… I alone am enough!"
He swung.
A golden pillar erupted from the earth.
A river of starlight—an entire golden galaxy—surged forward.
"—Excalibur!!"
At the same instant, the blazing meteor arrived overhead.
Meteor and star-river collided.
Under the witness of the entire night sky, they carved a beautiful arc of annihilation.
"—Caladbolg!!"
A violent explosion detonated above Fuyuki.
The shockwave scattered the thick clouds apart.
That radiance—born from two kings locked by fate—was the overture of the decisive battle.
[Image omitted]
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 175)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 115)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 126)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter105)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter100)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter82)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter134)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 70
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 87
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 79
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 64
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 73
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 45
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 49
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 45
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 45
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