…
At the center of the devastated battlefield.
"Something's coming."
Under Artoria's close protection, Irisviel quietly observed the surroundings.
Leon stood at the front, both hands resting on his sword as he stood proudly in place, eyes closed as if waiting for something.
"It's here!"
Suddenly, Artoria's Instinct sounded a fierce warning. Her expression turned serious as she gave another alert.
Leon's eyes snapped open. A faint smile appeared on his lips as he turned his head toward a nearby streetlamp.
Standing there with arms folded across his chest was a proud figure clad in golden armor—
The King of Heroes — Gilgamesh.
"Foolish mongrel. The sword in your hand is somewhat interesting. Do you dare repeat what you said earlier in front of this king—"
Gilgamesh looked down arrogantly, chin raised high.
But before he could finish speaking—
Leon casually raised his sword and slashed upward.
"EX—CALIBUR!!!"
Why bother listening to your rambling?
Go explain it to my beam of light instead.
"What?!"
Just like Diarmuid earlier, Gilgamesh's expression froze in shock.
Leon had fired a zero-start Noble Phantasm attack without warning.
At such a close distance, the golden torrent of light arrived in an instant.
At the critical moment—
A golden ripple appeared before Gilgamesh.
From it emerged an ancient round shield, and under the surge of magical energy, a crimson multi-layered barrier instantly unfolded.
BOOM!!!!
Attack and defense collided.
Golden and crimson magical energies clashed violently, erupting into a massive storm.
The powerful wind lifted Irisviel's and Artoria's skirts.
Within the absolute territory of their thighs, black stockings wrapped around their legs, revealing pale skin and fleeting glimpses of darker shadows beneath.
Realizing this, Irisviel hurriedly held down her skirt.
Artoria, however, paid no attention at all—she rushed forward and stood in front of Irisviel, shielding her fragile body from the storm.
"You damned mongrel!"
Gilgamesh's eyes widened with fury.
The composure and arrogance he had displayed moments ago vanished completely, replaced by pure rage at being offended.
His crimson eyes stared through the storm of clashing magic at Leon—the man who had interrupted his grand entrance before he could finish posturing.
Crack!
Amid the violent collision of magical energy, cracks suddenly spread across the crimson barrier generated by the shield.
It was about to collapse under the overwhelming brilliance of the Holy Sword.
Seeing this—
Gilgamesh, who had hoped to remain immovable and elegant, could only tilt the shield backward and reluctantly dodge to the side.
The golden beam was deflected just before the shield shattered.
BOOM—
The pillar of light shot into the sky.
It blasted apart a thick layer of clouds overhead.
When everyone regained their vision—
Leon stood proudly in the center of the battlefield, his posture straight and calm.
Only a few drops of sweat on his forehead hinted that he had exerted any effort at all.
Behind him, Irisviel and Artoria were completely stunned.
Leon's reckless battle style—spending magical energy as if it were free—had left them speechless.
Their mouths hung slightly open, revealing white teeth and soft pink tongues.
As for Gilgamesh—
He had simply moved to another streetlamp.
The previous lamp he had been standing on was now reduced to a mere twenty-five centimeters of stump, and the metal warehouse roofs behind it had been melted open with a massive hole more than ten meters wide.
Gilgamesh still stood with arms folded.
But now a throbbing vein bulged on his forehead, and behind him countless golden ripples appeared in the air.
"You insolent mongrel! I will tear you to pieces!"
Gilgamesh roared in fury.
"If you can manage it—go ahead and try."
Leon smiled faintly as the Holy Sword in his hand began gathering radiant light once again.
The two stood opposed.
Like needle against wheat awn.
The invisible pressure between them instantly made the atmosphere tense.
Then—
"Wait!"
A rough and booming voice suddenly came from the sky.
Leon and Gilgamesh both looked up.
A chariot pulled by divine bulls, crackling with blue lightning, raced through the air toward them.
BOOM!
It landed between them with a thunderous crash—without slowing down at all.
"Wahahahaha! My name is Iskandar — Alexander the Great, the King of Conquerors, who has descended into this world as the Rider-class Servant in this Holy Grail War!"
The moment he declared this—
The tense atmosphere instantly fell silent.
All eyes focused on the laughing giant.
"Other than Leon, the fake Servant… I didn't expect someone else to reveal their True Name right from the start."
…What an eye-opener.
From half a kilometer away, Kiritsugu Emiya muttered helplessly to Maiya Hisau.
Maiya couldn't help but agree.
"Exactly."
The only person who took critical emotional damage was Rider's Master.
His Servant had revealed his True Name without warning.
Waver Velvet was so shocked his expression looked like it had come straight out of a manga panel.
"Rider! You idiot! What are you thinking?!"
Bonk!
"Eek!"
"That hurts!!"
In response to his subordinate—his Master—complaining, Iskandar merely flicked Waver's forehead with a finger thicker than Waver's arm.
Though he hadn't used much force, it was devastating enough for the frail magus.
Waver immediately clutched his head and whimpered like a bullied housewife.
Seeing this, Iskandar nodded in satisfaction and swept his gaze across the battlefield.
"Though fate has brought us together to compete for the Holy Grail, I wish to ask something first."
He spread his arms wide in a heroic pose.
"Each of you is a legendary hero remembered through the ages."
"So why not all join my command and simply hand the Holy Grail over to me?"
"If you do, I shall treat you as friends and share with you the joy of conquering the world!"
Once again, silence fell across the battlefield.
No one answered.
Everyone simply looked at him as if he were an idiot—while quietly remaining on guard.
"See?" Waver whispered awkwardly, tugging at Iskandar's red cloak.
"I told you not to be so flashy… Everyone's laughing at us…"
Iskandar, however, laughed heartily.
"Hahahahaha! What's wrong with loudly declaring your dreams?"
"Only the weak hide their ambitions."
"A true strong man never fears revealing his ambitions to the world!"
"Waver, you must hurry and grow into a proper man!"
He slapped Waver heavily on the shoulder.
Waver felt as if his spine had nearly snapped.
"Hahahahaha!"
Iskandar's booming laughter could be heard even half a kilometer away.
Kiritsugu sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"The world almost got conquered by someone like that… What an unfunny joke."
Maiya smiled slightly while continuing to aim her sniper rifle at Assassin, preventing him from making any sudden moves.
"…What bold words."
Gilgamesh was the first to break the silence.
But just then—
Another male voice interrupted.
From the rooftop of a nearby warehouse came a voice amplified by magecraft, one that instinctively made Waver feel uneasy.
"I see… so it was you."
"I wondered why someone had stolen my holy relic."
"Turns out you intended to participate in the Holy Grail War yourself."
"Waver Velvet."
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