Chapter 65: The Trapped Ikazuki, Kingu Arrives!
Clang—!
Once more, the weapons of the master and servant collided.
Sparks flew. Benkei's heart grew heavy; he realized that getting past his own master to kill the madman behind her was an impossible task.
After watching for a moment, General Ikazuki lost interest. He had no more time to waste. He signaled the Shadow Legion to continue their march toward the center of Uruk—toward the Ziggurat.
"Hm? No guards?"
As Ikazuki ascended the steps of the Ziggurat, he felt a flicker of surprise. There wasn't a single soldier in sight. Even though Uruk had been breached, the city wasn't entirely dead, and many citizens were still alive.
"So, you have finally arrived, Shin Akira's subordinate."
Before he could even step inside, Gilgamesh's voice echoed from within the hall.
Inside, only a few people remained. Gilgamesh sat upon his throne. To his side stood a veiled woman, and not far away were two others—a young man and a girl.
"You are the King of Uruk, Gilgamesh."
"Indeed, I am the King. What purpose did Shin Akira have in sending you here?"
"My Master requires the Holy Grail of Uruk. Therefore, by his command, I have come to take it."
"And you believe you can simply walk away with it?"
"You are welcome to try and stop me."
"Hoh—"
Whoosh— Whoosh— Whoosh—
Behind Gilgamesh, ripples of golden light appeared one after another. From them, ornate magical staves began to emerge.
Caster. That was Gilgamesh's current Class. After establishing a contract with Merlin, he had shifted his role, sitting at the rear of Uruk as the king who managed all affairs through magecraft.
Facing Gilgamesh, General Ikazuki did not dare to be careless. He had heard of the King of Heroes' legendary reputation many times. Furthermore, this opponent was on a completely different level than Ushiwakamaru.
Rumble—
From every shadow in the hall, a massive number of shadow warriors surged forth, charging toward the throne.
Clang— Clang— Clang—
Gilgamesh, holding his original grimoire, began to activate the staves floating behind him. Various magical barrages obliterated the shadow soldiers one by one. It was a style of combat reminiscent of a Gatling gun. Even in a different Class, the Gate of Babylon possessed terrifying destructive power.
Whoosh—
Amidst the chaos, General Ikazuki saw an opening. He dashed forward with blinding speed. If he could just get in front of Gilgamesh and maneuver so the King's back was turned to him, the Commandment would trigger. Then, even the King of Heroes would be his puppet.
Clang—!
His plan shattered against reality.
A girl suddenly appeared on the stairs, blocking his path. The massive shield in her hands slammed into General Ikazuki's body. The sheer force of the impact sent the General flying backward.
"You... how dare you..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Ikazuki realized with a jolt of horror that he couldn't muster his strength.
"The Commandment of Love. In my presence, anyone who holds hatred in their heart loses the power to harm others."
Mash Kyrielight spoke calmly, her eyes fixed on General Ikazuki with a flat, hollow expression.
"So it's you. You are the lucky girl my Master graced with a 'Commandment.' And yet, you use the Master's own power against him? You deserve death."
"I do not belong to him yet," Mash replied, her voice steady. "Until Senior leaves Mesopotamia, I remain Senior's Servant. That is the contract he established himself."
"Cursed human... a mere mortal like you has no right to wield that divine power."
"Divine? What a contradiction," Mash countered. "How can the dark curse of a Commandment be associated with anything holy?"
"The Commandments are fragments of the Master's own essence. By using his power against him, you have sealed your fate."
"It doesn't matter. In the end, whatever he wishes to do to me, I won't be able to resist anyway, will I?"
Her words were plain, yet they carried a chilling, cruel reality.
Beside her, Fujimaru Ritsuka looked as if he wanted to speak but couldn't find the words. He desperately wanted to save his partner, but he was powerless. Even Dr. Roman and Da Vinci back at Chaldea were at a loss. The contract Shin Akira had established was too absolute.
Even if they tried to leave this era via Rayshift, the Commandment inside Mash and the dense dark magical energy within her couldn't be purged. Furthermore, if they fled and provoked Shin Akira's wrath, there was a chance he could track them back to Chaldea. If that happened, the price would be more than they could pay.
"Hmph, as I thought, I should have killed you from the start."
Dong—!
At that moment, the roof of the Ziggurat was struck by a massive force, caving in.
A figure descended through the dust—clad in white with long, jade-green hair. It was Kingu, arriving in Uruk under the orders of his mother, Tiamat.
The moment she arrived, she took in the scene: Shin Akira's subordinate being suppressed by the very power Shin Akira had bestowed. And Mash, the little girl who had received her brother's special attention, was using that brother's power to obstruct his own plans.
Bang—!
Clang—!
The power of Enkidu's Chains of Heaven exploded instantly. Though Mash managed to catch the strike with her shield, the sheer momentum sent her skidding backward across the floor.
"Why... why doesn't the Commandment of Love affect you?" Mash asked, her voice strained. Logically, anyone whose power didn't surpass Shin Akira's should be bound by it.
"Who exactly do you think I am?" Kingu sneered. "I am my Brother's sister. This body was created directly by him, and from the very beginning, he granted me the power to be immune to all Commandments."
"..."
Mash fell silent at Kingu's words.
On the other side, General Ikazuki glanced at Kingu. He had a deep memory of this being. She was a fanatical follower of his Master and held a certain level of command authority over the Shadow Legion, even if she rarely exercised it. Ikazuki's title as "leader" was often just a formality; there were far too many individuals who could command the legion at will without needing his permission. This was because they received their power directly from the Supreme Sovereign, placing their authority above his own.
Kingu then turned her gaze toward Gilgamesh on the throne. Because she inherited Enkidu's memories, she held a lingering fondness for the King. However, because Shin Akira currently required the Holy Grail of Uruk, she would not hesitate to act—not even against Gilgamesh.
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