Dating Caster

"Death? Seeing your own beloved friend walk out of the underworld with your own eyes, and facing his rotting corpse, do you have nothing to say, Archer?"

Before anyone else could react, Medea looked directly at the golden Heroic Spirit and said:

"That was all thanks to you! If you hadn't rejected Ishtar's proposal, if you hadn't slain the Bull of Heaven, would Enkidu have ended up buried in the underworld?"

Ishtar, the Bull of Heaven, Enkidu...

After Medea spoke this series of names, combined with the way Archer was gritting his teeth, the true name of this Archer became self-evident.

The King of Heroes—Gilgamesh.

"Oh, I see! The only king who could be more arrogant than I, Iskandar, must be you!"

Rider said with a tone of sudden realization. Saber also nodded in understanding.

As the oldest "King of Heroes," Gilgamesh had the qualifications to be arrogant.

"Woman, you are not worthy to speak the name of my friend."

Archer's tone suddenly turned calm, but everyone present could sense the kind of killing intent hidden beneath that peaceful voice.

"Not worthy? Who is the one truly unworthy here?"

However, Medea did not seem intimidated. Instead, seeing Archer thwarted, a hint of pleasure subtly leaked into her tone:

"Is it me, who is merely holding court here? Or is it you, who returned home in disappointment after a snake stole your herb of immortality, only to toil away in governance and patriotism until you died of overwork?"

"..."

"Are you still indulging in the praise of the masses? King of Heroes, has your Clairvoyance, which can see the distant future and peer through the galaxy, not yet seen the scene of your beloved friend dying because of you? Have you not seen your own ugly appearance after losing him? Have you not realized, while numbing yourself with governance, that you were nothing once you left Enkidu behind?"

"Without the chains that bound and defined you—your brilliance is no different from the dust left behind by a molting snake."

Archer revealed a strange expression, different from his usual one; he seemed to be listening, or perhaps contemplating. But compared to his habitual mocking demeanor, this version of him seemed to possess more of a "human touch."

"Continue to please yourself with your self-deceiving rhetoric, Gilgamesh. Everything recorded in your book of merits owes half to Enkidu—but because of the so-called king's way you insisted upon, that two-in-one 'King of Heroes' completely fell apart. Do you still feel you have the qualification to continue your grand speeches?"

"Woman, as a piece of counsel, I have truly received these words. But are you not being too arrogant to offer such advice as a mere subject?"

He was not angry to the point of losing his reason, nor did he use mocking, foul language. Although Archer's tone was calm, everyone present could clearly judge that the feeling Archer projected had changed.

"A subject willing to offer counsel at the cost of her own life..."

The King's lips curled into a smile, his crimson eyes igniting with the most intense fury in that instant, yet his tone was as slow as a death sentence.

"It truly makes my heart surge with excitement!"

"A subject?"

Hearing Archer's words, Medea suddenly laughed:

"Oh King, have you not realized yet? Your most loyal subject has already been standing by for a long time, has he not?"

The moment her voice fell, the anomaly in the air caused everyone's expressions to change.

At both ends of the bridge, illuminated by the moonlight, strange white objects emerged. One after another, pale visages appeared on the bridge like blooming flowers. With ghastly skull masks and black robes, the few people in the center of the bridge were gradually surrounded by this bizarre group.

--Assassin.

Under the command of Kirei Kotomine, they began their final probe against the Heroic Spirits present!

Begging for first subscriptions!

By the way, I'm off to my thesis defense QAQ.

If I add extra chapters, it will be either tonight or tomorrow.

That is all!

Chapter 58. Ionioi Hetairoi (Two chapters owed)

In an instant, countless pitch-black figures appeared, surrounding the entire bridge; at a glance, it was impossible to tell how many there were. They all wore masks and black robes, and their physiques varied. There were giants, thin figures, child-like short ones, and female forms. The only things they had in common were their ashen skin and bone-like masks, their expressions cold as they stared at the people present.

--Assassin.

As one of the trump cards of the Tohsaka side, they had been active in the shadows, gathering intelligence for Tohsaka Tokiomi.

Although they had already learned from Kiritsugu that Assassin was not just the one person killed at the Tohsaka estate, Saber and Irisviel were stunned upon seeing this absurd number of Assassins...

"Could it be... that we have been watched by these guys until today?"

Irisviel murmured in pain, and Saber instinctively gritted her teeth.

Although, to Saber, these Assassins were nothing more than a rabble relying on numbers. If she were to face them head-on, there was absolutely no possibility of her failing.

However—

Saber did not believe these uninvited guests who had disrupted the banquet would refrain from attacking Irisviel, who stood behind her.

And furthermore...

The "rabble" of Assassins was still a significant threat to humans. Even Irisviel, a homunculus of the Einzbern family capable of using first-rate magecraft, could not stop the Assassins with magic alone.

Not to mention the Masters of the others.

However, in this urgent moment, there seemed to be many who had not yet realized the "crisis."

"Hey, King of Heroes, this sort of thing doesn't seem like something you would do."

Upon hearing Medea's words, Rider continued to hold his wine cup in a leisurely manner, ignoring the "What is going on?!" and "Rider, hey!" exclamations coming from Waver beside him.

Looking at Archer next to him, Rider asked with a hearty laugh.

"Tch, I have no interest in figuring out the thoughts of those mongrels."

The previous mood seemed to have dissipated, and a familiar sneer hung on the corners of Archer's mouth.

Since so many Assassin had been mobilized, it certainly wasn't the order of Kirei Kotomine alone. This was surely the intent of his teacher, Tohsaka Tokiomi.

The underhanded nature of his subordinate made Archer feel increasingly dissatisfied with him.

"To cause a disturbance at a banquet attended by me, they deserve to be punished."

As for Wang Xiaoming, who had been watching the scene in silence, he gritted his teeth slightly and gave Medea a look before remaining still.

"Hey, hey, hey, kid, calm down."

Facing the panicked Waver, Rider laughed loudly and patted him on the shoulder, saying in an indifferent tone: "They are just a group of late guests. If you lose your composure over this, then as your King, I would be very embarrassed!"

Archer said impatiently: "Do you intend to invite a group like that to the table as well, King of Conquerors?"

"That goes without saying! I have already said that this is a banquet of heroes! If I were to refuse them entry simply because of the ghastly aura they carry, then as a King, I would be biased!"

Rider laughed heartily, scooped a ladle of wine from the barrel, and shouted: "Come! Don't be shy! Anyone who wants to join in discussing heroes over wine, come and take this cup! It shares the same essence as your blood!"

The wine ladle was severed by a flying blade, and the red wine splashed onto Rider's thick shoulders. The skull masks seemed to emit laughter as if mocking him.

"--Don't say I didn't warn you."

Although Rider's tone remained calm, everyone present could clearly feel that his aura had changed; the fighting spirit swirling around him began to rise:

"I said, 'this wine' is 'your blood'—didn't I? Since you let it spill onto the ground so carelessly, then I shall..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Rider stood up, and suddenly, a violent wind swept in.

"...take your lives without hesitation!"

His bright red cloak billowed and fluttered on his shoulders, and before anyone knew it, the King of Conquerors had shifted into his original battle attire. Standing at the center of the swirling cyclone, Rider suddenly spoke.

"To be honest, Iskandar only lived for 33 years. There were many dreams I didn't fulfill and many sights I didn't see, but I yearned for them!"

The wind reached its peak in an instant! The force, as if it were about to sweep everything away, made those present instinctively squint their eyes.

Then, everything went still.

Upon opening their eyes, their pupils shrank.

The boundary between heaven and earth was distorted; before them now lay a plain, an endless plain of yellow sand. No matter who stood here, they would appear insignificant.

"I yearned for my unfulfilled dreams—to conquer to the very ends of this world!"

Rider heroically spread his arms, and mirage-like images appeared around him. One, two, four—the images gradually multiplied, appearing like an army. The colors grew increasingly vivid.

"I yearned for the sights I had never seen—what kind of scenery lies upon the shores of that boundless sea!"

Under the astonished gazes of those present, the cavalrymen materialized one by one beside Iskandar. Though their races and equipment varied, their sturdy bodies and valiant knightly bearing all demonstrated the might of an army.

Only Waver and Wang Xiaoming understood what this bizarre scene truly was.

"These people... every single one of them is a Servant..."

Only a Master who has completed a formal contract possesses the clairvoyance to see through and judge the spiritual status of a Servant. Thus, Waver understood that the true trump card of the Servant Iskandar, his ultimate Noble Phantasm, was manifesting before his eyes.

"Even if my homeland has perished and my body has decayed, I still yearn! And the treasure that has always supported me in pursuing these things is right before your eyes!"

Following the King of Conquerors' laughter, everyone turned their heads sharply.

In the distance, countless warriors were walking toward them, step by step, holding their weapons. If the Assassin who had surrounded them earlier made one's scalp tingle, this uncountable number of Servants pushed the limits of human psychology—it was an army! An army composed of tens or even hundreds of thousands! An army as boundless as this vast plain!

"Behold! My peerless army! Even though their physical bodies have been destroyed, their souls have become Heroic Spirits and continue to follow me. I am their leader, still guiding them on the path forward, fighting alongside me, obeying my will! The bond with them is my greatest treasure, my royal path! Behold! The strongest Noble Phantasm of the King of Conquerors, Iskandar: Ionioi Hetairoi!"

Responding to Rider was a deafening roar! This was the unregretting pursuit of their King by Heroic Spirits from a thousand years ago. Even if they failed to see the ends of the world as they had wished, even if the homeland they sacrificed for had turned to ash, they would feel sorrow, they would shed tears, but like their King, they would never regret it! Because that was their will, their determination; they were walking the path their King had pointed out for them!

There is no need to describe the process in detail; facing this peerless army, how could the Assassin escape their fate of destruction?

"--Ooh!!"

The cheers of victory rang out. Offering their victory to the King and praising his name, the Heroic Spirits who had completed their mission returned to their spiritual forms and vanished into the distance.

Subsequently, the barrier maintained by their combined magical energy was dispelled. Everything shattered like foam, the scenery returned to the original night, and the group stepped back onto the solid bridge deck.

The bright, white moonlight revealed a silence, and the air carried the dampness unique to the seaside.

"--What a mood-killer."

Rider muttered to himself as if nothing had happened, finishing the remaining wine in his cup. Saber did not answer, while Archer let out a scoff with a somewhat dissatisfied expression.

"I see. Although they are all mongrels, does having the ability to command so many people make you smug and think yourself a King... Rider, you are truly an eyesore."

"Say what you will, but one day I will settle this with you myself."

Rider laughed, unbothered, and stood up.

"Although we didn't finish saying what we wanted to say tonight, I have heard some thought-provoking words. This trip was not in vain!"

Rider's words caused everyone to refocus their attention on Medea. The Caster combination today was truly astonishing. However, it was clear that as the center of this incident, Medea did not seem to have that self-awareness.

"Hey, woman—this King fancies you!"

The golden Archer holding a wine glass spoke with his usual mocking tone, yet the desire hidden within his eyes was completely naked.

"Once I strip away that viper-like exterior of yours..."

Medea didn't even bother to spare Archer a glance, remaining with her eyes half-closed as she leaned against Wang Xiaoming's shoulder.

"Archer, Rider has already declared the end of this banquet. If you still don't wish to leave..."

Before the golden Heroic Spirit could finish his sentence, Wang Xiaoming, who had been relegated to a supporting role until now, suddenly spoke up:

"Then how about staying a little longer?"

The moment Wang Xiaoming's voice fell, every Servant present could feel it—

—the faint connection between themselves and their Masters had suddenly been severed.

Today's update... at least my thesis defense managed to pass yesterday.

Seeing the initial subscription numbers, I didn't expect them to be so reliable; they've already passed 1500.

So, I owe two chapters, and I'll try my best to make them up today!

Also, thank you to all the readers who cared about me and worried about my performance~

Since I'm a corporate slave in reality, it's just something that can't be helped.

Enough rambling...

Off to write.

Chapter 59. King Arthur (Bonus Chapter 1, One Chapter Owed)