"Isn't it obvious? Of course I'd 'kill' you."
After that day, Gilgamesh appeared before everyone with the "corpse" of the Sacred King of the Bright Moon and proclaimed his victory.
[You hid among the crowd, watching the varied expressions on the people's faces. You understood that it did not matter much to them who became king. All they wanted was to live out their lives in peace.] [You were the same. You were only an ordinary person too.] [Time passed. Fear and prosperity spread through Uruk. The people were like tightrope walkers, with Heaven and Hell at their sides, yet unable to tell them apart.] [The festival began.]
The altar Gilgamesh had built at great cost and expense was finally complete. During this time, he had cultivated the nation's successor and prepared himself to die.
[At the most crucial moment of the festival, you appeared. You could feel the gazes around you—surprise, fear, excitement... countless mixed emotions surged toward you, while your eyes held only Gilgamesh.] [The battle began. Your fight with Gilgamesh was so grand that no one dared approach or investigate.]
"Stinky little brother, how does it feel now? Are you satisfied with the finale I arranged for you?"
Gilgamesh laughed wildly. His laughter was more unrestrained than ever before. Rather than a battle, their fight was more like brothers roughhousing.
"Gilgamesh, the truth is, I still hate you the most."
That was right. Fujimaru Kyoya hated Gilgamesh. Even though they could trust each other at the brink of life and death, they still hated one another.
"But someone as arrogant and conceited as you managed to go this far. How could I not be convinced?"
Dark Strategy: Offer Your Head.
This was the cruelest ruse of self-sacrifice: trading Gilgamesh's life alone for a hundred years of peace in the future. Was it all worth it?
"It was. This is the promise I made. A better future—I will make it happen."
A king's promise outweighed mountains.
"Damn it, are you going to keep dawdling forever? Get it over with!"
"Then I'll kill you."
Fujimaru Kyoya brought his fingers together like a blade, gathered all his strength, and severed Gilgamesh's head in a single strike.
It was over.
Fujimaru Kyoya held Gilgamesh's head in his hand. Even in death, that proud man wore a smile. He had chosen his own way to die.
[You announced Gilgamesh's death to everyone. You issued a warning to all future kings: if they ruled with tyranny, then even one as powerful as Gilgamesh could only die, much less people like them.] [You felt the people's love and support. They had seen a hero willing to fight for them.] [You felt the kings' fear. They saw a Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.] [And you... felt only emptiness.] [No matter the process, you had ultimately acknowledged Gilgamesh. Killing him with your own hands was an immense blow to you as well.] [You traveled through Mesopotamia, listening to the decrees of kings. Under your and Gilgamesh's threat, no one dared practice tyranny.] [A long time passed. It seemed someone refused to believe it, and the next day, you took his head.] [Fear spread once more. Your name was remembered by the world again. The effect of "Benevolent Dark Emperor" increased.] [You grew old.]
In an abandoned little village, a one-armed old man roasted freshly hunted game. Behind him, a child stared eagerly at the meat over the fire as his stomach growled traitorously.
"Teacher, you're so incredible. Why had I never heard your name before?"
The child looked at the dead Fantasy Species. He had never imagined humans could defeat them so easily.
"My name?"
The old man murmured, then looked at the child.
"Who I am isn't important. What matters is, do you want to become like me?"
"I do."
Light sparkled in the child's eyes. In his eyes, his teacher was the strongest, wisest, and kindest person in the world.
He wanted to become someone like his teacher too.
"Even if it is a difficult road to walk?"
"Mm."
"Then... carry it on."
[You died, but the Sacred King of the Bright Moon still lived on—in a boy's beautiful dream, in the nightmares of kings, and in the hopes of the people.]
You're Not Allowed to Fight Anymore
[You completed the ending "Offer Your Head." You may draw one of the Three Basic Talents.] [Drawing begins. Please wait... Drawing complete.] [You obtained the talent "First Before First."]
"Tohsaka, you're so slow."
At the school gate, Fujimaru Kyoya had turned down every invitation. Just as everyone wondered why, Tohsaka Rin walked over.
Sour. The air was filled with the sourness of lemons.
The Unreachable Flower of Hohgitsunohara Academy, whom no one had ever managed to win over, was actually hanging around with the famous delinquent. Did girls these days all like bad boys?
The boys who had once admired Tohsaka Rin could only silently leave by the roadside.
"Didn't I tell you to wait somewhere with fewer people? Come with me, quickly."
Tohsaka Rin had clearly noticed the strange looks from those around her. Her embarrassment instantly exploded, and without caring about anything else, she grabbed Fujimaru Kyoya and left the school gate.
Unfortunately, that action only made things look more suspicious.
"Fujimaru, listen up. From now on, I'm your Master. Remember to show me more respect."
"Even at school?"
Fujimaru Kyoya had no issue with respecting his teacher, but he felt that Tohsaka Rin was abusing her authority for personal revenge.
"That's right. From now on, all my errand-running work is yours."
"But Tohsaka, have you considered that other people might see this as a kind of play?"
"P-Play? Not everyone is as filthy as you are."
No, Tohsaka Rin actually knew that adolescent boys had no lower limit. Even leaving by the roadside was not something they would be incapable of doing.
In short, Fujimaru Kyoya avoided becoming an errand boy and arrived at Fuyuki Church.
"Rin, is this the disciple you brought?"
Before coming here, Tohsaka Rin had already informed her senior disciple, Kirei Kotomine. Whether it was because another disciple had joined the Tohsaka line or because Fuyuki City had gained a new mage, this informant of the Holy Church still had certain duties to fulfill.
Especially since the Holy Grail War was drawing near.
Wasn't she afraid that suddenly adding another mage would lead to betrayal like Tohsaka Tokiomi's?
Oh, Tohsaka Rin did not know how Tohsaka Tokiomi had died. Then never mind.
"Fujimaru, let me introduce you. This is..."
"I know him. Marbo Priest, my defeated opponent."
Tohsaka Rin had not expected Fujimaru Kyoya to be so familiar with Kirei Kotomine. But what exactly was a "Marbo Priest"?
"Defeated opponent? I heard an interesting term. If I remember correctly, isn't our record nine wins, nine losses, and a draw?"
Kirei Kotomine naturally knew Fujimaru Kyoya. They were both regulars at Fuyuki's most famous Chinese restaurant, Hongzhou Feast Year Pavilion Taishan. Even more coincidentally, they both had a deep fondness for mapo tofu.
Hongzhou Feast Year Pavilion Taishan had held eighteen mapo tofu eating championships. At first, Fujimaru Kyoya had been too young to defeat Kirei Kotomine, but now he had won several times in a row. Kirei Kotomine was no longer someone he took seriously.
"Rin, I think he has exceptional talent and is excellent material for studying Magecraft. Why not let me, his senior uncle, teach him? I guarantee I'll return a fine disciple to you."
A delighted smile crept across Kirei Kotomine's face. Clearly, he cared deeply about victory and defeat in mapo tofu.
Now that he had a chance to thoroughly torment Fujimaru Kyoya, he naturally had no intention of letting it slip away.
"Junior Nephew, how much do you know about Mana?"
"Tohsaka said it seems to be human life force."
Although he knew this Marbo Priest was taking advantage of him, he endured it for the sake of learning Magecraft. Once he finished his studies... heh. Kirei Kotomine had better watch his back when eating mapo tofu late at night.
"The sources of Mana are the world's Great Source and one's own Minor Source. But with the Divine Era Decline, the main source of Mana shifted from the Great Source to the Minor Source. Many forms of Magecraft could no longer be used, which led to King of Magecraft Solomon's reforms..."
Although Kirei Kotomine came from the Church, he was quite knowledgeable about Magecraft. However, Fujimaru Kyoya's mind had wandered, because he had heard the term "Divine Era Decline" once again.
The level of internet access in Japan in 2003... Fujimaru Kyoya wiped away a cold sweat at the thought.
If only it had been a little more widespread. Then it would not have been so completely unavailable.
Just then, a fierce gust of wind came at him. Kirei Kotomine actually threw a punch, clearly intending to give this Junior Nephew, who dared zone out on his very first lesson, a warning.
Bang!
"Oh?"
Kirei Kotomine looked in surprise at Fujimaru Kyoya, who had blocked in time. As a former Executor, Kirei Kotomine could tell that Fujimaru Kyoya's physical abilities far surpassed those of an ordinary high school student. More importantly...
A fist flew toward Kirei Kotomine's face. Fujimaru Kyoya was not someone who liked suffering losses. Right there in the Church courtyard, a rather "unique" Magecraft lesson began.
"Stop fighting! You two, stop fighting!"
Tohsaka Rin was not truly trying to break up the fight. She simply did not want her elegant Jewel Magecraft to turn into "Exploding Stone Magecraft" in their hands, capable of splitting monuments and shattering rocks.
"Have you been working out lately? You're pretty solid."
"Eating, sleeping, beating up little punks."
As the god of Fuyuki delinquents, Fujimaru Kyoya beat up little punks at high intensity every day. That level of exercise had indeed allowed him to adapt quickly to his current physique.
"Rin, you found a treasure."
The use of Mana was not limited to Magecraft. Mana was life force by nature, and during that fight, Kirei Kotomine had sensed that the quality of Fujimaru Kyoya's Magic Circuits was absolutely not low.
"Junior Nephew, since you began studying halfway through life, besides Rin's usual instruction, you should also read some books related to occult studies outside class. You're already far behind the others."
Good grief, this Marbo guy was getting addicted to calling him Junior Nephew.
"There are quite a few sutras at Ryuudou Temple. Would those count?"
The only things Fujimaru Kyoya could think of that were related to the occult were the Matou Family and Ryuudou Temple.
He had previously learned from Tohsaka Rin that the Matou Family was also a Mage Family. Going there to learn might look like stealing their teachings, so only Ryuudou Temple remained.
"Although it is not the same school, it can indeed serve as reference material for an introduction to occult studies."
Kirei Kotomine sent the two away, then looked toward the interior of the Church. A blond young man holding a glass of red wine emerged from within. He watched Fujimaru Kyoya's retreating back as though pondering something.
"You're interested in my Junior Nephew too? That's rare."
"Interested? Perhaps. I merely feel that he resembles someone."
Gilgamesh spoke casually, but it piqued Kirei Kotomine's interest. Over the past nine years, he had learned everything about Gilgamesh's social connections. Gilgamesh should not have known Fujimaru Kyoya.
Could it be someone Gilgamesh had known while alive?
Three Kings' Council
"Kirei, don't look at me like that. I would not be fooled by such outward appearances. For example... you know King Arthur, don't you?"
"Of course."
Emiya Kiritsugu was a man Kirei Kotomine would never forget for the rest of his life. As Emiya Kiritsugu's Servant, Artoria was naturally someone Kirei Kotomine knew of.
Though she was a woman, King Arthur's majesty was not weak in the slightest.
During the Fourth Holy Grail War, the three kings had spoken at length in Einzbern Castle about the way of kingship and their reasons for seeking the Holy Grail.
King of Conquerors Iskandar's goal had been to obtain a physical body and use it to embark on another magnificent conquest.
King of Heroes Gilgamesh merely wanted to reclaim what belonged to him.
Before you continue