Familiar Comrades

Watching the battle in the arena, Iskandar still could not figure out what era the King of Heroes had ruled over, nor did he know the identity of the black-armored warrior. He simply asked Waver, "Kid, just how powerful are those two Servants?"

Waver stared dumbfounded at the battlefield, where weapons rained down like a storm while the black-armored Berserker still charged freely through it. Hearing Iskandar's question, he answered awkwardly, "I don't know. I can't tell at all! Even after hearing the name King of Heroes Gilgamesh, I can't think of any matching records right away."

Hearing Waver's answer, Iskandar was somewhat speechless. "What the hell? You're a Master, aren't you? Surely you can tell where that black-armored Berserker is strong, where he is weak, things like that?"

Waver swallowed. The overwhelming presence of the two Heroic Spirits on the field made him feel as though he were about to suffocate. "I can't tell. That black one is definitely a Servant, but I can't see anything—not his condition or anything else!"

Hearing that answer, Iskandar glanced at Mo Li. The thought of directly asking him about the Servant's identity flashed through his mind, only for him to dismiss it immediately.

Seeing that Berserker could still display such incredible strength beneath the rain of weapons, Irisviel was greatly surprised. "So that truly is a troublesome opponent for Berserker. It seems we were right to agree to Mr. Mo Li's proposal. Artoria, have you recognized who he is?"

Artoria watched the black-armored Servant, who appeared berserk yet whose defense was in fact flawless, and vaguely sensed that something was wrong. "That Heroic Spirit seems to possess some special ability or curse that conceals his status. And during our earlier battle, I had the faint feeling that he seemed very familiar with my sword."

"Very familiar with your sword?"

"That's right. It shouldn't be possible. Even if he had watched from the sidelines, he could not have achieved the same result as Diarmuid. He only saw my sword after forcibly breaking through it for a brief moment, but that Berserker acts as though he does not need to see it at all—as though he was already familiar with it."

"I see..." Irisviel looked worriedly at the battlefield. "Artoria, if that black-armored Berserker cannot defeat that golden-armored Archer, could you help Berserker defeat him?"

Artoria instantly understood what Irisviel was thinking. "Hm? Of course."

Thus far, the greatest help they could offer their side was ensuring that Mo Li's proposal went through. Only after it did could the one-on-one situation continue.

And now, although Berserker Lancelot appeared immensely powerful on the field, Gilgamesh's ever-composed demeanor was even more eye-catching.

Then, after the King of Heroes Gilgamesh was sent into a rage when a severed streetlamp knocked him to the ground, countless Noble Phantasm prototypes emerged from the many opened Gates of Babylon, immediately causing everyone to regard him as the greatest threat.

Irisviel was somewhat frightened by the countless weapons. "Artoria, I think that Berserker needs your help!"

"Understood!" Artoria took a deep breath, donned her armor, and rushed to Berserker's side to face the Gate of Babylon alongside him.

Lancelot turned his head to look at Artoria. "Arthur..."

"Berserker?" Artoria did not understand why Lancelot had called her name at such a moment. The enemy before them was far more dangerous.

Lancelot turned back toward the King of Heroes Gilgamesh and said nothing.

"Oh? There are two of you now, and one of you even calls herself a king. Very well—try and entertain me!" Gilgamesh laughed wildly as dozens of shots from the Gate of Babylon fired in unison.

Lancelot moved first, swinging the excessively heavy Arondight toward the rain of weapons.

At that moment, Artoria's pupils contracted. That was an opening she could exploit, a rhythm of attack just like when she had fought side by side with the Knights of the Round Table against volleys of arrows in the past. Though these projectiles were not as dense as an arrow barrage, they were far more powerful. Each weapon affected only a limited area, yet their direct impact was no weaker than a missile explosion.

Instinctively, Artoria moved, cutting straight into the opening Lancelot had created for her. The two of them hacked their way through the assault as though they had coordinated thousands upon thousands of times before, reaching Gilgamesh in an instant.

"How is this possible?!" Gilgamesh, who had been about to unleash a second wave from the Gate of Babylon, stared at them in shock. His body instinctively retreated, flying into the air. Then he noticed Lancelot reaching toward a sword embedded in the ground and immediately realized something.

Gilgamesh swiftly reached to his side, drew Harpal, and swung it, knocking aside the weapon Lancelot had hurled at him. Yet the force also sent Harpal flying from his hand and hurled him backward.

Although they had sent their enemy flying, Artoria's gaze toward Berserker became even more suspicious.

"Looks like I truly underestimated you!" Gilgamesh flew back. This time, rather than remaining in the air, he stood on the ground and faced them at eye level. Several Gates of Babylon opened around him, and the Chains of Heaven shot forth.

To be honest, after being sent flying so suddenly, he was now somewhat tempted to draw EA, the Sword of Rupture.

The Chains of Heaven danced through the air as dozens more shots from the Gate of Babylon fired out. Yet Artoria and Lancelot still carved through the assault together. Only the obstruction of the Chains of Heaven prevented them from closing in quickly enough to stop him from firing a second wave.

"No divinity, then." Watching the two of them easily force back the Chains of Heaven, Gilgamesh understood. He opened even more Gates of Babylon, unleashing a synchronized barrage of over a hundred shots.

"Is that guy really an Archer? His firepower is insane!" Iskandar exclaimed as he watched the battlefield. This was completely different from the Archers he understood and imagined.

Diarmuid also said, "Yes. I don't think I could take an opponent like that head-on. If I did, I would have no chance of winning at all. No one knows whether this barrage of a hundred shots is truly the limit of his strength."

Waver swallowed. "He's already this powerful, and he can still unleash even more weapons?"

Iskandar said, "Exactly. At the very least, he has not yet been pushed to the point of a fight to the death."

On the battlefield, as Gilgamesh shortened the intervals between the Gate of Babylon's volleys, even Artoria and Lancelot's exquisite coordination gradually became insufficient to advance any farther. With the Chains of Heaven interfering, they could only ensure that they were not struck by the Gate of Babylon. For a time, neither side could do anything to the other.

Watching the deadlock, Gilgamesh grew irritated. "Hmph... You truly are persistent. I shall reluctantly acknowledge that you possess the qualifications to invite me down to play your little game."

The volleys from the Gate of Babylon ceased. Artoria and Lancelot watched him warily but did not launch another attack.

Just two Servants had forced him to take things seriously. Beyond this lay drawing EA and fully opening the Gate of Babylon. If he truly had to deal with two close-combat fighters and ended up in such a miserable state, Gilgamesh could not afford to lose that kind of face.

Besides, these two close-combat fighters were absurdly skilled. Even he would have to consider whether his few tricks would be enough if he went up against them in melee.

Mo Li was very satisfied with the current outcome. "Then, now that all seven parties have agreed to my proposal, I will await your arrival at Ryudoji Temple."

"Hmph. I shall reluctantly acknowledge that all of you are heroes brave enough to face me. I look forward to the little game you have arranged." After delivering those words, Gilgamesh turned and vanished.

Iskandar folded his arms. "Looks like this Archer is quite stubborn. Even as he left, he had to make a declaration."

Mo Li said, "Indeed. Do any of you still have anything to do? If not, I intend to visit Mr. Kayneth first. Berserker, magus, take Caren home."

Medea looked at Mo Li with some concern. "Do you not need Berserker to accompany you?"

Mo Li smiled. "No need. I trust that Sir Diarmuid will ensure the safety of his guest."

Lancelot and Medea nodded to Mo Li, then departed with Caren. The Assassin also immediately slipped into the shadows, and it was impossible to tell whether he had withdrawn or was still lurking nearby.

Diarmuid could only smile wryly upon hearing this. "Mr. Mo Li, your strength is clearly greater than mine..."

Mo Li said with a smile, "Even someone of the highest status and greatest strength still has guards at their door, do they not?"

"...Indeed. I had not thought it through. My lord, shall we receive this guest?"

Kayneth looked at Mo Li in confusion. He should not have had any connection with the other man. Yet owing to his status as a scion of a magus family—and because he possessed far more conscience than most magi—he did not consider luring Mo Li into his magecraft workshop and killing him in a trap.

Kayneth considered for a moment before saying, "Very well, Mr. Mo Li. Since there is no need to fight to the death, no need for the brutal slaughter between magi, I welcome your arrival."

"Good." Mo Li smiled faintly. There, wasn't that easy? In the FGO event story, this was how Ritsuka Fujimaru and Lord El-Melloi II Waver resolved the conflict with Kayneth's group. He would simply recreate it—and record it to forward to Waver.

Kayneth withholding Waver's thesis really had been for his own good. Unfortunately, fate had played its tricks.

As the Lancer group and Mo Li departed, Artoria watched Mo Li's retreating back, deep in thought. No matter how she tried, she could not make sense of certain things. That Berserker felt far too familiar.

"Until next time, King of Knights. It seems you have many troubles on your mind, so I shall not linger here and make a nuisance of myself." With that, Iskandar drove off in his ox cart, taking Waver with him.

Unable to reach any conclusion, Artoria could only turn to Irisviel. "Then we should leave as well. Let us return to the castle first."

"Mm, all right." Irisviel did not object. The two left the harbor and arrived at where their vehicle was parked, with Artoria taking the wheel.

Irisviel took out the protective charm Mo Li had given her. "A portable bounded-field item... Was it made by that Mo Li, or by that magus? It should have been made by Mo Li."

As she drove, Artoria asked, "Why did you reach that conclusion?"

"Because I couldn't feel any maidenly charm from this talisman~" Irisviel had arrived at the correct conclusion.