Bolts of lightning struck down from the sky toward Gilgamesh.
The King of Heroes' expression remained unchanged as the golden ripples of the Gate of Babylon shimmered in the air.
The previously revealed weapons were replaced by higher-tier Noble Phantasms, the magical energy gathering at their tips dozens of times stronger than before.
Buzz—
The air warped under the sheer density of the gathering mana.
Gilgamesh looked up at the King of Conquerors. The golden light illuminated his face, revealing a lingering smirk.
There was no trace of solemnity in his expression.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Every blast of magical energy intercepted the falling lightning.
To the onlookers, this clash was spectacular.
Dazzling light flashed across the sky, and surging shockwaves erupted. Such a violent disturbance was impossible to miss.
Iskandar frowned.
Gilgamesh's relentless barrage made it impossible for him to get close.
He began to ponder a countermeasure.
But at that moment, golden ripples materialized from the void above, below, and all around him.
His expression shifted, and he leapt from his chariot.
A split second later, countless magical blasts obliterated the Gordius Wheel.
Thud!
The King landed heavily on the earth. His crimson mantle was stained with dust, and a grave expression settled over his rugged face.
The sword of Kupriotes sparked with erratic bursts of lightning in his hand.
From a distance, Gilgamesh spoke. "King of Conquerors, bring forth Ionioi Hetairoi!"
His voice was steeped in arrogance.
Iskandar let out a soft sigh. "Why are you only using magical attacks this time? What happened to shooting those swords around like a cheap juggling act?"
"This is how I attack now, furthermore, I have sealed away Ea. Cherish this moment—without Ea, you might have had the slimmest fraction of a chance to defeat me. But alas, that fraction is one in a hundred million!" Gilgamesh declared.
Ea was his strongest Noble Phantasm.
In their previous battle, it was Ea that Gilgamesh had used to shatter Iskandar's Reality Marble.
"Oh? Then it seems I must truly cherish this opportunity." Iskandar laughed heartily.
He raised Spada Kupriotes toward the sky and roared.
"Bucephalus!"
A massive black steed galloped out from the void.
The King vaulted onto its back. His fighting spirit burned high, and an awe-inspiring aura radiated from him.
In the distance, Lord El-Melloi II's expression hardened.
He stepped into the battlefield belonging to the two kings, refusing to be stopped even by the protests of Yuto and the others.
"Gather, my brothers-in-arms! Tonight, we shall carve our valor into the greatest of legends!"
Spada Kupriotes gathered a brilliant golden light.
As Iskandar's rallying cry concluded, a blinding light washed over the onlookers, and the scenery warped.
The starry night sky was replaced by endless expanses of yellow sand.
Upon the glaring desert stood countless Heroic Spirits.
Wielding blades, spears, swords, and hammers. Men of all ages and backgrounds. Grinning, solemn, thrilled, and focused.
An innumerable host of Heroic Spirits stood gathered behind the emperor known as Iskandar.
The blood-stirring aura of the battlefield flooded everyone's hearts.
It was a true warzone.
"My brothers! Follow me and charge at the King of Heroes once more! Though we face defeat, our spirit remains unbroken. The legend of the King of Conquerors never dies!" Iskandar bellowed.
The Heroic Spirits behind him erupted into deafening cheers.
This scene left the distant spectators—Yuto, Ainz, Rimuru, and Saitama—in absolute awe.
He was a king who commanded an army of heroes.
The one and only King of Conquerors.
"My King! Please allow me to charge by your side!" Waver Velvet knelt on one knee before Iskandar.
At this moment, he was no longer the man bearing the heavy title of Lord El-Melloi II.
He was simply Waver Velvet, a subject of the King of Conquerors.
Therefore, he must charge alongside his king.
Iskandar sat upon his warhorse, his towering figure gazing down at Waver.
He reached out and rested the flat of Spada Kypriotes upon Waver's shoulder.
"Granted!" he proclaimed.
The King and his subject shared a look, and both broke into a smile.
Waver Velvet took his place behind Iskandar. His expression was fierce, his heart pounding against his ribs like a war drum.
Countless emotions swelled within his chest.
In this moment, the only thing in Waver's eyes was the imposing figure seated upon the steed.
Alexander the Great. Iskandar. His King.
"Gilgamesh, feel the awe of my conquering army once more! Ala la la la laie!"
The King of Conquerors roared, charging toward Gilgamesh.
Accompanying him were countless Heroic Spirits.
The desert trembled, and the clouds were shredded by their war cries. Unbridled shouts filled the air, shaking everyone to their core.
"Glory lies beyond!" Iskandar bellowed, brandishing Spada Kupriotes.
His eyes were filled with restless ecstasy and thrill; there was not a shred of fear within him.
"Come, Lord of the conquering army! You shall meet your defeat once again!"
Gilgamesh threw his arms wide.
A thick, heavy grimoire materialized in his hand.
The magical energy surrounding him surged.
Although he had sealed Ea, the tradeoff was gaining access to near-infinite magical energy.
Hum—
Countless golden ripples manifested throughout the space.
Hundreds? Thousands? No one could comprehend the exact number.
The entire sky had been blotted out by golden light!
"King of Conquerors, you have lost once again."
Gilgamesh held a massive axe in one hand, its blade resting lightly against Iskandar's neck.
Beneath his placid expression lay a hint of genuine amusement. There was no trace of contempt in his eyes.
"Ah... so I have," Iskandar murmured with a touch of dismay, but a hearty, open smile quickly touched his lips.
His raging fighting spirit from moments ago had faded.
The residual heat of their battle still lingered as the King dismissed Spada Kupriotes.
Simultaneously, Gilgamesh withdrew his massive axe.
He crossed his arms once more, looking at the king before him. His gaze held the satisfaction of a good fight, accompanied by the respect given to an equal.
"King of Conquerors, your challenge entertained me immensely. What a pity that the moment we crossed blades, your defeat was already sealed—for the one you face is I, Gilgamesh!"
Though spoken with arrogance, his words were the truth.
Gilgamesh had foreseen the outcome of this clash from the start.
He was merely savoring the journey.
"It can't be helped. It seems you truly are the stronger one. I am willing to acknowledge your might, but that does not mean I will abandon my resolve to conquer you. Swinging a sword at the strong is the greatest joy of conquest, after all!" Iskandar didn't look upset, he remained as magnanimous as ever.
That broad smile never left his rugged face.
"Hmph! No matter how many times you try, i will accept your challenge. And similarly, no matter how many times you try, the fact that you will fail will never change!"
"Ahahahaha! As if I'd care about something like that!"
They were two kings whose brilliance illuminated human history.
Regardless of who claimed victory, it would never dim the glory of the other.
This was a true battle between kings!
Iskandar turned to look at his subject.
Waver Velvet's face was pale and crestfallen. His king's defeat, something he had never wanted to imagine, had actually occurred.
For someone who had held firmly to his faith for so long, this struck a heavy blow to his heart.
"Oi! Waver, you rascal! Why the long face?!" Iskandar slapped the man on the back.
Even though ten years had passed and Waver had grown taller, he still couldn't compare to the burly physique of the King.
That single slap sent the dejected subject stumbling forward.
Waver felt a flash of annoyance, which morphed back into a sense of loss.
"Honestly, a defeat is just a defeat. You just have to accept it with grace. You're still not mature enough, my friend!" Iskandar laughed.
"But..." Waver wanted to say something, but he found himself tongue-tied.
"Waver! Listen well! My path as the King of Conquerors is not paved solely with victory and honor. Behind it lies countless failures and setbacks! If one cannot even accept their own defeat, then they are not following the Royal Path of the King of Conquerors!"
"My path of conquest requires accepting even defeat beautifully!"
"As my subject, it seems you still lack a true understanding of my conquest." Iskandar patted his subject's shoulder.
His first two sentences were spoken with gravity and sincerity, displaying the boundless charisma inherent in his rule. Yet, his final sentence was delivered with a casual lightness.
The stark contrast between the two created a comical effect.
Lord El-Melloi II took a deep breath.
His eyes regained their usual composure, and he cast aside his earlier disappointment.
"Exactly! That's the spirit! Ahahahaha!" Iskandar looked at Lord El-Melloi II and let out a satisfied roar of laughter.
Watching the interaction between king and subject from the sidelines, the corners of Gilgamesh's mouth curled upward.
Having enjoyed all the luxuries the world had to offer, there were few things that could bring the King of Heroes genuine delight.
The scene unfolding before him served as a perfect diversion.
"King of Heroes." Lord El-Melloi II stepped forward.
Facing the golden king directly, he spoke with calm indifference.
"What? Are you still clinging to that foolish conviction of yours?" Gilgamesh asked with a faint smile.
"I am. I firmly believe that my King will eventually defeat you. What happened here today will not shake my faith. I am absolutely certain that, in the distant future, I will bring victory to my King!"
Lord El-Melloi II's words visibly moved Iskandar.
Gilgamesh's eyes filled with a satisfied gleam, and a mocking, yet appreciative smile touched his lips.
"A mundane persistence, but... spoken as a true subject, you have indeed entertained me!"
"Come, Lord El-Melloi II! Waver Velvet! I shall stand right here. No matter how distant that future may be, I will be waiting for you! Let us see if you truly can seize glory for your King! Iskandar! Your subject is quite something!"
Gilgamesh spread his arms wide, standing tall against the horizon, bathed in the starlight.
His presence swelled, and the smile on his face revealed his elation.
"Ahahahaha! But of course he is!" Iskandar laughed.
In the distance, Yuto and the others who had been watching this scene heard the final exchange.
The war of kings had drawn to a close.
With that, the group decided to return to the restaurant.
Led by Yuto, their return trip didn't require them to pass through the doorway.
This was one of the special privileges the restaurant had granted him.
...
Meanwhile, the restaurant currently being looked after by the Goddess welcomed a new guest—a beautiful young girl.
She had silver hair that cascaded down to her waist, blue eyes that resembled the sparkling surface of a lake, a dark veil draped over her head, and a dress that interwove dark and white fabrics.
Hestia looked into her eyes with a hint of curiosity.
She could sense a power akin to divine energy, though it didn't feel overwhelmingly strong.
That could only mean the young girl standing before her was also a goddess.
'A goddess from another world?' Hestia mused inwardly.
"Um... My name is Eris. Hello." The goddess named Eris bowed to Hestia, looking flustered.
It was obvious she was nervous.
'Eris?' The name triggered a memory in Hestia's mind—she knew a goddess named Eris, but that Eris was not a gentle girl like this one.
That Eris was the Goddess of Discord, known for having an awful temper.
"Mm, hello there. I'm Hestia."
"I'm Tohsaka Sakura. Nice to meet you, Eris-onee-san."
Hestia and Sakura greeted Eris in return.
Just then, Yuto and the others returned.
---
Isekai crossover did not feel complete without Kazuma co!