—My heart has never changed. If anything, it's grown stronger!
…
…
Enzou Mountain, Ryuudou Temple.
No—those century-old landmarks of Fuyuki City had been utterly erased from the map.
Under the saturated barrage of Noble Phantasms and golden tides, the main battlefield of Ryuudou Temple, the Enzou Mountain it sat upon, and the surrounding dense forests had all been reduced to scorched earth. The prosperity of the past was gone forever.
Neither the majestic temple with its storied history nor the ancient mountain forests survived this mythic war.
Unlike the exaggerated depictions in anime, where Ryuudou Temple's floor tiles were jokingly compared to Avalon's defenses due to limited animation effects, the reality was as it appeared: in the face of power surpassing this world, no structure could withstand the King of Heroes's divine might. Not just the temple's tiles—Fuyuki City, or even the entire region, could be obliterated in moments if he willed it.
With a mere gesture, he could tear apart mountains and rivers, shifting the heavens' storms. This was the immense power of mythic heroes, far beyond this era's imagination.
…
"—Hahaha! Useless, utterly useless! Is this the best your toys can do, boy? You think a few pseudo-gods, stitched together with elemental power and scriptures, without a shred of divinity, can challenge me? Don't be so naive!!"
"Numbers and schemes are meaningless before absolute power. They only make your failure more laughable!!"
In midair, Gilgamesh, regaining some control with his overwhelming firepower, reverted to his arrogant demeanor. Extending his hand, he ignored the wounds inflicted by the four angels' elemental swords, laughing maniacally.
"Let me rid you of these false angels!!"
As his words fell, the countless golden gates in the sky, previously targeting Roy and Scáthach, shifted to aim at the four elemental angels, unleashing a ferocious assault.
—Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!
With piercing sounds, the golden storm descended once more on the ruined land, sparking fierce collisions and explosions.
Blinding white light spread from the blasts, and the ensuing storm raged, bringing an end to all enemies in its path!!
"…Phew, it worked."
Seeing Gilgamesh redirect his Gate of Babylon, giving him a moment to breathe, Roy, who had been straining to maintain his elemental barrier, sighed in relief. Blood spurted from his mouth.
"Are you okay, Master?!"
Scáthach, alarmed by the sight, rushed to support him.
She had sensed something off about Roy's condition earlier, but with the relentless barrage of Fantasy Collapse, Roy forbade her from using her trump card, requiring his magecraft to sustain their plan. Before the battle, he had repeatedly instructed her to follow his strategy and remain calm no matter what happened, as it was all part of the plan.
"Cough, I'm fine… The King of Heroes's assault was stronger than expected, so my body's taken a hit, but it's not a big deal…"
Hearing Scáthach's concern, Roy coughed, spitting blood onto the ground. He drew on the immense mana in his staff to cast a healing spell, suppressing his injuries and clearing his mind to continue the fight.
"Don't lose focus, Master. Stick to the plan. The King of Heroes is losing his rationality. We just need to keep provoking him. This next attack is on you."
"I understand."
Nodding solemnly at Roy's words, Scáthach set aside her worry, gathering mana for the impending decisive strike.
Meanwhile, Gilgamesh was finishing his battle with the four false angels.
Despite their support from nearly half the Grail's mana, the angels struggled against the King of Heroes's endless Noble Phantasms.
They had briefly exploited Gilgamesh's focus on Roy to deal some damage, but those non-lethal wounds meant little to him. With the aid of the Herb of Immortality and the Grail's mana, his injuries healed visibly, alerting Roy and Scáthach to his abnormal state. Combined with his tireless barrage of countless Noble Phantasms, Roy deduced that Gilgamesh had consumed something like a golden apple, the Herb of Immortality, or an elixir of longevity—granting rapid healing, boundless vitality, and near-immortality.
In other words, unless they could shatter his spiritual core or deal a fatal blow to his spiritual foundation, no attack, even if it breached his defenses, would significantly harm the King of Heroes.
To ensure victory against the outrageous master-Servant duo of Roy and Scáthach, Gilgamesh had prepared thoroughly, using the Herb of Immortality and the Grail's power—a blatantly unfair advantage.
In another worldline, Gilgamesh's carelessness led to Shirou Emiya severing his arm, earning him the humiliating label of the frailest among the golden trio. But now, with such meticulous preparations, while not matching the Sun King Ramses II's radiant temple defenses or Karna's armor reducing damage to a tenth, his enhanced immortality and myriad defensive Noble Phantasms compensated for his supposed weakness.
At this moment, Gilgamesh was an unstoppable rogue warrior. With unmatched ranged output and maximum firepower, he had turned himself into a mana-rich juggernaut. Even the angels' near-A-rank Noble Phantasm-level attacks were easily deflected by his defenses and body.
"What's wrong? Done fighting? Then it's my turn!!"
Noticing the angels' attacks slowing under Roy's strained control, Gilgamesh sneered, redirecting all his gates for a devastating barrage.
Under his precise control, in a mere blink, the archangels—capable of rivaling top-tier Servants—were annihilated.
Michael, wielding fire and justice, was pierced through the chest by Lucifer's Morning Star, losing his breath. Gabriel, master of water and fairness, had his wings severed by Original Sin, falling to the ground, where the Sea-Burning Sword eradicated his water element. Raphael, governing wind and healing, was caught by the Wind-Stopping Pearl before he could heal the others, then shattered by the True Hundred-Headed Shot. Uriel, symbolizing earth and protection, couldn't withstand alone and was torn apart by the Mountain-Cleaving Sword.
In mere minutes, the mythic angels representing the world's four elements perished, barely scratching Gilgamesh.
Neither Gilgamesh nor Roy showed much reaction. Compared to true divine archangels, these were mere imitations, borrowing names and traits from scripture, cobbled together with elemental spirits and inflated mana. Lacking divinity, if Gilgamesh couldn't handle these alchemy-crafted beings barely at top-tier Servant level, his title as King of Heroes would be a joke.
The angels had fulfilled their purpose, drawing firepower to buy Roy breathing room and creating a rare counterattack opportunity for Scáthach. This time, she didn't dodge or casually throw her Gáe Bolg as before. Standing amid the falling golden light, she calmly raised her hand, channeling mana into her crimson spear, adjusting her state to its peak… or was it?
No, this wasn't her peak.
Scáthach knew this well.
Even the Noble Phantasms she had unleashed with Command Spells weren't her true Noble Phantasms, nor the legendary god-slaying strike.
To kill a god, merely locking onto a target with a "cause-before-effect" property was far from enough. Throughout this battle, and the entire war, Scáthach had only shown the strength Roy allowed her to display.
Her two hidden trump cards—her true Noble Phantasm and the ultimate god-slaying strike—remained unused.
Though she felt this was a rare chance to unleash that strike, teaching the arrogant King of Heroes a lesson and silencing his infuriating "old hag" Taunts, she recalled Roy's instructions and trust. Suppressing her impulses, she chose to follow his plan.
"Then… go, Gáe Bolg!!"
With a soft cry, Scáthach hurled her long-prepared crimson spear at the golden figure in the sky.
Unlike her previous, ostentatious throws fueled by frustration, this attack was silent, like a venomous snake striking from the shadows. Amid the dazzling Noble Phantasms, this spear was inconspicuous, its aura faint, like a blade of grass in a forest—unnoticeable.
"Hm? What's this…?"
But the moment it entered its locking range, Gilgamesh sensed something. His brow furrowed, and he swiftly dodged, evading what seemed like a different kind of spear.
Yet, due to the spear's nature, once within its range, its inevitable hit was sealed, unavoidable.
Gilgamesh waved his hand, summoning defensive Noble Phantasms while retreating rapidly.
In truth, he didn't need to. The Blazing Sevenfold Ring, a Noble Phantasm with bonuses against thrown weapons, made most spears laughably ineffective. But… a spear clad in multiple Runes, enhanced by Command Spells, and bearing causality laws was another matter.
Having suffered twice before, Gilgamesh dared not underestimate it, urgently summoning defenses.
As expected, this spear differed from the previous grandiose ones. Its crimson glow seemed unremarkable, but its restrained mana and light concealed countless lethal threats.
—Whoosh!!
A crimson streak flashed, piercing the Sevenfold Ring, already down four layers from the earlier spear and Vimana's explosion, breaching Gilgamesh's vaunted autonomous defense system.
"Hmph!"
Startled, Gilgamesh snorted, summoning the Shield of the Gods to block the incoming spear. But this time, the spear didn't aim for his heart—it struck his left arm.
—Boom!!
With a deafening roar, the spear effortlessly pierced the golden armor on his arm, shredding flesh and nearly severing it, echoing the humiliation of another worldline's dismemberment. Dark purple Runes burrowed into his body upon impact.
Drip, drip…
Blood flowed from his near-severed arm, staining the ground. The invincible King of Heroes, never truly harmed, was wounded for the first time in this battle. The spear inflicted a curse and poison via Scáthach's Runes, a heavy wound-restricting curse. Even with the Herb of Immortality preventing death, his healing was drastically slowed—a tangible blow.
"…"
Silence fell. Gilgamesh stared at his wounded arm, then at Scáthach and Roy below, not erupting in childish rage as expected but speaking coldly, "Well done, truly well done. Despite being from different eras, your coordination is seamless, perfectly matched."
"I admit I underestimated you, Queen of the Land of Shadows, and you, outsider."
Feeling the curse Runes ravaging his body, even the immortal Gilgamesh endured unbearable pain. The primal Runes' curse was no ordinary force, comparable only to the legendary Hydra's venom.
This damnable woman was like a viper. Despite her smiling facade, her strikes were merciless, aimed solely at taking his life.
"Compared to Rider, Lancer, or that mad dog, your combined strength surpasses them, surprising me beyond words. For now, I'll praise you. You've proven with your strength that you're worthy to witness my strongest Noble Phantasm…"
Exhaling deeply, his face contorted with a ghastly smile from the curse and venom. "Since the rabble's been cleared and we've probed each other long enough, it's time to deliver the final act to you wretched mongrels!!"
As he spoke, Gilgamesh waved his hand, dimming most of the golden tide in the sky, though the starry brilliance remained undiminished.
"Your magecraft is impressive, boy, surviving my bombardment. But since ordinary Noble Phantasms and Fantasy Collapse can't break your defenses, let's see how long your precious turtle shell holds against Noble Phantasms adjusted to B+ rank or higher!"
Gilgamesh glared down at Roy, coldly stating his plan.
Indeed, with the Sage's Staff's immense power, Roy had ascended from a magus to a top-tier Servant capable of withstanding Gilgamesh's onslaught. Though his mana was limitless, his human body was his limit. Unlike Servants, he couldn't maintain peak condition indefinitely. The B+-rank Fantasy Collapse was beyond his endurance.
But…
"So keep struggling like a mongrel dog, letting your flickering life extinguish under my Noble Phantasms! Rest assured, after your death, I'll claim your staff and soul as eternal trophies, hahaha!!"
Seemingly accustomed to the Runes' pain, Gilgamesh gazed at Roy, still struggling to hold on, a bloodthirsty glee on his face. To him, Roy, who brought such surprises and pain, was the ultimate prey.
Though thoroughly enraged by Roy and Scáthach, he didn't intend to crush them with Ea immediately. He wanted to torment them with his Noble Phantasms, driving them to despair until they begged for mercy, satisfying his vanity.
If possible, rather than collecting an intriguing soul, Gilgamesh preferred Roy to submit willingly, becoming his slave—for that would be far more entertaining.
As for Scáthach…
That old hag, her soul long shrouded by loneliness and slaughter, her flame flickering—he had no interest in her. She wasn't worth his attention, destined only to be killed.
'Now, it's time to clean up the battlefield.'
Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes, pointing at the duo as his finger descended.
From the depths of the gates, endless Noble Phantasms surged like a torrent of light, their terrifying momentum poised to obliterate everything. In an instant, booming explosions shook the heavens, brilliant blasts replacing the sun, illuminating the night.
Unlike his previous casual tosses, Gilgamesh now perfectly controlled every Noble Phantasm, maximizing their potential.
All were B-rank or higher, with barrier-breaking and anti-magecraft Noble Phantasms leading the golden flood, aimed at shattering Roy's defenses like paper. Higher-grade Noble Phantasms lurked in the vortex, waiting to deliver a fatal blow once the barrier fell.
Facing this onslaught, Roy knew maintaining his previous defenses was futile. Glancing at the frenzied, bloodthirsty king, he knew the time was ripe.
Without hesitation, he dropped his defenses, releasing all restrictions on Scáthach, allowing her to unleash her hidden Noble Phantasm for this final clash, while he provided his last support.
High-Speed Divine Words
"With the three strokes of my Command Spells, I order you, Scáthach, return to your peak state."
"With one stroke of my Command Spell, I order you, unleash your hidden second Noble Phantasm."
"With one stroke of my Command Spell, I order you, enhance the power of your second Noble Phantasm."
"With one stroke of my Command Spell, I order you, release it now!"
Six Command Spells vanished from his arm, their power and blessings surging into Scáthach.
"Finally, my turn? No more holding back, huh~"
Feeling the Command Spells' empowerment, Scáthach smiled, nodding at Roy, who turned to meet her gaze. She then glanced at the enhanced golden rain falling from the sky, her expression calm, even tinged with anticipation.
"Think this will kill us, King of Heroes? You're too arrogant, assuming victory is assured?" Staring into Gilgamesh's cold eyes, Scáthach calmly challenged.
"Oh? And what of it? I hold the absolute advantage in both quantity and quality of Noble Phantasms. With my defenses, your causality spear can't function effectively. What means do you have to threaten me?"
As if stating the obvious, Gilgamesh responded with a cold laugh.
But…
Under the night sky, Scáthach twirled her spear, deflecting the incoming golden rain. Her expression remained serene.
"As I said, you're too arrogant, King of Heroes. Thinking you can overwhelm any foe with sheer numbers, you believed yourself invincible the moment you unleashed this Noble Phantasm."
Her crimson eyes locked onto him. "Do you truly think you'll never lose?"
"Oh? I admit, you're strong, God-Slayer. But so what? Alone, you can't face my accumulated treasures. Your fate is to be swallowed and killed by these endless Noble Phantasms."
Gilgamesh spoke as if stating reality, his face calm.
"Kill me?"
Scáthach let out a mocking chuckle.
"You've got it all wrong, King of Heroes."
To Gilgamesh's shock, she planted her spear in the ground, abandoning her familiar weapon.
"What's this supposed to mean?"
Gilgamesh frowned, a sense of unease rising.
"Heh, King of Heroes, as I said before, in life, you lost your dearest friend to death and sought immortality out of fear, only to have it stolen by a snake, failing utterly. Death is your greatest enemy."
Gripping a slender magic wand that appeared in her hand, Scáthach traced a strange pattern in the air, sending a surge of mana rippling across the battlefield.
"So, King of Heroes, I shall grant you true death once more as the Queen of Death."
"Let's see if your vaunted treasures can shine as brightly before the gates of the Land of Shadows!"
As her voice fell, Roy, who had shielded her from the final onslaught, staggered to her side, his exhausted body at its limit, a weary smile on his face.
"It's up to you now, Scáthach."
With that, he collapsed onto the ruins, focusing on recovering from his wounds.
"Rest assured, Master, I won't let you down."
Scáthach nodded, and in that moment, Gilgamesh seemed to realize something critical. His face changed, and he roared, "You old hag! You brought the shores of the Land of Shadows here?!"
"Too late to notice. The gates of the Land of Death are open for you. None but those I favor survive. Accept your fate, King of Heroes!"
"—Gate of Skye!!!"
—Crack!!
The heavy sound of gates resounded as the Queen of Death passed her merciless judgment. In the sky, the gates welcoming the dead opened, swallowing the onslaught of Noble Phantasms, leaving no trace.
Witnessing this and feeling the aura of the deathly realm, even the proud King of Heroes's expression grew grave. He retreated swiftly, but under the Command Spells' power, the moment the gates appeared, escape was impossible. Gilgamesh sensed his soul was locked—there was no evading this Noble Phantasm.
"You wretched mongrels! Don't get cocky!!"
His face contorted, Gilgamesh reached into his treasury, grasping a familiar sensation. His furrowed brow eased as he faced the massive gates and the queen ruling the realm of death.
'…So, it's come to this?'
Murmuring inwardly, he made his choice, drawing the world-rending sword once more, letting its crimson gales and mana rage across the heavens and earth.
"The Land of Shadows, akin to Ereshkigal's Underworld… Since you mongrels have struggled this far, I won't hold back. This strike may end this war. I don't care what Alaya thinks, nor if this city is obliterated."
"I will not lose!!"
With a terrifying mana eruption, the crimson divine sword with three cylindrical blades reappeared—the King of Heroes's ultimate Noble Phantasm, the anti-world weapon: Enuma Elish · Ea.
This world-cleaving Noble Phantasm could sunder reality itself. Though Gilgamesh's mana couldn't split the entire world, once unleashed, it would reduce everything in its range to pre-creation nothingness.
As it tore apart Iskandar's Reality Marble, it was perfectly suited to counter Scáthach's Land of Shadows.
Facing gates rivaling Ereshkigal's seven-layered Underworld, Gilgamesh didn't hesitate, unleashing his strongest offensive Noble Phantasm.
"Prepare to sing your fullest, Ea!!"
Seeing this, Scáthach noticed her Land of Shadows trembling under Ea's unique mana but remained composed, studying the King of Heroes intently, ready for an all-out fight. Then, both above and below spoke in unison—
"Here I come, Queen of the Land of Shadows!!"
"Come at me, King of Heroes!!!"
***
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