Berserker's Defeat

As a combat maid, Leysritt held a halberd in her hands, its sharp tip already leveled at the intruder's head.

Hearing the commotion, Illya looked over in a hurry, her initially panicked gaze settling at this sight.

The person who had arrived was none other than someone else.

It was Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke, held at bay by Leysritt's halberd, remained calm, seemingly not taking the weapon seriously at all.

His eyes had already shifted into the Mangekyou Sharingan at some unknown moment, and he gazed indifferently at Sella and Leysritt, who were preparing to attack him.

After all, for Sasuke, killing the two of them would be as easy as turning over his hand.

"Stand down!"

"Sella, Leysritt!"

"He is not our enemy."

In response, Illya, who was holding Kaoru Sakura, intervened.

As the two maids stepped aside, Sasuke arrived at Illya's side.

Illya wanted to hand Kaoru Sakura over to Sasuke:

"Take Sakura and go."

"Rest assured, Sakura is fine. I only placed a suggestion on her to make her sleep; it won't cause her any harm."

"After she wakes up... she won't remember anything that just happened."

As she spoke, Illya looked at the sleeping Kaoru Sakura in her arms, her eyes filled with reluctance.

But there was no other way; with things having reached this point, Illya had thoroughly recognized the reality of the situation.

Anger and reluctance, accompanied by exhaustion, swept over Illya's spirit.

She was truly tired now.

Illya spoke, preparing to pass Kaoru Sakura into Sasuke's arms.

However, Sasuke had no intention of taking her, saying with a calm expression:

"Since Sakura likes you so much, you should keep holding her for now."

As he finished speaking, Sasuke looked toward the fierce battle in the distance, his face indifferent.

Hearing this, Illya did not want to let go of Kaoru Sakura either, and as she watched Berserker fighting, she prayed piously for him in her heart.

"Boom!"

Following a barrage of hundreds of Noble Phantasms, Berserker, who had just tried to leap into the air to strike down Gilgamesh, had his body forcibly pierced through.

As his life force ceased, the sheer momentum of Berserker's downward charge was directly countered and sent flying by a dozen Noble Phantasms!

The massive Berserker was knocked back, crashing into the castle wall with the force of his own momentum!

The wall could not withstand Berserker's impact and crumbled into dust in an instant!

Amidst the roaring sound, Berserker was buried deep beneath the shattered bricks.

Yet, the very next moment, Berserker was reborn once more, shattering the rubble that had buried him in one go!

Berserker stood up from the ruins, his body, covered in dust and debris, gushing with crimson blood.

Across his entire frame were large and small bloody holes where the Noble Phantasms had pierced him!

The sight of the dripping blood was too gruesome to look at.

Anyone with a weak constitution would likely have fainted on the spot at such a scene.

Gilgamesh, however, appeared extremely calm, a smile of excitement even hanging on the corners of his lips.

Dozens of golden ripples unfolded around him, with hundreds of different Noble Phantasms poised and ready.

The shining golden light illuminated the surroundings, leaving no room for any other color.

Possessing keen intuition, Berserker did not act recklessly; he waited for Gilgamesh's move while simultaneously regenerating his body.

Watching Berserker's visible rate of recovery, even Gilgamesh could not help but exclaim:

"This King has seen many heroes who remained standing even after being slashed or burned."

"But I never expected that there would truly be someone capable of returning from the dead."

"Your Noble Phantasm must be a sublimation of the legends from your life, right?"

"This is the only Noble Phantasm that this King does not possess."

"In that case, have I, this King, fallen into an unfavorable situation?"

Although Gilgamesh spoke these words, the joyful smile on his lips never faded.

"Although this King is quite displeased by this."

"But to deal with you, it seems I must use my highest-grade weapons."

Gilgamesh waved his hand, and the golden ripples, which had numbered only a few dozen, instantly multiplied to over a hundred!

In an instant, they completely enveloped Berserker.

"The legend of Heracles, who overcame the obstacles of the God Hand and was ultimately welcomed to the throne of the gods."

"Truly indomitable."

"The very limit of what a human can endure."

"However, this King's treasury is the exact opposite!"

"It is the pinnacle of infinite accumulation and release!"

"As you can see, I possess every weapon capable of driving a hero to his death."

"Great hero, just how long can you hold out?"

Enveloped by the swarm of Noble Phantasms, Berserker was now a cornered beast fighting for its life.

Yet, even in his maddened state, Berserker knew clearly that he absolutely had to win!

Otherwise, this guy before him would lay a hand on Illya!

As if reading Berserker's heart, Gilgamesh waved his hand with a look of pure delight.

The swarm of Noble Phantasms hovering above descended like bolts of golden lightning, striking down at Berserker on the ground!

Berserker swung his giant axe, knocking away the numerous weapons; he knew well that he could not stop here!

For a moment, Berserker's movements and the speed of his axe swings began to accelerate!

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sound of weapons colliding echoed throughout the castle, and the Noble Phantasms deflected by Berserker flew into the surrounding structures with their momentum undiminished!

The sound of crashing and crumbling was incessant!

By now, Berserker had reached the limit of his reaction speed, every swing of his giant axe accompanied by overlapping afterimages!

Pain stimulated Berserker's nerves, his arms drenched in blood and sweat!

But even so, facing the rain-like assault of Noble Phantasms, Berserker still sustained various injuries!

After being wounded, his speed in dodging plummeted sharply.

First, his legs and feet were pierced by Gilgamesh's Noble Phantasms, followed by his back and arms!

Finally, he could no longer protect his heart and head.

As Berserker fell once again, Gilgamesh sneered:

"Is that all the skill you have?"

"If you don't show me something else, your trials will soon be exhausted."

Ignoring Gilgamesh's words, Berserker roared as he resurrected and stood up once more, brandishing his giant axe as he lunged forward!

To this, Gilgamesh snorted coldly, thrusting his hands into his pockets and shouting:

"Then I shall give you a true trial!"

The surrounding area was almost entirely filled with golden radiance, the number of Noble Phantasms now at least two hundred!

For a moment, the sound of the air being torn apart echoed through the castle!

This was a quantity Berserker simply could not dodge!

Berserker was almost entirely engulfed by the golden brilliance, the bombardment of Noble Phantasms lasting for a full minute!

As the dust and smoke cleared, only the churned-up ground and craters remained where Berserker had stood!

As for Berserker, he had been erased by Gilgamesh in that barrage.

Gilgamesh looked on with disdain:

"A beast, after all, knowing only how to bite."

"I actually held expectations for you, being a fellow demigod."

"To think you were this foolish."

In that last bombardment, Berserker's remaining three resurrections had been rapidly exhausted by Gilgamesh!

Even Illya, acting as his Master, had been unable to react in time.

Even though Illya had been continuously pouring magical energy into Berserker just moments ago...

Illya knew better than anyone that Berserker had left her; clutching Kaoru Sakura, she collapsed onto the roof, her eyes vacant as she whispered:

"How could this be..."

"Berserker..."

For a moment, Illya's voice was choked with sobs.

It was at this very moment that a Golden Spear flashed from the distant battlefield, its target none other than Illya's head.

It happened too quickly; Sella and Leysritt, standing nearby, had no time to react.

Illya instinctively moved to protect Kaoru Sakura in her arms, but it was already too late to parry.

Just as the Golden Spear was about to pierce Illya's skull, Sasuke caught the weapon with an indifferent expression, preventing it from moving even a fraction of an inch further!