"Hmph!"
Gilgamesh didn't need to think twice. He raised his head arrogantly. "Only the strongest are worthy of challenging this king."
Moreover, with such a prime opportunity to gather intelligence on both Damien and Iskandar, he had no objection to watching them fight to the death, allowing him to reap the benefits.
Of course, he couldn't say that outright.
He was, after all, the noble King of Heroes.
Even if he were to accept a challenger, it would have to be the one standing at the end.
"And you, Saber?"
"I..."
Artoria understood the meaning behind Damien's earlier words.
Indeed, after hearing his declaration of war, she had no reason to intervene, no matter her motives.
If she were to take advantage of one side's weakness to launch a sneak attack, the chivalry of King Arthur would surely weep.
Artoria only hoped that Kiritsugu wouldn't act so shamelessly.
Otherwise, even she would despise herself.
"I swear on the honor of the King of Knights that I will not stoop to such despicable acts!"
Artoria was a staunch believer in knightly duels, and she naturally supported Damien and Iskandar's decision to face off.
If Kiritsugu stirred trouble, Artoria would not hesitate to turn her sword on him!
Thanks to Damien's guidance, the King of Knights had grown somewhat.
Understanding her true heart was the key to achieving miracles.
She was now prepared to resist Kiritsugu's Command Seals with her own will.
"The time and place are up to you. How about it?"
Damien gestured to Iskandar, giving him the respect of making the decision.
"As long as it's not on your turf, anywhere is fine."
Iskandar wasn't foolish enough to give up his advantage just for pride.
Even if Damien wasn't a magus, Iskandar had seen his ability to set up a territory... an impregnable fortress.
Only a fool would fight Damien at Ryudou Temple.
"But..."
"It'd be best to find a place with few people."
"How about that big bridge?"
Iskandar thought for a moment. "Let's set it for tomorrow night. Then, let me witness the power of the Demon King from another world."
"You won't be disappointed, King of Conqueror!"
But Damien's declaration of war wasn't over yet.
"And next..."
"Gilgamesh."
Damien turned his focus to the King of Heroes. "If I defeat the King of Conqueror, you're next."
"Oh?"
"Such arrogance, Demon King from another world."
Gilgamesh flashed a menacing grin. "If this sideshow fails to entertain me, do you understand the consequences?"
"I suggest you focus on watching my fight with the King of Conqueror tomorrow."
"Tch!"
Gilgamesh wasn't just provoked by Damien's challenge. "Even for this king, you're the first madman I've met like this!"
Damien invited everyone to observe the battle.
What did this mean?
Intelligence was crucial for Heroic Spirits.
By allowing Gilgamesh and Artoria to closely watch his fight with Iskandar, Damien was essentially giving them a chance to learn about him.
"Because that's only fair, isn't it?"
"I know your histories and legends, but you know nothing about me."
Of course, Damien wouldn't reveal his true trump cards to Gilgamesh without reason.
Dealing with Iskandar didn't require his ultimate weapons.
Those powerful familiars were reserved for Gilgamesh.
Thus, this observation was itself a strategy to mislead Gilgamesh about his true strength.
As for Artoria...
Honestly, Damien had never taken the King of Knights seriously from the start.
To deal with her, he didn't even need force.
Simply revealing the truth about the Holy Grail or waiting until more than half the Heroic Spirits were dead... when Irisviel would be overwhelmed by the Greater Grail's mana... would be enough to break the girl.
The Banquet of Kings came to an end.
On the way back, Waver rode atop the Gordius Wheel, looking at the silent Iskandar with a hint of unease.
"Rider?"
"Are you really going to fight tomorrow night?"
"What are you trying to say, kid?"
"I mean, this is the Holy Grail War."
"Since it's the Holy Grail War, there's no need to follow any rules."
Because Iskandar hadn't revealed his Reality Marble, Waver was unaware of his Servant's true strength.
In his eyes, Damien was simply too powerful.
Among the four Servants at the banquet, Waver felt Iskandar couldn't beat any of them.
Smack!
"Ow, that hurts!"
Clutching his forehead, Waver lunged at Iskandar in anger, only to be held back by a single hand on his head, unable to move. "What are you doing, Rider?! I'm worried about you, you jerk!!"
The atmosphere gradually fell silent again.
Iskandar didn't immediately explain.
The red-haired giant drove the thunderous chariot through the deserted night.
"That guy is strong, completely different from any opponent I've faced before."
Iskandar was quiet for a moment before smiling. "It's great to be part of the Holy Grail War."
"What?"
Waver was utterly confused by Iskandar's sudden shift. "What are you even talking about?"
In life, Iskandar led his army from Macedon, conquering every nation in his path without lingering over the territories.
He pressed eastward, driven by the desire to reach the "end of the world" And see the legendary "Ocean at the World's End."
Sadly, Iskandar never fulfilled that dream.
He collapsed from exhaustion before reaching it.
Not long after, the historical King of Conqueror, Alexander the Great, passed away.
"I never saw the Ocean at the World's End, nor reached the world's boundary."
Iskandar shed his usual carefree demeanor, now resembling a true king.
Damien's image appeared in his mind.
Sailing across endless seas, landing on islands called worlds, witnessing, conquering, leading, and then moving forward without attachment until the true end.
"..."
"If you can obtain the Holy Grail, you can surely fulfill your wish."
Waver had no wishes of his own, so he could let Iskandar use the wish to gain a physical body. "You said it, right? You want to continue your conquest."
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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