12
Chapter 12
Black sword meet a golden one in collision which generated sparks.
The collision only lasted for a few minutes before the black sword pushed the golden one away.
There was a burst of black aura around the black blade.
The swing had enough power to push Artoria back, it even forced her to skid back through the ground several meters away.
'She is strong! Her strength alone should be higher than mine by whole level!' Saber thought with narrowed eyes as she looked at the opponent in front of her.
'Nonetheless, her fighting style is much more brute force than mine.' Thinking for a few fractions of a second she dashed forward and once more started to engage her darkened version.
Even though her fighting style has changed King of Knights has noticed similarities, after all, they are the same person fundamentally.
Keeping that in mind Artoria started to use her more agile style to fight her darker version more strength-based.
Not that Saber Alter didn't notice that…
Quickly enough the darker version got pissed that her hits don't land. So, she started using her Prana empowered blows followed by her blade's dark aura.
Quite literally, making each swing affect the whole area around her.
Once more Saber Alter send the King of Knight flying back, away from her. Making some distance.
"That's the problem of yours, or ours before my fall! You are restraining your nature! We are dragons! weaker me! Why are you restraining yourself!?" Once again Darker Artoria casually switched which hand is holding her sword.
Then took a familiar stance, which started sending warning bells inside Artoria's head.
But, she did not expect the charge to be almost instantaneous! immediately her blade was charged for a blast.
'This is ridiculous! How fast she is making her prana flow!?' Saber eyes went wide seeing another blast is coming her way!
"EX-CALIBUR MORGAN!!!" Saber Alter swung her blade upwards releasing another pitch-black beam at Artoria.
The King of Knights slightly panicked seeing that, she was not prepared for this one!
'Use Avalon!' King of Heroes sharply told her through their connection.
Saber quickly felt the familiar flow of energy entering her vessel.
"AVALON!" The blonde knight lifted her free hand and the blue/golden sheath manifested in front of her.
Next moment the blast got reflected, and this time it was Saber Alter time to be shocked and unprepared for this.
Nonetheless, she was partially successful in dodging the blast. A portion of her armour was blasted off by this and her hand was bleeding.
"You have the sheath? So, it was that damn sheath which reflected the previous blast!" Saber Alter said with an annoyed tone. She then looked at the Golden Hero standing at sidelines.
She could not read the facial expression of the King of Heroes that's what annoyed and unsettled her.
Her normal self should not have the sheath! After all, She never had it when she was summoned! And they were the same before this whole nonsense happened!
That means that someone has given her the sheath!
"Let's end this weaker me! This time I won't be going easy on you!" As darker Artoria said black miasma started to surround her.
She was pumping quite a bit of prana into her Blade this time.
"King of Heroes!" Saber said to Gilgamesh, as she felt that the Darker Artoria's output has exceeded hers.
"I need more prana for this!!!" She didn't like asking for things. But, by this point, he is her Master and battles are usually between Servants and their Masters who support their Servants.
That's what she mentally told herself. So, it's alright to ask for help from her Master!
Gilgamesh didn't say anything but she did receive a rapid flow of energy and quickly enough she was beyond her peak condition.
Where Saber Alter was glowing with black and red miasma Saber was glowing in pure gold energy and golden particles were gathering around her.
A few moments later their swords reached a critical point and both of them swung it down.
"EX-CALIBUR MORGAN!!!"
"EX-CALIBUR!!!"
~~~
"Didn't they already establish the fact that their sword are equal?" Cu Chulainn said while covering his face with his robe sleeve, the amount crap like dust and stones these blasts generate is annoying.
"Let them have their fun, Caster. I think they have something to prove to each other." Gilgamesh said with an amused shrug.
The Hound of Ulster just deadpanned hearing that.
Prove what? Trying to blow each other with Fortress class Noble Phantasm?
Once again Gilgamesh called forth several more shields to block the debris flying at them.
Once the blasts settled down, a loud wind like whistling sound blasted through the destroyed cavern, Saber rushed forward with an enormous amount of force.
Catching Saber Alter by surprise.
Before long the Darkened Artoria was cut from left shoulder to right hip.
The inverted Servant took a few steps back.
"This… was a surprise… I didn't expect you to surprise attack me...like this… it's not your… your style…" Artoria Alter said while looking at her blood-covered hand.
"Well, this one is your victory…" the Darker version of King of Knights said while starting to disappear.
Seeing that the darker version is disappearing has started to rub Gilgamesh the wrong way. That moment his Sha Naqba Imuru gave him a solution.
A small smile appeared on his face.
He lifted his hand and looked at his command seals.
For a moment he focused on them, a soft red glow appeared.
Next moment a burst of red energy like shockwave spread through the cavern.
Catching Saber Alter with it…
A smirk that moment appeared on Gilgamesh face.
'Yes… the Servant was summoned by the Greater Grail system, so it the same version… heh… I love the knowledge I got from those memories.'
Gilgamesh internally grinned even more, he remembered how Tokiomi's little girl established the contract with Saber twice…
So, why he can't?
His actions stopped any movement everyone was looking at him.
Wondering what the hell the King of Heroes is going to do now…
"...Master what are you doing!?" Saber couldn't control herself anymore and called him by his official title, no matter how hard she tried not to.
"...She is right… what is the meaning of this King of Heroes?" Saber Alter asked him as the red aura of Command Spell was holding her in place.
While she can quite easily break from this, she is far more curious about the actions of this… unique King of Heroes who is far too tame for some reason and operates with a different… set of rules?
"Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone." Gilgamesh didn't respond to them instead he focused on his command seals and started to say the chant which by all accounts should not be well known in this specific timeline.
There was only one war, after the war was over and the person won the cup the ritual was over. The chant is no longer functioning by all means.
But, in this singularity? It's functional for the simple reason that the Servant he wants to contract was summoned by the very same grail system.
"Y-You want to form a contract with her!?" Artoria squeaked her words after hearing the first line of the summoning chant!
"Of course! What sort of question is this?" The King of Heroes said that seriously almost asked if she was that dumb?
"The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate." A more powerful red glow surrounded Saber who was dumbstruck by this.
"I announce. Your self is under me, my fate is in your sword.
By the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer." Gilgamesh continued the chant as he was approaching the darkened Saber.
"Why me? Even when I am this corrupt? You want me as your Servant?" She asked him with utter disbelief, this was not the King of Heroes she remembers! She remembers him being infatuated with her 'light'.
She doesn't have any of it anymore!
"Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead.
You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance!"
Once the chant was finished the red glow around Saber Alter was glowing intensively, the only thing is needed to finish this was the agreement of the Servant itself.
But, the darkened Artoria was adamantly waiting for an answer.
"Corrupt? What with this nonsense? Do you think I care? You are My Saber and you will always be mine. There is nothing more to it." Gilgamesh offered his hand to her.
"Accept this and you will fight any battles you want, my vault will be open to you. Any weapon, armament if you wish you can use it with reason." The King of Heroes words make everyone in the room gap like crazy.
The most shocked was King of Knights! When he said 'My Saber', does he mean that the darker Saber looks like her? So, he immediately says mine? What is even going in that blonde head of his!?
"W-What are you even saying? How is she 'Your Saber!?" Artoria asked with a red face and she pointed her sword at him.
"How is it for you difficult for you to understand?" The blonde Demigod said with an eye roll before looking back at the shell shocked darkened Saber.
"Do you accept?" He asked her now with raised eyebrow.
Instead of saying anything, Saber Alter leapt at Gilgamesh. His eyes widened to an absurd level, for one he knew this will happen, for another he didn't believe it one bit before the darkened knight already sealed her lips on his.
There was tons of raw emotions in that kiss, which sealed the contract.
Moments later the body of darkened Saber glowed, her wounds rapidly healed. The moment she finished the kiss she was already in peak condition.
"I accept! I shall be your sword! Master!" The paler blonde said with an uncharacteristically bright look.
While Saber was just gaping like crazy the blush she had was on completely another level.
She just saw a version of herself kiss the man who was pursuing her! That moment she felt like someone slammed a massive sledgehammer into her gut.
"W-What do you think you are doing!?" Saber stomped over to them. She was close to having steam coming out of her ears.
"Hmm? What are you talking about?" Saber Alter asked with an indifferent tone?
"W-W-Why did you k-k-kissed him!?" Artoria asked while shuttering out her words.
"And why not? Kiss like this is the best way to express my appreciation for offering a contract like this." The paler Artoria said with a blunt tone.
"Y-Y-You… what is wrong with you!?" The King of Knights didn't know what to say anymore, this made sense to her but it didn't! Her brain can't come up with any sort of reasonable explanation!
While Sabers were arguing/talking with each other Gilgamesh brain was in full static at the moment.
The kiss from inverted Saber was the last remaining piece of the puzzle.
The King of Heroes didn't just casually accept the change to his 'new self'.
He was still sceptical if he toned down his arrogance, tyranny. will it be better to achieve everything? Interfering so much with common humans and solving issues or battling battles he doesn't care that much…
But, now…
'It is working…' King of Heroes touched his lips for a moment his eyes went to the pair of Sabers.
Artoria was blushing like crazy and showing a jealous side she never knew she had. And Saber Alter simply doesn't care about reaction from the King of Knights.
'I see… very well then, I shall continue with this…' Making up his mind for the final time the blonde Demigod steeled himself.
He walked over to darkened Saber and hugged her from behind.
The paler blond that moment stiffed, even if she is dressed in her armour she felt the hug.
"...Master?" She asked with unnatural blush, affectionate King of Heroes? What is wrong with this world?
"Hmm? What is it?" He asked while pulling her closer to himself, while Saber looked at this with wide eyes and complete disbelief.
This made the rest of the group look at this weirdly too, especially Cu Chulainn, the Caster of this war realised that he was the last remaining Servant.
Saber Alter re-doing her contract under different terms, was already classified as a breach of the Holy Grail rules. Making him sort of winner?
While he did not have any good battles, he saw something more interesting.
Before long he started to disappear.
"!?"
"Caster-san you disappearing!?" Mash said with wide eyes seeing Caster starting to disappear all of sudden.
"Heh? It seems I have won the war. Wacky as it was, this one is under my belt now." Caster said with a nonchalant shrug.
Everyone looked at Caster as they heard Mash exclamation.
"While it was short, it was entertaining." Child of Light said with an amused smile. Before looking at Gilgamesh.
"By the way, I am keeping this!" Cu Chulainn showed the red spear he had in one of his hands.
"By all means keep it, It will return to my vault eventually." The Golden Hero said with a nonchalant shrug. He is hugging Saber Alter at the moment he doesn't care about something which returns to him on its own.
*Tsk*
And here Cu Chulainn can get a reaction from the King of Heroes. It seems he was far more interested in hugging someone who was their enemy just a few minutes ago...
"Well. Whatever, see you guys later."
And just like that, the 'last' Servant of the war disappeared.
"He didn't even touch the cup how did he disappear like that?" Saber asked with an uncertain look on her face. The grail wars have too many rules she is not aware of.
"The contract was not undone, he simply stopped receiving support from the grail altogether," Gilgamesh explained to Saber while still holding the paler blond version of her.
"I see… another countermeasure for Servant not to get hands-on the cup?" Saber asked with a slightly annoyed tone.
"Possibly. I never went into details of all the countermeasures." King of heroes said that while gently stroking the hair of extremely red-faced Saber Alter.
"I see…"
*Clap*
*Clap*
*Clap*
"What a battle, never expected such outcome! Who would have thought that King of Heroes would arrive and rescue Chaldea like this!" A man dressed in old fashioned brownish suit, and black curly hair walked out from somewhere.
It felt like he simply appeared out from somewhere.
"LEV!? Thank Root you are alright!"
Olga seeing her teacher like figure being alright she started running towards him but Gilgamesh mentally called forth his chains and wrapped Olga in them.
"Mash flick her forehead for me, it's an order." The blonde Demigod said to his Servant.
The Shielder Class demi-Servant nearly jumped out of her shoes when she heard a command like that!
"Umm...Okay…" The pink-haired girl slowly started to walk over to the white-haired Director.
"What? Why!? Mash don't do this! It hurts!" For a moment Olga forgot about Lev and instead focused on the imminent danger of pain.
"I am sorry Director, but… Its orders from Master." The pink-haired girl said with an extremely serious tone as if she is punishing a criminal.
"W-Wait!"
*Flick*
"Ow! Why!? Why you didn't take off your gauntlets!" The Director of Chaldea said with teary eyes. Worst of all she could not rub her forehead as she was chained up…
"Your Majesty!? Why!?" She asked the one is responsible for this.
"You silly girl! Why would the man you know appear like this in this specific Singularity? Hmm? He was not even in the same room as us who were Rayshifted!" Gilgamesh words were like thunderclap in broad day.
Olga's eyes widened for a second.
*Clap*
*Clap*
*Clap*
"As expected from infamous King of Heroes. I have no idea how or what you did to be alive like this…" Lev said while clapping. There was some annoyance on his face.
"You fool! Why I shouldn't be alive? Do you think just because I died of old age in the distant past I will be truly dead? When the World needs me, they will always go to me first and at most.
Just how King of Knights will be summoned when Britain is in danger so will I appear when World is in danger.
Do you truly believe I appeared here by chance? When I used the Jewel Sword of Kaleidoscope my destination was random. Or was it? Hmm? What do you think?"
"Ugh, your ego is like rumours said they were." The man in the suit grimaced while saying that. He can't quite believe someone would say that.
"My ego? How it be my ego when I am telling how it truly is?" Gilgamesh said that while releasing Saber Alter from his hug. Before that, he patted her head as she walked several steps towards Lev.
"So delusional then?" Lev eye-rolled at him. While he knows Gilgamesh is one of the oldest existence recorded in Throne of Heroes. There is no information of him being similar to King Arthur myth about saving his country or something similar.
"Not as much as you Lev Luthor Flauros." Gilgamesh on purpose more sharply said the last name of Lev. Making the brown suited man narrow his eyes at the Golden King.
"Since you are here I will ask a question. You created this singularity, isn't it?"
Olga gasped at the accusation, she and Mash were the only ones who reacted like this as Artoria already found the man's existence weird when her Master pointed it out.
While the darker Artoria already knew it was him as he was the one who gave the Grail to her, only that she did not have a chance to explain to the group.
"Indeed. This Singularity was supposed to hold any Chaldea activity with Fallen King of Knights holding back anyone who survived the bombing in Chaldea." The man with curly black hair shrugged with annoyance after saying that.
"But, how could we predict the appearance of long-dead Demigod? You Godlings are annoying as unpredictable."
"I see. So it was you who put My Saber as a mere guard dog in this disgusting place." Gilgamesh said this sharply as he finally heard what he wanted to hear from this guy who is behind with his fashion sense, and it is quite behind... close to one hundred years.
No one dresses like that…
*Snort*
"Of course! It was the strongest Servant this pitiful war has summoned." Kev said that with disgust.
The King of Heroes laughed, it was a fake one. Next moment with a burst of gold he was dressed in his armour.
Lev slightly reacted to it, he was ready to show his real colours if need be. He only showed his 'face' just to see who did survived the explosion after all.
Never did he expect that a King of Heroes himself is helping Chaldea to survive! He was not even in calculations to begin with.
One can't include infinite possibilities of Kaleidoscope, that's just impossible.
"That's all I needed to hear from you." That moment he crossed his hands and a portal opened on the ground not far from him.
A few moments later a golden handle came out, this was not the end though, as more and more of this weapon came out of it.
No one before saw this kind of shape for a weapon before.
It should look like a sword but it was shaped like a drill. With three segments in black and red colour, and there was no sharp tip in first place at the end of the drill!
People already can feel raw power coming from this thing.
A few moments later the three segments slowly started to spin and black and red smoke started to appear from it.
"Judgment is upon you mongrel, for making my Saber behave like some guard dog. For that, you shall experience the might of my Sword of Rupture!!!" As Gilgamesh said that the weapon started to spin faster moments later the surroundings started to change.
From greyish red cave, it turned into pure black and red, the King of Heroes started to float as he moments later was above Lev Luthor Flauros. It looked like he was a God who is administering punishment to a criminal.
Not only that but Sabers and the ladies from Chaldea were able to see this first hand.
"What in world is that thing? Is that even a weapon!?" Saber asked with wide eyes. Was this the weapon he hinted about in the war?
While Saber was quite shocked seeing a weapon that warps the surrounding just from activation while... Saber Alter was blushing a storm after hearing his declaration.
He is doing all this because of her!? This was not the King of Heroes she knows off!
And of course Mash with Olga staring at this with opened jaws. Olga the most who didn't know if it was Reality Marble or just the effect the weapon had. It was the most shocking seeing something akin to Galaxies appearing above and below the King of Heroes.
"Behold the crushing might of my strongest treasure!" Gilgamesh took the weapon handle with his right hand and lifted it above his head.
The drill segments started to spin even faster creating a ball of pure red energy at the end of the drill.
While Lev finally realised that this is not good, one moment they were still talking next moment the King of Heroes just decided to pull out his greatest weapon!
He tried to move but realised that he was like nailed to the floor.
"You think you can move when you in presence of a power equivalent to a dying star?" Gilgamesh sneered before EA reached critical levels.
"ENUMA…"
He then lowered the 'sword' and pointed at Lev Luthor Flauros.
"...ELISH!!!"
That moment a red/orangeish beam descended towards the curly-haired man. He didn't have time to say anything as the sound itself was erased the moment the beam smashed into the man he was erased.
There was no trace left of him.
A few seconds later the beam has ended and the King of Heroes descended on the ground.
Looking at his handiwork with a satisfying looking. No mongrels will ever going to make his Sabers do such disgusting work when he is around.
Especially for some third rate tentacle demon.
He turned around started walking back towards the duo of Saber who were looking at him the whole time.
"So...this is the weapon you mentioned to Rider?" Artoria asked with a complex look.
She was right, he indeed had a weapon of immense power, so much power that it warps reality on its own!
"One of few Divine Constructs I have in my vault." He said that while looking at the Sword of Rupture. " EA, the Sword of Rupture is my most powerful Noble Phantasm. One could say this is my right to rule.
Or more precisely my signature weapon, unique to me. You have seen Enkidu, it was not originally mine or my Gate of Babylon which in essence is my vault. As a collector, I collected countless weapons. But EA...EA was given to me at the start of my Rule, a symbol of absolute power. A Weapon classified as Anti-World Noble Phantasm." As he said that he lifted the 'sword' showing it horizontally, before it turned into golden particles alongside his armour.
Even though for a short amount of time. Saber Alter and the ladies from Chaldea were able to see Gilgamesh in his battling armour.
Mash for a moment wondered if King of Heroes had a treasure for his hair as the moment he recalled his armour his hair went down…
"Anti-World Noble Phantasm? Such thing even exists?" Saber asked him with a face that shows that she was in disbelief.
How is one supposed to fight that!?
That Lev guy couldn't even move when the surrounding have changed!
"It was crafted from dying star Saber." Gilgamesh quite casually pointed that out, which made the fellow blonde even more gobsmacked.
"We can discuss this later!? Please! Your Majesty! release me from this!!!" Olga begged from behind Sabers, the chains have completely her in his mercy!
Not only that but her arms started to get numb!
"Oh, right." The King of Heroes released the chains, there was a smile on his face which said that he did not forget about her only that he pretended from the amusement.
Once the white-haired girl was free she walked over, passed the blonde Demigod and walked over where the black curly man used to be before he was erased... completely.
"Lev… why…" The director said with teary eyes.
"You didn't realise that he was not human at all?" The Golden Hero said to her as he was standing behind her with crossed eyes as he looked at the small crater himself.
The perfection of his weapon is something he loves the most. The weapon which can rip the world apart OR simple rip the person to nothingness. Truly a perfect weapon for King of Heroes.
"...Never...why should I? He helped me to build Chaldea!" She said with quite an angry tone.
The blonde King of Mesopotamia undid his crossed arms and was about to flick her forehead once more.
But, Olga quickly did a respectful bow for an apology.
"His name was Lev Luthor Flauros… do your research… the man was flaunting his real identity. He knew you all were incompetent, and he didn't even care." Gilgamesh said with a disappointed shrug himself.
"..."
"..."
"I thought it was just a family name… it had a deeper meaning?" The white-haired magus rubbed her forehead. She starting to feel quite annoyed with herself at the moment.
"Why don't you start doing your research when we are back at Chaldea." He said that while smiling at her.
"You enjoying my suffering aren't you...Your Majesty?" She said that with a sigh.
"In a sense. I am supposed to be a wedge between Gods and Men. It means all I should do is only point you in the right direction and you should find it yourself. It's not my fault you making it amusing for me." He explained to her before turning around walking back to the Sabers who were eyeing each other at the moment.
*Sigh*
"He knows the answer! Yet, doesn't tell me!" Olga said to herself while having an annoyed look. She can't remember she felt this amount of frustration before!
"Not that I am complaining or anything Master but, what now? Saber-san has been defeated and joined us and… Lev Luthor has been defeated." Mash said with an uncomfortable look. For the simple reason that everyone was looking at her, being in the centre of attention like this is something she doesn't want.
"... It's easily solvable…" Saber Alter lifted her hand and a golden cup manifested above her hand.
"...That's the Holy Grail!!! You had this with you the whole time!?" Saber asked with utter shock. How did she win if her counterpart had the wish-granting cup!?
"Don't be mistaken. I could only drain the cups prana to sustain myself. The cup never answered to any of my wishes.
However, it became much more responsive after I changed allegiance, and that curly bastard was defeated." The darkened Saber said to the group.
She then motioned for King of Heroes to take the cup.
"It's your now. I do not care for this fake thing."
"I already have several of those. Chaldea should have it." Gilgamesh motioned towards Olga while saying that.
Saber Alter motioned for the white-haired girl to take the cup.
"Mash your shield."
"Right!"
Moments later the cup was absorbed by the shield and… the cave trembled for a moment.
That moment the communication device started to beep, it was Romani…
"Guys! You have to leave the Singularity now! It started rapidly to dissolve!" The medic of Chaldea warned them with slightly a panicked tone.
~~~~~~Back at Chaldea~~~~~~
*Groan*
"If this is how this travelling system works I will personally going to break it," Gilgamesh said that as he slowly got up from the uncomfortable and cold floor.
"My apologies your Majesty. But, we had to do it this way otherwise we have no idea how it would have affected Director's return." A female voice said which got the blonde Demigod attention.
Hs turned around and saw a brown-haired woman with a weird staff. King of Heroes can tell she is a Servant without even using his memories.
Moments later other the rest started to get up both Sabers were looking around at the partially fixed room.
The Golden Hero can tell that most of the room has been fixed. But, there were still some debris and the coffins have been moved.
"Da Vinci, what are you talking about? I don't remember others saying Rayshifting can be this bad." Olga said as she groggily got up on her feet.
"That's is because we had to use the same settings which send you off to return you all. Director, you know fully that you CAN'T rayshift. We needed to reenact the same configurations.
I say it's dumb luck that you are alive in the first place." The genius of Renaissance said with borderline deadpan tone.
How in world she performed rayshift with zero compatibility is someone the genius can't simply comprehend.
"Possibly my luck rubbed off her. It's EX for a reason." The blonde Demigod said with a shrug.
"...I am not doing it again, even with your luck," Olga said with a pale face. She remembered that... yes, she shouldn't have been able to rayshift!
"That would be for the best. Now why not retire for today and we can discuss the events after several hours of sleep?" Da Vinci offered with a smile.
"I will. And where is Romani?" The white-haired magus said while looking around.
"He is busy at the moment."
"I hope so," Olga said with narrowed eyes. If that man is slacking off after Chaldea experienced such disaster then she will kill him off herself.
"I will take up on that offer. Where can I find a room to rest?" Gilgamesh words has drawn attention to him.
"Of course let me show you where you can rest."
~~~
Thankfully the genius of Italy did not pester him much.
After leaving him be King of Heroes ended up in a simple room with minimal decorations. A bed, a table, and a small bathroom next to it.
He can assume it was a room of one of the Masters.
Perfectly honest now that he alone, his Servants were somewhere else, he can finally release a tired sigh. He only just returned to the world of living and already used Enuma Elish twice, Summoned a Servant and contracted two other Servants.
He was simply tired.
Without much fanfare, he dropped into the bed and closed his eyes.
It's time to sleep properly for the first time since coming back to life.
~~~~~~Several Hours Later~~~~~~
After sleeping gods know how long the blonde Demigod opened his eyes and saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
'Right… reincarnation… Kaleidoscope...Chaldea… I don't know if my luck is off the charts as they say in modern slang, or it's so big that it has reached the negative.' The blonde thought to himself. As for a moment he just looked at the ceiling.
It feels nostalgic to sleep, to feel how the body reacts after waking up from a long nap.
As he was a Servant not long ago he was reminded what it means to be a physical...Spirit.
Most senses were dulled. Food, drinks, sweets any sort of food tasted more dull. That's was one of the reasons why the moment he got his body back he went to taste food.
To make sure that his tastes buds are back, or it was just how his body was.
Thankfully food tastes much better when he got his body back.
"You awake now?" Gilgamesh snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a familiar voice.
It was slightly on the duller side. Which means it was Saber Alter… or simply Salter.
The blonde demigod moved his head to the right and saw the darker version of Saber sitting on a chair. She was simply watching him sleep…
He quite easily noticed that she was dressed in black goth clothes which are simply darkened versions of Saber clothing.
His Sha Naqba Imuru told him that her clothes got inverted alongside her. Which quite weird and interesting fact…
"Maybe. Haven't decided if I want to though…" The King of Heroes said with a lazy tone.
"...I see…"
"You didn't have to watch over me sleeping you know?" He said with an amused tone. He saw through her bad communication skills. The amount of information he has on King of Knights is absurd and he will use it to his advantage to the maximum.
"As your Sword is my duty to be beside you." She said that with a straight face.
Gilgamesh closed his eyes there was a smile on his face.
Here he was, only his second day of being alive and he already has two versions of Saber. And the only thing he needed to do was reel in some of the worse tendencies he developed as a teenager.
Another bigger smile appeared on his face for a second, he had an idea.
So, he moved slightly to the other side, making some space on the bed.
"Since you are my sword why don't you come over here?" He asked with a teasing tone, waiting for a reaction from her.
Saber Alter only waited for a few moments before getting on her feet, taking a few more steps before getting on the bed.
Her movements were quite awkward but it looked extremely cute as she had a very serious expression on her face.
Eventually, she ended up in bed. This was where the blonde Demigod wrapped his hand around her and pulled her in closer to himself.
Her upper body was laying on top of his chest.
The pale blonde started blushing from these quite intimate actions from the King of Heroes.
This was not like the memories she has on him. She remembers two Gral Wars with King of Heroes. In one of them, he was the Archer of that war.
In another one, he was a remnant Servant of the previous war.
In none of those, he was this… good of a person.
Before long, Saber Alter realised that the blonde demigod was asleep once more.
She slightly lifted her head and saw his closed eyes, his breathing was even. The mighty King of Heroes has completely lowered his guard around her! In a sense, it was quite cute!
"..."
"..."
"Oh well…" She softly said to herself, deciding to ignore the fact that she was asked to bring Gilgamesh for debriefing and maybe get some more details from him.
It's not a surprise for her to know that King of Heroes simply knows more than tells everyone.
Yet, how can she wake him up? Saber Alter is his sword, not his caretaker…
So, she decided to enjoy this moment of quiet and comfort.
~~~
"W-What is this!?" Saber asked with wide eyes, next to her was blushing Mash who was dressed in Chaldea uniform. Unlike Saber, she had a uniform since she is a staff member of the facility before turning into Demi-Servant.
"I-I-It would seem Saber-san that Alter-san decided to sleep in the same bed as His Majesty." Mash explained as professionally as possible. Not it was needed. The pink head practically explained to herself...
"...Why?" That all she could say back. The King of Knights mind was short-circuiting as she tried to process what has led to this!
The Blonde Knight tried to fight down this ugly feeling which started to spread from her stomach.
'This...version of mine! How dare she slip in like this!' Artoria was angry. But, then she shook her head trying to calm down.
She declined King of Heroes advances twice. Yet, this one leapt forward without any thinking! Doesn't she has no pride of a knight? Or status as a King!?
All she calls herself is simply his Sword!
That's what annoyed her to no end, she looked like her but there was barely anything of her inside this Artoria!
So, seeing someone with her face do all that, is simply infuriating!
"Wake up you two!" Saber stomped inside the room with crossed arms, one of her eyebrows was twitching.
Unlike Saber, Mash reaction to King of Knights stomping inside the room of King of Heroes was that of horror.
After seeing what the man can do, what kind of firepower he has, and how proud and arrogant he can be.
Seeing someone acting so...disrespectful while he is sleeping is… she has no idea how he will react!
"Ugh…" The blonde Demigod slowly opened his eyes. He had one of the bests naps since he could remember.
His choice of hugging Artoria while sleeping was pure genius. The girl is an incredible source of heat.
"Oh, Saber. What is it?" Gilgamesh asked her, not even thinking of getting up, while the paler blond girl who was partial on top of him continued to pretend to sleep.
"You been asleep more than twelve hours! People are waiting for you to join them in the debriefing!" Artoria said seriously while trying to ignore the inverted Saber.
"Is it? I see. Well, I suppose, I should attend one of those meetings." He said that while using his free hand to contain his yawn.
"Yes, you should! You are the only remaining Master and humanity quite literally doesn't exist anymore! For some reason, you decide not to tell me that!" King of Knights reminded him that he did not tell her about the incineration of humanity!
"Hmm? I didn't? I guess I didn't." For a second he tried to remember if he did or not? His Sha Naqba Imuru told him that... nope, he did not.
*Sigh*
The blonde Knight simply sighed at him before clarifying.
"Yes! You did not! Only about that Singularity thing!" Saber said with an annoyed huff.
"Ugh, can you just for a moment relax? There is no need for you to be so stiff." The Darker Artoria lifted her head and started to move while saying that.
She enjoyed this nap very much so. For the first time since her fall to the corruption she felt relaxed, and now this stiff version of her had to interrupt.
"Stiff!? Humanity is gone and you want to relax?" She said with borderline furious tone.
"And what can you do now? You and I are warriors, not mages or researchers. If we had a clear enemy then point me in its direction and I will deal with it.
Now? We don't have it, so there is no reason for you to interrupt my rest like this." Saber Alter explained bluntly as she got up from the bed.
Her words were like a sledgehammer into Artoria's gut. The blunter version of her has hit the mark. Saber was no mage or researcher. She had no idea who is behind this at this moment. And it did frustrate her.
While Gilgamesh enjoyed this quite a bit. This was the entertainment he remembers from Fate Grand Order. While he doesn't want the madness they have there with hundreds of Servants he prefer this smaller size one much more.
"She is right, neither of us are mages or researchers, so it is up for them to find the next destination." The blonde Demigod said while getting up himself.
The Golden Hero stood up. He stretched up for a bit.
Took a deep breath. That moment he realised that he needs to take a shower. He sort of smells of sweat.
"Before I go there I will take a shower and get something to eat." He said that while starting to move towards the showers.
"Want me to join you?" Saber Alter said with a straight face.
King of Heroes stopped in his tracks while Saber instantly started to blush like a tomato.
"NO! You won't! Go! Take your shower! We will wait!" King of Knights grabbed the darker Saber's hand and started pulling her out of the room.
Mash who was in a massive embarrassing shock could not believe what she heard from the darkened version of King of Knights! How can someone be this shameless!
Gilgamesh shook his head from amusement, unlike those two embarrassed girls he saw the smirk on Salter.
She did that on purpose to get her revenge. And he knew that if he said 'yes' she would come with him into the shower anyway…
Oh, he would wash her up, the amount of stuff he has stored in his vault…
'Well, soon. I will drag them both into one.' For a second he thought about the things he can do those two. There was a large smirk on his face as he walked into the shower room.
~~~
"So, what do we got?" Gilgamesh plopped into a seat. His clothes changed, expensive as ever. A tight-fitting t-shirt with long sleeves and black jeans with another set of running shoes.
The King of Heroes made sure to have balance with his clothes.
Meaning that he wants to look good and clothes should be comfortable to use in a fight.
"After the singularity disappeared another seven appeared in its place," Olga said with a sigh. Trying not to ogle the blonde demigod too much.
She was annoyed that it took so long for him to wake up. Same time she to terrified to wake him up for obvious reasons. The girl is afraid of his fingers and how much damage they can deal.
Those flicks to her forehead are a reminder to behave.
So, she just waited and prepared whatever she knows. And maybe she can get some information from him.
"The way they are we will have to solve them one by one."
"Any idea where we go first?" King of Heroes asked her curiously, he knows the destination. But, he is playing along here.
"We don't have an exact date. But, it's in the middle ages in Europe." Olga said with a thoughtful look.
"Is there some sort of clue why specific dates like this?" Saber asked curiously, she wants to know more, and she knows that she is from what is considered the middle ages… she is hopeful and same time terrified if it's going to be her Britain around her era.
"We have a theory that it targeting specific moment in history." Da Vinci words got everyone attention.
"A critical point for humanity. Like discovery of Americas or invention of Steel." Gilgamesh clarified for the King of Knights.
Artoria slightly nodded, understanding the point but she has no idea on the history part or what truly happened. Same with Artoria Saber.
Seeing through them like an open book the King of Heroes is more than willing to share the absurd amount of information he has on history.
The memories of his other life was that of a history nerd, and combined with Gilgamesh ego and need to teach and guide.
Well, one can imagine he could spend a whole day flaunting the stuff he knows.
"Since the grail has not shared key points of regular history, I suppose, I can give you a lesson or two on what is regarded as the most important events of humanity which shaped it to what it is right now." The King of Heroes said to her with a shrug.
This made her slightly embarrassed that he saw through her like that.
"Umm… can I join this if possible? I mean if it's not… a problem?" Mash asked, but then she realised that she got herself in the middle of attention.
"Why not? As long as you want to learn instead of interrupting." The blonde Demigod shrugged. Of course, he will allow the 'cinnamon bun' to attend.
The pink-haired girl slightly fists bumped to herself, she will attend a teaching session led by a Demigod and a real hero!
Seeing all that the Saber Alter slightly narrowed her eyes at her counterpart.
The darkened version of King of Knights doesn't care about the 'details', like history or reasons for this happening.
But, she doesn't want to miss such an opportunity to spend time with her 'light'.
Yes, as someone who is corrupted and fallen to darkness she started to see Gilgamesh's gold radiance as her light.
"I will attend it too. Will there be some food?" She asked him… with an almost pleading look.
*Snort*
"I told you yesterday, I will give you whatever you want." He said that with a snort and with a casual hand wave a bag of Macdonald dropped in front of her.
"You...have... junk food in your vault?" The Genius of Renaissance asked with disbelief. Even extremely tired Romani lifted his head and looked at this, he was half asleep.
*Snort*
"This is not 'junk' food. Every single piece of this burger is hand-picked at done professionally, then encased in McDonald's package.
In other words, this is the five-star treatment for American burgers which can be considered a treasure of the American people." As the King of Heroes was explaining each and ever since word made the darkened Saber more and more hungry.
"Eat it. It was crafted for you." He motioned for her to start tasting it.
The Fallen knight slowly nodded and opened the bag then pulled out the burger. She treated the whole thing like it was a relic from the holy land.
Doing everything slowly, meticulously.
Before long she opened the box where the burger was.
Everyone in the room could hear a gulp from Saber Alter.
By this point, King of Knights herself was looking at this food with extreme interest. While she dislikes junk food, she loves extremely well prepared one.
And this might look like junk food, or supposed to look like one.
It was not. The meticulousness and the attention to detail is insane.
The burger looked like it was pulled out from a picture and made into 3D.
And so Saber's stomach made itself known to the world.
*Rumble*
A massive blush appeared on King of Knights face.
Artoria Alter looked at her counterpart with narrowed eyes, she quickly grabbed the burger and finished it in two bites.
The King of Heroes looked at this with a slightly baffled look. How could she finish it like that? The Big Mac is quite large and her mouth is not that big.
Even his Sha Naqba Imuru was silent on this.
Not that he had time to contemplate on this as the pale blond girl next to him that moment moaned.
'Is this the fabled foodgasm?'
The Golden Hero though with a curious look. He looked at the inverted King of Knights who had euphoric look.
A few moments later she then looked back at him once more. Asking for another one. This time, however, she had a healthy blush.
"I suppose we can have a light snack while we talk about this," Gilgamesh said with a sigh. The rest of them slightly nodded, they had never seen someone moan from food!
With another hand wave in the middle of the table, a golden portal opened and several more bags of McDonald's came out from it.
"Come, sit Saber, you can have some too." The King of Heroes motioned for the blond knight to sit next to him.
As she was not sitting next to him before, she was standing just slightly behind him. Like some bodyguard.
The King of Knights slowly nodded, there was no hesitation in her actions, she took her seat next to him and took a bag which she was eyeing before.
By this point, Artoria Alter had a third bag next to her. This just shows how fast the inverted Saber moved.
Shouldn't her speed be slower than blond knight's?
"This is truly delicious! Not only it looks amazing, it even tastes good! The combination of beef, salads, sauce and bread at once! This is simply amazing!" Olga said with borderline starry eyes.
Mash didn't say anything she just nodded as she was eating her burger eagerly, she never had something this good in her life!
"I more interested how does your treasury acquire its food?" The genius from the renaissance was having a mental battle between eating this or trying to figure out the origins and how it was made.
"By this point, it's purely concept based. My original vault is empty since Persians raided it. So, it's has transformed into a concept based on my myth."
"I see. This makes it incredibly… versatile." As she said that her thoughtful look changed into one of shock as she finally grasped how big his vault should be by this point!
"Yes, this is good… do you have some coffee with this?" Romani asked, his eyes were closed but he was still eating it. The sheer will of the man. Even if he is nearly asleep he would still eat his burger.
"I need you to be more specific on this." The Golden Hero asked with raised eyebrow. The concept of 'coffee' is wide. He has an entire section of Gate of Babylon dedicated to it.
Well… the majority of stuff has a section dedicated to it...
"Latte then please."
Without saying anything back a portal opened next to the half-asleep doctor, a cup of hot Latte rose from it.
"My thanks."
Before long Artoria started eating her burger, at that moment she was reminded about the 'Banquet of Kings'.
The food was godly, and an embarrassing uncontrolled moan escaped from her lips.
Thankfully… no one cared as they were eating their burgers or was it?
~~~
"Now that we have finished this abrupt dinner. We need to deal with these singularities. This means that we need to collect the Holy Grails which are at the heart of them." Olga said as she was back in her Director's persona.
"And… well, we kind of only have one Master available for this." The white-haired magus girl said with an uncomfortable look. She has no idea how to 'nicely' ask.
"Don't worry, I will go. This is the perfect opportunity for me to see different timelines and collect more wealth." Gilgamesh easily agreed to this.
"Umm, I don't know how your Treasury works but once singularity is undone majority of items or even people not related to the timeline will get erased," Olga said with a sigh.
"Still though if there is a way I would like to ask you if you could collect some things along the way." This time Da Vinci chipped in she had a 'smile' on her face as she asked this.
Who wouldn't want to 'play' with items from different time periods?
"I will see what I can do." The Golden Hero didn't agree neither did he disagree, he is though leaning towards agreeing.
Giving materials to someone like Da Vinci will mean that she will create some incredible stuff.
"Good! That's all I ask!" The Servant of Chaldea said with a big smile. Oh, she knows that King of Heroes will help her!
"And do not worry about my treasury, as it is now, the world can't affect it." Gilgamesh clarified to the Director.
"I see…" She said that with a thoughtful look. She then remembered the state of Chaldea and that they have the richest man in history with his wealth right in front of her.
"Your Majesty as Chaldea is right now we can barely sustain ourselves, without any help from outside we will run out of food and water in less than a few weeks," Olga said with a sigh.
Lev did an enormous amount of damage to Chaldea with those explosions. Sections of the facilities are down and they are operating with basic functions only.
"You want to access to my vault and use its resources to rebuild Chaldea?" He asked with raised eyebrow he doesn't need his clairvoyance to see through this.
"Yes, to succeed in this we need to rebuild." The Director of Chaldea said seriously.
For a few moments, the Golden Hero looked at her very seriously, like he was scanning her from inside out.
This only lasted for a few minutes before Olga started to get quite uncomfortable from his gaze.
"Very well." You may use my resources. I expect you to properly inform me what you will be taking. More precisely what you need. I need a list. Otherwise, we will spend a whole life going through the vault looking for specific things." Gilgamesh casually said to her.
"Whole life? How big is your vault?" She asked with wide eyes. She did see an enormous amount of weapons flying from it. But it should have some sort of limit to it! Right!?
"Why are you asking me? I have no idea myself. I do know a good portion of it, the rest is new and I have not seen the end of it.
As long as humanity continues to exist, my vault will continue to increase. After all, it's based according to humanity." He shrugged at her with obvious tone.
Pity that Olga didn't heard the latter half as her brain stopped responding.