Looking at Illya on the screen, Shinji couldn't help but marvel at how much smarter and more decisive she was compared to the Illya from the magical girl series.
Separated from Rin and the hero, she found Ruby, who had been discovered and hidden by Enzbern, all by herself, and then stealthily infiltrated the tower to find Miyu before the others!
Rin and Luvia seemed to be forming a team to rescue Miyu, but in reality, they were just bait to distract the enemy. The real rescue team consisted only of Illya!
Even that second feint attack that had Miyu cooperate caught the millennia-old Darius off guard!
"This older sister is indeed very smart," Young Gilgamesh genuinely praised. It was impressive to see someone so calmly analyze the situation and come up with a new strategy under such circumstances.
"Hmph!"
Gilgamesh snorted, looking at Young Gilgamesh with displeasure and resentment, not just because he called her "older sister," but also because of the Noble Phantasm Darius used, called Unseen Sovereign of Black Jade.
All Noble Phantasms' prototypes are supposed to be in the Gate of Babylon, but that one wasn't! This made Gilgamesh extremely annoyed!
"Smart she may be, but what happens next can't be solved by just being smart..."
Watching the screen as Angelica, noticing Darius's unusual condition, instantly left Saber and Red Archer and headed straight for the tower, Shinji focused his attention on Red Archer.
Like Shinji, Gilgamesh also focused on Red Archer, and seeing this, Young Gilgamesh naturally did the same.
"It feels like he's about to betray us..."
Hearing Young Gilgamesh say this, Shinji smiled lightly.
"Then I'll bet he won't betray us. How about it? Want to make a bet? Any high-grade Noble Phantasm will do."
Young Gilgamesh thought for a moment, then showed a lack of interest, saying, "No thanks, such a sure-win bet doesn't interest me."
"Is that so? It's the same for me."
"Let's bet!"
Hearing this, Shinji's smile grew, resembling the mysterious smile of the Mona Lisa reborn in this world!
"Fool, why would you participate in a bet you're sure to lose?"
Gilgamesh scolded Young Gilgamesh angrily. Though he didn't like him, he was still himself, and losing to an ordinary person was unacceptable!
"No matter how you look at it, I'll win this bet," Young Gilgamesh retorted, but then sighed heavily.
"By the way, could you two stop crowding me on this couch and squeezing me in the middle? It's super uncomfortable..."
In this not-so-large castle, in the lavishly decorated living room, Shinji, Young Gilgamesh, and Gilgamesh were all squeezed onto a single couch in front of the TV (screen).
"There are couches on both sides..." Young Gilgamesh rubbed his forehead, utterly exasperated by the two.
"Fool! This is the king's seat! You two need to move!" Gilgamesh declared.
Shinji shrugged and spoke up, "I always sit here when watching TV at home, I'm used to it. If you two feel uncomfortable, you can take the other couches. Three couches, one for each of us, isn't that perfect?"
"This is my spot..." Young Gilgamesh spoke again.
"Shut up! Scum! Quickly give up the king's seat!" Gilgamesh demanded.
Shinji, picking his ear with his little finger, acted as if he hadn't heard their words: "Sorry, I was born in the modern era, educated by modern society, and have no sense or recognition of long-gone feudalism! You two relics of feudalism should make way for the new era!"
"You've got some nerve, Shinji! Don't think the king's tolerance for you has no limits!"
Gilgamesh, seething with anger, summoned Noble Phantasms one after another from the air behind him.
"Roar? You resort to violence to make those who disagree with you submit? Come on then! Gilgamesh!"
Shinji didn't back down an inch, as phantom swords appeared one by one in the air behind him.
Seeing this, Young Gilgamesh, stuck in the middle, was utterly exasperated. Why did he have to suffer like this?
"Wait a minute, if this couch causes such a fight, wouldn't my main bedroom in this palace be..."
"Hmph!" Gilgamesh snorted, folding his arms. "Isn't it obvious? Hurry and clean up the king's bedchamber!"
Shinji also chuckled lightly, crossing his legs and spreading his hands, "I sleep in the master bedroom at home. If you make me sleep in another room, I'll have insomnia, I'll cough, I'll feel uneasy."
Hearing this, Young Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes in silence for a long, long time, finally sighing heavily.
"Indeed, my compatibility with you two is extremely poor. No wonder people say similar people argue more."
"Don't be silly, I'm much more reasonable than this guy who cheats at games and keeps calling people scum. Don't you think so?"
Young Gilgamesh thought for a moment, then nodded: "Yes, that's indeed much better."
"You two scum dare... dare...! Damn it!!"
"See? He's at it again!"
Swish, swish, swish! Clang, clang, clang!
"Could you not fight in my palace?"
Watching the flying Noble Phantasms and sword shadows, Young Gilgamesh was utterly exhausted, especially since one of these two was himself!
"Everything in the world originally belongs to the king!" Gilgamesh retorted.
"Don't go too far! Aren't the prototypes of Noble Phantasms enough for you now? What do you mean by everything in the world?!"
"Shut up! The king's word is law! No questioning allowed!"
"Are you a child?!"
...
While Shinji and Gilgamesh were arguing and Young Gilgamesh didn't know what to do, Shirou and Miyu's rescue plan in Miyu's world was halfway successful.
Shirou and Miyu had been rescued, and now they just needed to escape!
However, it seemed not as easy as everyone thought.
Even though Illya's side had the absolute advantage in numbers, the enemy's two Servants were no pushovers.
Tasked with holding off Beatrice, Berserker was overpowered and mercilessly beaten.
Divine lightning and overwhelming strength made it hard for Berserker to cope, and the opponent's defense was formidable, impossible to break through!
As for Angelica, she handled a two-on-one fight with ease. Perhaps Saber was weaker due to Shirou being her Master, or perhaps one of Saber and Red Archer wasn't fully committed.
Upon noticing Darius's unusual state, Angelica stopped fighting, threw dozens of Noble Phantasms at Red Archer and Saber, and used displacement magic to teleport away!
She also reminded Beatrice, who was enjoying tormenting Berserker, to fall back.
"Stop playing! Prioritize protecting Lord Darius!"
"Damn it! Those bastards...!"
Beatrice spat in anger, punched Berserker away, and hurriedly rushed back to the tallest tower.
At this moment, on the tower.
Watching Darius, who was scratching himself in pain, his skin and body slowly melting into a black, viscous liquid, the hero Emiya sensed something was very wrong!
"Darius, he..."
The hero frowned and began to speak but suddenly felt a crisis approaching. Without thinking, he projected a shield to block the lightning and countless golden Noble Phantasms pouring down from the sky!
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
"Quick, get out! The shield won't hold for long!"
The hero shouted, and the others quickly reacted, using this gap to escape the tower with Miyu's help!
As everyone landed and the attack paused, the hero was the last to jump down, with Miyu catching him in mid-air!
At this moment, they noticed the grand castle-palace was gradually turning into rock!
"This is..."
Rin, looking around at the incredible transformation, quickly concluded: "...An application of displacement magic, swapping the rock and the castle. Because of Illya's earlier attack, the displacement magic failed, and the castle reverted to rock..."
"Bazett and Lancer..."
Luvia suddenly noticed something, her eyes widening as she stared at a rock transformed from part of the castle. On it lay the heavily injured and unconscious Bazett and the similarly incapacitated Lancer, blood at the corner of his mouth.
No doubt, it was Darius's doing!
These two had failed against Darius!
"Rin, Miss Luvia, go check on Miss Bazett!"
Illya commanded calmly, her eyes fixed on Darius, who was now guarded by the furious Beatrice and Angelica.
"Coward!"
Beatrice cursed, wanting to tear Illya and the others apart!
While Shinji and Gilgamesh continued their argument, the plan to rescue Shirou and Miyu in Miyu's world had reached its critical stage.
Shirou and Miyu were safe, but they still needed to escape!
However, it was proving more difficult than expected.
Though Illya's team had the numbers advantage, the enemy's two Servants were formidable.
Berserker, tasked with holding off Beatrice, was overpowered and brutally beaten.
Divine lightning and immense strength overwhelmed Berserker, whose attacks couldn't penetrate the enemy's defense!
As for Angelica, she handled the two-on-one battle effortlessly. Perhaps Saber's stats were lower due to Shirou being her Master, or maybe one of them wasn't giving their all.
Noticing Darius's unusual state, Angelica stopped fighting, hurled dozens of Noble Phantasms at Red Archer and Saber, and used displacement magic to teleport away!
She also reminded Beatrice, who was enjoying beating Berserker, to fall back.
"Stop playing! Protect Lord Darius first!"
"Damn those bastards...!"
Beatrice spat angrily, punched Berserker away, and rushed back to the tallest tower.
At this moment, on the tower.
Watching Darius, whose body was slowly melting into a black, viscous liquid, the hero Emiya sensed something was wrong!
"Darius, he..."
The hero frowned and began to speak but suddenly felt a crisis approaching. Without thinking, he projected a shield to block the lightning and countless golden Noble Phantasms pouring down from the sky!
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
"Quick, get out! The shield won't hold for long!"
The hero shouted, and the others quickly reacted, using this gap to escape the tower with Miyu's help!
As everyone landed and the attack paused, the hero was the last to jump down, with Miyu catching him in mid-air!
At this moment, they noticed the grand castle-palace was gradually turning into rock!
"This is..."
Rin, looking around at the incredible transformation, quickly concluded: "...An application of displacement magic, swapping the rock and the castle. Because of Illya's earlier attack, the displacement magic failed, and the castle reverted to rock..."
"Bazett and Lancer..."
Luvia suddenly noticed something, her eyes widening as she stared at a rock transformed from part of the castle. On it lay the heavily injured and unconscious Bazett and the similarly incapacitated Lancer, blood at the corner of his mouth.
No doubt, it was Darius's doing!
These two had failed against Darius!
"Rin, Miss Luvia, go check on Miss Bazett!"
Illya commanded calmly, her eyes fixed on Darius, who was now guarded by the furious Beatrice and Angelica.
"Coward!"
Beatrice cursed, wanting to tear Illya and the others apart!