As it turned out, even a backstab requires sufficient skill. Jiang You's attempt to extract Kingu's heart merely made him sway slightly; it didn't pierce through at all. Feeling utterly embarrassed and helpless, Jiang You had no choice but to call for backup: "Fairy Tristan!!"
"Serves you right for never bothering to improve yourself!" Fairy Tristan snapped, recalling how Jiang You always ran away during combat training. "You still need my help? You can't even handle a sneak attack? What a useless weakling!"
Kingu hesitated slightly as Fairy Tristan charged toward him. His strength was comparable to Gilgamesh's, and since Fairy Tristan was no match for Gilgamesh, she stood no chance against him either. But remembering this was for his Mother, he steeled himself, choosing not to resist.
Seeing Kingu's lack of reaction, Fairy Tristan paused, momentarily stunned. She quickly realized Kingu's position: if Morgan were in his place, her choice would be the same. Slowly, she withdrew the claws she had already extended.
"What are you doing?"
Jiang You couldn't understand why Fairy Tristan was hesitating when Kingu had already adopted a "come on" stance.
"I can't bring myself to do it... Maybe it's what you call 'misery loves company'?" Fairy Tristan looked conflicted. She understood why Kingu was doing this.
"Same Oedipus complex, huh?" Jiang You muttered, speechless. This servant, who could ruthlessly chop off others' feet without hesitation, suddenly couldn't bring herself to strike in this crucial moment. Yet Fairy Tristan was the only servant beside him willing to do it; the goddesses would never agree. Hundred Faces would loyally obey his commands, but their Attack Power was even lower than his own. "If you won't do it, who will...? Kingu, could you just do the honors yourself?"
"..."
Kingu stared in silence. Since when does an attacker demand the victim commit suicide after a sneak attack? "Was this your real intention all along?"
"Not exactly. I just wanted to recreate that iconic scene where you get stabbed through the heart from behind... I mean, is my attack power really worse than those mass-produced things?"
Jiang You felt a pang of humiliation. Despite his Attack Power being at C-rank—a respectable level among Heroic Spirits—he still couldn't surpass the Lahmu's combat capability.
"Even among the Lahmu, there are differences. Anyone who can break through my defenses must possess considerable strength... Why am I telling you this?"
But since they had already come this far, Kingu couldn't simply tell them to turn back and go to sleep. He felt the calls of his younger siblings from the sea, and though his Card had revealed their betrayal, he had no intention of betraying Tiamat now. "Alright, this is the last thing I can do for my Mother!"
Kingu plunged his hand violently into his chest. Amidst his anguished roar, he tore out the Holy Grail that Goetia had personally delivered.
In that instant, a tidal wave of Lahmu surged forth from the Primordial Sea. Several winged individuals lunged toward Kingu simultaneously.
This was Kingu's contingency plan, prepared in case Jiang You showed his true colors again. He had to ensure the Holy Grail reached his Mother's hands. He tossed the Grail to a winged Lahmu, which flapped its wings and soared toward Tiamat at the center of the sea.
Next, the remaining Lahmu launched an all-out assault, their primary objective being to intercept anyone attempting to seize the Holy Grail.
"Go! Bring the Holy Grail to Mother!"
Kingu laughed triumphantly. "Are you ready to face Mother in her full glory?"
Before he could finish speaking, a Lahmu lunged at him, its vertically aligned maw tearing off his arm in a single bite. Kingu had foreseen this outcome through his Card, but he had believed it was because he hadn't properly executed Mother's plan. He never imagined that even after accomplishing so much, the Lahmu would act with such ruthless decisiveness. Heartbroken, he cried out, "Why?!"
"LYQLNXIEB (Because Kingu is no longer useful), PTRKRWWTY (The value of a divinely crafted weapon is immense), GCIX (It cannot be wasted)."
To others, the Lahmu's guttural sounds were meaningless, but Kingu understood them perfectly, hearing words that chilled him to the bone.
At that moment, he finally mustered the courage to ask the question the Duelist had sought the answer to earlier: "I am your elder brother! Without me, you never could have set foot on this land!"
"Brother?"
The Lahmu emitted a piercing shriek, which was actually their laughter.
"How pathetic! You're nothing but a tool. You're fundamentally different from us. Would you keep a broken tool? Become my sustenance!"
Mortally wounded, Kingu lacked the strength to resist. Abandoned by all, he had no allies left; no one would offer him aid. Kingu closed his eyes in despair, his existence now utterly meaningless.
"Giving up so easily? This King has truly enjoyed quite the circus act."
A distinctive laugh echoed from behind Kingu. In the next instant, dozens of golden Noble Phantasms rained down upon the Lahmu, tearing it to shreds.
Kingu struggled to his feet. His savior was none other than Gilgamesh. While bombarding the attacking Lahmu with his Gate of Babylon, Gilgamesh also directed his assault to protect Kingu, preventing the Lahmu coveting his body (meaning his capabilities) from getting close.
"Why?" Kingu asked, bewildered. He had no connection to Gilgamesh; if anything, they were enemies.
"You have far too many 'whys' of your own."
Gilgamesh intensified his efforts. Though the number of Servants was considerable, the Lahmu vastly outnumbered them. These new humans created by Tiamat were surprisingly effective, far superior to the Magical Beasts spawned by Gorgon. Servants like Hundred Faces proved utterly ineffective in direct combat.
"You're using the body of my dearest friend. If it's damaged so easily, this King will be furious. Besides, I promised my friend I'd look after you—isn't that only natural?"
"So why act all tsundere? Why can't you just be straightforward?" Jiang You retorted, watching Gilgamesh prepare to mount his Wind God Pterosaur.
"Mind your tongue!" Gilgamesh snapped, clearly annoyed. Their compatibility remained abysmal; whenever they showed signs of warming up, chaos would inevitably erupt.
"Hurry up and deal with the Primordial Sea's encroachment! Even with all these Servants, we can't stop their advance! Before long, the city you built will be swallowed whole. Aren't you even a little worried?"
"I've tested their durability—they're slightly stronger than Hundred Faces, but still manageable with modern firearms. They'll soon learn what it means for the times to have changed."