The ground road is not like the open sky without obstacles where one can freely fly. First, there must be a road before one can drive. Therefore, when Saber parked, Archer and Rider had already determined their battle.
Archer and Tokiomi strolled along the approach path, climbing the mountain at a leisurely pace. The former was aloof, and the latter was elegant. One was a king, and the other was a retainer. From this perspective, their compatibility was indeed quite good.
Although there were no streetlights on the approach path, the radiant brilliance emanating from Archer's entire body was more dazzling than any artificial light, as if proclaiming that his king's radiance was the only genuine one, and everything else was nothing more than inferior imitations.
This humanoid self-luminous beacon in the darkness naturally attracted the attention of Shinji and others inside the Ryuudou Temple.
No, even before this, Gilgamesh had already become the center of attention. With absolute superiority, he killed Iskandar without any injuries, bringing great shock to everyone.
Everyone present knew the immense power of the King of Conquerors, "Ionioi Hetairoi." The few remaining Servants dared not guarantee that they could withstand the onslaught of tens of thousands of soldiers, let alone emerge unscathed, including Scathach. But Archer achieved it. Although no one knew how he did it, he did kill Iskandar head-on and approached with his prized weapon, the Gate of Babylon, exuding a victorious aura.
When they reached halfway up the mountain, the King of Heroes arrogantly raised his head, revealing a disdainful smile. The next moment, the crystal ball connected to "Clairvoyance" shattered with a loud explosion. Although no one knew what kind of Noble Phantasm destroyed Clairvoyance, everyone understood that Gilgamesh was announcing his arrival in this manner.
"All you rats hiding in the shadows, I have arrived! Come out and greet me!"
This scene completely ignited Scathach's passion. She materialized her twin spears and was ready to go out and have a thrilling battle with the King of Heroes.
Shinji acted swiftly, grabbing hold of his Servant. "Sensei, calm down. Those are the opponents my uncle and Lancelot are going to defeat. Remember, your opponent is Saber. Besides, fighting against someone who randomly throws things without any skill isn't very interesting, is it?"
Scathach exerted her strength, breaking free from Shinji's grasp. With a swift kick, she knocked Shinji down to the ground and snorted, "Do you believe that nonsense?"
Shinji rubbed his chest and skillfully got up from the ground. His mouth wore a bitter expression, but his eyes flickered with unwavering determination.
"Master, please, I'm begging you, can you reconsider?"
Shinji knew very well that he was lying. Mindlessly throwing Noble Phantasms was just Gilgamesh's first form, used to deal with insignificant opponents. Above that, there was his "Sword Replacement Technique" to deal with formidable foes. In this state, Gilgamesh would analyze the opponent's strength and select targeted Noble Phantasms based on their weaknesses. He had once defeated Saber with three moves using the "Sword Replacement Technique" in the Fifth Holy Grail War. And beyond that was his full power, known as the "Serious Flash" or the "Invincible Flash." Facing opponents who earned his respect, he would draw the Gate of Babylon and engage in a full-on battle.
Since Scathach revealed her name, Gilgamesh had treated her with the utmost respect. He rarely referred to her as a "mongrel," and his gaze never showed contempt. It was unclear whether he recognized Scathach's strength or acknowledged her feat of slaying gods. Those familiar with Babylonian mythology knew that Gilgamesh despised troublesome deities, especially a certain goddess who symbolized war and Venus.
Shinji had a premonition that Gilgamesh was waiting for Scathach, which is why he didn't sheathe his Gate of Babylon. Once Scathach joined the battle, the attack she would face would be the "Enuma Elish," or possibly the even more destructive "Utnapishtim: Final Carving of Crashing Waves on Heaven and Earth," which only existed in the game.
To withstand such an attack, Scathach could only use her hidden trump card. Although it was a strike that despised all others and was capable of slaying gods, her status as a Servant made her too fragile to withstand such immense force. Releasing a thrust that would annihilate everything required self-destruction as the price.
Shinji refused to let such a thing happen. Even if he had to use a Command Spell, he would prevent Scathach from joining the battle.
Feeling Shinji's determination, Scathach kicked her disciple fiercely twice and then turned to the stunned Kariya, reprimanding, "What are you standing there for? If you don't go to meet the enemy, I won't be able to hold back."
"Oh, oh!" Kariya nodded quickly and called out, "Berserker!"
The pitch-black knight emanating an ominous aura appeared behind Kariya. He rolled up his sleeve, revealing the Command Spells on his wrist.
"I command you with a Command Spell, my Servant, to regain your sanity, even if only temporarily."
"I command you with a second Command Spell, my Servant, to regain your sanity."
"I command you with a third Command Spell, my Servant, to regain your sanity."
Under the effect of the three consecutive Command Spells, the highest achievement of Zouken Matou's life, the magical crystallization capable of invoking a "miracle" for a short period, the mental influence brought about by Berserker's class skill "Mad Enhancement" was being offset.
The overwhelming madness that permeated Lancelot's entire being gradually dissipated, and his face, which had become terrifyingly monstrous due to the invasion of madness, returned to its original handsomeness. His armor, tainted by ominous magical power, returned to its pristine state.
As the last trace of chaos vanished from his eyes, Lancelot finally regained his rightful composure. He regained the appearance that had once captivated countless women, just like Diarmuid Ua Duibhne—the "Knight of the Lake"!
"Master—" his voice carried a hint of melancholy, indicating that the Berserker had fully regained his clarity.
"Ber—no, Lancelot, you understand what to do now, right?" Kariya took a deep breath, unconsciously rubbing his left wrist with his right hand, where he held his final trump card.
"Yes, even though I was consumed by madness, I remember everything you said." Lancelot nodded lightly.
"How long can you maintain your clarity?"
"30 minutes."
Upon hearing these words, Kariya lowered his head with a tinge of guilt. "Although it may be inappropriate to say this now, I'm sorry for plunging you into madness for the sake of my wish. You should have received redemption much earlier."
Lancelot smiled and shook his head. "No, my Master, without you, perhaps I would never have found redemption. That is enough for me. Now, let me fulfill your wish and offer you victory."
"Then, go into battle, Lancelot!" Kariya pointed towards the gate.
"Yes, my Master!" Lancelot lightly tapped his armor in a knightly gesture.
"Uncle, let me transfer a few more Command Spells to you, just in case."
"There's no need for that. As you said, the sooner the battle with Gilgamesh ends, the better. Additional Command Spells won't make a difference. 30 minutes is enough time for Lancelot and me to fulfill our wishes. And besides... this is my battle. You and Sensei have already helped me so much. Let me handle it on my own from here."
Kariya shook his head at Shinji and turned to leave the side hall. "Knight of the Lake" Lancelot followed his Master, just as he had accompanied his King on countless expeditions.
The two of them walked out of the gate together, heading towards the golden king and Tohsaka Tokiomi.
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