Typemoon: Starting Out as the Lion King [211]

"What an arrogant attitude, Alaric!" Upon hearing Alaric's near-taunting words, Gilgamesh wasn't angry. Instead, he calmly opened dozens of Gates of Babylon.

After all, handling political affairs daily left him craving the chance to stretch his muscles.

Now, even someone like Alaric could pique Gilgamesh's interest. "Let me see what kind of confidence you possess!"

Before his words even faded, the staves emerging from the dozens of Gates of Babylon began gathering magical energy, preparing to unleash a devastating barrage in one go.

But in response—

"Projection, start."

Basic framework, spiritual particle construction—

None of that mattered.

The recovered magical energy, under Alaric's control, transformed into rippling black portals behind him, resembling a dark counterpart to the Gates of Babylon.

This immediately caused Gilgamesh to raise an eyebrow. "Ha?"

Unlike before, this time, Alaric utilized the Projection Magecraft to replicate all of Gilgamesh's staves, creating hollow imitations.

Of course, Gilgamesh instantly saw through the trick. These dozens of hollow projections were nothing more than magical energy blocks with no real functionality, not even the ability to fire.

Alaric's actions were undoubtedly a waste of magical resources. But were they just for show? Gilgamesh didn't believe that for a second.

And he wasn't alone. Everyone present gasped in astonishment as they saw the dark gates materializing behind Alaric.

"Did Sir Alaric just become a Faker?!"

Mash, who had been deadly serious a moment ago, blurted out a remark so surprising that it made Alaric burst into laughter.

Even Fujimaru Ritsuka curiously inspected the black gates. Though her knowledge of magecraft was limited, from a practical perspective, these staves seemed no different from the Excalibur.

Even Romani Archaman, watching from Chaldea, was intrigued. He wanted to know what Alaric was up to.

At the center of everyone's attention, Alaric's smile remained undiminished.

When people drift apart and experience times unknown to others, a reunion means meeting someone new.

To Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash, the current Alaric was a stranger.

[Holy Judgement - Reload]

[Firing]

The magical manipulation Alaric had practiced countless times with Rhongomyniad was now being recreated within these fake staves!

Aside from looking impressive, these staves served only one purpose: to give Alaric a medium for magical manipulation.

Exposed to the atmosphere, magical energy quickly vaporizes, which greatly hinders the creation of Holy Judgement. Thus, Alaric needed a container to harness magical energy.

While Rhongomyniad was the ideal vessel, the hollow projections created through Projection Magecraft were sufficient. They could store Alaric's magical energy and allow for manipulation!

Although this was an extremely wasteful way to use magical resources, with the leyline's magical energy sustaining him, Alaric could afford such extravagant combat techniques once again!

Whoosh!

As radiant spheres of magical energy shot forth from behind Gilgamesh, the dark gates behind Alaric simultaneously unleashed Holy Judgements!

The two mirrored figures clashed—gold against black!

Boom!

The perfectly matched collisions of Holy Judgements and golden light created dazzling explosions within the divine tower, akin to miniature suns blazing in the sky.

"So, King Gilgamesh, do you have any advice for improving my new combat style?" Alaric stood tall and unwavering, like an unyielding pine tree. Holding a golden holy sword in one hand, he looked as carefree as a wandering swordsman, his smile tinged with mischief. "Or should we settle this with our skills?"

With the leyline's support, Alaric felt confident enough to stand his ground against even the mighty Gilgamesh.

"Hmph! All you can make are cheap imitations, Alaric!" Gilgamesh smirked as the number of golden gates behind him doubled, nearing a hundred!

Faced with this version of Alaric, Gilgamesh's interest only grew stronger.

Even with hollow projections, Alaric could accomplish this much. His skill left Gilgamesh impressed.

As Gilgamesh summoned more gates, the dark portals behind Alaric also multiplied rapidly, reaching a stalemate.

The two now seemed like twins: Gilgamesh, the most ancient Hero King ruling the golden city, and Alaric, a wanderer from the distant future, humanity's last survivor to reach the end of the world.

"Mash, it's time to move!"

Taking the lead from Fujimaru Ritsuka, Alaric laughed heartily. "Mash, charge forward with courage!"

"Yes!"

With renewed determination, Mash raised her Round Table shield and charged toward Gilgamesh, shouting back at Alaric, "Please stop teasing me, Sir Alaric!"

As Mash's voice echoed, the clash of gold and black intensified.

The magical strikes fired from the hundreds of golden gates were perfectly countered by the Holy Judgements. Not a single one missed, and the resulting shockwaves swept across the divine tower, roaring toward the city of Uruk.

Boom!

A brilliant white shockwave rippled outward from the divine tower like concentric rings, spreading rapidly over Uruk. Within seconds, the massive atmospheric ripple formed a giant halo over the city's skies.

Meanwhile, Mash took advantage of the time Alaric had bought by stalling Gilgamesh. She successfully closed the distance, forcing Gilgamesh to move!

"Summon!"

The moment Mash entered close combat with Gilgamesh, Fujimaru Ritsuka's shout rang out.

A pale blue magical glow emanated from Fujimaru, drawing upon the Age of Gods' ether in the atmosphere, and coalesced into a humanoid form.

Alaric's attention was immediately drawn to the figure taking shape.

Though cloaked in black mist, its shadowy figure obscured and hard to discern, Alaric recognized the servant at first glance.

Clink.

The sound of heavy armor clashing echoed as a knight in a horned helmet, wielding a massive sword, sped past Alaric under Ritsuka's command, heading straight for Gilgamesh!

Watching the knight charge into the fray, Alaric couldn't help but think of the name that matched this figure:

Mordred, the Knight of the Round Table.

Not only during the sixth singularity but also during the fourth singularity in London, Fujimaru Ritsuka had fought alongside Mordred, forging a deep bond.

Summoning Mordred for battle was only natural.

Alaric wasn't surprised, though he did feel a twinge of nostalgia.

A longing for family.

With Shadow Mordred joining the fight, Gilgamesh was forced to wield the mighty Uruk Axe.

Despite the hundreds of noble phantasm strikes, Alaric held his ground. Even if Gilgamesh summoned more gates, Alaric could intercept them all. Only if Gilgamesh opened thousands of gates would Alaric's multitasking with Holy Judgements be overwhelmed.

But this sparring match wasn't worth Gilgamesh wasting so much magical energy on a needless battle.

"Hmph, Alaric, you've certainly managed to surprise me—"

After several minutes of fierce combat, Gilgamesh had expended a considerable amount of magical energy, nearing the limit of what he found acceptable. Any further would be a waste of time.

The golden gates vanished instantly, and Gilgamesh, putting away his axe, decisively returned to his throne.

The dark gates also disappeared. Seeing Gilgamesh withdraw, Alaric retracted his projections and chuckled. "Impressive, right?"