The More Lively It Gets

"What kind of stupid thing are you saying? This makes no sense. Could you please get a grip?"

Staring speechlessly at the little Rin Tohsaka, who had inexplicably slapped some inexplicable thing onto him, Li Ke pulled the condensed mass of magical energy she had stuck to him right back off and shoved it into Rin Tohsaka's mouth. She choked, and he tossed her aside.

"Go play somewhere else. You're thinking way too much if you think you can drive a wedge between me and the people I summoned to help me."

Although he had no idea what she'd shoved into him, Li Ke was sure it couldn't be anything good, so he'd simply returned it to her.

After all, there was no way to look at Rin Tohsaka right now and think she was normal. Some kind of fox spirit or the like had probably possessed her.

But his top priority now was dealing with Gilgamesh.

What Gilgamesh had just done had seriously pissed him off!

"Hey, interrupting someone else's duel without warning and using such a despicable trick... Enkidu, this doesn't count as me interfering in your fight, right?"

Li Ke spoke to Enkidu, who looked a little awkward. What Gilgamesh had done really wasn't very nice. Calling him a despicable villain would almost be giving him too much credit. But Enkidu was more concerned about Li Ke's condition.

"Master, are you really all right?"

After all, Li Ke's behavior just now had hardly seemed normal. Judging from the aura around him and what he'd said, it seemed far more likely he'd turn into a world-destroying demon lord.

Enkidu didn't want his Master to die or get hurt!

"Yeah, I'm fine. But I'm not letting you have Gilgamesh... What he just did really disgusted me."

Enkidu looked at Li Ke, then at Gilgamesh, who wore a bewildered expression. He realized that his dear friend had messed things up again. And while Li Ke's aura was mixed with the presence of a Beast, it was still stable.

After thinking it over, he nodded.

"Then please teach Gil a lesson for me, Master! He really went too far!"

Li Ke nodded, then spun the spear in his hand and pointed it at Gilgamesh.

"Then come on, so-called King of Heroes. Take out your weapons. If you're shameless enough to use such a despicable trick, let's settle this in a proper fight!"

Gilgamesh was out of sorts, but so was Li Ke. He had awakened the power of the Nephalem, the Dark World's angel-and-demon Half-blood, but it had consumed a great deal of magical energy.

He had nearly used up all his magic when he drove back Gugalanna. The remains of Gugalanna had replenished some of it, but if he wanted to fight at full strength, he'd have to dismiss some of his summons.

After all, his body was still that of a child. His current form was only temporary.

So Li Ke thought it over and dismissed the beings inside him that were apparently called Beasts, freeing up the magic they had been using. He kept only the Beast whose power he had just used, the Principle of Comparison.

He wasn't doing it for any other reason. Since he'd just used that Beast's authority, he owed it a debt of gratitude. Li Ke planned to thank it properly after the fight.

At the very least, he should treat it to a good meal, right?

"Tch... Honestly... So this is how it ends? This king has gone and played the villain for nothing..."

Gilgamesh sensed the aura of the Beasts inside Li Ke fading and twitched at the corner of his mouth. He had never expected Li Ke to dismiss the Beasts within himself of his own accord—and to retain his sanity under the suppression of so many Beasts and All the World's Evils.

"But to question this king on behalf of a few mongrels, you've got some nerve, boy. Even if you're a treasure worthy of being added to this king's vault, you're far too rebellious!"

Gilgamesh raised his hand, and two golden swords appeared in it.

When Ishtar shut down his treasury, he hadn't been completely idle. And when he'd fought his friend earlier, he hadn't had time to retrieve some of his weapons.

After all, he'd thrown out so many Noble Phantasms that he couldn't possibly have recalled them all in a short time.

In fact, plenty of Noble Phantasms still lay scattered across the battlefield, never retrieved.

Like these two swords in his hands!

"They're no Ea, but close combat is still this king's specialty!"

Close combat favored him!

The thought flashed through Gilgamesh's mind. The next moment, the two of them clashed!

Gilgamesh's figure blazed with golden light. His sword skimmed Li Ke's spear and slashed toward his arm, trying to make him let go of the weapon.

No matter what kind of weapon you used or how well you were armed, a spear had the advantage over almost any other melee weapon besides a bow or crossbow. Most of the time, the odds were nine to one.

The other melee weapon had one chance. The spear had nine.

Reach was the deciding factor!

But against these Heroic Spirits, all masters of their craft, things weren't so simple. Their exquisite techniques were on full display!

Li Ke stepped back and swept his spear sideways, knocking away the long blade Gilgamesh had swung at him. But another blade was already thrusting toward him.

Without hesitation, Li Ke reversed his grip and thrust the butt of his spear like a spearhead, aiming for Gilgamesh's chest!

Gilgamesh was a fraction faster, but Li Ke's spear was long enough to pierce his body before Gilgamesh could run him through!

"Tch!"

Gilgamesh precisely used the long blade in his hand to block the butt of Li Ke's spear, but the golden figure was sent flying. He landed on the ground, carving two grooves into it.

But he immediately threw the long sword in his other hand. Two golden streaks shot toward Li Ke from different directions, aiming for his neck and ankle.

Li Ke hurriedly halted his charge and swept his spear upward, knocking aside the blade flying toward his throat. At the same time, he kicked the hilt of the sword flying in low, sending it hurtling away to slash at Gilgamesh's ankle.

Then he spun around in a flash. His spear traced a massive Rune through the air, releasing countless bolts of light. At the same time, he swung it through a wide arc, using the strength of his waist to smash it into the hilt of the sword he'd knocked away, sending the blade shooting toward Gilgamesh's throat like an arrow!

Both swords flew toward Gilgamesh almost simultaneously. His red eyes widened as he spun in midair to avoid having his ankle cut. When the hilt turned in front of him, he grabbed the sword that had been flying toward his ankle, then caught the sword that had been aimed at his throat with his other hand. He landed beautifully on the ground.

Throughout all this, every bolt of light conjured by the Runes had flown past him, only brushing away a few strands of his golden hair!

But the instant he landed and lost his balance, Li Ke charged forward without hesitation. Gripping the spear in one hand, he thrust it hard at Gilgamesh's throat!

At the last possible moment, Gilgamesh managed to dodge the thrust aimed at his throat. But the spearhead still sliced open the skin on his neck!

Blood spurted out at once, forcing Gilgamesh to retreat again, out beyond the reach of Li Ke's spear.

Li Ke didn't stop attacking. He pressed forward and thrust again, giving Gilgamesh little time to defend himself. All he could do was cross the two swords in his hands against Li Ke's spear.

But the difference in their strength made it impossible for him to hold Li Ke's spear steady. Li Ke's spearhead knocked the swords aside and plunged into Gilgamesh's chest, only to be stopped by his ribs!

What's more, Gilgamesh's crossed swords clamped down hard on the spearhead, preventing Li Ke from pressing his attack any further.

Then, just as Li Ke was about to pull back his spear, Gilgamesh's body turned into countless golden motes of light. They swiftly shifted him to the top of a high-rise.

"Haah... Haah... You really are something. Your spear technique is still pretty rough, but that brute strength and speed of yours are no joke..."

Clutching the wound in his chest, Gilgamesh stared at Li Ke in a sorry state.

His weapon was already at a disadvantage, and Li Ke's speed and strength had clearly gone up another level.

It was obvious that the boy hadn't been fighting Scathach at full strength.

He'd realized just now that Li Ke's spear skills were mediocre at best. Scathach had been able to beat him down with ease. He'd fought her purely by relying on his superior magical energy and reflexes.

But his swordsmanship was excellent. In just a few moves, he'd read all of Gilgamesh's actions. He really was a genius! This kid's real specialty had to be the sword!

So had he held back against Scathach? Or had he wanted to pit his technique against his teacher's?

Gilgamesh didn't know. But he did know one thing.

He was about to die.

From the wound that had been cut open, his blood kept turning into thorn-like things that spread through his body. The blood in him was constantly suppressing the power, but his body was already on the verge of collapse.

It wasn't for any other reason. It was because the Greater Grail was falling apart.

The Heroic Spirits basically relied on the Greater Grail to exist. Now that it had been destroyed, the basis for their existence was gone as well.

So even without fighting, the Heroic Spirits summoned here couldn't remain for much longer.

"Those Heroic Spirits who were summoned to fulfill their wishes must be fuming that they never even got to join the battle before they're forced to leave. Just imagining it makes me happy... I'd love to see them wailing after their wishes go unfulfilled..."

The thought filled Gilgamesh with delight. But he had no intention of leaving like this. If he was going to disappear, he would do it his own way!

"I have to admit, for now, this king is weaker than you!"

Gilgamesh smiled at the boy in front of him, fighting with a body that wasn't his own.

If the boy wanted his life, then Gilgamesh should show him the same respect!

"I can't use Ea, but before I disappear, the magic that useless goddess gave me should still let you witness the majesty of the King of Heroes!"

After speaking, he sprinted between the high-rises as fast as he could, trying to keep Li Ke from interrupting the activation of his Noble Phantasm.

Li Ke quickly pursued him. He could feel Gilgamesh gathering magical energy. He could also sense the remnants of Gugalanna's power in the sky, which Li Ke hadn't fully absorbed, beginning to gather under some mysterious force!

"Gil! What are you trying to do? If you're planning to unleash a flood, I'm going to get angry!"

Enkidu asked furiously. He recognized the two swords. The pair in Gilgamesh's hands were called the Swords of Termination.

They were the prototype of Noah's Flood, the symbol of the Flood of Utnapishtim, a Noble Phantasm that represented the end of civilization.

As a Servant, Gilgamesh couldn't destroy the world, but if he unleashed their full power, there was nothing to stop him from causing a tsunami and submerging the entire country!

"My dear friend! Don't underestimate your Master!"

Without hesitation, Gilgamesh fitted the two golden swords together by their hilts. A golden light appeared at their tips, and the two blades instantly transformed into a golden bow!

By then, Li Ke had finally caught up. He thrust the spear in his hand toward Gilgamesh's heart!

But Gilgamesh didn't hesitate. The instant Li Ke caught up, he twisted around, a crazed smile on his face!

"May the flames of destruction rain down from the heavens! Let the Flood of Utnapishtim surge forth!"

Before he could finish speaking, Li Ke's spear pierced his heart. Yet he still managed a crazed grin as the bowstring snapped loose, sending a golden arrow hurtling toward Li Ke's head!

Li Ke's eyes flew wide open. Fortunately, he'd prepared to counterattack as he caught up. At the last possible moment, he turned his head, letting the golden arrow graze his cheek!

Blood spurted out, and Gilgamesh's strength was finally spent. He looked at his furious friend on the ground and smiled happily.

"Enkidu... If you want to teach me a lesson, do it next time..."

As he spoke, his body turned into golden motes of light. At the same time, the golden arrow lying on the ground shot a beam of light into the sky!

Up in the sky, Li Ke saw it clearly: a golden arrow fell from the heavens into the atmosphere and mingled with the remnants of Gugalanna's power that he hadn't managed to absorb.

After the golden arrow struck the atmosphere, countless red lines, like circuits, spread across the sky.

Then—

Space shattered. The ocean seemed to appear in the sky! An endless flood surged toward the whole of Fuyuki City!

Tomorrow, the Holy Grail War comes to an end!