What was Bab-ilu?
What was the treasury?
What was the Gate of the Gods?
Why could Isshin Shiba understand every word Gilgamesh said, yet not make sense of them when they were put together?
It wasn't just Gilgamesh's words. There were far too many things about him that Isshin couldn't understand.
Golden Ripples, the Golden Throne, Bab-ilu...
More and more bewildering mysteries piled up, making Isshin want to ask questions.
But just as Isshin was about to speak, his pupils suddenly contracted, and his mouth fell open of its own accord, as though he had witnessed something unbelievable.
In the Age of Gods in the Type-Moon World—the era when gods and humans coexisted—Gilgamesh gathered every treasure on earth and built a treasury to house them, which he named the Gate of Babylon.
The treasures Gilgamesh collected were the prototypes of all the wondrous treasures that would emerge in later ages of the Type-Moon World. They were also proof of humanity's wisdom and knowledge.
Bab-ilu was the key to the Gate of Babylon.
Since the treasury's catalogue continued to grow, Bab-ilu's shape changed without end.
Without the wisdom to instantly decipher its every change, even someone who possessed Bab-ilu couldn't open the Gate of Babylon.
For all these reasons, humanity praised the door opened by Bab-ilu as the "Gate of the Gods."
It meant not only that only divine wisdom could open it, but also that the prototypes of all human myths were stored beyond that door.
At that moment, the Gate of the Gods had opened.
Behind Gilgamesh, hundreds upon hundreds of golden ripples appeared, stretching endlessly and filling the sky.
Golden light shone down, bathing Isshin in a golden glow.
Before Isshin could react, one Noble Phantasm after another emerged from the hundreds of golden ripples.
The sight was so shocking that Isshin couldn't help but feel shaken.
Far away, Kaien Shiba was locked in a fierce battle with Yoruichi Shihouin. A glimmer of gold caught the corner of his eye, and he reflexively looked over.
The sight left Kaien stunned.
In his eyes, a golden gate seemed to have opened in the air behind Gilgamesh.
Before Kaien could get a closer look, a heavy punch slammed into his abdomen. At the same time, Yoruichi's cold voice rang in his ear. "You're fighting me and still letting yourself get distracted. Are you that confident, or just that arrogant?"
Yoruichi gave Kaien no chance to answer. Her attacks crashed down on him like a storm surge, leaving him breathless. He didn't dare let himself get distracted again—and couldn't have even if he wanted to.
Meanwhile, though Isshin was usually frivolous, he was still Captain-level. He quickly regained his composure.
Isshin had to admit that Gilgamesh's current technique was astonishing, and he couldn't begin to make sense of it.
He had considered whether it was a Zanpakuto, but he couldn't sense any spiritual pressure from Bab-ilu or the golden ripples.
Gilgamesh had also said he didn't have a Zanpakuto.
Isshin didn't know if Gilgamesh had been lying, but he was inclined to believe him.
Of course, that didn't mean he could accept that Gilgamesh really was Gilgamesh.
Because if he truly was Gilgamesh, then he had to be at least six thousand years old—twice Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto's age.
That was impossible.
If a person like that really existed, Isshin would have heard of him long ago. There was no way he could have remained unknown until now.
All Isshin could say was that Gilgamesh left him with far too many questions. It was as if he were shrouded in layer upon layer of mist, his true nature impossible to glimpse.
Still, Isshin knew that, given the situation, the only way to clear away the mist and find the truth was to defeat Gilgamesh.
After collecting his thoughts, Isshin fixed Gilgamesh with a serious look. "Be careful. If we really fight, I might not be able to control my strength."
Gilgamesh merely smiled faintly and said nothing.
Seeing this, Isshin didn't waste any more words. He stepped into Flash Step and vanished from where he stood.
The instant Isshin disappeared, Gilgamesh raised his right hand and lightly pressed it down toward a spot in the distance.
In the next moment, the hundreds upon hundreds of Noble Phantasms that had emerged from the golden ripples shot toward that spot in a sweeping barrage.
This was Gilgamesh's most common method of attack: firing Noble Phantasms like arrows. It couldn't bring out their full power, but it required almost no mana.
Isshin had barely reappeared when he saw the overwhelming barrage of Noble Phantasms already flying at him, as if Gilgamesh had foreseen his move.
There was no time to dodge. Isshin could only swing his Zanpakuto and block the incoming barrage.
As soon as he did, Isshin realized that although the Noble Phantasms were powerful, someone with Captain-level strength could block them with ease.
Then Isshin circulated his spiritual energy.
In the next instant, a barrier appeared around him, shielding him.
Isshin used Flash Step again and raced toward Gilgamesh.
He had noticed that all the Noble Phantasms in the golden ripples behind Gilgamesh had been fired like arrows. The ripples were empty now.
Clearly, this was a perfect chance to capture Gilgamesh.
Watching this, Gilgamesh looked intrigued.
Under the light of the Star of Omniscience, he saw through Isshin's intentions.
He knew what Isshin would do next. He also knew that this barrier wasn't a conventional Kido, but a secret technique created by the Shiba Clan by combining it with Kido.
The technique was quite interesting.
However, Gilgamesh also knew that his standard attacks couldn't hurt Isshin—not even break through his barrier.
So which Noble Phantasm should he use?
Gilgamesh felt a little vexed.
He simply had too many Noble Phantasms. There were so many that even he couldn't keep track of them all.
As for Ea, Gilgamesh didn't consider using it.
While Gilgamesh was still mulling it over, Isshin had reached him and reached out to grab him.
At that moment, a gemstone embedded in the Golden Throne suddenly lit up. A tremendous surge of mana poured out of it, forming an energy barrier that blocked Isshin's outstretched hand.
At the same time, the Age of Gods' automatic defensive Magecraft, sealed within the gemstone atop the Golden Throne, was triggered.
As Isshin stared in shock, one golden magic circle after another appeared in midair. Within them, spheres of mana formed with startling speed, their power making his heart pound.
Isshin retreated at once.
But it was too late. The spheres of mana had already become beams of magical energy. They shot toward Isshin as if they could automatically lock onto their target.
Isshin couldn't sense spiritual pressure from the beams, but he could tell their power surpassed that of a Gillian's Cero.
He knew his barrier couldn't withstand their bombardment.
Without hesitation, Isshin raised his Zanpakuto and loudly chanted its Shikai release command.
"Burn, Engetsu!"
As flames surged into the sky, Isshin brought his Zanpakuto down with a fierce slash and roared, "Getsuga... Tensho!"
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