Artoria wasn't the only one taken aback; Gilgamesh was also momentarily surprised before breaking into laughter. When he turned his eyes to Shirou, they burned with intensity. "Heh, look who's back."
Shirou stepped in to stop Gilgamesh from badmouthing Artoria and openly declared her as his woman. But really, was that even a surprise? Granted, under the influence of Crimson Moon, he had entertained some less-than-honorable thoughts about her. But could anyone blame him?
Back when he first set foot in Britain and stayed at Ector's estate, young and impressionable Artoria had definitely caught his eye in more ways than one. Was that really shocking? He wasn't made of stone, after all. How could he not have some fantasies about such an attractive woman?
In fact, she wasn't the only one. During the Fourth Holy Grail War, he also found himself thinking some pretty impure thoughts about Scathach.
There was no denying it; at that time, her mature body had been highly stimulating for him. However, he had strong self-control and managed to restrain himself. After ascending to the throne and facing numerous tribulations, his thoughts were cleansed, and he no longer entertained such impure thoughts.
Nowadays, he was indifferent to gender or appearance, focusing solely on one's talents and usefulness.
Nevertheless, he could not deny that he had once had impure thoughts about Artoria, a vulnerability that Crimson Moon exploited.
He acknowledged his own weaknesses, but that did not make him a coward. It was difficult to face Artoria, true, but he was prepared to take responsibility for his past actions.
Artoria, taking in her king's profile, found herself without the right words to say.
A whirlwind of emotions enveloped her—there was happiness, but it was shadowed by sorrow. What should've been a pure love had been tainted by Crimson Moon.
The king had recognized her, and even acknowledged that regrettable moment in their past. But acknowledgment didn't erase her own mistake, a reality she had no choice but to face.
She's a woman marked by shame, a knight whose loyalty was questionable, and these facts are now permanently recorded in history. Her love has been tainted, forever stripped of its purity. Could it be that the king's acknowledgment isn't really about love but more about his own sense of guilt and self-reproach?
He recognized her, yes, but was it driven by guilt and self-blame? Should she feel elated about this recognition, or should she be sad?
Artoria didn't know. And the truth is, neither did Shirou.
Because whether it was him or her, both were experiencing this for the first time. Who has experience in such matters? They were both inexperienced.
He buffed her with three stacks of Mana Burst (C) and then said, "Let's head to the side hall first and take care of the enemies there."
"Understood, my king."
Gripping her sword tightly, she dashed out of the main hall, her speed almost making it look like she was running away.
Whether her heart was bubbling with joy, weighed down by sadness, or perhaps even filled with a sense of avoidance, she couldn't say. What she did know for sure was that her feelings hadn't changed. If it was for the king she looked up to, there was nothing she couldn't do!
She summoned the king's steed, Dun Stallion, and joined the battle. Straddling the horse, she held her holy sword in her left hand and the holy lance in her right, with Avalon's scabbard securely fastened at her waist. To top it off, Gray's massive magical support backed her up. This was Artoria at her peak, the very same Artoria who, over fifteen hundred years ago, had taken down the White Dragon, vanquished Crimson Moon, defeated the Sword Emperor Lucius, and killed Attila.
Mounted on Dun Stallion, she made quick work of the one-eyed giant, wielding her holy sword and lance. Her performance was amplified by the three layers of Mana Burst (C) bestowed upon her by the king.
She was even more efficient than Karna and Arjuna, lagging only slightly behind Scathach, who could take down a giant with just a single stab.
It wasn't surprising. Armed with two Noble Phantasms and protected by the invincibility granted by Avalon's scabbard—plus Gray's magical support—anything less than top-tier performance would be unthinkable.
Karna and Arjuna did notice this formidable presence on the battlefield, but they didn't seem to give her a second thought because, in their eyes, there was only each other.
For Karna, everything else was optional; he couldn't afford to lose to Arjuna, and Arjuna felt the same way.
Artoria charged through the temple on Dun Stallion, her majestic presence capturing everyone's gaze as the King of Knights.
The performances of the other Heroic Spirits went without saying, but Emiya Kiritsugu, squatting on the side and smoking a cigarette while watching this scene, couldn't help but sigh. He realized that the Heroic Spirit he had once summoned was incredibly powerful!
And then...
Well, there wasn't any "and then." He just puffed on his cigarette, eyes fixed on the ongoing battle between the demon god pillars and the one-eyed giants that seemed to rage on without end.
Barbatos, in the midst of the fray, shouted: "Hmph! Shua! Ultimate Mystic Eye Cannon! Eat this burst of Myriad Blossoms!... You're still standing? Here's the Heavenly Domain Demonic God Cannon for you!"
Barbatos looked pleased with himself, a glint of self-satisfaction in his eyes. He wasn't just firing off attacks; he was naming them, even throwing in his own sound effects. Whether it was a grandiose name like "Heavenly Domain Demonic God Cannon" or a strange shout like "Hmph! Baboom! Why won't you just go down?" There were even occasional curses directed at Kiritsugu, such as "Why am I stuck with such a trashy support?"
Kiritsugu didn't react much to Barbatos' complaints. He simply took another drag from his cigarette and relocated to a safer vantage point, from where he could better observe the ongoing clash between Barbatos and the one-eyed giant.
Meanwhile, Artoria burst into the side hall on Dun Stallion. Upon seeing her, Merlin was overcome with emotion, his eyes welling up. "It's a glorious moment, Lily. The king has finally acknowledged you, accepted you as his woman. I couldn't be happier for you."
Ripping a piece of cloth from his robe to dab away his tears, Merlin wore the expression of a sentimental dad about to give his daughter away in marriage. All Artoria could do in response was to run away in panic.
Merlin's heart swelled with emotion. With his Clairvoyance (EX), he had naturally seen what had just happened in the main hall. The moment the king called Artoria his woman, there was no doubt that the king had acknowledged her. For Merlin, who had always regarded her as his daughter, this brought him immense joy.
"Uther, did you see that? Our girl is finally finding her happiness..."
As he dabbed the moisture from the corner of his eyes with his robe's edge, his expression suddenly froze. Did he just say something truly disgusting? After a moment of reflection, he concluded that it wasn't as bad as he initially thought. He shook off the momentary doubt and returned to his emotional state.
With Artoria entering the fray, the rate at which they were taking down the one-eyed giants skyrocketed. Even the huge dragon head looming over the main hall seemed to sense the pressure, letting out uneasy roars as numerous gigantic arms began to cluster around it.
Gilgamesh took a brief look at the dragon before turning to Shirou, "Do you have enough magical energy?"
Shirou quickly checked his status. "I used some skills not too long ago. Right now, my magical energy is at a D-level."
Gilgamesh looked surprised and asked, "Then how are you still maintaining your true form?"
Clearly, what Gilgamesh referred to as his "true form" was the one he was currently maintaining.
In response to Gilgamesh's question, he said with exasperation, "Do you think I'm a Digimon, evolving and de-volving when I want to?"
"What's a Digimon?" Gilgamesh asked.
"Look it up with your Noble Phantasm."
Gilgamesh made a face that clearly said he wasn't pleased.
"Your emotions are...quite something," King Solomon chimed in.
Shirou retorted, "Get lost!"
Gilgamesh snorted. "Watch your words, mongrel!"
As the duo started bickering, the eerie humanoid figure on the massive dragon's head still clutched the black cup, emitting a sinister light. Meanwhile, other humanoids on the dragon's neck let out a bone-chilling howl, further intensifying the aura of dread.
"Hateful... hateful... hateful..."
"Vessel... vessel... vessel..."
"My vessel..."
"Hateful... hateful... hateful..."
"Vessel... vessel... vessel..."
"My vessel..."
"That thing seems ready to unleash something nasty," Gilgamesh remarked, narrowing his eyes. Turning to Shirou, he said, "Without magical energy, you're pretty much dead weight. Step back."
Shirou shook his head. "I have a plan..."
Almost reflexively, Gilgamesh took a step back and exclaimed, "I'd rather not hear your plan!"
Shirou stared at him, incredulous. "Seriously? You're being overdramatic."
Gilgamesh shot back, "Just take a look at our predicament!"
"So, what? Now it's my fault?" Shirou threw his hands up in exasperation. "Do you honestly believe that the moment I start planning, the tides will miraculously turn against us? That's some next-level superstition. And to think the great King of Heroes falls for such things."
Gilgamesh paused before replying, "I didn't hold such beliefs before, but after spending enough time around you, I believe it's better to be safe than sorry."
Shirou: "..."
He couldn't help but be taken aback. Is this actually Gilgamesh? It's pretty unexpected, to say the least.
Shaking his head slightly, he said, "Relax, this can't be called as plans. It's just a way to restore magical energy."
He paused and then shouted, "Ruby, Sapphire! It's time!"
Ruby flew out from behind King Solomon's throne, clearly thrilled. "Is it finally our turn to shine?" she said, buzzing with excitement.
After being confined in the temple, Ruby and Sapphire had taken up a discreet position behind King Solomon, awaiting his cue.
And now, that moment had come.
"Hold on, sis!" Sapphire followed closely behind.
Arriving at his side, Ruby eagerly announced, "Time to transform into adorable magical—no, wait, I mean noble Kamen Rider!"
Sapphire interjected, "Sis, remember who we really are. We should transform into magical girls!"
And that was exactly why he had been hesitant to call on them.
Ruby and Sapphire were both Mystic Codes with the incredible capability to harness magical energy from a limitless array of parallel worlds. However, the downside was they'd turn their users into some, well, rather unconventional forms.
For example, magical girls, Kamen Riders, or even... Pretty Cure?
The whole concept was a hard pill to swallow for him, especially as a guy who wasn't keen on cross-dressing.
Sure, he might not have the cleanest mind in the world, but he did have some standards when it came to preserving his own dignity.
But now, he was out of magical energy!
Shirou was in a bind. On one hand, he was desperate for magical energy; on the other, he had his own limits. Dressing up as a magical girl was a bridge too far for him.
In fact, he should have replenished his magical energy with Artoria just now, but he felt a bit embarrassed to do that.
So here he was, clutching Ruby and Sapphire in his hands, applying just enough pressure to make his point.
Crack, Crack, Crack...
The bizarre sounds emanated from the two Mystic Codes.
"Ow, ow, ow!!! What are you doing?!" Ruby wailed. "I've always been your loyal supporter! Why are you hurting me?!"
Sapphire also wailed, "It hurts, please stop, Eternal King, please let go."
His face was dead serious. "Listen up, both of you. If you even think about transforming me into some wacky magical girl, I'm not just going to give you a hard time; I'll lock you in a black box and forget about you. Got it?"
Ruby was quick to get the message, nodding furiously as she tried to win back his favor. "I get it, I get it! I'm your loyal lackey, Your Majesty. Can you ease up on the grip now?"
But Sapphire stuck to her principle and said, "I am a Kaleidostick, and I absolutely won't..."
Before she could finish her thought, Ruby smacked her sister, "Zip it! His Majesty's orders are absolute!"
Turning her attention back to him, Ruby made another attempt to win him over. "Please, Your Majesty...?"
Sapphire let out a resigned sigh. "Alright then, what do you want to transform into?"
"It doesn't matter what it is, just as long as it isn't a magical girl outfit."
His requirements were straightforward; he simply wished to maintain his dignity. He cared about the opinions of his subordinates, friends, and the women for whom he was responsible. However, the most pressing issue was to not provide Gilgamesh, the chuunibyou idiot, with material to mock him.
Indeed, the primary reason he so adamantly refused transforming into a magical girl or wearing female clothing was precisely because Gilgamesh was here.
Being somewhat embarrassed in front of his subordinates, friends, and women was tolerable. However, giving Gilgamesh the opportunity to ridicule him was completely unacceptable.
That's right, the true reason he wouldn't entertain the idea of becoming a magical girl or donning women's attire was Gilgamesh's presence.
If he allowed Gilgamesh even the smallest opening to discover his weak point, he knew that Gilgamesh would take immense pleasure in taunting him at every opportunity. That was a situation he simply couldn't afford to let happen.
So, taking action, he picked up Ruby with one hand and Sapphire with the other, placing them against his waist.
He stayed silent, and neither Ruby nor Sapphire made a move to transform. The scene fell into an awkward silence for a couple of seconds, with only the sounds of the rampaging dragon being heard.
It was a somewhat uncomfortable moment, and Ruby decided to voice her opinion. 'Your Majesty, you should have said henxin! That's the trigger!'
A mental sigh washed over him. "This can't be happening..."
He took a breath, "Henxin!" he voiced aloud.
Ruby's voice brimmed with excitement, "Yes, my master! Preparation complete! Cross over, fate! Kamen Rider Ruby!"
A burst of red light emanated from Ruby, filling the space. Sapphire spoke hesitantly, "This is a first for me, so I'm not really sure what I should say, sis."
Ruby let out a chuckle, "That's alright."
The two gems started glowing in a harmonious blend of red and blue, their light swirling together like a miniature galaxy, casting their luminous sheen over his entire frame.
With a final burst of enthusiasm, Ruby exclaimed, "Infusion complete! Shatter the limits! Beyond the boundaries of the world, Kamen Rider Stars!"
As the blended starlight flickered and dissipated, a brand-new Kamen Rider appeared in his place.
He wore thick azure-silver armor that seemed to shimmer with a subtle, star-like glow. His face was obscured by an azure-silver mask, punctuated by two large, crimson, compound eyes.
The combined starlight had given him an almost ethereal appearance.
"This... this is...!" Gilgamesh's eyes sparkled, fully captivated by the transformation.
Just as he had been taken by the Kamen Rider Ruby suit, Gilgamesh found himself equally entranced by the starry effects of the Kamen Rider Stars armor.
"This isn't the time to play around; stay focused, Gil."
Gilgamesh huffed, crossing his arms and cocking his head with a touch of haughtiness. "My focus has always been impeccable."
Yet, despite his claim, his eyes kept drifting back to the new Kamen Rider Stars suit. There was something about its aesthetic that piqued his interest.
Solomon, the King of Magecraft, also regarded Shirou's transformed state with a hint of curiosity, his listless eyes studying the changes with interest.
Enhanced by both Ruby and Sapphire, and augmented by his own power, his current form was nothing short of eye-catching—it was like he had become a human lightbulb. Going unnoticed was simply out of the question.
The crowd outside the temple had their eyes glued to the sky projections. Suddenly, they erupted into cheers and shouts. The sudden explosion of special effects signaled a game-changing moment, and they could practically feel the atmosphere shift. To them, it seemed like the odds of getting out of this mess had just increased.
The fusion of Red Ruby and Blue Sapphire bestowed impressive abilities upon its bearer, elevating them to a force to be reckoned with. However, it's essential to note that such an elevated status was relative. Take Illya, for example; when she assumed this form, she could easily turn the tides of a typical Holy Grail War in a single night. With the magical energy from her own Grail and the added power from the parallel world, she could even overcome Gilgamesh, Ea, and all.
But this is where the nuances come into play. Pitting Illya in this mode against the monstrosity in the sky or against Crimson Moon would yield a painfully predictable outcome.
For him, this transformed state didn't significantly enhance his combat abilities. While the mode had the potential to greatly exceed a user's normal capabilities, in his case, its primary function was to replenish his magical energy. More specifically, it enabled him to draw magical energy from parallel worlds through the second magic.
So in essence, this state served as more of a mana-replenishing tool than a dramatic power boost. If it hadn't been for that entity obstructing his use of the Evil Flower, he might not have even considered using these embarrassing toys.
...
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