In ancient legends, when the planet called Earth was still forming, the world were filled with thunderstorms and molten lava, devoid of life.
During this process, a stone... later to become a weapon... though unremarkable, witnessed the planet's creation, a moment of splitting heaven and earth.
It recorded this epochal event within itself.
This stone became Gilgamesh's weapon, his mightiest Noble Phantasm: Ea, the Sword of Rupture.
Having witnessed the division of heaven and earth, it held the authority to cleave worlds. Though it sounds far-fetched, this power was real.
Not based on grand concepts like "the universe" or "world barriers," but on a subjective notion of a world... like a house being a world to someone, or a castle.
For Gilgamesh, or any individual on this planet, a "world" was essentially an independent space, distinct from the true world.
If someone used special magecraft to transform an area into a snowy, isolated region, it could be called an ice world.
When Ea unleashed its full might, it could cut through such a world's concept.
But against the true world, it was useless... it couldn't split Earth, the solar system, or the universe.
"No matter," Gilgamesh thought, gripping Ea as it roared. "This so-called temple is just a small space imbued with a world's concept, and my Ea is perfect for destroying it!"
The stone tablets around him rose, spinning, representing the three realms of heaven, earth, and underworld, shattering space into primal chaos!
It wouldn't take long. This strike would obliterate the temple and annihilate this Morpheus!
Even gods of the Age of Gods wouldn't claim to destroy a continent instantly. For this man to say his temple required such power was laughable!
"Be proud, mongrel! Ten years ago, another who dared call himself a king died to this strike, unafraid. Will you be the same?!"
A torrent of mana surged forward like roaring waves, shattering everything. Space tore apart, and even if only simulated, the concept caused real rifts.
Yet Morpheus stood motionless, as if frozen in fear.
"Tch!"
Gilgamesh sneered, his face twisting with disdain. He loathed such cowardly foes, but he wouldn't hold back. This disrespectful mongrel would be reduced to dust!
Even an ant, once it angered a king, lost its right to exist!
All rights were granted by him, the king, and now he would reclaim them!
Boom!
Blinding light engulfed the bounded field, scattering and illuminating the area.
But those outside saw only light and sound... no destructive force emerged.
Not even a breeze escaped. The bounded field contained all impact.
Rin Tohsaka stared intently inside, tense. Despite knowing Morpheus's strength, the terrifying mana torrent from Ea... unlike anything she'd seen... made her nervous.
This was the murderer of her father, even if indirectly!
If he killed Morpheus too, Rin didn't know what she'd do.
Amid the smoke, Gilgamesh laughed. "Hahaha, this is the fate of defying a king! No strength of your own, reduced to ash. Pathetic, but a fitting end for a mortal!"
He spoke as if victorious, mocking his opponent thoroughly.
His words darkened several faces, but Medea remained unfazed, and Sakura Matou waited quietly, full of confidence.
Then, that calm voice emerged.
"Honestly, I've always wanted to point out how weak Ea's unleashed power is. It barely causes damage. I thought you were holding back, but now it's clear... you're just not up to par, even when you go all out."
With a hint of surprise, Morpheus emerged from the smoke, eyes wide, staring at Gilgamesh.
"Your strike couldn't even break my personal protection, let alone the bounded field?!"
If shattering the temple required continent-destroying power, Morpheus's personal temple protection needed at least the force of a nuclear explosion.
Specifically, about dozens of times the combined yield of the fission bombs dropped on Japan years ago.
This protection was admittedly weak. As a freelancer, Morpheus hadn't acquired top-tier materials in this world, limiting the temple's strength.
Even the U.S. could breach it with retired warheads like the B53.
Yet Gilgamesh's full-powered strike had no effect.
"So, playing with concepts requires a solid foundation…" Morpheus muttered.
Despite Ea's space-cutting simulation, the vast disparity in magnitude rendered it ineffective against Morpheus.
In that instant of contact, Morpheus sensed something. It wasn't just magnitude... neither the temple's external bounded field nor his personal protection registered as a "world" to Ea.
Without the "world" concept, Ea's world-cleaving power couldn't activate.
Like a BB gun against real body armor, Ea faced a mismatch in both power and type.
The moment Gilgamesh heard Morpheus's voice, his triumphant smile froze, comical like a clown's.
Hearing Morpheus, Rin and the others sighed in relief. Medea smiled faintly. "As expected, testing again?"
"Testing?" Rin looked at Medea, who nodded. "He loves seizing chances to test things. Even joining the giant war was to test new magic."
Medea's eyes lit up. "Looks like he's testing new magic again!"
"New magic?!" Rin and the others turned to see Morpheus raise his hand, holding a book... an ordinary-looking one. Rin's sharp eyes recognized it.
"Isn't that the Bible?"
An ordinary Bible, bought recently at a bookstore. Morpheus had been muttering over it at night, praying or something. Seeing him pull it out now, Rin sensed he might be preparing new magic.
Magic tied to the Bible!
The plain book now pulsed with mana, intertwining with Morpheus's body!
"Saint Paul once said, even Satan masquerades as an angel of light, deceitful in form!"
With Morpheus's words, a strange power surged toward its target. Gilgamesh, a son of the gods, felt something invade his body, unstoppable and undeniable!
He frantically channeled mana to expel the intangible intruder, but to no avail!
"What are you doing, mongrel?!"
Gilgamesh shouted, raising his weapon to gather mana for another strike.
Whatever bizarre ability this was, he wouldn't give Morpheus the chance to use it... he'd kill him first!
Mana surged again, not at full power but beyond, even at the cost of his body, to destroy Morpheus!
The radiant red torrent was brighter, stronger than before!
Its power rivaled his Age of Gods self!
In this time, he was certain no one could withstand it!
It could level Fuyuki City in one blow!
But Morpheus merely spoke his next line softly.
"There was a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns on its heads. The great dragon is that ancient serpent, called the Devil, or Satan, who deceives the world. It was cast to the earth, and its angels with it."
Gilgamesh felt gravity seize him, pulling him down as if to crash into the ground.
But he resisted, and the force vanished quickly. In moments, he recovered, no longer feeling it.
He smirked. "You failed. Your magic's authority is too weak to affect me!"
"Sigh, as expected, a street-bought Bible isn't enough. My skills are still lacking…" Morpheus sighed, watching the Bible's pages burn and crumble.
Seeing Gilgamesh's pride, Morpheus shrugged. "After all that, I only managed to add a dragon trait to you…"
The Satan trait failed, as did suppressing a pagan with the Bible. Morpheus's inexperience and the tool's limits caused it.
Still, he'd imbued Gilgamesh with a "dragon" trait.
Not a negative trait... rather, it carried many benefits, making it easier to apply.
"Dragon?!" Gilgamesh froze.
"Dragon?" Several puzzled voices echoed, but Medea burst out laughing. "Only you'd pull off something like giving someone that trait!"
No explanation was needed. Morpheus gripped the Sword of the War God and charged.
Against Gilgamesh's ferocious barrage, Morpheus's single strike scattered it, easier than before!
Gilgamesh felt his power countered, blocked, and neutralized by this man's weapon!
And now, a terrifying aura emanated from Morpheus... an indescribable, incomprehensible fear spreading wildly in his heart!
Facing Morpheus's charge, Gilgamesh felt like he was staring at a natural predator, an entity destined to slay him!
"This… this feeling…" Artoria gripped her sword, a chill running through her. Morpheus's aura terrified her, urging her to flee!
"What… what is he doing?! Why is his aura so…"
The other Servants, Shirou, and the rest looked puzzled, not understanding Artoria's reaction.
In the next instant, Morpheus reached Gilgamesh, slashing with his short sword!
"Let's see if my dragon-slaying concept works on your new dragon trait!"
***
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