Fuyuki's wind was cold that night. The city's lights reflected off the river, distorted and flickering, while a golden figure stood in the center of the bridge, Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, surveying the horizon with boredom and arrogance.
The sound of his footsteps echoed over the concrete, metallic and imposing. Streams of golden energy swirled around his body like a living aura, and behind him, dozens of portals from the Gate of Babylon floated open, each revealing a different relic.
"Tch… how long does it take." he murmured, with a crooked smile.
It was then that the wind changed.
The temperature plummeted.
And a sharp crack echoed in the distance.
From the fog that covered the other side of the bridge, a silhouette slowly approached.
One step.
Two steps.
Each of them made the ground vibrate, as if the earth itself recognized the approaching presence.
When the fog dissipated, Yuji Itadori appeared.
He was different, even more so than before. The body covered in black tattoos that pulsed in sync with the heart, the four arms crossed or hanging at the sides, surrounded by red and black cursed energy. His gaze was serene, but there was an intensity that was impossible to measure within.
No words were said.
Just the sound of the wind.
Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow, surprised for a moment, and then laughed. "Hah… so you came alone? How bold. I thought you'd bring your puppies along."
Yuji stopped a few meters away from him.
The firm, unshakable gaze.
No trace of hesitation.
"I didn't have to." he replied, in a calm voice. "They trust me to put an end to this."
The King of Heroes smiled, with pure disdain. "Hm. Arrogance typical of insects who think they touch the divine." He opened his arms, and dozens of swords, spears, and axes floated around him, aimed at Yuji. "So, Itadori… show me what this unholy body is capable of."
Yuji took a deep breath, and a wave of cursed energy spread like an electric shock, cracking the asphalt beneath his feet.
The sky seemed to darken.
His four arms moved in perfect harmony, two braced in guard, while the other two flexed, as if each possessed a will of its own.
"…It's not because of pride that I'm here." said Yuji, quietly, his eyes shining. "It's to end the era of those who think they are above others."
The ground shook.
Gilgamesh laughed, a loud, cruel laugh that echoed throughout the bridge.
"Very well, former vessel of Sukuna. May this field be your grave!"
And before the sound of his words died away, the Gates of Babylon burst into light hundreds of weapons being fired in a golden gale.
Yuji advanced.
Without hesitating.
Four arms, a roar, and the impact shook the entire bridge.
It was the beginning of the final confrontation between the King of Heroes and the Man who defied a god.
Fuyuki's sky seemed suspended. The clouds dragged heavily over the bridge, the wind whistled between the rafters, and the King of Heroes and Sukuna's vessel faced each other. No living soul dared to approach, the very air seemed to escape their presence.
Yuji, with four arms, took a deep breath. His gaze was calm, determined.
Gilgamesh, smirking, raised his hands as dozens of golden portals opened behind him.
The wind stopped.
The silence lasted for a moment.
And then
"Domain Expansion… Territorial Hunt."
The floor opened up like a liquid mirror. The bridge disappeared beneath his feet, and everything around transformed, the air distorted, the sky folded in on itself.
Gilgamesh looked around, confused for a brief moment, before the world changed.
The bridge is gone.
The sound of the city disappeared.
And the field became a dark plain, covered in bones and gnarled trees, with ancient ruins and cursed totems. A metallic smell of blood hung in the air.
Yuji's domain, the territory where prey was always hunted, and no god was above justice.
But before the fight began,
before the domain swallowed him,
the narrative retreated, as if time was going back.
Fifteen days earlier.
The sun was rising over the ruined neighborhood of Fuyuki. Inside Tohsaka's old house, a group gathered around a makeshift table: Yuji, Rin, Arturia, Shirou, Uraume, Toji, Illya, Sakura, Lancer, Choso, Tachie and even Uraume.
The atmosphere was tense, but there was something familiar about that tension, a kind of relief that they were still alive.
Rin, with her arms crossed, looked at the map open on the table. It marked Gilgamesh's possible points of manifestation.
"So..." Rin began, with his usual pragmatic tone, "the plan is to attack directly, without subterfuge?"
Choso, leaning against the wall, replied, "He's going to come to us anyway. The King of Heroes wants to prove something, not hide."
Lancer chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "This kind of king lives for glory. He will come, even if the world is falling apart."
Uraume, head bowed, looked uneasy. "You don't understand… if he completely absorbs the fingers, reality will distort. It's not just physical destruction. He will merge eras and worlds."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Yuji, sitting in the corner, simply observed. His four arms were covered in bandages, still adapting to the mutation. He breathed deeply, trying to control the energy consuming him from within.
Arturia looked at him and asked in a low voice: "Yuji… are you sure about this? Facing him alone?"
Yuji replied without raising his gaze: "If I take everyone with me, the city won't survive. If it's in my Domain, the impact won't spread."
Then Rin asked, with a serious expression but a human tone: "Alright, but… how will we fight without causing deaths?"
Silence fell. Everyone looked at Yuji, waiting for an answer.
He stood up slowly. The bandages on his arms broke with the movement, revealing the pulsating black tattoos.
His gaze was no longer just that of a human; there was the weight of Sukuna, but also something greater.
Yuji closed his eyes. "...I can't promise that.
But if someone has to carry this burden, it will be me."
The group remained gathered around the table, the tension in the air as thick as the cursed energy that permeated the place. The dim light of the candles flickered, reflecting in the eyes of each one, tired, determined, but aware that what was to come surpassed the boundary between the human and the divine.
Yuji, with his four arms crossed, looked at the city map spread out before him. His fingers drummed slowly on the table as he murmured: "The best way to avoid deaths... would be to use my Domain Expansion. If I isolate the field, the fight is between me and him. No civilians would be affected."
Rin looked up, raising an eyebrow. "But what about Gilgamesh? He's not just any Servant. If he uses that… thing, that golden arsenal and the expansion he got from Sukuna, he could easily break your domain."
Silence fell for a moment. Everyone knew she was right. Gilgamesh wasn't a simple opponent; he was the personification of pride and power, the man who called the weapons of gods "toys."
Uraume, leaning against the wall, slowly opened her eyes, breaking the silence. "There is a way to prevent this."
Everyone turned to her. Uraume's expression was cold, but there was a hint of hesitation, something rare for her. "If Yuji makes a binding vow before the battle, he can strengthen the domain's structure and block the gates of Babylon for a while. Not even an external distortion could break it… not even the power of a king."
Tachie tilted her head, suspicious. "A binding vow? Like, a magical oath?"
Uraume nodded. "Yes. The oath would create a reinforced barrier between the domain and the real world and prevent Gilgamesh from using his domain expansion to break it. The essence of Yuji and the territory would become one.
But…" she paused. "This comes at a price."
Shirou, who had been silent until then, spoke in a firm voice: "What kind of price?"
Uraume crossed her arms. "For the pact to work, Yuji would have to remain alive and conscious within the domain for a whole hour… without fighting."
The sound of the revelation reverberated in the room. Shirou snorted in disbelief. "An hour? Against someone like Gilgamesh? That's suicide!"
Lancer laughed, resting his elbow on the table. "It's almost as if the boy is going to become live prey."
Sakura, however, didn't laugh. She was leaning against the window, watching the reflection of the light on the glass. Then she turned to Yuji and said firmly, "Then he'll have to run away."
Everyone looked at her, surprised.
Sakura continued, "If the domain is his territory, he can control it, right? Then the advantage is ours. He just needs to dodge, move, deceive.
If the goal is to maintain the pact for an hour… he doesn't need to win now. Just survive."
Uraume looked at her, a slight smile curving his lips. "Clever. He can use the very structure of the Territorial Hunt to hide. Turn the domain into a living labyrinth, change the terrain, force Gilgamesh to hunt blindly."
Yuji remained silent for a moment. Then he clenched his fists. "Escaping someone like him isn't simple.
But…" a slight smile appeared, "When an hour passes, I'll be able to confront him without him breaking the domain."
Arturia approached and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Then make the Binding Vow, Yuji Itadori."
Uraume extended her hand, the air around it condensing into ice crystals that formed a floating, ancient symbol made of runes and frozen blood.
Yuji stood, and all four arms rose in unison. He pronounced the vow in a low voice, each word echoing like a contained thunderclap:
"By the pact between body and soul, between curse and will…
May the hunter become the territory,
And as long as the heart beats, may the domain not be broken.
So I swear, even if time ceases."
The seal glowed intensely red, burning the air and marking the ground. The ice dissolved into mist.
Yuji took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the pact pierce his chest; it was as if time around him slowed down. The vow was made.
If the domain were destroyed before an hour, his soul would be torn apart along with it.
Tachie broke the silence, laughing nervously: "So, in short… our plan is for Yuji to run from a god for sixty minutes."
Lancer crossed his arms, smiling. "If he survives this, perhaps fate itself will fear him."
Yuji gave a small, tired smile. "Yeah, maybe. But fear doesn't matter.
What matters is that… this time, no one else will die." Inside the house, Yuji was still kneeling after the binding vow. The seal burned on his chest like fire and ice at the same time. Everyone watched him in silence, until Uraume stepped forward, her cold presence dominating the room.
"To make things easier for you…" she began, her voice calm but firm, "I will fight first."
Yuji looked up. "You're going to… fight him?"
Uraume nodded, strands of white hair swaying gently. "I know his power. I've seen what gold and a king's ego can do. I will delay him as much as I can." She raised her hand, and the air condensed into ice crystals that scattered across the floor, forming a shimmering spiral.
"I will use my Ice Formation. A prison made with the essence of eternal winter. He may be a king, but even gold freezes in the face of absolute cold."
Sakura approached, worried. "But this will wear you down…"
Uraume merely smiled, a cold, almost serene smile. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that his domain remains intact."
She turned to Yuji. "I just need you to run. Don't look back. When the right moment comes… release the domain and finish the hunt."
Yuji's gaze tightened, determined. "Understood."
And so, the plan was drawn up.
Back to the present.
The wind cut like blades. The ground cracked beneath the feet of the two titans.
In the middle of the ruined city, Gilgamesh stood, a golden aura surrounding him, but his Gate of Babylon portals shimmered and… wouldn't open.
He frowned. "…What is this?"
Before him, Uraume emerged from an ice storm, the air around her freezing in seconds. "It's useless, foolish king. Within my Formation, the air bends, and even gold falls silent."
Gilgamesh growled, opening his arms. "Insolent! Do you think the cold can silence the splendor of divine treasures?"
He tried to open a portal, but nothing happened. The golden light shattered like glass.
Uraume raised his hands, and pillars of ice emerged from the ground, surrounding him.
Gilgamesh advanced, kicking one of the pillars and destroying it with sheer physical strength. "Hah!" "Then come and delay me, woman of ice!"
The impact of their hands and feet colliding sounded like thunder.
Gilgamesh's body moved with raw fury, dry and direct blows, his face contorted in anger; he didn't need weapons now.
Uraume moved lightly, dodging, freezing the ground with each step, creating ice blades that formed and shattered in sequence.
Meanwhile, Yuji, a few meters behind, ran among the wreckage, his heart pounding. The domain wasn't active yet; he was waiting for the right moment.
The pact demanded an hour. An hour in which he couldn't fight, only resist.
The sound of the blows echoed behind him, a full-blown brawl. Gilgamesh and Uraume clashed like two forces of nature.
The king, even without his arsenal, was a monster of pure skill. Each of his blows made the ground tremble, cracks spreading across entire buildings.
Uraume, in response, He created walls of ice, domes, thorns that sprouted from the ground and surrounded the king in ephemeral prisons.
Gilgamesh laughed between blows, driven mad. "Hah! Even without my weapons, I can still crush worlds with my fists!"
Uraume dodged a punch that destroyed part of the bridge, the impact generating a wave of heat and ice mixed together. "Speak less, king… and feel the cold of true despair."
She clasped her hands together—Ice Formation: Static Heart, the air crystallized, and a white explosion engulfed Gilgamesh.
For a few seconds, everything was silent.
Only the sound of the wind… and the distant echo of Yuji's footsteps fleeing, firm, carrying the weight of the oath on his chest.
But then, a golden fissure tore through the ice.
Gilgamesh's laughter echoed, hoarse and triumphant. "Hah… interesting." "I admit, Ice Woman… you're a good warm-up."
Uraume was breathing heavily, but smiled. "Keep warming up, then. When the real hell arrives… it will be too much."
She clasped her hands together—Ice Formation: Static Heart, the air crystallized, and a white explosion engulfed Gilgamesh.
For a few seconds, everything was silent.
Only the sound of the wind… and the distant echo of Yuji's footsteps fleeing, firm, carrying the weight of the oath on his chest.
But then, a golden fissure tore through the ice.
Gilgamesh's laughter echoed, hoarse and triumphant. "Hah… interesting. I admit, ice woman… you're a good warm-up."
Uraume breathed heavily, but smiled. "Keep warming up, then. When true hell arrives… it will be too much."
The cold and the gold collided, and the entire field trembled.
Meanwhile, Yuji advanced, disappearing into the shadows of the city. The pact clock began to tick, one hour of escape. One hour to destiny.
The battlefield was already in ruins, the concrete shattered, the air heavy with icy vapor, and the distant sound of ice expanding and cracking under Gilgamesh's absurd force.
The golden king roared amidst the storm, his body shimmering with golden light that resisted the absolute cold.
But then, Uraume changed her stance.
She stopped attacking.
Her eyes, as pale as the snow itself, closed, and the air around her became still.
"Freezing Calm…" she murmured, and the sound of her voice echoed like a whisper carried on the wind.
The ground was covered by a thin, translucent layer of ice.
A dense fog began to spread, first around her feet, then engulfing the entire Fuyuki Bridge.
The temperature plummeted. Even sound seemed to disappear, swallowed by an unnatural stillness.
Gilgamesh took a step forward, and the sound of his foot cracking the ice was the only audible noise.
He looked around, confused. "Tsk… what is this?"
The mist began to rise to shoulder height, so thick that he could barely see the tips of his fingers.
But it wasn't just ice. It was a feeling, a presence. The soul of anyone who entered that mist was crushed by a sensation of torpor and disorientation, as if time and space were moving in opposite directions.
Uraume slowly opened her eyes within the mist, and her silhouette seemed to multiply, frozen echoes of herself, motionless reflections trapped in invisible blades of ice.
"Freezing Calm…" she said softly, "...it's not just cold. It's absolute silence. It's the state in which the body and soul stop resisting… and accept the eternal winter."
Gilgamesh turned, trying to locate where the voice was coming from. "Coward... hiding behind the mist?"
"No," Uraume replied.
Suddenly, she appeared behind him, moving like a translucent shadow.
A blast of ice cut through the air, swift and precise. Gilgamesh blocked with his forearm, but the impact froze half of the golden armor on his body.
The king roared and swung his fist, shattering the ice with brute force, but vapor covered everything again.
Each breath he took now burned his chest, and his movements became heavier.
"Ridiculous..." he murmured, staggering slightly, "you think this cold can stop a king?"
Uraume appeared before him, her gaze serene and impassive. "No," she replied, "But it might make you forget it for a while."
She pressed her palms against the ground, and hundreds of ice spikes emerged from the mist, tearing through the asphalt and trapping Gilgamesh in a translucent prison.
The mist swirled around them, thick, impenetrable.
From above, it looked like a cocoon of mist and bluish light in the heart of the city.
Inside, Gilgamesh tried to break the ice chains with his monstrous strength, while Uraume held her position, blood dripping from her lips, her body trembling with effort.
She whispered, with a slight smile: "Keep sleeping, golden king… the cold will keep you awake just long enough to see the hunter arrive."
Far away, Yuji, still fleeing, felt the temperature drop, the seal on his chest pulsed.
It was the signal. Uraume was keeping the field steady.
The count continued steadily.
The icy mist still lingered over the field, thick and cold enough to freeze the ground with every step. Uraume, panting, kept her hands raised, concentrating what little energy she had left.
With a muffled roar, the "Ice Waterfall" fell from the sky, a crystalline torrent of frozen blades that plummeted like a cutting rain. Gilgamesh easily dodged some of them, but a few struck his armor, leaving golden frozen marks.
He grinned, an arrogant and angry smile. "You dare freeze the king? Pathetic."
In the blink of an eye, Gilgamesh lunged forward, shattering the ice layers with punches so fast the surrounding air split. Uraume tried to create a new freezing wall, but the impact of a kick sent her flying several meters back, destroying part of the ground.
She fell to her knees, blood trickling from her mouth, but still conscious, her gaze determined. "Angel... Yuji..." she murmured, trembling. "I did what I promised..."
Gilgamesh wiped the blood that trickled from the corner of his mouth, raising his head toward the Fuyuki night sky. The air distorted behind him.
"Enough fun," he said, slowly opening his arms. "Now, it's time to show the difference between gods and insects."
Behind him, golden portals began to open, one by one, illuminating everything around them like a divine dawn.
The metallic sound echoed, resounding like war bells.
"Gates of Babylon."
Ancient blades, spears, and swords floated in the air, spinning slowly, all pointed at Uraume, who tried to rise, his knees trembling, the cold mixed with fear in the air.
And then, Gilgamesh raised his hand.
"Vanish."
Time rewound once more, returning to that same cloudy dawn, fifteen days before. The group was gathered inside the ancient Fuyuki temple, exorcism papers pasted on the walls, the air heavy with tension and weariness.
Fifteen days eirlier...
Yuji looked at the floor, his hands resting on his knees. His gaze was serious, determined, but with a shadow of uncertainty. "Even with the expansion, the Gates of Babylon won't be contained for long..." he murmured. "Once it opens, our entire plan will collapse."
Silence filled the room for a moment. Rin crossed her arms, thinking of a solution, but before she could answer, a light presence appeared behind them.
Hana entered the temple, her expression calm, almost indifferent. She didn't even look at Yuji, simply walked to the center of the room and sat down silently.
"You came...?" Yuji asked, surprised by her lack of emotion.
But before he could say anything more, a soft, distant voice echoed in Hana's mind, a voice that wasn't hers.
> "He's right... But there's a way to balance the forces."
It was the Angel, her inner power, that had awakened.
Yuji felt it too, that pure, almost sacred energy, which contrasted with the demonic chaos of Sukuna within him.
> "I can restrain Gilgamesh's power... for a while. But for that, she'll need to be in the middle of the war. The 'sacrifice' will be temporary... But it will help."
Yuji clenched his fists. "I hate to admit it, but... that's it... Hana, Angel, I'll trust you.
Back to the present.
The battlefield in Fuyuki was in ruins, covered in ice and golden dust. Gilgamesh was about to fire his weapons, and Uraume, fallen, merely watched.
Suddenly, Arturia appeared running, with Hana in her arms, the girl's eyes shining with an intense silver hue.
Arturia shouted, her voice firm as an unsheathed sword: "Now, Angel!"
The girl's body began to radiate an almost divine white light, trembling amidst the pure energy. The Angel within her manifested, ready to act.
The sound of the Gates of Babylon stopped for an instant, the golden blades frozen in the air, as if time had hesitated before the presence of that light.
The Angel's explosion of light made the entire field tremble, the air splitting into white and golden beams. Arturia could barely keep her eyes open; the divine energy The ground of Fuyuki was torn open.
She glanced to the side and noticed Hana trembling in her arms, the light in her eyes beginning to fade. "That's enough!" Arturia murmured, her voice firm, even though she was breathless. "If you stay here, you'll die."
Without hesitation, she lifted the girl and ran through the cracked ice, dust, and ruins of the city. Each step echoed among the sounds of the battlefield. As soon as they reached a safe distance, Hana fainted, exhausted. Arturia laid her in a sheltered spot and, for a moment, looked back; the sky seemed to split into gold and blue.
In the distance, Uraume's body lay motionless on the frozen ground, her face pale, but still breathing. The cold mist she had created was slowly dissipating.
And it was at that moment that a new presence cut through the air.
A metallic sound echoed, the sound of a spear scraping the ground.
From the shadows, Lancer emerged. The wind ruffled his dark hair, his gaze... Lancer stared fiercely at Gilgamesh with pure determination.
"So this is where the golden king hid..." he said, twirling his spear with a sarcastic smile. "I always thought his arrogance was greater than his abilities."
Gilgamesh raised his face, a look of boredom mixed with contempt. "Hmph... a hungry dog comes barking before the throne," he taunted.
Lancer smiled slightly. "Perhaps." "But this dog will make you bleed before it falls."
He lunged forward.
The red spear cut through the air with such force that the ground exploded beneath his feet. Gilgamesh raised his arm, attempting to summon his gates again, but something still held them back; the remnant of Hana's power still distorted space.
For a brief moment, the king of heroes was forced into hand-to-hand combat.
And at that moment, under the cracked sky of Fuyuki, the duel between the King and the Lancer began—the red spear and divine gold colliding, illuminating the world as if it were the last sunset.
Gilgamesh's face contorted in a mixture of fury and disbelief. The golden king, accustomed to having the whole world as his reliquary, could not bear the humiliation of seeing his Gates of Babylon bound, even more so by a little girl who had barely spoken. His eyes flashed a cold red.
"So that's it…" he growled, his voice dripping with venom. "A child dares to restrain me. What a delicious affront." Behind the cruel smile was an icy warning: he would find that girl. And when he found her, he would kill her himself, so that no one would steal from the king's hands the pleasure of crushing the challenge.
Lancer was unfazed by the threat; his face remained a mask of iron and laughter. The blood-red spear spun faster, as if responding to the warrior's own heartbeat. "Do as you please," he replied dryly. "If you need to go over me to get to her, you'll have to go through me first."
The clash between the two turned into a storm. Lancer advanced with a flurry of blows: short thrusts seeking openings in the divine defense. Gilgamesh repelled each attack with brute force, his arms like golden pillars, dodging and counter-attacking with punches that opened craters in the ground. Still without his arsenal, the king employed pure technique and strength, and Lancer, in turn, responded with impeccable timing, calculated retreats, and attacks that exploited any tiny lapse.
For a few moments, what was seen was almost a dance: the spear cutting through the air, the gold blocking, Lancer spinning and reappearing at impossible angles, driving blades of pain that left deep marks on the king's armor. Gilgamesh snorted, more surprised than enraged; there was pleasure in that physical challenge, an animal joy in feeling that someone was capable of matching his fists.
Each impact raised sparks of light and blood; the bridge trembled, shards flew. Lancer screamed with each attack, not in pain, but in exaltation; he wanted to bleed the king, to prove the truth of his own convictions. Gilgamesh reciprocated with masterful contempt, as if reluctantly accepting, almost artistically, that for now, his opponent deserved his attention.
On the border between the steel of the spear and the gold of the fist, the two created a space where honor and tyranny clashed. Gilgamesh, unable to summon his treasure, resorted to the weapons of his body: brutal speed, concentrated strength, and a coldness of one who does not admit defeat. Lancer, in turn, transformed each blow into a promise of resistance and, for the moment, held the front.
But in the king's eyes there was a different spark, not of tension, but of cruel delight. Even trapped in hand-to-hand combat, he was already mentally plotting his revenge against the girl who had dared to silence him. The battle continued; the city of lies, a shattered spectator; And at the center of it all, two men determined to prove who would be left standing.
Lancer's spear ricocheted off the ground with a sharp, metallic sound, sliding down until it stopped meters away. The Irish warrior bared his teeth in frustration; that was his pride, his soul. But before he could reach for it, Gilgamesh's fist was already upon him.
The impact came like thunder. The golden king struck him with a direct punch to the abdomen, causing the air to escape Lancer's body in a single dry groan. The ground cracked beneath both their feet. Gilgamesh smiled cruelly, his eyes gleaming with almost divine pleasure. "Without your spear, you're nothing but a dog without fangs."
Lancer spat blood, staggered back, but didn't fall. "Yeah…" he coughed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "And you without your weapons are just a king who needs to get his hands dirty."
The taunt made Gilgamesh laugh, a laugh that sounded like the roar of a god wounded in his pride. He advanced, each step opening fissures in the ground. The two collided. Gilgamesh delivered clean, brutal blows, full of weight and refined technique; his fists moved like hammers, each attack capable of breaking bones.
Lancer tried to keep up with quick dodges, twisting his body, narrowly avoiding attacks. Without his spear, he fought with his fists and kicks, using the rhythm and fluidity of a dancer who refuses to yield the stage. But even with all his agility, the king was gaining ground.
Gilgamesh grabbed Lancer's arm and hurled him against a pillar, the impact echoing throughout the field. Before the warrior could get up, the king was already on top of him, a precise kick striking his ribs, followed by another blow that sent him to his knees.
"Look at that," said Gilgamesh, raising his chin arrogantly. "A hero who fights to the end… But in the end, all dogs end up kneeling."
Even staggering, Lancer laughed, spitting more blood on the ground. "Don't be fooled, king of fools… I only kneel to gain momentum."
In a sudden movement, he grabbed Gilgamesh's ankle and pulled him forcefully, knocking him down. The king rolled and immediately stood up, furious, but now both were covered in dust, their pride stained, breathing heavily.
Gilgamesh wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his thumb and looked at his opponent with contempt and admiration. "Interesting… even without your weapon, you still dare to act like a mongrel."
Lancer grinned crookedly. "King or not, on the battlefield we are just men trying to survive."
Gilgamesh clenched his fists, the gold of his aura beginning to pulse again. "Then die like a fool!"
And the fight continued, fist against fist, honor against pride, with no room for mercy. Gilgamesh controlled the pace, but Lancer, stubborn, refused to fall. Each blow exchanged echoed across the field like a war drum, foreshadowing that, even if he lost, Lancer would never bow before the king.
Fifteen days earleir...
Going back in time, before the final battle in Fuyuki, everyone was gathered in a silent clearing, illuminated only by the flickering light of torches and the crescent moon that hung above them. Yuji was in the center, his gaze fixed, Arturia beside him, her armor reflecting the pale glow of the night. Uraume remained a little apart, with a serene and cold expression, while Rin, Sakura, Shirou, Tachie, and even Toji listened attentively to the plan that was forming.
It was then that Lancer, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed and a disdainful smile, broke the silence: "If we're going to organize this mess, let me make one thing clear," he said, his voice firm and full of confidence. "After the angel and the ice girl do their job, I'll be the next to fight." Rin frowned. "Why you?"
Lancer stepped away from the tree and swung his spear, the metal cutting through the air with a clean sound. "Because someone needs to test the strength of this 'golden king' in hand-to-hand combat before the boy." He looked at Yuji, and his smile widened. "If I can at least tire the bastard out, the kid will have a real chance of beating him."
Arturia nodded respectfully. "It's a risky strategy, not to say foolish, but worthy as well."
Uraume, still cold and restrained, only murmured: "He'll need more than courage. Gilgamesh isn't human…"
Lancer chuckled softly. "Ah, I know." His eyes gleamed red in the moonlight. "But heroes like me don't need guarantees. Just a good reason to fight."
Yuji looked at him and, for a moment, smiled. "So... I'll leave him with you, Lancer. Just don't die."
"Ha!" Lancer laughed, resting his spear on his shoulder. "'Die' isn't the kind of word that suits me, kid."
Toji, who had been watching the scene, whistled. "That guy has more confidence than brains."
Lancer ignored him, gazing at the horizon. The night wind ruffled the blue cloak he wore, and for a moment, everyone could feel the determination emanating from him.
"Listen carefully. When the Ice Woman falls and the Angel's power dispels the curses, it will be my turn. I will measure the strength of this king of fools and show him that not all heroes kneel."
Yuji nodded silently.
That night ended with the certainty that each would have their role.
And Lancer, with his provocative smile and eyes full of courage, already knew: he would be the first to bleed to pave the way to victory.
A few days later, the wind blew gently across the training field behind the house. The trees moved slowly, and the rhythmic sound of Lancer's footsteps and lunges cut through the morning silence. His red spear gleamed in the sunlight, each movement flowing like an elegant, precise, and powerful lethal dance.
Sakura approached slowly, observing from afar for a few moments. He seemed... more human.
Lancer spun the spear and stuck the tip into the ground, noticing her presence. "Did you come to observe me, master?" he asked with a half-smile.
Sakura looked away, somewhat shyly. "I... just wanted to understand better." She took a few steps until she stopped in front of him. "This spear... what exactly is it?"
Lancer looked at the weapon stuck in the ground. For a moment, his eyes softened, and his voice, previously full of irony, took on a more serious tone. "This spear is called Gáe Bolg." He ran his hand along the handle respectfully. "It's a weapon that always pierces the enemy's heart, no matter what happens."
Sakura seemed to hesitate. "So... it always kills?"
Lancer chuckled softly, but there was bitterness in his tone. "It was always its destiny. Just as it was mine." He stepped back slightly and looked at the sky. "I was raised by my master to fight, to win, to die. A hero who doesn't choose his own end."
Sakura remained silent for a moment, clutching her dress. "It must be... sad."
"Sad?" Lancer looked back at her, a slight smile appearing on his face. "Perhaps. But I've never seen it like this." He raised his spear, twirling it one last time before resting it on his shoulder. "I lived with purpose. Even if that purpose was bathed in blood."
Sakura looked at him with a mixture of respect and compassion. "And now? Do you still fight for that?"
Lancer paused, and the wind carried the distant sound of the leaves rustling. "Now, I fight for something different." He looked directly at her. "For someone who believes in me."
Sakura was surprised by his sincere and firm gaze. For a moment, there was neither the heroic spirit nor the cursed warrior, only a man who wanted to fight not for glory, but for redemption.
She smiled, blushing slightly. "Then... don't disappoint me."
Lancer chuckled briefly, placing the spear back on his shoulder. "You can count on it, mistress." And with a determined look, he added: "The next time I wield that spear, it will be to protect what remains of good in this world."
Sakura watched as he returned to training, the sound of the Gáe Bolg cutting through the wind. For the first time, she realized that this tragic hero was not just a legend...
He was someone who, like her, was still searching for a reason to keep fighting.
Returning to the present...
The battlefield was in ruins, the ground cracked, the air filled with dust and blood. The night in Fuyuki trembled with the distant sound of collapsing buildings, and the flames illuminating the area cast long, grotesque shadows.
Lancer was wounded, his body covered in cuts and blood oozing from a deep opening in his abdomen. Still, he stood, his blue eyes gleaming with unwavering determination.
A few meters ahead, Gilgamesh smiled, that arrogant, almost divine smile, as he slowly walked towards the warrior. "To rise after all this… what useless stubbornness." His voice echoed cold and majestic. "The hero who only knows defeat… truly pathetic."
Lancer wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. "Heh… and the king who only knows victory… understands nothing of fighting."
With effort, he spun his spear and pointed it at Gilgamesh. The wind blew, raising dust. In that instant, he remembered Sakura, how she looked at him with that shy gaze, how her voice trembled, but still held strength.
"Don't disappoint me."
Those words echoed in his mind. He smiled.
"I promised you, didn't I?" he murmured softly. "I was going to protect you, mistress."
Gilgamesh raised one hand, opening a golden portal behind him. The blades of Babylon began to emerge, sharp as divine judgment.
Lancer knew time was running out. He concentrated all his energy on the spear, the air around him vibrating, the ground cracking beneath his feet. "Gáe Bolg…" the name sounded like an oath. "May this time… it strike the heart of a king."
He hurled the spear with all the strength he had left, a crimson flash cut through the air, piercing the dust and fire, straight towards Gilgamesh.
But the King of Heroes laughed.
"What a waste."
A golden flash. A single blade pierced Lancer's chest before the attack reached its target. The Gáe Bolg deflected, piercing the ground inches from the enemy.
The impact threw Lancer's body backward, and he fell to his knees. Blood trickled from his mouth, hot, pulsing. The world seemed farther away.
Gilgamesh approached slowly, watching him fall. "You fought well… for a dog."
Lancer laughed, panting. "Heh… dogs… always… always protect their owners."
He tried to stand, but his body no longer responded. Blood dripped onto the floor. Still, his gaze remained steady. Even in death, he didn't take his eyes off his enemy.
"Sakura…"
Her image appeared in his mind, smiling, waiting for him. Lancer closed his eyes, feeling a single tear roll down his cheek.
"I wanted… to come back to you…"
He felt the bond with his mistress tremble, the warmth of her magic still reaching him, like a final touch. He knew she was crying.
With a final, weary smile, he murmured: "Don't cry, my mistress… you gave me something to fight for again."
His body began to disintegrate into blue particles, like sparks carried by the wind.
"Good luck… to you all…"
And then, Lancer of Cu Chulainn, the hero of the red spear, disappeared with a serene smile, standing like a warrior who had fulfilled his promise.
Gilgamesh turned his face away, wiping the blood from his arm. "A worthy end… for a faithful dog," he said disdainfully, before moving on toward the true enemy.
The wind blew strongly, extinguishing some of the flames that illuminated the battlefield. Lancer's ashes still floated in the air, dancing with the dust and the reddish glow of the fire. Gilgamesh stood still, observing the void for a brief moment; the silence after the death of such a stubborn warrior was almost solemn, even for someone like him.
He turned slowly, adjusting his golden armor as the metallic sound of his footsteps echoed through the ruins. Each step seemed to mark the end of an era, the inevitable triumph of the king over all forgotten heroes.
But then…
Amidst the sound of the wind and the collapsing structures in the distance, something different mingled with that silence, a voice, soft but firm, echoing through the shadows.
"...So this is what you call glory, King of Heroes?"
The tone carried contempt and determination. Gilgamesh stopped immediately. His expression tightened slightly, not from fear, but from irritation.
"Hmph..." he murmured, turning to the side. "Another ant wanting to challenge a god?"
From the shadows, a figure began to emerge. Sparks and fragments of ice reflected its silhouette as it approached, its black hair swaying in the wind, its blue eyes gleaming with the same intensity as the steel of its scythe.
It was Tachie, walking slowly towards him, her gaze firm, without hesitation.
The light of the flames revealed her determined face, and with a swift movement, she swung her scythe, making the air vibrate.
Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow, almost amused. "Tch… you have courage. And also… an irritatingly familiar look."
The wind blew once more. Tachie stopped before him, her eyes fixed on the Golden King.
"I didn't come for glory," she said, her voice firm.
"I came to finish what he started."
End of Chapter 27