"The earlier tale must've been quite a bitter pill for you mongrels. Allow the King to rinse your palates with some witty banter!"
"Listen well!!"
The Truth the King Has ReachedUnderground London, Londinium
"Whoa, awesome!! We got here in a flash!"
Descending hundreds of meters via elevator, the group arrives instantly. Mordred exclaims in awe.
"Heh heh, if you're impressed by this, you couldn't handle escorting Gil."
"Yes! Boredom has no place on the Hero King's journey!"
"For real... for real?!"
"Don't praise me so. My treasury knows no impossibility, nor any bottom. Even if it rattles till the end of this quest to save humanity, you'd scarcely glimpse its depths. Fuhahahahaha!"
"You're truly beyond norms. Why lose to a mere human?"
"No help for it. A story's victor shifts with perspective. The protagonist's bias, heaven's favor—that decides the winner. In that, you were blessed, faker."
[...Could you stop insulting me with alternate timelines? It's awkward to respond.]
"Hmph. Fine. Hubris is poison; this is my mercy. What I'd be without it... no need to say now."
—Yes, the Hero King is amazing. ...Though his joke sense is lacking, and his stripping habit is troublesome.
"Enough; let's end this Singularity. —That's the fog's source?"
Before them looms a colossal machine, belching mist as it roars.
"'Angrboda, the Norse Giant'? A fitting jab. Evokes the charm of a middle-schooler's strained naming."
"...Ah!!"
[Noticed, Ritsuka?]
"Yeah! I knew I'd seen this somewhere—Fuyuki! Where the Grail was in Fuyuki!"
—Now that you mention it... the vibe, the scenery—identical!
[Boss room cliché? Why's a Grail chamber so dim?]
"It reeks of blood, obviously. Perfect for drinking, though... Now, what junk to assign that cur..."
The vessel smirks evilly.
—If destruction's needed, select treasures. Disposable ones that explode on impact minimize damage.
"Fine. I'll pulverize it in one breath. Grab the Grail, return to my paradise, and throw a feast to lift my spirits."
Reaching for treasures in exasperation.
Then—
"—As Paracelsus said, evil must be stopped by the good."
A resounding voice.
"Hm? This voice evokes seaweed swaying on the seabed."
"There!"
Pointed to: a youth in a coat, murky red eyes, blue hair.
"—Wakame? No... that's the Pleasure Club advisor in his youth? Those curls... exude the Clown King's flair..."
The vessel mutters.
—He's no bystander here... Likely no ally.
Then...
"Grand Steam Engine Angrboda. Our evil's form, yet our hope. Your path ends here. Good shall be purged by my evil."
"Spare the drivel, clown. A soul-rotting worm clinging to my treasures for one measly evil. 'Thief's bravado' was coined for you."
Verbal barrage begins. Good—select now.
"I am Hero King Gilgamesh, supreme guardian and acquirer of worthy treasures. Pitiful mongrel bound by resignation, even you have a name. State the insolent, overreaching name daring my hoard. Bow, and I'll behead you in one strike."
"—I am Makiri Zolgen, first director of this 'Demon Fog Project.'"
"—Makiri...?"
...?
The vessel falters, as if stunned silent.
"Hero King, arbiter of all, guarding good? —Evil is felled by reason, then."
"—..."
"...? Gil?"
"...Fu, fuhah."
...?
"Fuhahahahahahahahahahahaha!! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!! I see! So that's it! It all makes sense now!"
Clutching belly, slapping knee.
??? W-What hit the King's funny bone?
"You okay, Gil?"
"Ah, yes... —Kuku. Listen well, all!"
Eyes snap open, declaring solemnly.
"This Singularity's essence! I've seen through it all!! Hear my words—I permit it!"
"This"
"Singularity's"
[['Essence—?']]
...Did Clairvoyance miss something major?
No, won't interrupt. Vessel's ecstatic. Listen as bid.
"Tell us, tell us! Teach me, Gil!"
"Of course! —This Singularity never excited me. Damp London, dim city, trashy streets. All distasteful, joyless. Frankly, third-rate tourism. But—"
Arm swings.
"No wonder! It was crafted to seal me!!"
[["Wha—"]]
What—!?
"Seriously, Gil? They made a Singularity just to seal you? How bored are they?"
"Don't say that. They finally realized they can't let me loose. Too late, though. No reason to ease my rampage now. Crush them utterly, without slack or pride."
"...?"
—He's openly baffled. Illusion? No...
[T-Tell us why, Gil. What makes you think it's to seal you?]
"What, you don't get it? Poor insight for a Solomon fan."
[Ignore me!]
"No choice. I'll teach even dull mongrels... Three main reasons."
Pulls wine, gulps.
"First: 'era.' Of all times, industrialization—when waste floods my garden. Guard filth, pests, excrement in my domain. It sapped most my drive. Painful."
—He hates waste. Understands consumer society loathing.
"A Singularity twisting the shift from a world where killing one slave matters to one kind to humans, culling 1000 spawns 10,000 mongrels... No motivation rises. That's one." (Kikkai is a place name)
Gulps, refills.
"Second: enemy quality. Wraiths, trash clowns, well-meaning mages, Wakame... All unworthy of my hand. Mostly; my treasures scattered some exceptions."
—Good.
Alice, Babbage—not seen as foes...
"Mordred, nice!"
"Right?"
"Few Sabers was a plus, nico-nico..."
"Utterly unworthy. Throwing treasures was tedious without Master-soul honing. Would've quit without guiding. Escorting's no picnic. That's two."
"..."
Vessel ignores Makiri's 'what's this guy on' glare.
"And—third. Most crucial."
Glares at Makiri.
Gulp...
"W-What is it...?"
"Good question... Persistent sabotage, harassment—I endured. Finally, you show yourselves, reveal identities, resort to desperation."
Glass shatters.
"Yes—you plotted to destroy my 'abs'—!"
"Fu"
"Abs?"
...E-Eh, wait.
This—super lame...?
"Yes! But I saw through at the brink! Your scheme's foiled!! Plot against me? 100 years too soon! Come back as a grotesque bug swarm!!"
"...So, what was the plan to harm you?"
...Why's he asking...?
—Bad feeling, but stay silent.
...No way.
"Fine. I'll reveal the truth, your pathetic plot's core!"
Grandly weaves words.
"You shrouded not just London, but all Britain in fog to incinerate the era. Right?"
"...Yes. London alone insufficient. Incinerate to erase the foundation."
"Your resignation's chosen end. Truly pathetic outcome. But resignation's root is the real lameness. —Whatever."
"It's fine!?"
"Who you serve, yield to, resign for—irrelevant. Oppose me, one end: amuse my journey with your disgrace, crawl regretting folly bodily, apologize in death... Now, core."
Face hardens.
"'Demon Fog' plan filling Britain to burn the era!! Director: Makiri Zolgen! These fit a pun—hear it and grasp!!"
"Demon Fog... Makiri? Demon Fog Project..."
—Ah.
"Forget your king, but credit the joke sense!! Yes!! Not humanity incineration—my abs incineration!! The full desperate plan—!!"
Stomps, arms crossed, smug Hero King.
"————'Makiri' scatters (shi) 'Demon Fog'"
[[[[...]]]]
[['...']]
"..."
—God...
"Haa—Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!! Stop! Hold back!! My sides! I'll die! Makiri's Demon Fog Project! Brilliant! Hahahahaha! Totally unexpected! Someone with joke sense rivaling mine! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!"
—Gods! Sumer, Mesopotamia—all gods! Why—
"Laugh, laugh!! They worked hard on the joke—laugh! Mongrel, but top-tier clown!! Your king's the ultimate comedian!! Fuhahahahaha!!"
Why give this king—no joke sense—!!!!!!
"...Hey."
"Hm...?"
"That guy's an idiot."
"Super great, cool, admirable—second best guy I've met... but yeah, 'fun' reads that way."
"Gil... you've enjoyed this trip so much... too much, looks idiotic..."
"...King's sense eludes me..."
[No comment! Total no comment!]
[Might need Chiron-sensei for jokes, humor next...]
(Ah, wanna hug Nameless...)
—King's laughter rages on...
"Haa... haa... haa... Close to laughing death. Called it boring—retract. This Singularity was supremely fun..."
As it ends...
"Hm?"
['I am Barbatos. My evil's mirror to destroy thee...!']
Weird pillar appears.
"What, shamed by my insight exposing truth? Must've stung."
...Good. Blast with Ea, grab Grail, home... Hug Fou, sleep... Yeah.
"Laughed enough, truth exposed... Done with you. Atone for making Fran cry, return to primal dust."
Slowly draws Ea...
Instantly—
['Hero King, all! Leave this to Mystery Hero X... no']
"Wah!?"
Summoning activates.
"Leave it to Arthur Pendragon!"
"Wha—Arthur...!!"
(Except one) All knew Mystery Hero X's identity...!!
"Arthur, where were you? Vanished since humanity evil talk."
"Sorry, Altria. Cleared all free quests from Fuyuki to Okeanos for training."
"Wha!?"
"Thanks, foundation's perfect! Leave this to me!"
"...Father..."
"Hm?"
"Father... Father!?"
"Good for you, Arthur. Need this? I don't much."
"Father!?"
"Haha, lull with that, then sacrifice Mordred too?"
"Yes, sacrifice Mordred first. For Saber annihilation. Sacrifice... Saber, Saber, foolish Saber. You don't grasp your sin, rebellion's weight."
"Fatheeeer!?"
"Yeah, two Mordreds is a bit much."
"Right? I hate it too."
"Fatheeeeeer!?"