Chapter 36: The King of Heroes Has Only One True Friend
Gilgamesh also sampled the dish, and although he wasn't as exaggerated as Kotomine Kirei, his expression showed that the trip was worthwhile.
"Indeed, it is not bad. This is your reward."
Saying this, Gilgamesh took out a golden wine cup and tossed it to the proprietor.
The proprietor hurriedly caught the golden wine cup, completely stunned.
"Th-this is...!?"
A small trinket casually gifted by the King of Heroes was an immensely precious object to this ordinary man.
"How casual..." Shirou shrugged, watching Gilgamesh walk out of the restaurant without a care in the world.
When they arrived on the street outside, it was already dusk.
The sun was setting in the west, and the dim twilight illuminated the floating clouds in the sky with an orange-red color.
Patches of fire-red clouds extended from the setting sun in the west toward them.
Just as they were about to leave, two figures, one large and one small, walked toward them.
The man leading the way, with his rugged features and towering stature, was too conspicuous. It was undoubtedly Rider.
"Good evening, gentlemen!" Rider couldn't help but show a slightly surprised expression upon seeing Shirou and Gilgamesh together.
"It's only been a day, and you two have already become friends?"
Hearing this, Gilgamesh scoffed.
"Past, future, heaven, or earth, there is only one person qualified to be this King's friend!"
As he spoke these words, Gilgamesh's gaze was profound, as if recalling some long-forgotten past event, and a trace of nostalgia flashed in his eyes.
—Once upon a time, there was a man.
He was a ridiculously foolish fellow, whose body was composed of clay, but who was single-mindedly determined to stand on par with a divine child.
His outrageous arrogance naturally enraged the gods in heaven, and the man lost his life due to divine punishment.
The sight of him expiring while bathed in tears is something the King of Heroes has never been able to forget.
"Why do you weep?" the King of Heroes had asked at the time. "Has it come to this, that you regret standing by my side?"
"That is not the case."
The man replied thus.
"After I die, who will understand you? Who will walk alongside you? My friend... the thought that you will live on in solitude compels me to shed these tears..."
And so, upon seeing the man take his last breath, the self-proclaimed greatest King understood—this man's way of life, striving to surpass humanity despite being human, was more precious and radiant than all the treasures he collected.
With the loss of this dear friend, all splendor and glory became dim and joy and sorrow had no one left to share them with.
"Fool who stretched his hand towards a realm not meant for humans... There is only one in heaven and earth fit to appreciate your destruction, and there is none but I, Gilgamesh!
"Oh, shining, ephemeral man, leap into my arms! This is my decree!"
The golden majesty vanished into the night mist, leaving only a hollow and lonely laugh that echoed for a long time.
For Gilgamesh, Enkidu was the person who influenced him most deeply, gradually transforming him from a somewhat tyrannical king into a wise one, accompanying him on adventures and helping him defeat the Bull of Heaven.
Enkidu's death also made Gilgamesh feel fear of death. No one could match the influence Enkidu had on Gilgamesh.
The relationship between Enkidu and Gilgamesh may not have been purely love or friendship, but they still called each other 'dear friends.'
The fundamental reason was that their bond transcended the boundaries of these two emotions. Their relationship was a microcosm of Uruk, the splendor of that era, and the most important person to each other in their lives.
The story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu is actually recorded in the Epic.
However, the accounts in the Epic do differ slightly from the reality.
While Shirou was pondering these thoughts, Rider spoke again.
"I plan to hold a banquet, inviting all the Kings to attend, so I have come specifically to invite you."
Hearing this, Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow.
"A banquet among Kings, you say... Ha, understood. I shall attend."
After Gilgamesh agreed, Rider did not linger.
"Then, I must go notify the next one. We'll see each other soon~!"
After Rider left, Gilgamesh also showed no intention of staying, his body transforming into a golden light and disappearing from the spot.
Kotomine Kirei, who was left behind, turned back and looked deeply at the Chinese restaurant, as if to imprint it onto his memory, and then also departed immediately.
He was presumably going to inform Tohsaka Tokiomi about the matter.
After they had all departed, Shirou finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Phew... they're finally all gone. It seems we'll have a lot going on tonight."
He just wondered what the situation was like at the Einzbern Castle.
After eliminating Kiritsugu Emiya last night, Saber, who had lost her Master, probably wouldn't be able to sustain her prana for much longer.
"No matter, let's take care of Caster first."
There was no time to worry about too many things now.
After making a quick call home from a roadside phone booth, Shirou took Karna and headed toward the Mion River Bridge.
When they were about to reach the Mion River Bridge, Karna suddenly spoke up.
"Master, there is a Servant's presence!"
Shirou stopped upon hearing this and asked Karna.
"Which direction?"
"Just ahead!" Karna pointed forward, which was the direction of the Mion River.
The surrounding area was a busy marketplace, and Shirou didn't want to be too conspicuous among the crowd, so he immediately sped up his pace.
The speed of both Shirou and Karna surpassed that of a moving car, leaving it far behind.
Pedestrians around them cast glances, but their eyes couldn't discern the appearance of the two at that speed.
They looked like two flashes of lightning, one blue and one gold, streaking across the line of sight in an instant.
The wind howled. Because of the extreme speed, Shirou could hear nothing but the frenzied sound of the wind near his ears.
Pale blue prana light surged near his ears, and Shirou blocked out the noise. The world instantly became quiet.
Stopping a mere hundred meters from the Mion River, Shirou dismissed the magic near his ears and immediately heard Caster's nearly insane voice.
"Have you come? The one who killed my dear friend, Ryunosuke, whom I finally made! Good, come and witness with me the moment of chaos. And then, meet your end here!"
Following Caster's words, in the next moment, the presence of prana surged like giant waves, sweeping out in all directions from the Mion River port!
Important Announcement! New Fanfifction
Cote: Daily Intelligence System
Shimizu Akira unexpectedly transmigrated into the world of "Classroom of the Elite," becoming an ordinary student in Class D.
Relying on the advantage of foresight thanks to his daily intelligence system, Shimizu Akira navigates between the various factions.
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