A thunderous blast echoed through the workshop.
Boom.
"Impudent mongrel!!"
The furious roar resounded within the magus workshop at the exact moment the explosion settled.
Izumi's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.
"Oh, shut it. Mongrel your damn mother.
Keep barking and I'll make you eat those words — you golden show-off."
As his voice fell, the Dragon's Shadow at his feet surged upward, manifesting as a black blade and cleaving straight toward the newly materialized Servant.
"You dare…! You dare strike at the King of Heroes the moment he answers a summons!?"
"To raise your hand against me—have you steeled yourself for death, lowborn cur!?"
Gilgamesh was livid.
He had barely manifested into the world—had not even begun his usual proclamation of supremacy—when a human of all things launched a killing blow.
A human.
It was beyond humiliating.
Unforgivable.
Sensing that this human was no ordinary magus, he immediately reached for his greatest treasure.
Golden ripples shimmered behind him as he drew forth—
Ea.
The Sword of Rupture, the very axis of creation, materialized in his grasp.
But before Gilgamesh could even raise it—
A crimson spear materialized in front of him and pierced straight through his torso.
Schlkk.
A spray of blood erupted from his mouth.
"Y–You…!!"
Gilgamesh's elegant features twisted with pure, incandescent rage.
This indignity…!!
Before he could even gather himself, Izumi seized Ea right out of his hand.
Gilgamesh froze.
And then—
Izumi tossed the primordial sword into his system space and offered it as a sacrifice, without hesitation.
"...…"
The entire sequence happened in an instant.
Tokiomi and young Rin stood dumbfounded, unable to comprehend what had just transpired.
Gilgamesh, trembling with fury, glared at Izumi with murderous intensity.
"Very well…
Very well…!
You have chosen your fate, insolent mortal!"
With that final declaration, his body dissolved into golden motes of light and dispersed—returning forcibly to the Throne.
But the King of Heroes never forgets a slight.
He would remember this human.
And the next time they met, he would devote himself entirely to the man's annihilation.
Tokiomi stared blankly at the empty space where the King of Heroes had stood.
"T–That… that's it? It's over?
Just like that…?"
That speed was absurd.
Was an Heroic Spirit truly this helpless before Izumi?
To be dispatched — casually?
Izumi swung the blood from the spear and replied calmly:
"That wasn't his true body. A fragment at best.
If it were the full King of Heroes, it might take a bit more effort.
But taking him out before he postures makes everything easy."
A lesson from today:
If you spend your time flaunting your power, someone will gut you before you finish your speech.
Izumi didn't even glance at the system notifications for sacrificing Ea.
Instead, he turned toward Tokiomi.
"Now then, Tokiomi—
I'll need you to locate someone for me."
"One of the Masters currently in Fuyuki."
Hearing this, Tokiomi straightened immediately.
"Understood. Please leave it to me, Izumi-sama!"
After witnessing Izumi obliterate an Heroic Spirit before he could even act—
Tokiomi's respect had become genuine reverence.
Stealing an opponent's Noble Phantasm with a single strike…
Surely this was the most humiliating death an Archer-class Servant had ever suffered.
Izumi described the target.
Ryūnosuke Uryū.
A serial killer, and a Master.
Tokiomi paled.
"I will search for him at once," he said, bowing deeply before hurrying away.
Izumi gave him only one instruction:
"If you find him, contact me immediately."
Someone like Ryūnosuke had no right to remain in this world.
With his tasks assigned, Izumi exited the workshop.
Outside, Sakura was waiting with little Rin beside her.
Izumi paused, blinking in amusement.
He glanced at the tiny Rin, then at the adult Rin standing beside him.
"Rin," he whispered, "how does it feel seeing your younger self?
Discovering you were this… compact ten years ago?
Still flat even now, huh?"
Adult Rin's face went dark.
She wanted to punch him—she really did—
But she knew full well she couldn't win.
Meanwhile, Sakura skipped to Izumi and hugged him tightly.
"Good morning, Izumi-onii-chan~"
Seeing her bright smile, Izumi exhaled softly.
She truly had stepped out of her past shadows.
Keeping her by his side had been the right choice.
He gently ruffled her hair.
"Sakura, I need to go out again.
Do you want to come along?"
Sakura nodded instantly.
Her violet eyes looked up at him, pleading:
"Izumi-onii-chan… don't leave Sakura behind again."
It had only been one night apart, but she had clearly missed him deeply.
Izumi stroked her hair again, smiling.
"Of course. I won't.
From today on, no matter where I go—
you come with me."
Sakura's face lit up with pure joy.
Little Rin, however, sprang forward with an outraged pout.
"No way! Sakura can't go with you!"
Little Rin had just gotten her sister back—
and now he was taking her away again!?
Before Izumi could reply, Aoi grabbed her daughter's shoulders.
"That's enough, Rin.
Stop causing trouble."
"From now on, Sakura will be studying magecraft under this onii-san.
You mustn't be selfish."
Aoi understood perfectly well.
Tokiomi had spoken to her the night before.
Little Rin pouted angrily—
not only because Sakura was leaving,
but because she had spoken with her future self this morning…
…and learned that future Rin had sold her off to this man.
Absolutely unacceptable!
No matter what happened ten years later, she would not be fooled by this man.
Seeing the hostility, Izumi chuckled and glanced sideways at adult Rin, whose expression was frozen.
He reached down and scooped little Rin up into his arms in one smooth motion.
Adult Rin's eyes bulged.
Little Rin's brain short-circuited.
"I didn't expect the younger you to be this adorable and tsundere."
"So, my dear Rin—are you still going to deny our relationship?"
Adult Rin: "EH!?"
Little Rin: "W–W–WHAT!?"
Aoi's eyes sparkled like stars.
"Oh my… so Izumi-kun and Rin are already at that stage?"
"That's wonderful~! Truly wonderful!"
Aoi clasped her hands together, delighted from the depths of her heart.
A mother-in-law admiring her son-in-law—
the saying fit her perfectly.