"It's about time."
—For what?
"ROOOOAR!"
"Hmph, tiresome faces," Gilgamesh scoffed.
Siegfried roared, smashing wyverns to the ground, while Gilgamesh felled them with a mere flick of his fingers.
"Sorry, but they're in the middle of a fine conversation," Siegfried said. "Cease your crude interruptions!"
"Hah, their misfortune?" Gilgamesh said. "It's that I, in high spirits, set foot on this land!"
Back-to-back, they unleashed their Noble Phantasms.
"Fire! Gate of Babylon—!"
"Strike them down! Balmung: Phantasmal Greatsword, Felling of the Sky Demon—!"
A twilight wave met an endless barrage of dragon-slaying treasures.
Gilgamesh, bearer of the dragon-slaying archetype, and Siegfried, heralded by dragon-slaying legend.
Only Fafnir could stop these two now.
"Sorry to burden you with my back," Siegfried said. "I don't know why, but I'm certain I can trust you."
"Obviously," Gilgamesh said. "Sneaking a strike at my back? No one's that low."
"You're right," Siegfried said. "I'm truly at ease—grateful to have you, King of Heroes, as an ally."
I feel the same.
This vessel, this King of Heroes, guarding us—it's reassuring and proud.
"Of course," Gilgamesh said. "I'm usually the one felled by unyielding humans. Yet here I am, by some twist, leading those who save humanity. Hah, hilarious! Worth a laugh, isn't it?"
"Is that so?" Siegfried chuckled. "Heh, indeed."
The king laughed boldly, Siegfried with a wry grin.
Opposites, yet the scene radiated mythic grandeur.
"Even in this state, I can handle small fry," Siegfried said. "—Hm. Looks like they're done too."
Mash and Rikka waved from afar.
"Alright, let's head back," Gilgamesh said. "Tch, walking's such a hassle…"
He shrugged. No choice. Time to endure poverty, King of Heroes.
"If you'd like, I'll carry you," Siegfried offered. "I owe you too much."
"What nonsense!" Gilgamesh snapped. "Unneeded charity! True, I'm a hero who accepts beauty—man or woman—but only if it's beautiful! You carrying me? Picture it! What if Master and Mash's tastes warp? I don't need that grotesque garden!"
He rebuffed Siegfried's offer.
"Sorry…" Siegfried said. "My back's exposed anyway."
Just take the offer… Kings are so stubborn.
"Honestly…" Gilgamesh said. "Dragon-slayer—no, Siegfried."
Calling him by his True Name. The vessel acknowledges him.
"Fafnir, that vile dragon, is your responsibility," Gilgamesh said. "Don't fail."
"—Yes," Siegfried said. "I'm a dragon-slayer. It's all I have to pride myself on—but I won't lose, even to you."
He met Gilgamesh's gaze head-on.
"Well roared," Gilgamesh said. "Humble, yet stubborn. Hmph, my fight with that mad dog awakened new tactics in me."
Yes. With the vessel's approval, my plan can succeed. I reached for the ripples.
"Take this," Gilgamesh said. "Use it in the showdown with Fafnir."
He handed over a palm-sized key.
"What's this?" Siegfried asked.
"A spare key to my vault," Gilgamesh said. "It opens a cache of dragon-slaying weapons from all eras. You can wield them well. Use it wisely."
The vessel recalls crafting this key, only to discard it—none would dare rob the King of Heroes' treasury.
As a catalyst to summon this hero, it's a coveted treasure… but to this vessel, it's "unnecessary."
"Is this… alright?" Siegfried asked. "Something so precious?"
"No matter," Gilgamesh said. "I've learned to rely on others. I'm in an absurdly good mood this summoning. I'll spare no expense."
Yes. Only Siegfried can face Fafnir. Our enemy is the one who birthed this Singularity. Our journey doesn't end there.
In the king's words… "Clear the way, please." …Was it grander? No, too complicated.
"—My heartfelt thanks," Siegfried said. "My skill, your treasures. I'll pierce that dragon with everything."
"Don't betray my expectations," Gilgamesh said.
"Leave it to me."
The two laughed. Now, only the curse remains.
"Gil—! Hurry up—!" Rikka called.
"Siegfried-san—!" Mash added.
"Let's go, King of Heroes," Siegfried said. "If it's tough—"
"Enough!" Gilgamesh cut in. "I don't need it!"
"Sorry."
Trading light banter, we rejoined Master.
"The Queen and Jeanne reached the town safely," Olga-Marie reported.
"Those two are fast!" Roman said. "Faster than us!"
"That country girl matched her pace perfectly, didn't she?" Gilgamesh said.
"I did!" Jeanne's voice crackled.
"Ngh—!"
The vessel's caught off-guard.
"Oh, sorry, Jeanne sent a message," Roman said.
"You could've said so!" Gilgamesh snapped.
"Sorry," Siegfried said. "I'll apologize for him."
"Just itching to say it, huh?" Gilgamesh said. "…What's up?"
Is there something for me?
"Yes, King of Heroes," Jeanne said. "My talk with Marie confirmed it. The Dragon Witch isn't me. She wouldn't know my foster parents or the softness of straw."
Simple words, incomprehensible to me, but the vessel grinned.
"—You figured it out," Gilgamesh said.
"What's that mean?" Rikka asked.
"It's unclear…" Mash said. "The king's words are cryptic…"
"Kings are incomprehensible," Amadeus said. "They see things differently."
"Thrust that conviction at her in the final battle," Gilgamesh said. "She'll waver. It'll be a delight to see."
"Yes. Absolutely," Jeanne said. "But, King of Heroes, enjoying people's struggles isn't a great hobby."
"No choice," Gilgamesh said. "I'm the Pleasure Club's president. Be grateful I'm not smirking with wine in hand."
"Ugh, you always have a comeback…!" Jeanne huffed.
"Haha, signal's breaking up—gotta go!" Gilgamesh said.
"Hey, King of Heroes! Wait—!"
He cut the comm with monotone acting. He loves teasing Jeanne. Sorry, Jeanne.
"Alright, noisy country girl's gone!" Gilgamesh said. "Let's move! The blade town's close!"
"Wooh!" Rikka cheered.
"Two Servant signatures detected," Roman reported. "Make contact."
"…Wait, these signatures…!" Olga-Marie said. "Two Servants are fighting!"
Flames erupted from the town ahead.
"What's that fire…?" Rikka wondered.
"—That maiden's here too, huh?" Gilgamesh smirked. "Hah, she'll be fun to tease! Let's go, Siegfried! Carry Master!"
"Got it," Siegfried said. "…Use me if you want. Carrying's tough, but a princess carry…"
"Yay!" Rikka cheered.
"Wait, King of Heroes!" Mash said. "I can carry Senpai too!"
"Rock-paper-scissors!" Rikka said. "Let's decide!"
"I've got a bad feeling…" Amadeus groaned. "A terrible feeling! Goddess, save me! This ominous dread's shaking me already…!"
The vessel's brimming with excitement.
What's waiting in that town?
"Roman, get as many monitors as you can," Olga-Marie said. "Project the town's Servants for analysis."
"Got it," Roman said. "…Gilgamesh's grinning like crazy. That's worrying."
"It's getting fun—!" Gilgamesh laughed.
—For what?
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