Rider's proclamation wasn't much of an issue—most of the players had already gathered.
Saber, Lancer, and Berserker had all made their appearance.
Caster was far off and not worth considering for the moment.
Assassin, having "retreated" earlier, remained hidden in the shadows.
Only Archer had yet to show.
Shiomi already sensed the presence of the Archer-class Servant nearby.
At the Holy Church, Kirei Kotomine and Tokiomi Tohsaka—who was receiving updates through Kirei—both realized the situation was taking a turn for the worse.
And right as Iskandar's roar died down, a golden light flared to life in the sky.
No one was particularly surprised anymore. With four Servants already gathered, one more wasn't exactly a shock.
The golden light descended atop a streetlamp over ten meters tall, taking the shape of a commanding figure clad in radiant armor.
The moment they saw him, everyone felt a chill run down their spines.
It was the same Servant who had "eliminated" Assassin in full view just the night before—Archer.
"Two vermin daring to ignore this king's claim to the throne... and they show up on the same night. How quaint."
With a sneer of deep displeasure, the golden Servant swept his gaze over the gathering of Servants and Magi. His arrogance was on par with Iskandar's, yet laced with a cold cruelty the King of Conquerors lacked.
Iskandar raised a brow, genuinely surprised and a little perplexed.
But the reaction that followed was even more dramatic.
In an instant, Morgan vanished from Artoria's side and reappeared between Shiomi and Archer, shielding her Master.
The icy calm that had never left her expression during her clash with Artoria finally gave way to something else—tension, maybe even fear.
She extended her arm, gesturing for Shiomi to step back.
"Give me the magic spear, my husband," Morgan said coolly, her voice sharp and wary.
Clearly, this golden Servant was a threat Morgan deemed serious enough to confront personally.
Artoria, still rooted where she stood, was stunned. She had never expected her sister to react like this.
...Morgan, what are you—
"I thought it might be someone of note, but it's just a fairy from Paradise," Archer said, his crimson eyes flashing. His tone eased slightly, but his words remained merciless. "In light of your fear, I will overlook your disrespect and that of your Master. If you do not wish to be crushed beneath the aftermath of my purging of usurpers, withdraw now. I grant you ten seconds to decide."
Iskandar called out with half a laugh, "If you're going to talk down to everyone, why not start by giving your name? If you're truly a king, you shouldn't shy away from declaring your title."
"To stand in this king's presence and fail to recognize his glory... such ignorance deserves only death!"
As Archer's voice rose in fury, the space behind him rippled like a mirage. From the golden distortion, weapons emerged—gleaming, radiant.
A sword without a sheath. A long, ornate spear. Each adorned in breathtaking detail, exuding an unmistakable surge of magical energy.
These were no ordinary weapons. They were Noble Phantasms.
Those who had monitored the Tohsaka estate the night before immediately understood—this was the same otherworldly phenomenon, the very attack that had overwhelmed and erased Assassin.
Waver trembled in fear. Kayneth held his breath. And Kiritsugu Emiya, hidden in the shadows, tensed completely.
But no one was more on edge than Morgan.
She reached out her hand—yet the spear had yet to return to her grasp.
The Archer before her... he hadn't revealed his name.
But Morgan already knew.
Gilgamesh. The King of Heroes. The one with clairvoyance that could pierce the future, a man worthy of the title Grand Caster.
In terms of Magecraft alone, Morgan didn't believe she would lose.
But Gilgamesh... had far more than Magecraft on his side.
"Tsk…"
The sound from behind made Morgan turn slightly to check Shiomi's reaction. She saw him holding his magic spear, clicking his tongue as he reluctantly stepped out of her protective range, walking straight toward Archer alone.
The helplessness on his face gradually faded.
This action shocked not only Morgan but everyone present.
Without a word, Shiomi raised his left hand, quickly gathering Mana.
Of course, Gilgamesh noticed his movements. His gaze shifted slightly, moving from his Servant to this Master.
"Heh… I thought this era was full of nothing but mongrels." The King of Heroes gave a cruel sneer, the weapon behind him turning to aim at Shiomi. "Didn't expect someone who could look directly at me with eyes like that. As a reward for catching my interest… I'll leave your corpse intact."
With his grin deepening, the weapon behind him fired without warning.
The others began to understand why this golden Servant belonged to the Archer class—he could launch those mysterious weapons without even touching them.
His use of Noble Phantasms was outrageously reckless, like casually hurling rocks.
But their destructive power far surpassed mere stones. The ground erupted as if blasted, and the frozen pavement shattered, sending up a cloud of white frost that obscured the battlefield.
Everyone held their breath. Morgan, who had raised her hand to stop him, slowly lowered it.
Shiomi's slender silhouette emerged faintly from the swirling ice dust.
Long spears and swords had embedded themselves into the ground around him, carving out a crater.
Yet Shiomi hadn't even used the magic spear Morgan had given him. He dodged Gilgamesh's nameless Noble Phantasms as effortlessly as avoiding pedestrians in a crowded street.
His expression remained unchanged. He continued charging Mana in his hand without pause.
In a blink, the magical energy surged to its peak.
"Not bad, mongrel. This just got more entertaining." Gilgamesh's grin twisted further, bloodlust seeping into his tone. "If you'd gone down that easily, I'd have been disappointed."
"Sorry, but I'm not the type to take a beating lying down, Archer!"
Shiomi crouched low, aiming at the golden Servant perched on the streetlamp.
"Eldritch Blast!"
A blast of explosive magical energy surged from his palm.
At that moment, the King of Heroes summoned a completely different longsword and hurled it.
A stronger explosion than before burst forth, unleashing a shockwave that shattered the ice around them.
Waver had to take cover behind Iskandar to avoid being caught in the blast.
The other Servants watched with heightened focus as a human Magus dared to challenge a top-tier Servant.
As the smoke slowly cleared, Shiomi's figure had vanished from the crater—only the three scattered weapons remained.
"Ha! Not even a scrap left—"
"Behind you, Archer!"
Shiomi's voice rang out as he slashed his weapon at the weakest point in the golden armor—Archer's waist.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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