Chapter 989: Beginning the Fight

This was a true beyond-visual-range assassination.

By the time the wind tearing through the air was felt, it was already too late—"death" had compressed into a single point, rapidly closing in.

At that moment, no matter what means were taken, there was no way to avoid or block this supersonic arrow—at least, not in Rin's understanding.

However, Servants are beings that naturally transcend common sense. In the instant the arrow advanced, Gilgamesh calmly manifested his armor and used his left arm to deflect the arrow.

That's right, he deflected it. With what seemed like a casual flick, the arrow was knocked off course, scraping past the side of his throne and exploding in a burst of fireworks behind the flying ship.

"...Oh?"

Drops of crimson liquid seeped through Gilgamesh's fingers, falling to the ground alongside shards of golden fragments. The Hero King's most trusted heavy armor had failed to completely nullify the arrow's power; the entire arm guard had shattered, and his hand had been injured while blocking the arrow.

"Archer, are you alright?"

Only then did Rin snap back to reality, asking with some concern.

"No problem, just a scratch."

Gilgamesh looked at his arm with a calm expression, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Impressive archery. It seems you're more than just a mongrel."

…

"Blocked it, have you? Then—"

Even as he spoke, Karna had already fired a second arrow. Though its speed was slightly slower than the first, it posed an even greater threat.

While Gilgamesh was observing this side, Karna was also analyzing Gilgamesh. He adjusted the type of arrow based on the Hero King's earlier response. If Gilgamesh block in the same way, the Sun's flame within the arrow would explode on impact.

Luvia had told him to act freely, so he would show no mercy.

…

In the sky, Gilgamesh, the target of Karna's arrows, also becomes serious.

The evaluation of more than just a mongrel signified the Hero King's recognition of his opponent. To take a mongrel seriously would be an insult to the king. But for an opponent who was more than a mongrel, this restriction did not apply. He could fully express the king's dignity.

His exposed arm snapped its fingers casually. The damaged heavy armor vanished, and a brand-new set of armor affixed itself to his body. It was still the blindingly brilliant golden armor, but the design had changed—from heavy plate armor to a more intricate chainmail design.

Along with the chainmail, a peculiar Noble Phantasm composed of several discs appeared. The discs floated autonomously in the air, rotating above the throne with tiny arcs of lightning dancing across their surfaces. When the second arrow closed to within about 20 meters, the lightning suddenly discharged.

In an instant, countless small bolts of lightning streaked through the air, forming a dense web that rained down from above. One of the bolts seemed to strike the arrow, dispersing it before it could reach its intended target.

The explosion's shockwave swept across the entire flying ship, but it had no adverse effect on the two aboard. The new chainmail seemed specifically designed to defend against such impacts, automatically generating a safe zone in the storm, protecting both Gilgamesh and Rin.

"Come now, show this king what further delight you can provide!"

The Hero King slapped the armrest of his throne, a cold smile appearing on his handsome face.

This prideful posture, taken to the extreme, fell into Karna's eyes, causing him to raise an eyebrow slightly.

"Roman was right—that's not an opponent to be taken down easily."

But no matter the strength of the enemy, it wasn't enough to make Karna retreat. He was a resolute man—no matter how many curses he was burdened with, no matter how heavily surrounded he was by enemies, he would never waver.

His task was simple, singular—continue drawing the bow and shooting arrows.

The Brahmastra Bow was drawn fully, and arrow after arrow tore through the sky—sometimes a single arrow, sometimes several at once. The arrows' targets were no longer limited to the throne where Gilgamesh sat but now enveloped the entire flying ship, Vimana.

Even if he couldn't kill Gilgamesh immediately, destroying his vehicle and causing him to fall from the sky would be a fine alternative—no doubt about it, Karna's arrows had the power to do so. Vimana itself was a Noble Phantasm from Indian mythology; Karna was not unfamiliar with it.

However, this tactic too failed.

No matter how powerful the attack, it had to hit to be effective. And attacks that missed would have no impact.

In response to Karna's unrivaled archery, Gilgamesh summoned dozens of countermeasures, perfectly intercepting every arrow.

Though the countermeasures were damaged to a considerable degree by the arrows, for every tool that broke, Gilgamesh simply replaced it. His treasury was inexhaustible, and he had no concerns about losses.

Seeing this, Karna lowered his bow, quietly awaiting the enemy's next move.

Had this been his past self, he certainly wouldn't have ceased firing so easily. But this was not his past life—every arrow he shot consumed his Master's mana.

Karna remembered Luvia's command clearly: defeat the enemy Servant—just the Servant, not the Master. It was clear Luvia intended to deal with the enemy Master herself; expending too much mana would inevitably burden her.

Though the enemy Servant's use of so many Noble Phantasms should, under normal circumstances, consume far more mana than his own, the sheer number of artifacts Gilgamesh summoned was already abnormal. Until Karna had a better understanding of his opponent's limits, it would not be wise to recklessly pursue glory.

With no more mortar-like arrows raining down, the flying ship soared unimpeded. The 20-kilometer distance passed in an instant as the golden vessel descended from the sky.

"A truly ostentatious entrance... such a style... heh."

Luvia, who had been seated beneath the tree, finally stood up. With a self-deprecating chuckle, she elegantly walked to Karna's side.

As if in response, Gilgamesh also disembarked from the ship with Rin, standing ten meters away, locking eyes with their opponents.

"You were the ones who issued the challenge. Surely you're not thinking of backing down now? There's no such good fortune in this world."

The Hero King's presence was so overwhelming that even without directly targeting anyone, the pressure he exuded weighed heavily on Luvia. It was a more domineering and lofty oppression than even Lorelei's rule over the Clock Tower.

Yet this pressure did not instill fear in Luvia—in fact, it stirred her desire to fight.

Summoning such a powerful Servant, the Tohsaka family must have made thorough preparations, determined to win this Holy Grail War. But it all ends here, she thought, just as it did seventy years ago.

With that thought, Luvia glanced at her Servant, his figure standing firm like a rock even under Gilgamesh's overwhelming presence. His expression and voice were filled with unwavering confidence.

"Of course, we won't back down. We didn't retreat seventy years ago, and we certainly won't now. The Edelfelt family isn't like the Tohsaka family, hiding behind others and resorting to underhanded tricks."