Gilgamesh... the King of Heroes from ancient Uruk?
In an instant, people all over the world sprang into action. Many historians immediately began explaining who Gilgamesh was.
Gilgamesh came from the epic of Gilgamesh, unearthed alongside ancient stone tablets that recorded the tale in detail.
Among the clay tablet king lists unearthed in Sumer, this was the first heroic epic whose detailed story had been confirmed by humanity.
According to estimates, Gilgamesh lived sometime between the twenty-eighth and twenty-sixth centuries BC and was the king of the ancient city-state of Uruk.
Legend had it that he was two-thirds god and one-third man, a demigod by birth who possessed extraordinary strength. His epic tale also had a distinctly Western flavor: fighting divine beasts, challenging the gods, descending into the underworld, and ruling the most powerful nation in the Sumerian region of his time.
According to historians, Gilgamesh in the epic had indeed existed, though the tales of his exploits were most likely based on ancient beliefs and embellished for effect.
After all, people in ancient times, in both the East and West, liked to claim descent from this or that god. They would often spread such claims widely, whether to bolster their reputations, pursue other interests, or simply show off.
These kinds of epic legends were passed down through the ages, with new ones appearing for thousands of years afterward. The heroic epics of ancient Greece were heavily influenced by Gilgamesh, too, and were full of boastful myths.
Though these stories seemed entirely made up to modern eyes, the epic itself was indeed the earliest heroic tale for which humanity had clear archaeological evidence. And since Gilgamesh had been a king, he was the oldest Hero King.
But now, it seemed that the epic's story might actually be true. At the very least, Gilgamesh had existed, which was why he could be summoned as a Heroic Spirit.
And considering that the supernatural had indeed once existed, it was quite possible that the gods and monsters from those ancient legends had existed, too.
The thought was chilling.
There was no doubt that the revelation of Gilgamesh's identity had instantly doubled the mystery surrounding the Holy Grail War.
If the other figures had all lived in recorded history, Gilgamesh had pulled the Heroic Spirits of the Holy Grail War straight into the realm of mythology. His stature had instantly risen several notches.
At Yao Guang's temporary Chaldea headquarters, Murata Himeko stood with her arms folded, her expression grave. "Gilgamesh, huh... He's certainly a figure steeped in mythology. If he really was a demigod, then... did gods truly exist? Or were there creatures called gods in ancient times?"
"Put that way, Gilgamesh's lack of manners makes sense. Before the twenty-fifth century BC, even civilizations that had reached the level of nation-states must have been brutal and savage in their ways. Human civilization as a whole was still in a primitive, uncivilized age, both in the East and the West."
"Besides, a king who wasn't strong and savage enough couldn't keep his subjects in line. By modern standards, those people were outright barbarians. So it makes sense that he could be a king and still have such terrible manners."
Thinking of all the records in the Gilgamesh epic about Gilgamesh's brutality and savagery, and how he fought lions, tigers, and divine beasts with his bare hands, she felt she could understand how he had developed such an awful personality.
Of course, her assumptions were nowhere near the truth. Whether she would ever have the chance to learn the answers remained to be seen.
At Su Yun's home, Artoria nodded as understanding dawned. "So he really was an ancient king—and one who lived before 2000 BC, at that. That's impressive. The Holy Grail War can even summon a demigod like him? Or was his demigod status actually false?"
Su Yun smiled. "There's no doubt about it: Gilgamesh really was a demigod. Also, Lia, most of the demigods in those myths really did exist."
Artoria turned to Su Yun in surprise. "A-Yun, you know about this?"
Su Yun nodded. "Because I'm an observer and liaison for Destiny, I know a lot of secrets. For now, let's see how this unfolds. Once you've watched what happens, I'll be able to answer you better."
At that, Artoria nodded. She trusted Su Yun completely, so she immediately turned back to keep watching.
Just then, something new happened.
On the Light Screen, Gilgamesh listened to Li Shuwen's reply, then suddenly hardened his expression, his anger flaring anew. "Insolent! You dare address a king by his name! Li Shuwen, do not mistake a king's magnanimity for a license to act with such arrogance! Your crime merits the death penalty!"
Li Shuwen chuckled. "As I've already said, we Chinese have always treated guests with courtesy. A kind guest receives kind treatment, and a wicked guest receives wicked treatment."
"So, King of Uruk, will you take back what you said earlier? If you do, I'll withdraw my discourtesy toward you as well. Now, King of Uruk, what's your answer?"
At the end, the elderly man, who looked to be over seventy, suddenly stopped smiling. His gaze turned icy, sharp as a blade and filled with killing intent.
This was the overwhelming pressure of a grandmaster of martial arts.
What Li Shuwen displayed was the bearing of a warrior and founding martial artist who had reached the highest level of martial mastery.
Gilgamesh had been thoroughly enraged by Li Shuwen's repeated provocations. His voice turned cold. "You're certainly bold, mongrel! You treat a king's gift as a joke and repeatedly insult his dignity! Only death can cleanse you of your sins! You ignorant fool—you have no right to live in this world!"
As he spoke the last words, his voice suddenly rose, and his face twisted with fury.
At the same time, space on either side behind him shifted. Under the influence of magical energy, golden ripples appeared like the surface of water, and a finely crafted sword and an ornate spear slowly emerged from them.
There was no doubt that both weapons were Noble Phantasms!
The next moment, the scene changed to a luxurious mansion.
The camera showed a study steeped in an old-fashioned atmosphere. Tohsaka Tokiomi sat in the seat of honor, turned sideways toward the window. He held a glass of red wine by the stem in his right hand, with his left elbow resting on the armrest and his head propped against it. A smile worthy of a boss curved his lips. With one leg crossed over the other, he seemed to be savoring the moment, mysterious and elegant.
The camera shifted to the chair beside him. Kotomine Kirei sat there with his eyes closed. He suddenly opened them and looked at Tohsaka Tokiomi. "Teacher, Assassin and Archer have come into conflict. Should we stop them?"
At that, Tohsaka Tokiomi kept his pose and expression unchanged. He merely swirled his glass gently, making the red wine roll around inside, and gave his answer. "There's no need, Kirei. I told you long ago that victory is already in our grasp. The process doesn't matter. If the two Servants want to fight, let them."
Kotomine Kirei asked, "But in terms of combat ability, Assassin is far inferior to Archer in both parameters and Noble Phantasms. Are you sure it'll be all right?"
Tohsaka Tokiomi took a small sip of wine before answering slowly. "Kirei, you should have more faith in your Servant. Don't forget which country this land belongs to, or what its people believe in. Assassin has the advantage of being on home ground here. His strength is more than twice what it would be elsewhere."
"Even summoned as an Assassin, the class least suited to direct combat, he isn't someone that haughty king can easily defeat—not when he refuses to use even half his true strength. He might even lose."
Kotomine Kirei fell silent. "..."
Tohsaka Tokiomi gazed out the window. "Kirei, don't you understand?"
Kotomine Kirei replied, "Please enlighten me, Teacher."
Tohsaka Tokiomi said, "That king is far too arrogant. His arrogance has already caused a negligible disruption to my plans. It may be negligible, but to me, the best outcome is for him to suffer a setback and learn that he isn't invincible."
Kotomine Kirei was silent for a moment, then nodded. "I understand. If necessary, I'll use a Command Spell to help Assassin."
Tohsaka Tokiomi smiled and said no more. He closed his eyes and slowly sipped his wine, savoring the drink in his glass as though he no longer cared in the slightest about what was happening at the harbor. He was elegance and composure personified, the very image of a mysterious, powerful boss.
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