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I immediately fired a shot from the Gaster Blasters, forcing Gilgamesh to abort his attack and pull out a massive shield from the Gate of Babylon.

The blasts of energy slammed into the shield denting it and forcing it back before it stopped a few inches from Gilgamesh's face.

My mind raced as I was forced to throw myself out of the way of another attack. Looking around with mage sight, I grimaced.

He had set up a barrier preventing anything from leaving, from teleportation to running. It seemed that it was true when he told me I had two choices.

He was an Archer, so close combat would most likely be better. I also had Eye of the Mind (True) to help me.

Teleporting next to him, I brought my staff close to me and clocked him in the face causing his head to snap back.

Not giving him a moment to breathe, I sent attack after attack at him. He was capable of blocking most of them; however, a few snuck by and hit him; however, the vast majority of the damage was cosmetic.

As I turned for another strike, I could not dodge a blow that snapped my head to the side. As another fist slammed into my stomach, dissolving a few ribs, I saw that I had erred.

I had forgotten that in his original myth, Gilgamesh was a brawler and that despite being summoned as an Archer, he still had those skills, not enough to keep up with classes like Saber and Lancer, but they were still there.

As I pushed myself back, I could feel that emptiness in my chest, hunger. It had been sleeping, but when he struck me, it had awoken and was drawn to Gilgamesh.

Golden portals opened once again, sending out more weapons. I once again teleported inside of Gilgamesh's guard. This time I reached out and punched him in the jaw.

It did almost nothing, but as my fist made contact, I could feel two things inside of him that I could use in an attempt to fill that void in my chest.

The first was a bottomless repository that could hold and has held everything from the first rock that murdered Abel to a nuclear bomb.

The second was hard to see as it was bright. It was like a sunrise on a night, a rising star; it illuminated everything.

As I reached for the second, Gilgamesh again hit me in the chest, forcing me back. That distraction cost me, and I pulled on the first.

"Mongrel! You dare steal from the king!" He shouted as he took another swing, and I stumbled back. Searching in the back of my mind, I felt something new.

Pulling on the repository I had stolen, I opened golden portals behind me; as weapons were shot out, I could tell ours were linked; we were pulling from the same source.

We both had access to the same storage, but I was much less skilled. As our weapons clashed, I raised my staff, and a bolt of lightning hit it as a storm grew overhead.

A rush of mania overtook me as the Elder Tempest took form. As I directed it to fire at Gilgamesh, bolts of lightning slammed into the ground.

I couldn't replicate this feat anytime soon, but it should buy me some time. Glaring at me, Gilgamesh spoke. "I will return, mongrel, and you will die."

Jumping up, he pulled a massive floating ship from the Gate. I knew it was the Vimana. Darting over to the barrier, I started to pick at it.

Splitting my focus could be lethal as everything was being put into disabling the barrier; however, I could sense that Gilgamesh was forcing back the Elder Tempest, which only made me hurry.

Moving a hand forward, I saw a golden plane spring up, blocking me from leaving. I could sense the massive amounts of mana running through it, so I started pulling.

As mana was pulled out, I frowned. Mana was rushing in from other sections to reinforce this section. It meant I needed to drain the entire thing if I wanted to open it.

I could tell that would take too long, so I split my focus. It was dangerous, but I would need this if I were to survive; I twisted the mana, creating another barrier that prevented mana from flowing into the section I was draining.

Feeling the Elder Tempest fade from my awareness, I finally managed to tear open a hole and threw myself through it.

Whirling around, I saw Gilgamesh walking towards me, eyes narrowed. Artoria was retreating indoors, pulling Irisviel along with her, the Hassan's dead.

Iskander was roaring away on his Gordius Wheel Waver inside; however, he stopped high up and watched the procedures as the Elder Tempest's storm faded.

As golden portals opened, I matched Gilgamesh. I was less skilled but could keep up with him primarily by compensating with Unlimted Bladeworks.

The issue was that when he pulled out a sword, I couldn't match it as Shirou did, so I fumbled for another weapon that could work.

The Gate opened wider and wider as I was forced into a running battle. Teleportation was out of the question as he could just follow me.

I needed something to knock him out of commission, even if only for a moment. Narrowing my eyes, I focused on my chronomancy.

It was obscenely expensive, but I could use it. Teleporting next to Gilgamesh, I twisted and sent a world of blue racing around me.

In this fifteen-foot sphere, I held dominion, time was frozen, but that was not for long. I needed a single blow that could kill Gilgamesh.

I started a chant as a Gaster Blaster appeared next to me. My hold on time was slipping, so I spoke quickly in german while attempting to maintain some musical flow to strengthen the weapon.

"I summoned you, Gaster Blaster; ender of dynasties after, for I am a caster. In remembrance of children like Aster. I have summoned you to end this disaster!"

As I finished the rushed, improvised chant, I opened the mouth of the Gaster Blast and sent out a torrent of energy. The beam was too bright to look at, but I forced myself to look.

As the glow faded, I saw Gilgamesh; his armor that covered his chest was melted, his chest was covered with burns, and the top layer of skin was gone.

As he stumbled forward, glaring at me, my metaphorical heart stopped. I took a step back and teleported back to the docks; it would take him time to heal up, time I could use to prepare myself.

The best choice would be to remove his Master, and given the fact that Gilgamesh was at the castle, I would have some time to kill Tokiomi.

I knew what the Toshaka house looked like, but teleporting inside was likely to end in disaster.

As I arrived outside, the Grimoire grew, giving me new knowledge. It was a method of using hypnosis to create a false personality that controlled the body.

It was flawed because pain could snap the target out, but it was still a potent power. Pushing that aside I focused on my next task.

Walking up to the house, I called up Caladbolg ll. It could spiral through magical defenses and be useful in attacking a Magus' workshop.

As it tore through generations of defenses like butter, I walked up to the door and kicked it down. The door flew off its hinges and slammed into the opposing wall.

I saw the figure of Tokiomi whirl around and raise his cane, a magical chant rising on his lips; before he could do anything, I sent an eldritch blast through his chest, causing him to collapse with a hole through his heart.

I needed to face off against Gilgamesh again at some point, but even with Independent Action A, he still only had a week before he faded. I also doubted he had enough time to convert Kieri, but I would still need help now I have managed to face him and live, as I suspected he would not hold back next time.

Something else that would help is going back to Castle Einzbern and helping with the fallout. I doubted Gilgamesh was still there; if he was, I could leave. In addition, if it improved relations with Iskander or Artoria, that would be great.

Teleporting back, I saw the devastation the short fight had wrought. The castle was soaked, and the outer wall I had escaped from in my running battle was utterly destroyed.

The courtyard was ruined as it was covered in explosion pits and black marks from lightning. The inner wall surrounding the courtyard was also pocket-marked where the Hassans, Iskander, and Artoria had fought.

Walking in, I saw that Artoria and Iskander were in a standoff. Artoria was wounded as Iskander could fly around and kill the Hassans with minor injuries.

Artoria, however, had to fight them in melee and no matter how great her skill was, fighting dozens of people was challenging, doubly so when they are linked in a hivemind.

I grinned and waved to them, ignoring how Waver's face paled. "Hello, sorry for the mess; I have an extra bottle of wine if you want it?"

Continuing, I walked into the courtyard proper and leaned on my staff. I didn't see Gilgamesh anywhere, which was terrible. "Do any of you know where Gil went? I did manage to blow his Master's heart out, so he'll be gone in a week."

Iskander gave me an appraising look, deadly serious, while Artoria looked taken off guard and then offended. "He left on that flying ship of his after you left," Iskander said as he jerked his head in the direction that Gilgamesh left.

"Anything I can do to assist with the clean-up; I'm not much for physical labor, but I can bake a mean casserole for after."

Despite the front I was putting up, I was bottomed out on mana and not doing much better on grief. I would be back in the fight given a few minutes, my soul gem would be tapped, but I would be able to put up a fight.

Seeing that no one was taking up my offer gave them a nod and spoke. "Well, it was nice having a chant with all of you; I hope we can have some more in the future. I'll make sure to bring some good wine."

With that, I teleported back to the docks and opened a way. As I walked the path back to my house, I pulled Komainu back from Castle Brunestud.

Letting out a shuddering sigh, I enveloped her in a hug. Hugging me for a moment, she pushed me away before looking up at me and asking, "What happened?"

Rubbing her head, I started to explain what had happened after I sent her away; she made all the appropriate dramatic sounds during my retelling.

Walking into the house, I flopped down on the bed. I wanted to sleep, but I couldn't. I needed to be prepared for the next stage of the war.

I needed to find Gilgamesh first, and I needed to kill him. To do that, I would need to get the servent's help. Given how terribly the banquet went, I doubted they would be willing to help.

In better news, Tokiomi was dead, which meant unless Gilgamesh got a new Master, he would be running down the clock to win the war.

The people remaining in the war were Artoria, Iskander, Hassan, Lancelot, and Gilgamesh. If I could get Lanaclot on my side, that would help.

Sitting up, I grit my teeth. The best way to get Lanaclot on my side would be to rescue Sakura. The only issue with that plan was bargaining with Kariya. He was mentally unstable and focused more on Aoi than Sakura.

Worst comes worst. I could use Brainwashing to get him on my side. While that would probably be better, I also felt a slight pang of sympathy for Sakura.

As I walked out of the house, the Grimoire grew without a new power; it just added more energy. Walking down the path, I recounted my plan.

Step one was to break into the Matou's house and kill everyone inside. Step two was to rescue Sakura and heal what I could. Step three was to find Kariya and bargain.

Nodding, I opened a path near the beach and teleported in front of the Matou's lair. It was very clearly sinister; cracking my knuckles, I got to work.

Powers Gained

Brainwashing

You know how to brainwash people. Through a ritual you can suppress a restrained target's mind and create a false personality to take control of their body. Unfortunately pain is capable of awakening the suppressed mind and allowing them to regain control.