"Lay down your weapons, both of you! In the presence of a king!"
The red-caped giant thundered onto the battlefield in his chariot, halting the clash between Saber and Lancer with a roar.
Then, in a voice full of gravity, he declared:
"I am Iskandar, King of Conquerors. I've entered this Holy Grail War under the Rider class."
Everyone watching was stunned. Revealing one's True Name was unthinkable in the Holy Grail War. To do so was to risk your entire legend being weaponized against you.
From the top of a nearby shipping container, Gilgamesh munched on oden and sneered:
"Hoh? What a prideful man."
"Just like this King. But pride suits a king. Not like that timid little girl of a King over there."
She tossed her empty wrapper and chopsticks aside, then turned to the busy figure working behind her.
"Well then, this King shall be going now."
"Oh, sure." Still adjusting a spotlight, Dracula turned around and flashed her a thumbs-up.
"Do your best. The stage is set… for a spectacular and flawless performance."
"Hmph. Then this King shall look forward to it—just a little."
With a smirk, Gilgamesh spirit-form leapt from the container, reappearing atop a streetlamp she had carefully chosen for maximum visibility.
Moments after she landed, Iskandar's recruitment pitch to Saber and Lancer wrapped up—with predictable results.
After all, Saber was a king in her own right, and Lancer a knight of unwavering loyalty. Neither would bend the knee.
He was rejected.
Scratching his head in disappointment, Iskandar turned around, ready to launch into a sarcastic jab—
Only to be interrupted by a cold, venomous voice from the shadows.
"Is that so? I see now..."
It was Lancer's Master—Kayneth.
His voice was thick with hatred as he snarled:
"Why did you lose control and steal my relic? Come to think of it, maybe you had your own reasons for wanting to enter the Holy Grail War, didn't you… Waver Velvet?"
Waver shrank at the sound of his professor's voice, eyes wide with fear.
He stammered:
"Th-that…"
But Kayneth wasn't interested in letting him speak.
"What a pity. I truly wished for you to live a peaceful life, Waver. You are just a mortal, after all. You should've stayed in the peaceful little world of mortals."
His voice suddenly rose, seething with condescension:
"But alas, Waver-kun, I suppose I must tutor you myself. In the art of mage-on-mage slaughter. The pain. The horror. The truth of what it means to be a magus."
"How lucky you are."
Terror flooded Waver's body. But what made him suffer even more than the fear...
was the shame that came with it.
And just then, a gentle, regal voice echoed in his mind:
"Do not fear, Master. The fact that you feel shame from your fear… means you still have the heart to grow."
Something powerful and comforting rested gently on his small, trembling shoulders.
He looked up—
—And there stood Iskandar, smiling at him with fierce approval and encouragement.
The King of Conquerors leaned in and asked, softly:
"So… shall I handle this, or will you?"
[Your Majesty, Master… leave this one to Zhuge Liang.]
A new voice spoke with clarity and composure—and Waver's gaze sharpened instantly.
He reached into his coat pocket, pulled out a pair of black-rimmed glasses, and placed them firmly on his face.
Then, with his voice loud and clear, he declared:
"I had thought that as a high-ranking magus of the Clock Tower, a lecturer of the Spirit Evocation Department, you would have profound insights to offer the gathered Heroic Spirits. But instead, your words are nothing but base and vulgar. I have something to say—listen well, all of you."
"You—!"
Kayneth was aghast that his once timid student was now openly challenging him, and so boldly at that. But Zhuge Liang gave him no room to interrupt.
"At the end of the Age of the Gods, magic began to wither. The great source of mana disappeared, and the old arts faded into obscurity. Then came the scourge of Crimson Moon—beasts ruled, and magi suffered in silence."
"The Clock Tower rotted. Aristocrats ruled by bloodline and not by merit. Beasts in human skin rose to power. The magical world became a field of ruins."
"And you, Director Kayneth—what did you do in that age of crisis?"
"You were born into the Archibald family, taught as a lecturer of Spirit Evocation. You should have spread wisdom, nurtured minds. And yet—you sided with the rotting aristocracy! You judged others by pedigree! Your sins stain the world, and the heavens cannot bear them!!"
"You… Waver Velvet… you dare—!!"
Kayneth's voice trembled with rage. His breath came in ragged bursts.
But Zhuge Liang cut through him like thunder.
"Silence, you shameless scoundrel! Do you not know that every soul in Spirit Evocation dreams of devouring your flesh? And you still dare to prattle on before me?!"
"But heaven has not yet forsaken the magical path. I, Waver Velvet, have inherited the rightful legacy here in Fuyuki. I have joined this Holy Grail War to restore magic to glory!"
"You—sycophantic magus! Go cower in your hole and pray for scraps! You have no right to call yourself my teacher!!"
"Blue-eyed wretch! Blond cur! Soon, you will die, and when you descend to the underworld… how will you face the ancestors of Archibald?!"
"You traitorous coward! You've lived 26 years without achieving anything but flattery and empty speeches! You fawned over the corrupt elders of the Clock Tower like a lapdog!"
"You—are—the most shameless man I have ever seen!!!"
"Pfft!"
A sudden sputtering sound echoed through the surroundings.
"Did he just cough up blood?"
Saber stared calmly at Lancer.
"Yeah, definitely blood."
Iskandar scratched his head.
"Absolutely."
Kiritsugu flicked away the cigarette in his hand.
"Master!"
Lancer cried out with concern.
[You idiot, Zhuge Liang! What exactly did you say to him!? Now he hates me even more!!]
[No need to worry, my Lord. Frankly, even if I didn't provoke him, he wouldn't let you go after you stole his relic. Making him lose his composure works to our advantage. If he rashly sends Lancer to attack us alone, we'll just break one of his arms first.]
Zhuge Liang went on, still analyzing calmly:
[Besides, hearing me insult him on your behalf… didn't it make you feel just a bit better inside?]
[Ugh… well, yeah, it was pretty satisfying…]
[Exactly. Now leave the rest to His Majesty.]
"Damn it! Lancer! Kill him for me!!"
"Yes, I obey your command."
Lancer gripped his twin spears tightly. His fierce gaze locked onto the so-called "Waver Velvet". Magic surged wildly around him, his murderous intent nearly tangible as it licked at Waver's skin.
Waver calmly pushed up his glasses.
"I advise you to think twice, Lancer. If you attack now without caution and something were to happen to your Master, you would bear the responsibility!"
Lancer hesitated for a moment, but then his grip tightened again as he declared:
"Obeying my Master's command—that is the duty of a knight!"
"A loyal retainer indeed!"
Zhuge Liang praised him. "What a pity your Master is a fool."
"Hmph! Arrogant cur! I'll take your head in my Master's name!!"
With a roar, Lancer dashed forward, twin spears whirling.
Iskandar drew the sword from his waist and parried the twin strikes in a single sweep.
Just as the two were about to clash in earnest, a melodic laugh echoed from above—coming from atop a streetlamp.
From that height, the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, revealed herself. Smirking, she looked down at "Waver" and praised:
"Such eloquence. You've put on quite the performance. It was entertaining enough to earn my praise."
Golden ripples shimmered behind her. Two long swords materialized from the void and stabbed into the ground just before Lancer. Then, turning to his Master, she issued a cold threat:
"Hey, Lancer's Master. I won't permit you to take the life of someone this amusing so easily. If you dare order Lancer to attack again—don't blame me for intervening."
"Tch. Come back, Lancer."
Keyneth's voice came from above—low and grim, but noticeably weaker than before.
"Well, well. Long time no see, Golden Fool."
Iskandar waved in greeting.
"We met only a few days ago. Has that idiotic brain of yours already lost its memory?"
Gilgamesh snapped back without mercy. "Let me make one thing clear—after today, I won't be so friendly next time…"
Her crimson eyes shimmered with murderous light.
"Next time, I'll take your life."
"Oh, I look forward to it!!"
Iskandar let out a booming laugh, voice echoing as he bellowed:
"Come out now! I know there are others hiding in the shadows!"
"What's wrong, Rider?"
Saber looked to him, puzzled.
"Saber, Lancer… Your duel was magnificent. The sound of your blades clashing so clearly must have drawn more than one Heroic Spirit to this place."
He gave Saber a nod of approval, then raised his voice again:
"Pathetic! Truly pathetic! All you so-called heroes gathering in Fuyuki—do you feel nothing watching Saber and Lancer show such gallantry?"
"You have names worth boasting, yet all you do is lurk and sneak about like cowards. If the Heroic Spirits of old could see this, they'd weep in shame! Now, come forth! Or will you let yourselves be insulted by Iskandar, the King of Conquerors?"
The moment his words ended, a hoarse growl echoed through the night air.
A swirl of black magic spiraled in from the shadows, coalescing into a knight clad entirely in heavy armor—his figure wrapped in pitch-black mana.
His eyes flared red as he looked up at the highest point—at Gilgamesh standing atop the streetlamp.