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Thousands of monstrous creatures crawled onto the shore, charging towards them in a chaotic rush. Yet Yuto's eyes never wavered, locked on the distant figure of the golden-glowing queen, her arrogance practically shining brighter than her light.
"Gilgamesh, is this really what you wanted?" he asked, his tone calm but edged with a quiet challenge.
The black mud from the Holy Grail was no small threat. If it erupted unchecked, the entire city would vanish in moments. And with the "Hole of the Root" now fixed, the curse wouldn't stop there, it'd keep spilling out, tainting not just this land but the whole world.
"You've got guts to question me, mongrel!" Gilgamesh shot back, her voice dripping with scorn as she stared down at him.
"Tell me why you're unleashing this black mud," Yuto pressed, unfazed by her attitude.
This world meant something to him and the idea of it crumbling under her reckless hands stung more than he'd admit.
Feeling the sharp pressure and icy killing intent coming from Yuto, Gilgamesh finally dropped her dismissive smirk. For the first time, she looked at him with something resembling respect. "Hmph, just a mongrel who inherited my Spirit Origin's power… but that aura of yours might just barely qualify as heroic. Answering you won't shame me."
"Archer, don't you think there are too many humans now? Weak, useless things, all of them." she said, crossing her arms. Her tall, elegant frame stood out against the inky night, a striking golden flower in the dark.
"Compared to the age I ruled, this world's full of pointless existences. There is no beauty to speak of nor any drive to fight. They're nothing but trash!" Her crimson eyes flicked to the churning black mud below, her face cold and detached. "This is the evil of this world, born from humanity's deepest desires, a perfect tool for killing. I will use it to wipe out the excess, and whoever's left will be stronger for it."
"Aftre all destruction paves the way for rebirth."
"I'm not happy with this world's laws or its people… so I'll take it on myself. I'll allow it. I'll carry it all."
Her grand "kingly" speech wasn't just for Yuto, it echoed out to everyone nearby. Scathach caught every word, and down below, Artoria and the others exchanged stunned glances.
"…"
For a moment, no one spoke. Not because they were terrified by her world-ending logic, but because it was almost laughable. The oldest Hero King had unleashed "All the World's Evil" for a reason this… petty?
Perched on her throne-like stance, Gilgamesh gazed down at the world with untouchable pride, deciding its fate without a second thought. She didn't ask for permission after all she didn't think she needed it. She just acted.
"You're an absolute fool," Yuto said, shaking his head with a faint grin, like he couldn't believe her nonsense.
"You think you can carry it all? Allow it? Shoulder it?" He met her glare head-on, his voice steady but carrying a spark of defiance. "Someone like you calls herself a king? Let me show you what real kingship looks like."
His bold words lit a fire in Scathach's eyes, and down below, Artoria and the others felt a surge of excitement ripple through them.
"How dare you, mongrel! A cheap fake like you judging my kingship?!" Gilgamesh's red eyes blazed with fury. Challenging her rule was a death sentence and she'd make sure he paid for it.
"Archer, need a hand?" Scathach's voice cut in, mature and slightly rough, laced with concern.
Yuto waved her off with a casual smile. "Nah, I've got the Hero King covered. Go help Saber and keep Artoria and the others safe. They need help."
"What?!" Scathach's head snapped toward the ground.
The black mud had taken shape, turning the lake into a forbidden wasteland. Dark waves pulsed like living flesh, sending chills down the spine. At the front, twisted, monstrous forms marched alongside shadowy figures radiating power, closing in on Rin and her group.
Artoria fought hard, directing two sleek bird-shaped familiars while Medusa slashed at the mud-born monsters with her golden sword, holding the line with gritted teeth. The Tohsaka sisters backed them up with gem magic, digging into their last reserves. Just two magi, but their blasts rivaled an army, clearing space for the fighters ahead.
Then Kirei, now a twisted shell corrupted by the mud, hurled a wave of darkness at the sisters.
"Get lost, you jerk!" Rin and Sakura yelled together, their twin instincts kicking in.
Sakura clenched her jaw, flicking her gloved hand to open a portal that sucked the mud into some unknown void. Rin tossed a gem that morphed into a huge mirror shield.
"Focus, boost, aim, pierce—fire!" Rin chanted, her body enhanced by magic. She darted through the monster horde, her Gandr shots zipping through the shield, growing faster and stronger. The blast hit Kirei like a cannonball, knocking him back into the mud.
Seeing the group holding their own, Scathach eased up. Then her eyes caught Caster, Medusa's old rival sneaking toward the edge of the battlefield. In a flash, the Shadow Queen lunged, her spear slicing through the air at the witch.
With Scathach in control, Yuto turned back to Gilgamesh, who was practically vibrating with rage.
"Hmph, mongrel, are you ignoring me in a fight? Who gave you the nerve?!"
The air shook as the sky darkened, only to flare with golden light. Dozens of Noble Phantasms materialized from the ripples behind her, all aimed at Yuto.
"Be honored, mongrel. This is my acknowledgement!" Gilgamesh smirked, wild and confident, unleashing a storm of treasures like falling stars.
Yuto didn't flinch, just grinned wider. "I've got it too and mine's better."
Golden ripples opened behind him, mirroring her move. Gilgamesh's smug face twisted. "You fake! Copycat!"
Their treasures crashed together midair, metal screeching and magic bursting in a chaotic dance. The sky turned into a battlefield of light and sound, the shockwaves shredding everything nearby.
Below, Rin stared up, wide-eyed. "They're insane. Is this really human power?"
Sakura and her Servant gaped too. "Archer's that strong? He was holding back against us."
Scathach and Artoria watched, impressed but worried. 'Archer, stay safe,' Artoria thought.
'I'd love another round with you, kid,' Scathach mused.
Gilgamesh, fuming at the deadlock, especially since Yuto was using her own tricks, snapped. "Mongrel, you're starting to bore me."
With a flick of her hand, a massive golden gate opened behind her. "Ig-alima!" she roared, summoning a giant sword so huge it could've been a mountain.
It swung down like a collapsing peak, casting a shadow over Yuto. But he just chuckled. "What, you think you're the only one with fancy toys?"
"Sul-sagana!" he called, pulling a blazing sword of molten rock and fire from his treasury—said to have scorched entire seas.
The divine weapons met, rattling the earth and sky. Golden and fiery light twirled together, the impact shoving everything aside.
Below, Rin and Sakura froze as the destructive glow hurtled toward them, their legs too shaky to flee.
"Move!" Scathach yelled, scooping them up in a swift blur. Medusa swept in on Pegasus, snatching Artoria, and they all dashed away together.
Kirei emerged from the mud, lunging at Scathach's back. "Looking to die?" she growled, pivoting to thrust her Gae Bolg through his chest. Blood sprayed as he crumpled, sinking into the dark waves for good.
In the sky, Gilgamesh barely glanced at Kirei. Instead, she grinned, exhilarated. "Mongrel, I'll grant you this, you've astonished me."
She drew Ea, her ultimate weapon, its three segments clicking into place. "Let's test your limits!"
"Enuma Elish!"
As the intricate laws engraved upon the artifact ignited with a fierce crimson glow, it began to spin, warping the very fabric of the surrounding space. Three cylinders, each radiating potent magical energy, rotated in opposing directions, unleashing a relentless surge of blood-red wind that effortlessly tore through reality itself. The resulting fractures in space, their edges sharper than any blade, merged into a ravenous storm under the artifact's relentless motion, sweeping across the lake of black mud and bearing down on the young man with crushing force.
Unfazed, Yuto unleashed his ultimate power: "Thirteen Restraints Liberation, Excalibur!"
The resplendent holy sword blazed with an overwhelming burst of sacred light, its brilliance undeniable. This time, every knight standing behind him cast their vote in unanimous approval, releasing the blade's full might.
A cataclysmic explosion erupted between them, resounding like countless thunderbolts striking as one. The energies clashed with ferocious intensity, pouring forth from both sides yet unable to break free, confined to a mere tens of meters. The relentless buildup grew ever more volatile, straining the boundaries of the battlefield.
Then, with a shattering roar, the void itself ruptured. From the breach, two towering vortices, one shimmering gold, the other a dark, ashen gray spiraled upward, intertwining as they pierced the heavens. Together, they forged a colossal tornado that stretched dozens of kilometers into the clouds.
The scene unfurled like a vision of the world's end, an apocalyptic spectacle of utter annihilation.
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