Watching Artoria's retreating figure heading towards the back mountain, Rin looked at the black holy sword in her hand, shimmering with the colors of the lake, her mind filled with memories of fighting alongside Lancelot during the past four days.
Although it was only a short four days, they had walked through life and death together amidst a hail of bullets and swords.
"Go, Berserker, let us win this war."
Rin whispered softly. As if responding to Rin's summons, a dazzling golden dust drifted as if from a dream. The figure of the golden King stood atop the mountain gate archway. The Heroic Spirit, who should have retreated under the command spells, reappeared in the world, looking down upon the ground.
The two gazed at each other, one high and one low, for a moment in silence. Finally, Rin spoke first.
"I thought you would be furious and immediately attack without a word."
Gilgamesh coldly snorted, his expression unchanged.
"I once said myself that I would accept any challenge from you. command spells are nothing to me!"
"That's true. I wouldn't believe it if you said your treasury didn't have a noble phantasm capable of severing a magical link."
Tohsaka Rin slightly raised her head, looking at Gilgamesh who stood high above.
"The Holy Grail War has reached its end. This is the final battle between you and me. Come, Gilgamesh, the oldest King of Humanity."
The blade, shimmering like a lake, pointed towards the supremely noble golden king high above, like an ignorant fool reaching for an unattainable height.
The golden king did not show his usual playful or amused expression; serious and earnest, he looked ten times more handsome than usual.
"Your growth has exceeded my expectations. You are now a truly worthy opponent for me to bring out my greatest treasures against."
Gilgamesh took a step forward, descending from the top of the tall archway to the ground, level with Tohsaka Rin.
"The aura of a king on you has surged like never before. Compared to that banquet, it's the difference between a grain of rice and a bright moon. Very good. By stepping on the corpses of all others, you finally have the right to stand before me."
At this moment, Gilgamesh, who had never been serious in any of the original work/canon works, became serious for the first time! His so-called 'right' was the right to make him go all out.
Gilgamesh stomped his foot, and a blinding golden dust of light rose from his body. Gilgamesh completely changed into another outfit.
The pure golden armor on his upper body completely dissipated, revealing a well-defined, muscular torso adorned with mysterious red tattoos on his healthy skin. The skirt armor, greaves, and battle boots on his lower body became even more luxurious and mysterious. The deep red hem became wider and more magnificent, and an aura that made all beings look up to him as a deity emanated from Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh's divine attire!
Gilgamesh waved his hand, as if unveiling a curtain of the world. Tohsaka Rin and Gilgamesh, who were at Ryudoji Temple a second ago, were now above endless waves! Looking into the distance, one could vaguely see a blurry light on the horizon (a spatial movement type noble phantasm was shown in the UBW anime, when Gilgamesh appeared out of nowhere to take Matou Shinji to Einzbern Castle, indicating Gilgamesh indeed possessed such a noble phantasm).
"In the past, I have only displayed this form three times: during the first battle with my friend Enkidu, when I joined hands with Enkidu to slay the Bull of Heaven, and when I journeyed alone to the underworld in search of the herb of immortality. Now, I will defeat you in this form, Tohsaka Rin. After this battle, you shall be the Queen of Uruk, standing by my right, alongside my friend Enkidu."
There was no jesting, no joking; it was a completely serious declaration made as a king. Although only Tohsaka Rin heard it, this declaration was conveyed to the entire world. For this autocratic ancient tyrant, nothing was useless; his words were absolute and could not be retracted. Facing such a mythical king whom the world could not defy, the only answer Tohsaka Rin could give was—
Boom!!!
Saber quickly rushed towards the back mountain of Ryudoji Temple. Even though she had awakened and truly examined her life from a king's perspective, having come to terms with everything, she could not abandon the Holy Grail. It was an atonement Lancelot had offered her with all his might. Even if Saber never believed Lancelot was wrong, trampling on the Holy Grail would be trampling on Lancelot's feelings.
Even for the sake of my friends around the Round Table in the past, I must win this victory and claim the Holy Grail!
As for a wish? Since returning to the past is absolutely wrong, then I will wish for Irisviel to be resurrected, so that their family can be reunited!
Thus, my contract with the counter force will also end, and I can return to my own era, to the place where I should eternally slumber... Thinking these thoughts, Saber ran, a peaceful, relieved smile on her face.
The distance from the front yard to the lakeside of the back mountain was instantaneous for a Heroic Spirit. Saber quickly saw the crystal coffin floating in the center of the lake. Irisviel, lying within it, looked peaceful and serene, as if asleep. It was clear she had not suffered any pain, simply falling into a tranquil sleep.
"Irisviel!"
Saber couldn't help but exclaim. Immediately after, she saw a figure standing by the lakeside, her back to Saber, gazing at the center of the lake. The strange and unique black battle attire, the evil dragon battle flag held inverted in her hand, and the foot-length hair like a frozen, pale waterfall—even just seeing her back, Saber recognized this figure!
The first encounter had completely crushed Saber from the front; the second time, she suddenly appeared on the surface of Weiyuan River, interrupting the release of Saber's Excalibur's true name; the third time, just last night, she suddenly attacked the courtyard where they were staying, defeating Saber to the point of being unable to fight, snatching Irisviel right in front of her, and gracefully departing... One could say that Saber and this wicked witch before her had a deep-seated hatred, any single reason enough for a dignified knight to face her in a life-or-death battle!
Jalter also noticed Saber's arrival and turned to look at her. The two equally beautiful faces met again. Although their appearances were identical, their temperaments were completely opposite: one was dignified, serious, and earnest, while the other's enchanting, evil smile contained ruthlessness and a deeply hidden hatred. Even being completely identical, they would never be mistaken for each other.
Jalter smiled sweetly at the arriving Saber and said:
"Good evening, Little Knight King."
Saber alertly gripped the holy sword in her hand, but did not immediately attack Jalter. She cautiously questioned Jalter:
"Are you Tohsaka Rin's Servant?"
Irisviel was abducted by Jalter, yet Lancelot peacefully went with Jalter to guard the mountain gate. Tohsaka Rin clearly knew the location of the Holy Grail, which was Irisviel. Combining all this, it seemed this witch definitely had a connection with Tohsaka Rin.
"That's right. You're finally able to calm down and think things through. You look much more pleasing to the eye now than before."
Jalter looked at Saber, her smile deepening.
"No longer pitying yourself and playing the victim everywhere."
Stung by the remark, Saber growled in anger, like a little Lion suppressing its rage.
"Answer me!"
Jalter merely shrugged indifferently.
"I am indeed Tohsaka Rin's Servant, but I am different from you all. I am independent of the Holy Grail, summoned solely by Tohsaka Rin and belonging only to her. I am not a Heroic Spirit projection, but a complete soul."
At this point, Jalter's eyes narrowed maliciously.
"So, there's no way you can defeat me."
Saber's brow twitched in anger at Jalter, yet she couldn't refute it. She had been defeated by Jalter more than once, and each time it was an overwhelming defeat, leaving no room for argument. Then, Saber looked anxiously at the crystal coffin on the lake.
"What happened to Irisviel?"
"Dead."
Saber's whole body trembled violently. Even though she knew this would be the outcome, she still couldn't remain calm when truly facing it.
She was Irisviel's Knight, but she failed to protect her princess...
"Aren't you coming to take a good look at your princess one last time? You know, she's about to become the Holy Grail you all seek."
Jalter said to Saber:
"My Master has agreed to give you the Holy Grail. I won't fight you anymore because there's no need. Or if you want to get revenge for the previous times, I don't mind."
Saying this, Jalter no longer looked at Saber and continued to gaze at the lake. Saber looked at Jalter for a moment, understanding that neither Rin nor the beautiful woman in front of her had any reason to lie to her. Or rather, she had nothing worth lying about. So, she dropped her guard, gripping her sword hilt, and walked to the lakeside, staring intently at the crystal coffin in the center of the lake.
"Irisviel..."
Saber murmured her name in a daze, recalling the brief and pleasant time they spent together. Watching her vanish now, Saber's heart was filled with an uncontrollable sadness.
"Irisviel? Is that her name? I heard my Master call her that many times. You and my Master both seem to like her a lot."
Jalter said casually, her arms crossed, bored. Saber's gaze was drawn by her words, and she glanced at her, then answered seriously:
"Irisviel is a lady who is both pure and gentle. Her inner strength and courage are not beneath that of us Heroic Spirits!"
"Ha, whatever. In my eyes, dying by submitting to so-called prophecies and fate doesn't count as strength."
Saber immediately trembled with anger again at Jalter's words, yet she remained silent. Although it was infuriating, Saber still didn't lash out in anger. It wasn't out of fear of Jalter's power, but because she agreed with the statement in her heart.
Heroes dare to face a tragic path of destiny and depart calmly, but they cannot break the shackles of fate and transcend the calamity. Therefore, heroes are not truly brave.
At this moment, the crystal coffin on the lake surface suddenly ignited with flames that should not appear in water, burning silently. A scorching heat that reached deep into the soul emanated from the lake surface. Irisviel, enveloped in the crystal coffin, flickered between illusion and reality like a phantom, as if she would vanish into nothingness in the next second.
"Irisviel!"
"Stand still!"
Jalter stopped Saber, who was about to step into the lake. Her perpetually smiling lips had flattened, revealing a serious expression identical to Saber's.
"The Holy Grail you desire is about to appear. I hope you won't despair; it's nothing to be praised."
Saber hadn't had time to ask what this phrase, identical to Rin's, truly meant, when the sealing ritual had already vanished. Due to the concentration of immense magical power, its aftershocks brought scorching high temperatures to the surroundings, boiling a large amount of lake water into mist. Amidst the strange spectacle where mist and flames converged, a golden cup, gleaming with an ultimate golden light, emerged.
The golden cup floated in the air as if held by an invisible pair of hands. The Holy Grail, longed for by the Three Founding Families, had descended!
Facing the omnipotent cauldron that could grant all wishes, Jalter was as serious as if confronting a formidable enemy. Her eyes were fixed intently on the Holy Grail, which had materialized and appeared in the world. Jalter seemed to be facing not an omnipotent miracle but a world-destroying beast about to awaken from its slumber.
Black flames ignited around Jalter's body, and the battle flag in her hand was swept back, signaling Saber to retreat.
"Little Knight King, you retreat first. This cup is about to... Agh!"
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