…
Gilgamesh, seeing that he was at a disadvantage and his patience worn thin, decided to use his true Noble Phantasm to annihilate the enemy! As this thought crossed his mind, the void trembled, and this time, a Noble Phantasm twice the size of the previous ones began to emerge!
Suddenly, the King of Heroes slowly turned his head and gazed in a certain direction.
"Using advice to quell the king's anger? You grow bolder by the day, Tokiomi!"
He curled his lip in disdain, yet all the treasures behind him still dissipated...
"I shall spare your lives! Rabid dogs!"
Then he turned to look at Ryougi Raku, "And you!"
His eyes swept arrogantly over all the Servants present, "You mongrels! The next time we meet, stay away if you are unworthy! Only true heroes are fit to stand before me!"
With that, the golden light gradually faded...
"That Archer's Master doesn't seem as resolute and brave as Archer himself!"
Rider muttered, though he did not let his guard down. Even with Archer gone, the powerful Berserker remained!
Ever since Archer disappeared, Saber had felt Berserker's hateful gaze fixed upon her! The resentment was so palpable it sent a chill down Saber's spine, yet she remained prepared...
Sure enough, the next moment, Berserker suddenly took a step toward Saber!
"——Ah!" "Roar!" Like the roar of a wild beast, carrying a murderous intent even fiercer than when he had fought Archer, it came crashing down!
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Berserker charged forward, hurling the weapon in his hand. Saber casually deflected it. Upon closer inspection, she was stunned—the object was nothing but a piece of iron debris left from the earlier battle...
It was then that everyone realized: anything Berserker laid his hands on would be imbued with magical energy and transformed into something akin to a treasure!
Understanding dawned on Saber instantly!
"Could it be... you?" Saber was shocked by the sudden revelation, but such distraction in the heat of battle was a grave mistake!
As expected, Berserker did not miss this opportunity. Advancing step by step, he continued to hurl the 'Noble Phantasms' in his hand. Though far inferior to Gilgamesh's rain of weapons, they were still a nuisance.
At the same time, the injuries Saber had sustained in her earlier fight with Lancer reopened, forcing her to grip her sword with only one hand. Yet, for a knight's greatsword meant to be wielded with both hands, using it one-handed was incredibly difficult!
"Saber!" Irisviel cried out in alarm, but the situation was clear: Saber was gradually being pushed into a disadvantage. The curse of Gáe Dearg prevented healing magic from taking effect, leaving Saber fighting on the defensive!
"…This isn't good. Maiya, can you see Berserker's Master?"
"No, I can't find him at all!"
Emiya Kiritsugu frowned. It seemed Berserker's Master was exceptionally well-hidden.
Moreover, with Assassin still lurking nearby, Kiritsugu dared not act recklessly!
"...Damn it!" He cursed under his breath but had no choice but to keep watching the scene unfold.
Seeing Saber in danger, Ryougi Raku continued to watch with keen interest. Every one of Berserker's moves was executed with superb skill—his martial prowess was truly formidable!
Though Berserker had lost his reason, he instinctively chose the most advantageous attacks. With Saber forced to use only one hand and weakened, Berserker simply swung his weapon with brute force, compelling Saber to block with all her might and exposing her vulnerability. He seized this weakness and gave her no room to breathe!
At that moment, Lancer suddenly turned to Ryougi Raku, "...My Lord!" Ryougi Raku understood his intent—he wanted to help Saber. Ryougi Raku wasn't particularly fond of the idea. When Saber was still an enemy, refraining from adding insult to injury was already generous, yet here he was, wanting to assist her...
Though Ryougi Raku respected their chivalric code as the path they had chosen—much like how he later admired Emiya Shirou's unwavering pursuit of justice, even if he disagreed with it—the persistence itself was worthy of respect! In that sense, Emiya Kiritsugu and Emiya Shirou operated on entirely different levels...
Of course, even though Saber was at a disadvantage, she wouldn't be defeated anytime soon. Ryougi Raku watched their battle intently but still nodded to Lancer. Perhaps it was due to some subtle influence—after all, so many had adored the King of Knights in his previous life—that Ryougi Raku had also developed an inexplicable fondness for her...
With his Master's consent, Lancer immediately brandished his red spear. Berserker's 'Noble Phantasms' were merely ordinary objects imbued with magical energy. Against Gáe Dearg, a weapon that severed magic, they were useless. Stripped of their magical energy, they were nothing but fragile iron, easily shattered by a true Noble Phantasm!
The weapon Berserker threw was cleanly split in two by Lancer! At the same time, Lancer stepped forward, positioning himself between Saber, his Master, and Berserker!
"Berserker, interrupting a duel between knights is a grave sin! Saber and I have an agreement to settle this between ourselves. If you insist on interfering in a battle that is rightfully ours, I will not stand by idly!"
"Lancer..." Saber was deeply moved. This Lancer shared the same ideals as her. She glanced at Ryougi Raku, her eyes filled with gratitude and emotion... As a Master, he had not stopped Lancer's actions nor used a Command Seal to force his compliance. This in itself showed his approval...
Of course, Ryougi Raku merely respected each person's path—he did not necessarily adhere to their somewhat rigid code of chivalry...
But such an opportunity to improve his standing in their eyes was not to be wasted!
"Saber, though surrounding an enemy may not be your style, since he has disturbed you, let us send him away together with Lancer..." Ryougi Raku smiled slightly at Saber while casting a glance at Berserker...
"...Very well, Raku," Saber responded to Ryougi Raku...
"Very good, you're calling me by name..." Ryougi Raku felt quite pleased inwardly. After all, this is our king...
Witnessing the scene, Emiya Kiritsugu found it hard to believe!
"What's going on? Is Lancer's Master also a true knight? No, that's impossible! He kills without hesitation—he's definitely no knight. But now, when he could have joined Berserker to attack Saber, he gave up the chance and helped her instead. Could this be some sort of conspiracy...?" Kiritsugu's mind raced, but he couldn't decipher the reason...
"Hahahaha! Well said! Berserker, I cannot ignore the fact that you interrupted a duel between two warriors. Saber, Lancer, allow me to help you rid yourselves of him..." Amidst wild laughter, Rider charged toward Berserker in his chariot. As a king, he naturally would not join the fray directly, so before Saber and Lancer could react, he engaged Berserker alone!
"Giddy up!" The mighty bulls raised their hooves and slammed into Berserker, sending him crashing to the ground. Then they trampled over his body with their hind legs! Each strike was accompanied by purple lightning, every step like a mountain collapsing!
After the thunderous assault, Berserker lay on the ground, too weakened to rise!
But Berserker's will was indomitable. Even gravely injured, his body trembled, uncurled, and he slowly began to climb to his feet!
"What a man of character!" Rider praised Berserker.
Saber and Lancer were speechless. Such a powerful Berserker had been severely wounded by Rider's single strike. It was an unbelievable scene, though it didn't mean Rider was invincible—rather, he had a certain advantage over Berserker!
Faced with what appeared to be a three-on-one situation, Berserker's body decisively began to fade. It seemed his Master had recalled him. Only a fool would remain under such circumstances...
"Thank you, King of Conquerors!" Saber expressed her gratitude first.
"Hahaha! Saber, Lancer, now that you've found your footing, the victor between you shall come and challenge me!"
"As it should be!" The two nodded.
Ryougi Raku's eyes gleamed as he watched Rider's chariot. He had always been fond of such chariot-type weapons. The thrill of standing on a chariot and charging at the enemy was incomparable!
"Lancer's Master! What do you think? Interested in my chariot? Haha, if you have the strength, you are welcome to try and take it..." Noticing Ryougi Raku's gaze fixed on his chariot, Rider spoke magnanimously.
"...I certainly will!" The two spoke of robbery as if it were the most natural thing in the world...
At that moment, Saber suddenly turned to the King of Conquerors, "King of Conquerors, why have you come here?"
"No reason is needed! No plan is required! Let the historians of later generations find their own explanations for these events!"
Ryougi Raku nodded upon hearing this, reminded of his past life when he took literature exams. The questions always asked what the poet was thinking at the time—who really knew? Weren't those so-called reflections merely the imaginations of later generations?
"Very well then, Saber and Lancer, we shall take our leave now!"
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(TL : More Chapters @)[1]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/c/Gooberilla