Chapter 22: Saber's Doubt
"As a King myself, I have no reason to condescend to another King. I can regard that statement as a provocation!"
Hearing these words, Iskandar looked at Saber with slight surprise.
"A little girl like you?"
"Would you like to test if the sword of the 'little girl' you speak of is sharp?!"
Iskandar's unintentional remark infuriated Saber, and the atmosphere became tense.
"Hahahaha! How ridiculous! In a single night, two mongrels who call themselves Kings have appeared!"
A wildly arrogant laugh rang out. On the tallest streetlamp in the area, a figure completely clad in gold, with an arrogant expression, looked down upon all the Heroic Spirits present.
His self-important attitude, contemptuous gaze, and the golden armor covering his body, constantly radiating a powerful aura, unequivocally belonged to Gilgamesh.
Hearing that two Heroic Spirits claimed to be Kings, the proud King of Heroes appeared without hesitation, deciding to administer the punishment due to these two fellows who did not know their place.
"Between heaven and earth, there is only one hero worthy of being called King: me! The rest are merely superficial mongrels!"
Gilgamesh once again spoke with outrageous arrogance.
This sweeping, area-of-effect mockery drew the animosity of everyone present.
"Archer..."
The moment the man appeared, Waver cried out in surprise.
Shirou naturally also looked at the golden Heroic Spirit standing on the streetlamp.
"He appeared just as expected..."
From beginning to end, the arrogance displayed by Archer was filled with utter disregard for both Rider and Saber.
Although he was facing Iskandar, the 'King of Conquerors,' and Artoria Pendragon, the 'King of Knights,' Archer seemed not to care at all.
Only Shirou could understand why Archer was able to display such an arrogant expression in front of them.
Because he is Gilgamesh, the most ancient 'King of Heroes.' In terms of greatness, the other two Kings present truly could not compare to him.
Of course, what made Archer so arrogant was not only his background but also the immense power of his Noble Phantasms.
Whether it was the 'Gate of Babylon' or the 'Sword of Rupture, EA', these were the basis for his confidence to completely disregard the battlefield.
Rider heard Archer's words and immediately asked, slightly confused.
"Oh? From the sound of it, are you suggesting that you are even greater than me, the 'King of Conquerors'?"
"Hmph, that is naturally to be expected," Archer replied with considerable confidence....
Then, Rider raised an eyebrow and continued to ask.
"Then, do you dare state your name, Archer?"
However, hearing Rider's question, Archer sneered contemptuously.
"You saw me, yet failed to recognize me. That is naturally your foolishness, and I am powerless against such ignorance."
"Heh heh, I think you must be scared, aren't you?" Rider provoked him.
As the King of Conquerors, he would naturally not back down because of Archer's arrogant attitude; he countered forcefully.
"Mongrel! Are you questioning me?"
Killing intent flashed in Archer's jade-like red eyes. Behind him, countless golden ripples immediately began to undulate. From within those golden ripples, weapon after weapon, all of different shapes, extended out, their sharpness fully revealed.
"Those... they are all Noble Phantasms...!"
Seeing those weapons extending from the golden ripples, Waver was instantly wide-eyed with astonishment.
And Irisviel was equally shocked.
Only Shirou, upon seeing those Noble Phantasms, had a peculiar glint in his eyes.
'This truly is a pillow being delivered right when one is sleepy.'
Seizing this opportunity, Shirou quickly copied the exposed Noble Phantasms of Archer, one by one, into his 'Unlimited Blade Works'.
"Analysis commencing..."
While Shirou was continuously analyzing those Noble Phantasms, Rider, upon seeing the multitude of Noble Phantasms suspended in mid-air, also adopted a serious gaze.
He was even prepared to use 'Ionioi Hetairoi', and although it seemed premature now, if Archer insisted on fighting, he would naturally face him without reservation.
However, just as Archer and Rider were in a tense atmosphere of hostility, a black silhouette suddenly burst into the scene.
"Wait... is that Berserker!?"
Waver exclaimed in shock upon seeing the Servant who suddenly entered the battlefield.
Shirou also directed his gaze towards the black silhouette.
"Berserker... he still appeared, huh..."
Zouken Matou had been dealt with, and the Matou family was destroyed by his hand.
In that case, Matou Kariya should not have been able to intervene in the Holy Grail War.
"If that's the case, who summoned him?"
Shirou narrowed his eyes in thought.
Although the situation had deviated from his expectations, Shirou did not find it troublesome.
On the contrary, his heart was excited by all this uncertainty.
"How interesting."
Shirou murmured thus.
Meanwhile, a Servant enveloped in black mist and black armor, with a raging wind mixed with prana around him, charged into the battlefield.
The reddish gaze visible through his helmet locked onto Archer, who was standing on the streetlamp.
"You accursed mongrel, are you worthy of staring at me like that?"
Being stared at by Berserker, Archer was instantly filled with rage. The Noble Phantasms undulating in the golden ripples behind him were instantly and frantically fired as he spoke.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—!!!
Facing the attack of so many Noble Phantasms, Berserker did not retreat in the slightest. The seemingly clumsy armor did not hinder Berserker at all; his speed of movement was so swift that even Lancer was surprised.
This was because Berserker possessed the Class Skill 'Mad Enhancement', which could multiply all his base attributes.
Therefore, Berserker's base capabilities were undoubtedly the strongest among all Servants.
No other Servant could defeat Berserker in the realm of close combat.
Of course, using Noble Phantasms was another matter.
For example, Archer's 'Gate of Babylon' left Berserker in a very sorry state at the moment.
Berserker could temporarily seize control of the continuously projected Noble Phantasms using the innate skill 'For Someone's Glory (Knight of Honor)'.
However, Archer possessed far too many Noble Phantasms. Even Berserker, whose close-combat ability was virtually unmatched among all Servants, was defeated.
"Hmph! You mongrel, I will tear you into a thousand pieces!"
Archer's furious red eyes glared at Berserker, and he was about to unleash the full power of his 'Gate of Babylon'.
But suddenly, he received a command from Tokiomi Tohsaka to retreat.
" Tohsaka Tokiomi!" Archer uttered the name with a somewhat gritted-teeth sound.
"Hmph! I'll spare your life for now, mad dog!"
After taking one last deep look at Berserker, Archer's figure dissolved into light and vanished.
With Archer's departure, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
However, at that very moment, Berserker suddenly charged toward Saber.
"Wha—"
Her petite figure, only 154cm tall, seemed about to be obliterated under Berserker's fierce, murderous attack.
As Saber raised her sword, preparing for a final, desperate fight, she heard a voice—a voice that, to her, should not have made this decision.
"Lancer, block him!"
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