The swirling yellow sand rose as the unstoppable force of the "Ionioi Hetairoi" shook the earth and charged forward.
Though Tohsaka Tokiomi already knew that Rider possessed an EX-ranked Noble Phantasm, witnessing the heart-stopping spectacle before his eyes still sent shivers down his spine. His elegance and composure had long been thrown out the window.
In contrast, the Hero King Gilgamesh, standing steadfastly before Tokiomi, remained unfazed.
As he gazed at the magnificent military might, his crimson eyes filled with nothing but the pleasure of bloodlust. Only a king who had experienced all the joys in the world could understand such an abnormal sensation.
Archer was genuinely pleased.
Summoned to this time and space, he found himself trapped in the daily repetition of a farcical war. Growing tired of it all, he finally encountered a "rival" he could truly acknowledge.
The challenge from Rider was worthy of his full effort.
"Dreaming of greatness, aspiring for conquest... I commend your ambition, warriors. But do you understand? Dreams, eventually, must come to an end."
Archer opened his treasure vault in the void with the Bab-ilu (key-shaped sword) in his hand. However, he didn't unleash the "Gate of Babylon" but instead drew out a single sword.
"Because of that, your path will inevitably be blocked by me, the King of Conquest."
—Can this weapon truly be called a "sword"?
It was truly bizarre. It had a hilt and a blade, with a length similar to an ordinary longsword. But the crucial part, the 'blade' itself, differed greatly from the traditional concept of a sword. It was a cylindrical form composed of three connected segments, with the tip twisted into a spiral shape, lacking any sharpness. The three cylindrical segments rotated slowly, resembling wheels, continuously interweaving.
Indeed, it couldn't be called a "sword." This weapon, born before the concept of a 'sword' even existed, was crafted by the gods before the creation of humanity. It manifested the divinity witnessed at the moment of creation.
The three cylindrical segments, resembling wheels, carried the weight and energy equivalent to the shifting of the Earth's crust as they rotated in harmony with the movement of the celestial sphere. The immense magical power surging forth surpassed any calculable range.
"Come, it's time to learn the conclusion of endless dreams. I will personally show you the truth of the world."
In Archer's raised hand, the Sword of Beginning gradually increased its rotational speed. Each turn was faster than the previous one, each revolution quicker than the last...
Witnessing all of this, Rider instinctively felt the approaching danger and urged Bucephalus to accelerate.
Rider sensed the immense threat posed by that weapon and urged Bucephalus to increase its speed.
"It's coming."
Granting Archer the initiative was no issue, but Rider would only allow him to unleash a single strike. Without waiting for Archer's subsequent actions, the "King's Military Might" would trample over that solitary figure bathed in golden light.
In this way, the key lies in how to withstand the first strike. Archer, with his infinite Noble Phantasms, looks down upon all others, and that must be his ultimate weapon, the one he believes can guarantee victory.
Is it a military-type Noble Phantasm?
Or a fortress-type Noble Phantasm?
Or perhaps a sniping-type treasure, as the opponent intends to capture the thief before capturing the king, aiming to shoot down the charging Rider in one fell swoop...
A hurricane roared with a thunderous sound as a large amount of magical energy burst forth from Archer's Noble Phantasm.
"Awaken, 'Ea.' The stage that matches you is ready!"
Ea—In Mesopotamian mythology, it is the deity of the earth and water, divided into the categories of 'heaven' and 'earth'.
The sword called Ea, also known as the "Sword of Rupture," is the primordial sword that witnessed the creation of heaven and earth in the age of gods. The mission of the Initial Blade is to separate the unclear chaos of heaven and earth and allow each of them to possess a definite form.
Now, the proudly swirling divine sword gathers gusts of fierce wind, preparing to reenact the miracle of creation. The Hero King in golden attire proudly declares,
"Watch closely—this is 'Enuma Elish: The Star of Creation that Splits Heaven and Earth'!"
The sky screams, and the earth roars.
The binding force of immense magical energy surges forth, shaking the laws of the universe.
Archer swings down the sword without aiming at anyone in particular.
There's no need to aim at anyone anymore. The blade of the Rupture Sword will not only cleave through "enemies."
Before the galloping Rider, the earth cracks open, revealing a bottomless abyss.
"Ugh!?"
Rider immediately senses the danger beneath his feet, but the momentum of Bucephalus's charge is too fierce, and it's impossible for anyone to stop it now.
"Yi—"
Seeing the fate of plummeting into the bottomless abyss, Waver desperately suppresses the cry of despair in his mouth. Although life and death are imminent, neither Rider nor his steed and knight will retreat in the face of this level of crisis.
"Hah!"
In response to the reins in Rider's hand, the swift horse kicks with its strong hind legs and soars high into the air.
This leap and flight freeze the blood. When this moment, which Waver thought would never end, finally comes to an end, Bucephalus has already set foot on the other side of the cliff.
However, Waver had no time to catch his breath. The disastrous state of the cavalry behind him paled his face.
The infantry was unable to cross the fissure in the earth due to their inferior speed compared to Bucephalus, and they fell straight into the bottomless abyss like an avalanche. Although the cavalry in the rear managed to halt their horses in time and avoid the fate of falling, it was only the beginning of the tragedy.
"Kid, hold on tight!"
Rider shouted and held onto Waver tightly, gripping the horse's mane.
While the swift horse retreated to a safe area, aware of the imminent danger, the fissure in the ground continued to expand, swallowing the surrounding land and the cavalry one by one.
No, it wasn't just the earth. The cracks extended from the horizon into the empty air, distorting space, sucking in a large amount of air. Everything around was being swept into the void's end along with a gust of reversing wind.
"This... this is..."
Even the King of Conquerors was left speechless by this scene.
The Sword of Rupture in the hands of the King of Heroes was not merely cleaving the earth; it encompassed the entire world, including the sky. Its attack could no longer be described in terms of accuracy or power. Soldiers, horses, dust, and the sky—everything that relied on the severed space as its foundation was drawn into the vortex leading to nothingness and disappearing completely.
Just as Bucephalus exerted all its strength to stabilize its footing and resist the vacuum pressure, the scorching desert land transformed by the "Reality Marble" was also cracking and shattering, flowing towards the abyss like sand about to be depleted.
Before this sword was swung, the three thousand worlds were nothing more than meaningless chaos.
After this sword was swung, new laws would cleave through the sky, earth, and ocean.
The torrent unleashed by the creation of heaven and earth had long surpassed the realm of Noble Phantasms. The visible and invisible phenomena were all crumbling under this unparalleled power. This was the true form of the King of Heroes' "Anti-World Noble Phantasm" that allowed him to surpass limits.
The sky collapsed, the earth shattered, and amidst of the gradually fading darkness, only Archer's Sword of Rupture shone brightly. That radiance seemed to be the first star illuminating the new world, marking a brilliant final punctuation to destruction.
Neither Rider nor Waver witnessed everything. The Reality Marble they were in was sustained by the magical energy of all the summoned Heroic Spirits. Before the world completely disappeared, the Reality Marble had already shattered when they lost half of their forces, and the twisted laws of the world returned to their original state.
Afterward, as if waking up from a dream, Bucephalus, carrying the two of them, landed on the asphalt road in the night.
At the end of the road, the golden Hero stood tall with an arrogant smile. The positions of the two had not changed; it was as if the battle had rewound to the beginning.
The only visible change was the Sword of Rupture still rotating and growling in Archer's hand.
There was also an invisible fatal change—Rider's ultimate Noble Phantasm, "Ionioi Hetairoi," had disappeared.
"Victory is ours, and no one can stop us now."
Witnessing the awe-inspiring power of the Sword of Rupture, Tokiomi could hardly contain his excitement.
On the other side, Waver looked pale as he gazed up at his Servant.
"Rider..."
The imposing King of Conquerors asked with a serious expression.
"By the way, there is an important question I haven't asked you yet."
"...Huh?"
"Waver Velvet, do you willingly offer yourself as my vassal?"
Overwhelmed by intense emotions, Waver trembled all over, tears flowing down like a bursting flood.
It was a question he knew would be impossible, but one he had always yearned for.
There was no need for hesitation, for the answer had long been prepared, hidden deep within his heart like a priceless treasure.
"Only you are..."
Ignoring the tears streaming down his cheeks, the young man straightened his chest and answered unwaveringly.
"Only you are my king. I vow to serve you, to devote myself to you. Please guide me on the path ahead and let me witness the same dreams as you."
Upon hearing such a pledge, the domineering king smiled faintly. For a vassal, this smile was the ultimate reward and recompense.
"Well, then."
Just as Waver was about to soar into the sky with excitement, his body truly floated in mid-air.
"Huh?"
The King lifted the young boy's small body from Bucephalus' back and gently placed him on the asphalt road. With the support of the horse's back gone and his vision returning to its original height, Waver felt a renewed sense of his smallness and confusion.
"Revealing dreams is the duty of a king. Witnessing the end of dreams and passing them down for eternity is your task as my vassal..."
From his seemingly distant and unattainable saddle, the King of Conquerors smiled cheerfully and resolutely gave his command.
"Live on, Waver. Witness all of this, and then live to convey to the world the way your king, Iskandar, raced with magnificent grace."
Bucephalus kicked its iron hooves, letting out a neigh that felt like encouragement. Was the intended recipient the king, who was about to face death, or the vassal burdened with great responsibility?
Waver lowered his head and never raised it again. Iskandar took this action as a confirmation.
No words were needed from now until the end of time. The figure of the king would forever guide his vassal, and the vassal would forever remain loyal to this memory. Before the oath, even parting lost its meaning. Because under Iskandar's banner, the bond between king and vassal transcended time and was eternal.
"Very well, let us set forth, Bucephalus!"
The King of Conquerors kicked the flank of his steed and began his final gallop. He let out a mighty roar, charging towards his waiting adversary.
He was a strategist, and he naturally knew that the outcome had long been decided. But "that" and "this" were completely different matters. The only choice for the King of Conquerors, Iskandar, was to charge towards that Golden Heroic Spirit. He couldn't think of any other way.
In his heart, there was no surrender, no despair, only the excitement that was almost bursting out of his chest.
Impressive, truly impressive. This guy is incredibly powerful. This hero can even cut through the world itself, making him undoubtedly the strongest enemy in the world.
And this man was his final adversary.
He was the last challenge in this world. Towering higher than Mount Khumbu and hotter than the Marakara Desert.
In that case, what reason did the King of Conquerors have not to challenge him? As long as he overcame this final obstacle, the end of the world awaited him. His unreachable dream was waiting right before his eyes, ready to be realized.
"There is glory beyond the horizon" — precisely because it is so distant, it is worth challenging.
Sing of dominance, display dominance, for the vassals who are watching his back.
The Heroic King standing before the King of Conquerors calmly observed the challenger while also unleashing the treasures of his treasury.
Twenty, forty, eighty — countless shining Noble Phantasms unfolded in the sky like a Milky Way.
The radiance of the Noble Phantasms reminded the King of Conquerors of the starry sky he once gazed upon in the East.
"!!"
The King of Conquerors trembled with joy, roaring as he raced forward with his beloved steed.
A rain of stars approached with a heavy howl. His entire body was continuously and mercilessly assaulted without respite, but compared to the exhilaration of the gallop, this level of pain was nothing at all.
There was a time when he had a period of hesitation, saying that there was no need to pursue the "end" — how foolish, what a loss of composure.
That longed-for "end" stood majestically before him. The endpoint that transcended numerous hills and crossed many rivers was now within reach.
He would surpass it.
Step by step, he continued to advance. Even if the figure was distant, as long as he accumulated his footsteps, he would be able to reach that person with the tip of his sword.
Starlight poured down with a thunderous roar, the assault was so powerful. Faced with the overwhelming might that even threatened his consciousness, the King of Conquerors' body suddenly staggered.
When he realized it, he was moving forward with his own feet. Where had his beloved horse, Bucephalus, gone and where had it fallen? Although he wanted to stop and pay his respects to his dear friend who had completed his final mission, precisely because of that, he couldn't afford to stop. Every step he took now was the best tribute to the departed.
The golden archenemy wore a helpless expression as if he knew everything. But he couldn't hear, not even the roaring sound that brushed past his ears.
All he could hear were the sounds of waves.
At the distant end of the coast, there was nothing, only the back-and-forth crashing of the waves.
These were the sounds of the final ocean.
Ah, so that's it. With a heart full of exhilaration, he finally understood.
How could he have not noticed before? The palpitations in his chest were the surging waves of the boundless sea.
"Hahaha... Ahahaha!"
He dreamt of running along the coastline. The feeling of his toes breaking through the water was truly delightful. Perhaps the red liquid staining his feet was the fresh blood flowing from his belly. But what of it? He was dreaming of this ocean, was there any greater happiness in the world?
The Heroic King who awaited him was right before his eyes. After taking a step forward—just one more step—he could raise his dual swords high above and cleave that guy's head.
"Roar!"
With a resounding battle cry, the sword of Kupriotes was brought down.
In that moment of absolute victory, the instant that should have passed in a flash, for some reason, it stretched out like eternity, as if even time had stopped—
No, it did stop. It wasn't time that stopped, but himself.
Just as his sword was about to strike the opponent, sturdy chains bound the sword's blade, his limbs, and his shoulders and waist.
The Chains of Heaven—the ultimate treasure among the treasures of the Heroic King, the binding chains that even the Heavenly Bull couldn't break free from.
"I can't stand it, you... one strange thing after another..."
There was no regret, no bewilderment. It was just a self-deprecating bitter smile that tainted the corners of his mouth due to a small mishap.
The sword of Kupriotes didn't strike the enemy. The only thing that existed was the fact that Gilgamesh's Enuma Elish pierced through Iskandar's chest, and the sensation of the sword moving within his lungs.
"What a strange sword," remarked the King of Conquerors, as if it had nothing to do with him.
"Have you awakened from your dream, King of Conquerors?"
"...Ah, yes, indeed..."
Once again, he had failed. The unfinished dream ended with such regret. But upon reflection, it should have been worth staking his entire life on, for it was a dream that only came once.
The dream he had in ancient Anatolia—a dream that he saw again in this distant land of the Far East.
Thinking about all the strange changes, Iskandar smiled.
If he had the same dream twice, even a third time wouldn't be surprising.
In other words—
The next dream was about to begin.
"This expedition... has made my heart surge with excitement..."
Iskandar squinted his eyes, which were becoming increasingly blurry amidst the mist of blood, and murmured with satisfaction.
Watching his contented expression, Gilgamesh nodded solemnly.
"You can challenge me as many times as you want, King of Conquerors."
For this formidable enemy who was pierced all over his body by a rain of Noble Phantasms, yet still had to rely on the Chains of Heaven to block his path, the Heroic King bestowed upon him the highest praise—a heartfelt admiration.
"Until the end of time and space, this entire world is my garden. So I promise you, it will never bore you."
"Ah... That's... splendid..."
Finally, Rider calmly merged with his surroundings and quietly disappeared.
In terms of time, it was a very brief battle. The Rider-class Servant quickly charged to the end of the road, and the offense and defense ended within a matter of seconds.
But for Waver, who stared unwaveringly and imprinted everything into his eyes, this heavy and prolonged moment was equivalent to his entire lifetime.
He would never forget this memory, even if he deceived himself, it would be impossible to forget. The scenery he witnessed in those few seconds had become a part of his soul, inseparable from him.
Waver stood completely still in the spot where Rider had left him. Although he knew he had to move, he felt that if he took even the slightest step, his feet would give way and he would kneel to the ground.
But he couldn't kneel at this moment. That was something he absolutely would not allow.
The golden Archer stared at Waver with cruel blood-red eyes and slowly approached him.
He must not look away, even though his entire body was frozen with fear. Waver only knew that he absolutely could not divert his gaze. If he looked away now, it would mean his death.
Archer stood before him, trembling but firmly facing him, and asked in a voice devoid of any emotion.
"Kid, are you Rider's Master?"
Waver thought his throat, consumed by fear, would not be able to make a sound, but when asked about his relationship with Rider, the rigid constraint instantly dissolved. Waver shook his head and answered in a hoarse voice.
"No, I am his vassal."
"Hmm?"
Archer squinted his eyes, carefully examining Waver from head to toe, and only then realized that there was no trace of a command spell on him.
"I see. But kid, if you are a true loyal subject, you should have the obligation to avenge your king, right?"
To the second question, Waver calmly and incredulously answered once again.
"If I challenge you, I will die."
"That's for sure."
"I cannot do that. I have been ordered to stay alive."
That's right—absolutely cannot die. As long as the king's final words echoed in his chest, Waver would do everything in his power to escape from this hopeless predicament. Even if the enemy's Servant was right in front of him, and he had no means of self-defense, and the situation was desperate to the point of hopelessness—he would never give up, he would never trample on the oath he made at that time.
Perhaps this was a torture even more cruel than calmly accepting death.
Facing unavoidable death, the young man could only tremble helplessly, but his gaze still conveyed his unwavering will.
Gilgamesh silently looked down at Waver's frail body and nodded gently.
"Loyalty is a great virtue, and you must never forget this belief. Go, young vassal."
"But, my king—"
Tohsaka Tokiomi was about to say something, but he was interrupted by Archer's displeasure.
"He no longer has any Command Spells. He is neither a Master nor a traitor, just a mongrel. There is no need to take action. This is my decision."
Waver watched as the golden Heroic Spirit and his Master turned and walked away until they disappeared.
The night breeze passed by, completely dispersing the air on the battlefield, leaving only the young Waver abandoned beneath the night sky.
It was only now that he realized everything was over.
The miracle of preserving his life made his knees tremble once again.
Up until the second before Archer changed his mind, the silent killing intent that emanated like a breath told Waver that Archer truly intended to kill him. If Waver's gaze had shifted even slightly, if his feet had weakened and he had fallen to the ground, or if there had been the slightest hesitation in his response, he would be a corpse now.
Although it was just saving a small life, it was also a kind of affirmation from the King of Heroes. To face fear directly and preserve one's life, that in itself was a battle, a victory. This was the result of Waver Velvet fighting alone.
It was a small and ugly battle, unrelated to heroism and splendor. Waver didn't defeat anyone and didn't obtain any treasures. He simply survived the ordeal, nothing more.
Even so, Waver felt happy and proud. Only Waver knew how precious it was to achieve an impossible outcome in that situation. This sense of honor existed only in his heart. No matter how others might perceive it, he would not be ashamed.
He obeyed the King's command. He witnessed everything and survived.
He truly wished for praise, whether it be from those large hands or that coarse voice. This time, he didn't need to hide his emotions. This time, Waver could stand tall and boast of his achievements like that person.
But in the quiet night, Waver was alone, with no one by his side. Just like a few days ago, he was once again abandoned in this heartless and indifferent corner of the world.
No one knew that he had won a battle that belonged only to him, and no one praised his victory.
But was this a cruel blow? The answer was no.
He had already received plenty of words of praise. The greatest king in this world recognized him, employed him, and made him one of his subjects.
It was just a matter of reversing the order of events.
He had already obtained the rewards of a distant future, as long as he exhausted his remaining life to achieve deeds worthy of the rewards.
Yes. As long as he had those words from that time, he would no longer be alone.
In that moment of understanding, Waver's youth came to an end.
For the first time, he realized that tears could sometimes flow for reasons unrelated to regret or humiliation.
At this moment, Waver Velvet sat on the ground, letting the tears flow freely.
Those were the tears of a man.
PS: The title is the BGM created by Yuki Kajiura for the Conqueror King. With this BGM playing, I wish the Great Emperor a safe journey.
PS2: In the world line where the Conqueror King survives, he does indeed continue to fight until the ends of the stars, becoming the ruler of the celestial seas.
PS3: Great Emperor, please wait a moment in the Holy Grail. I will send Goldy to accompany you within three days. -Shinji
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