Capítulo 28: If Kiritsugu Hadn’t Backed Down So Quickly, I Would Have Chopped Up Gilgamesh
Under the serene moonlight, Kurumi stood in the forest like a blooming rose, beautiful yet dangerous. The assassins hiding in the nearby dense woods had no idea how the black-and-red avenger had discovered their presence, but they did their best to suppress their breathing and conceal themselves.
They believed they were well-hidden.
However, Kurumi simply had no interest in dealing with them at the moment.
From the direction of Miyama Town, a dazzling golden and emerald vessel descended, gliding gracefully through the sky. The King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, looked down upon the earth with disdain.
"Avenger!?"
His blood-red eyes glared at the moonlit spirit below, and his expression twisted into one of fury and indignation.
Kurumi tilted her head slightly, her delicate pink lips curving into a faint smile.
Oh? Is Goldie... angry already?
"A mere mongrel, thinking you can act with impunity just because you've received my favor?" He rose from his seat on the Vimana, his blazing golden hair resembling flames. "You have toyed with me far too many times. There is no one in this world who can disregard my authority like this!"
"Mongrel."
Behind him, golden ripples appeared, and a total of sixteen gates opened. Gilgamesh, while arrogant, always offered some measure of respect to those he deemed worthy opponents.
From those swirling portals emerged a myriad of radiant weapons—treasures of unparalleled brilliance, each a legendary artifact in its own right.
The golden light from the treasures illuminated the sky, casting a glow so intense it made the Vimana appear like a miniature sun.
Kurumi, gazing up at the radiant King above her, let her smile widen. But the colder and more amused it became, the more chilling it felt.
"Oh my, are you really going to draw your sword against me?"
Shadows began to crawl up her slender frame, forming her signature black-and-red gothic attire, emanating an aura of deep hatred that shot towards the heavens.
"Whatever you wish to destroy... you'd better be prepared to be destroyed in return."
Clink—
With the sound of chains rattling, Kurumi's twin flintlock pistols materialized in her hands.
"Isn't that right, Gilgamesh?"
At the moment Kurumi revealed Gilgamesh's true name, far away in the Tohsaka mansion, Tokiomi Tohsaka was stricken with panic. While Gilgamesh had refused to allow him to share his vision, Tokiomi had been keeping track of the battlefield through familiars and reports from Kirei.
Just like the many familiars monitoring the Tohsaka estate, other magi had sent their own to patrol the perimeter of the Einzbern castle. This essentially meant that Gilgamesh's true name was now public knowledge.
Having one's true name revealed in the Holy Grail War could be devastating. Like Achilles, whose weakness could be exploited once his name was known, even the most powerful Servants had their vulnerabilities.
Tokiomi clenched his jeweled staff so tightly his hands trembled.
But soon, he regained his composure. His Servant was invincible. Though unruly and difficult to control, summoning Gilgamesh had been the ultimate power play. The King of Heroes could wipe out all other Servants in a single night.
He just hoped Gilgamesh wouldn't reveal too many of his cards.
"So, you managed to guess my true name?" Gilgamesh sat back on his throne, resting leisurely. "You, mongrel, have now earned the privilege of worshiping me."
"But—such insolence deserves punishment, and you shall pay for it with your life!"
"Zasshu!"
The radiant weapons from his treasury, each gleaming with golden light, shot forth. They were not mere weapons but the original prototypes of every legendary weapon known to man, an unparalleled flood of divine power.
Swords, spears, lances, arrows—there were countless types, each more exquisite than the last.
The roar of this divine arsenal cut through the air as it hurtled toward the earth, enough to rend both sky and land asunder.
The sheer overwhelming force of the assault would tear apart any ordinary Servant in an instant.
Kurumi, however, only chuckled darkly. Holding her flintlock pistol before her face, she gently pressed her fingertip to her petal-like lips.
"Do you really think that will work?"
"Zafkiel."
"Come forth—Zafkiel, the Time Emperor!"
The blades, already within striking distance, their edges growing ever larger before her eyes, seemed poised to sever her instantly.
"Aleph—the First Bullet."
Kurumi raised her flintlock to her chin and pulled the trigger.
At that moment, the world turned black and red. To her, everything slowed to a crawl. Leisurely, she walked back to the Einzbern castle, poured herself a cup of tea, and gave Sakura's cheeks a good, hearty pinch.
In the real world, the barrage of treasures crashed into the earth, ripping through the landscape, leaving craters and fissures in their wake. When the dust and debris finally settled, the battlefield was a shattered mess, the ground marred with scars from Gilgamesh's assault.
And yet, Kurumi stood exactly where she had been before, now facing away from Gilgamesh.
Time resumed its flow.
As the dust cleared, the King of Heroes beheld the girl, still unscathed, her pristine white back unmarked, as if she had completely ignored the onslaught.
"Interesting. How very interesting!" Gilgamesh laughed, genuinely pleased. "You truly are an amusing creature, after all!"
It seemed that he had forgiven her previous insolence. The King of Heroes, for all his arrogance, appreciated worthy foes.
But Kurumi had no intention of letting things end there. Lifting her left hand, she raised her pistol once more to her chin.
Out of Gilgamesh's sight, her wine-colored eyes turned cold.
Meanwhile, Kurumi and Gilgamesh were not the only ones being closely watched. Through Irisviel's crystal ball, Kiritsugu too observed the battle from within the Einzbern castle, scrutinizing every move.
In Kiritsugu's understanding, Kurumi was still the Archer-class Servant from the previous timeline—a girl with fearsome time manipulation but otherwise physically frail.
Even though being summoned as an Avenger had increased her base attributes, Kiritsugu still instinctively believed that Kurumi couldn't handle Gilgamesh on her own.
Whether it was the Sword of Separation, the Ea, or any number of other deadly weapons from the King of Heroes' treasury, none were powers that could be easily countered.
Perhaps it would be simpler to eliminate the Master, Kiritsugu thought. A more direct approach might end things quickly.
"Avenger, let's stop here. Take him to Rider," Kiritsugu's voice echoed in Kurumi's mind.
Kurumi, ever nonchalant, shot a long glance at Gilgamesh.
Lucky you.
"Come along now, King of Heroes of Mesopotamia."
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