A Few Days Later.
It had been a few days since Arturia was summoned by Gilgamesh, and although she was initially skeptical and reserved, she had opened up.
The King of Knights had managed to build a good relationship with everyone.
She had become good friends with Asia and Valerie, always talking with them and maintaining a strong bond. She also got along well with Enkidu and Sebas, and surprisingly, even with Mordred, though their relationship was neutral. With Gilgamesh, too, she had developed a good rapport, and Arturia began to see him as a person distinct from his ancestor.
Arturia had also learned more about the supernatural world through Gilgamesh, who explained everything to her in detail—from the Evil Pieces and the abilities of supernatural beings to the Sacred Gears and their powers, including the Longinus.
Now, she was quite comfortable with everyone, especially with Gilgamesh.
Speaking of the King of Heroes, he could be seen walking through the streets, currently alone.
The sky was dark, indicating that night had fallen, with stars shining brightly. It was around eight o'clock in the evening, and there were few people on the streets.
Gilgamesh continued walking alone until he stopped and looked down. He was standing on a bridge, and below him flowed a river that stretched as far as the eye could see. Beneath the bridge, a man sat with two fishing rods, gazing at the river.
Anyone would think he was an ordinary person, but Gilgamesh knew better.
The magical aura the man was deliberately radiating to attract him—or rather, to call him.
With a leap, he jumped off the bridge, unconcerned about whether anyone was watching, as there was no one nearby, and landed beside the man, sitting down next to him.
"Well, well, you found me," the man said in a playful tone, offering a fishing rod to Gilgamesh, who took it and began fishing alongside him.
"I think you were inviting me. After all, your magical signature was quite exposed," Gilgamesh said in a joking tone.
The man just laughed before responding.
"Well, that might be true," the man said with a chuckle.
Gilgamesh then looked at him directly.
His appearance was the most human Gilgamesh had ever seen among supernatural beings. Black hair as dark as the night, mixed with streaks of blonde in parts of his bangs that covered his forehead, violet eyes darker than Sona's, a face that looked to be in his early twenties, and a black cape. He wore a high-collared, long-sleeved reddish-brown coat, with the zipper slightly open to reveal his chest, long gray jeans, and black shoes.
"So, what do you want from me, Azazel?" Gilgamesh said, revealing the true name of the man beside him, who smiled.
He was Azazel, the Leader of the Fallen Angels' Faction, ruler of the Grigori, the man who was made a scapegoat by his own father, and who was once called the Archangel of Perdition.
All supernatural beings, without exception, possess a special characteristic. No matter how they appear, they are always more beautiful or striking than normal, never truly unattractive, each with qualities that make them alluring.
But Azazel was different… He looked exactly like an ordinary human. His face couldn't be called handsome nor ugly. He was the epitome of human appearance.
And that was irritating Gilgamesh.
To Gilgamesh, the man before him was dangerous.
Azazel might not be the strongest, nor among the top in the supernatural world. After all, his power was at Satan-class, impressive but not exceptional compared to someone like Sirzechs or others.
What made him truly dangerous was his mind—a genius capable of recreating even a Sacred Gear.
Azazel was the Fallen Angel who taught humanity about war, showing them how to make shields, forge swords, craft armor, and create knives. He was the one who provided them with weapons and even spread rumors to teach them witchcraft. For someone like him, creating such things must not be difficult—he was, after all, the one who taught humanity about them.
He was a genius monster in human form, a mind comparable only to Ajuka Beelzebub, someone so wicked and cruel that he was recognized as the cruelest and vilest of the Fallen Angels.
And that was true. His cruelty was so great that even Shiva acknowledged it. There was a reason why, even after centuries, Azazel remained the leader of the Fallen Angels. His cruelty was such that Kokabiel was nothing more than an innocent pup in comparison.
While God waged war with Lucifer, Azazel created an organization and convinced thousands of Fallen Angels to join his side, forming a force capable of fighting both God and Lucifer.
Before monsters like Sirzechs and Ajuka were even born, Azazel already ruled his own faction and committed acts that would make even the cruelest demons tremble in fear.
There was a reason why, despite the Grigori having the smallest population among the Three Factions, they were still so feared.
And this man was one of them.
He was the Archangel of Perdition and the man who taught humans the art of war.
"Hehe, I suppose I should also be honored to be in your presence, King of Heroes Gilgamesh, or perhaps you prefer another title—Sekiryuutei, or even the Strongest Exorcist, Paladin?" Azazel said with a wide smile.
*He knows.*
That was what went through Gilgamesh's mind.
Azazel knew his true identity.
Even when he became the Strongest Exorcist with the title of Paladin, or Holy Knight, Gilgamesh never announced himself to the world for several reasons.
The first was that he didn't want to draw attention. After all, if he revealed himself, the entire world would see him as an ally of the Church, and he would face many restrictions on his actions, which would interfere with his plans.
Imagine what Sirzechs would think if he discovered that the Strongest Exorcist was in the city where his sister lived and had even threatened her?
That would only result in a war, or at the very least, a battle against Sirzechs and the Devil Faction.
That's why Gilgamesh kept his titles hidden so no one would know.
But it seemed he couldn't escape everyone.
"I'm surprised you found out, though considering who you are, that explains it," Gilgamesh said as he turned his attention back to the river.
"Yes, imagine my surprise when I discovered that the Strongest Exorcist is the descendant of the King of Heroes and possesses the Longinus [Zenith Tempest], and also the man who defeated and tamed the Longinus [Regulus Nemea]. And then another descendant of Gilgamesh appears in devil territory with the [Boosted Gear]. Quite suspicious, don't you think?" Azazel said with a cynical tone, though there was caution in his voice as well.
Azazel was on high alert because the man before him was undoubtedly very dangerous.
The Strongest Exorcist was the young man who defeated Vasco Strada, the man considered the pinnacle of humanity.
And when factoring in his three Longinus, it was easy to imagine the danger Gilgamesh posed.
The moment Azazel saw Gilgamesh, he knew the boy was a monster.
His power might be contained, but Azazel felt the same way he did in the presence of Sirzechs and Ajuka. What was even more terrifying was Gilgamesh's natural aura.
It wasn't about power—it was the natural aura emanating from him, the majesty that made Azazel feel small, like an insect.
"You're not human; you're a demigod and still possess Sacred Gears of the Longinus class, which already puts you in a terrifying category," Azazel said while looking at the river.
Gilgamesh knew what Azazel was trying to say.
It was the fact that he was a demigod.
After some time in this world, Gilgamesh had wondered, where are the demigods?
They had never been shown in the canon. The closest were the Valkyries, who served the Norse Gods, and the Reapers, who served Hades, the Greek God of the Dead.
They had divine blood, but they weren't demigods.
Then Gilgamesh discovered the reason.
Demigods were forbidden from existing due to a pact between the gods.
The power demigods possessed was immense; even the weakest had great power.
As children of gods, they could tap into a portion of their parent's divine power, enabling them to achieve great feats.
Just look at mythology, where most great heroes were demigods.
Hercules, son of Zeus, the King of the Greek Gods, the man recognized as Greece's greatest hero and even earned a place among the gods.
Achilles, son of the Greek sea nymph Thetis and descendant of the primordial sea god Nereus, the hero of the Trojan War, who gained invulnerability by being bathed in divine flames and trained by Chiron, the Trainer of Heroes.
Karna, son of the Hindu Sun God Surya, the invulnerable hero who wielded the Vasavi Shakti spear, earning the respect of even the god Indra.
Among many others, all were great heroes, children of gods.
The power of demigods was great enough to destabilize the world's balance, compounded by the fact that gods often had many demigod children, which only amplified the issue.
That's why the gods had made an unspoken agreement to stop having children with mortals, or at least reduce it, to maintain the world's balance.
And here was Gilgamesh, a demigod two-thirds divine, possessing Longinus-class Sacred Gears, though his divinity was inherited from the original Gilgamesh, as his parents were human.
His very existence had the potential to disrupt the world's balance.
"Though I'm very surprised that you possess three Longinus, considering I don't believe you were born with all of them, and the fact that your body can withstand the strain they exert. So, how do you have them?" Azazel asked, glancing at Gilgamesh out of the corner of his eye.
Gilgamesh laughed before responding.
"I don't mind saying. Truthfully, I was born with [Zenith Tempest]. Two years ago, I fought and tamed [Regulus Nemea]," Gilgamesh said.
"But that doesn't explain the [Boosted Gear]?" Azazel asked curiously.
"Some time ago, I found some of your Fallen Angels killing a boy to extract his Sacred Gear. So I killed them and used my power to extract the Sacred Gear from the boy for myself, but kept him alive so he could continue living," Gilgamesh said while looking at the river.
Azazel's eyes widened slightly at this.
His Fallen Angels weren't the most loyal, often acting behind his back, so it didn't surprise him that they had tried to kill someone with power.
Though it saddened him.
But what surprised him more was what Gilgamesh said.
Being able to extract a Sacred Gear from someone and leave them alive?
That was something no one could do, as the Sacred Gear was directly linked to the user's soul. Removing it would be akin to removing their soul.
Was this boy really that powerful? Capable of breaking the dimension of a Sacred Gear, extracting it from its wielder, and leaving them alive?
That was indeed terrifying, but intriguing.
How many secrets did this boy still hold?
Though he was curious to know the power of a Longinus in the hands of a demigod.
"Being able to extract a Sacred Gear from someone and leave them alive? That's pretty terrifying," Azazel said with a laugh, to which Gilgamesh responded.
"Spending time with the Angels teaches you a few things," Gilgamesh said to Azazel.
"So, how's the Hakuryuukou?" Gilgamesh asked Azazel.
The latter showed no surprise that Gilgamesh knew this, as it wasn't a secret.
"He's doing well. He's the strongest Hakuryuukou of the past, present, and future," Azazel said with pride in his adopted son.
"I see, that's good. Then he'll give me a good fight. Though it's strange, don't you think? The Hakuryuukou is half-demon and half-human, while the Sekiryuutei is half-god and half-human," Gilgamesh said with a smile.
Azazel laughed at this.
"Hahaha, that's true. So, how far have you mastered the [Boosted Gear]?" Azazel asked curiously.
Before Gilgamesh could respond, Ddraig beat him to it.
[Well, Governor-General of the Fallen Angels, my current partner is undoubtedly the most powerful host I've ever had, far surpassing the past, present, and future of any of my hosts or Albion's. And he's the only host I've ever had who didn't need to train to access my Balance Breaker or Juggernaut Drive. And he's already dealt with the previous users of the Boosted Gear, meaning he has nothing to worry about when using Juggernaut Drive.] Ddraig spoke with pure pride and arrogance in his words.
Azazel was speechless; he simply couldn't comprehend what Ddraig had just told him.
"How is something like that possible!?" Azazel almost shouted in a mix of shock and concern. Because if what Ddraig had just said was true, Vali was likely in trouble.
"You know what, tell me later; I need a drink," Azazel groaned as he rubbed his forehead.
"Why did you tell him that, Ddraig?" Gilgamesh questioned his dragon through their bond, who simply snorted in response.
[What? I'm proud to call you my partner. You're my most powerful host, and I can't help but brag.] Ddraig responded before going silent.
Gilgamesh shook his head.
Sighing, Gilgamesh stood up, causing Azazel to look at him in surprise.
"I think I should go," Gilgamesh said before turning to leave.
"Have a good night," Azazel said before standing up and adding one more thing: "Before you go, I want you to answer me, whose side are you on?"
Azazel asked this because he had noticed that Gilgamesh had no love or loyalty for the Church.
Gilgamesh stopped, still with his back to Azazel, and responded:
"I'm on the side of the humans," Gilgamesh said, leaving Azazel puzzled. "I don't care what you and the Demons do, as long as you don't prey on innocent humans. I don't mind."
Azazel laughed and responded.
"That would be impossible. As long as the supernatural exists, they will always prey on humans," Azazel said in an empty tone.
"That's true. Wanting that to change would be like wanting a lion to stop eating meat. And that's why, as long as I live, I won't let you harm humans," Gilgamesh said with a serious tone.
"Is that a threat, King of Heroes?" Azazel questioned with a dangerous tone.
"It's a promise, Archangel of Perdition," Gilgamesh said seriously, causing the Leader of the Fallen Angels to frown at the mention of the title he held when he still had white wings.
Azazel let out a cynical laugh.
And then it happened.
In less than a second, Azazel created a spear of light in his hand and held it. The spear was imbued with enough power to vaporize Ultimate-class beings; its burning glow could even kill a Satan-class being. In that same second, he turned and swung the spear at Gilgamesh.
His intention wasn't to kill Gilgamesh; Azazel's goal was to see how far the King of Heroes was willing to go, what he was prepared to do.
Then blood sprayed everywhere.
Azazel then looked at his hand—or rather, the lack of it.
His severed right hand fell to the ground with a splash a few meters away. Azazel looked at his severed hand, confused, before comprehension began to dawn.
In a single instant, he leaped away from Gilgamesh and created a magic circle on his severed arm to stop the bleeding.
This was because his instincts had told him—or rather, screamed in terror—when he realized one thing.
If he had hesitated for even a second longer, he would be dead now.
His eyes looked up and met a pair of crimson eyes, no longer hidden behind slitted lids, staring at him with utter boredom. His lips, no longer adorned with a smile, were set in a grim line as he looked over his shoulder.
The naked blade reflected the moonlight from its edge, now held in his left hand, gleaming like a shard in the darkness of the night.
The Fallen Angel stood frozen as he felt those eyes on him, petrified with terror, no longer wanting their attention now that he had finally gotten it.
Nothing moved as the Fallen Angel felt his life hanging by a thread while the King of Heroes stared at him, the bloodlust filling the air contrasting with the disinterest in his eyes.
Azazel hadn't expected this.
He wanted to test, though it was very risky, how far Gilgamesh was willing to go.
But it seemed he had bitten off more than he could chew.
In that instant, Azazel felt fear for one reason alone.
In that instant, Gilgamesh had surpassed him, surpassing the power and training he had honed over centuries and severing his arm.
If not for his instincts, honed and tempered through centuries of battles and wars, Azazel knew he would have been killed.
And he wasn't prepared for what came next.
In a single instant, Gilgamesh appeared in front of him, dispersing his sword, and then punched Azazel's stomach, making him double over. Then, with his right hand, he grabbed the Fallen's neck and lifted him, leaving Azazel suspended.
A single glance from Azazel into Gilgamesh's crimson eyes filled him with fear and sapped his will to fight.
His very presence screamed danger. Like a sleeping dragon, just waiting to unleash its strength.
"At this moment, Azazel, we can laugh together, joke together, insult each other as if we were best friends. But at the same time, if you do something against humans, I will call forth all my treasures and unleash them here and on the Grigori to kill you."
"And trust me, despite us joking and laughing together, if I kill you now, I'll still smile when I see your mutilated corpse beneath my feet."
Gilgamesh swung his hand and threw Azazel to the ground, who landed perfectly.
The latter only looked at his severed arm for a moment before looking at Gilgamesh and laughing.
"Truly, such love for humans. Are you sure you're not a lost son of his?" Azazel asked in a playful tone, as if he hadn't just escaped death moments ago.
Gilgamesh looked at him before turning his back and walking away as Azazel watched.
The latter only looked at his severed arm on the ground and let out a laugh.
"Truly, humans are terrifying," Azazel said to himself, because in that moment, he had felt a sensation he had never felt before.
Fear.
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