Chapter 255 : Lesser Grail 2

The moon cast a pale glow over the dilapidated church, the site of the Lesser Grail, where Kiritsugu Emiya and Tokiomi Tohsaka faced off.

Tokiomi was a powerful mage but he himself didn't have much fighting experience unlike the like of Emiya, he began by summoning a series of fireballs.

He flicked his wrist, and the flames hurtled toward Kiritsugu with lethal precision. Kiritsugu, on the other hand, was more of a close combat fighter with the ability to increase the time of his body to increase his speed, thanks to that he easily dodged the attack. He rolled behind a column, quickly assessing the battlefield.

Both Tokiomi and Kiritsugu were expecting a fight but their main concern was not each other but rather a child who literally made both of them nervous. 

This was none other than Orion of course. Both of them try to contact Orion while he was unconscious, but thanks to Merlin's magic, they couldn't find him. 

They don't even know where the boy is currently. But both were saving their cards for him. 

Drawing his Thompson Contender, Kiritsugu loaded a special bullet designed to disrupt magical circuits. He peeked out and fired a shot, the bullet whizzing through the air toward Tokiomi. Tokiomi raised a barrier just in time, but the bullet's unique properties shattered it, sending a shockwave of disrupted mana through his body.

This fight was nothing like Kiritsugu's fight against Kirei in the anime. Tokiomi was strong but he was more like a long-range fighter. He sends Gilgamesh to take care of all the Servants and Orion for the time being. Meaning he has to fight alone. 

Not a good idea when fighting with someone like Kiritsugu who is deemed as a mage killer. 

Tokiomi grunted in pain, his spellcasting faltering momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Kiritsugu rushed forward, closing the distance between them. This happened because Tokiomi failed to gather information on Emiya and his weapons which earlier Maiya use to hurt Lancer. 

Tokiomi retaliated with a barrage of Gandr shots, dark energy bolts aimed at incapacitating his opponent. Kiritsugu's finely honed reflexes kicked in as he ducked, weaved, and dodged the shots, his movements a blur of speed and precision.

Kiritsugu fired another bullet, this time aiming for Tokiomi's legs. The bullet struck true, and Tokiomi fell to one knee, his leg temporarily paralyzed. With a growl of frustration, Tokiomi unleashed a powerful burst of mana, forcing Kiritsugu to retreat and regroup.

Breathing heavily, Tokiomi channelled his remaining strength into a final spell. He began to chant, his hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. Kiritsugu recognized the signs of a powerful incantation and knew he had to act quickly. Kiritsugu instead of making distance, and playing safe, decided to rush forward and once again load his gun with the special bullet. 

As Kiritsugu closed the distance, he activated his Time Alter: Trible Accel as the cost of his health, tripling his speed. He became a blur, almost invisible to the naked eye. Tokiomi barely had time to react before Kiritsugu was upon him. With one swift motion, Kiritsugu fired a bullet at point-blank range, aimed directly at Tokiomi's heart.

The bullet, infused with anti-magic properties, pierced Tokiomi's chest, nullifying his spell and sapping his strength. Tokiomi gasped, his body convulsing as the magic within him was disrupted. He fell to the ground, defeated.

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This was not the only fight which was taking place right now. 

Saber and Lancer faced off at this time, their long-standing fight finally looked like would get a result today, their eyes locked in a deadly dance of determination.

The tension was palpable, each warrior respecting the other's prowess and skill. Saber's hand was still injured, preventing her from unleashing her Noble Phantasm, Excalibur, but her resolve remained unbroken.

This fight was never ordered by their master, but as a warrior, both wanted to fight.

Lancer initiated the battle, lunging forward with his crimson spear, Gáe Bolg, aimed directly at Saber's heart.

Saber, with her innate agility and unmatched reflexes, parried the attack with her invisible sword. The sound of clashing steel echoed through the night, a testament to their incredible strength.

Saber countered with a swift series of strikes, her blade moving so fast and with the invisible nature of the blade, it was hard to predict. Lancer deftly blocked each blow, being an experienced fighter himself, he expertly remembered Saber's sword length by now. Making it easy for him to counter her attacks. They moved like a whirlwind, neither gaining a clear advantage.

"You fight well, Saber," Lancer acknowledged, his voice calm despite the ferocity of their battle.

"So do you, Lancer," Saber replied, her grip tightening on her sword's hilt. "But this ends here."

Lancer smirked, launching a barrage of quick thrusts aimed at exploiting Saber's injured hand. Saber gritted her teeth, deflecting the attacks with precision but feeling the strain on her wounded arm. 

Using her agility, Saber sidestepped one of Lancer's thrusts and aimed a powerful horizontal slash at his midsection. Lancer leapt back just in time, the tip of Saber's sword grazing his armour. He retaliated with a sweeping strike, forcing Saber to duck and roll to the side.

The battle seemed to reach a stalemate, with neither able to gain the upper hand. Sweat dripped down their brows, their breathing heavy but controlled.

Honestly, at this time, both were almost equal when it came to fighting and thus both knew that neither of these were going down anytime soon. 

This was exciting for them as a warrior they wanted to fight worthy opponents but at the same time, they were also worried because both their masters were alone. 

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Orion comes into the church room just in the nick of time. Only seconds before Kayneth could touch the lesser Gail. 

With a swift motion of his finger, Kaynath who was in his wheelchair was pulled back, with enough force that it almost made him fall from his wheelchair. 

"Sorry, but I can't let you touch that." Orion replies with a little smile as his magic roars out.

Kayneth was shaken but when he saw Orion, a sudden grin spread across his face. 

"Orion D Ambrosius. I meant to meet you." Kayneth said.

"Really, well I can't say the same." Orion replies as he looks around the place, sensing if there is something or someone around him. Which he found that currently just above his head was a silver jelly-like substance, but for the time being didn't act on it. 

'Hmm, this guy is planning on doing the same as Kirei. Sigh, let's see.' 

 He at least thought about listening to what Kayneth wanted to say. And while he is at it. He will manipulate the area to handle Kayneth. 

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Merlin stood in front of Gilgamesh, the king of heroes didn't look happy when Orion suddenly vanished in front of him. 

"So he decided to ignore me," Gilgamesh said with clear irritation on his face. 

"No, more like he left you on me," Merlin replied with a smile. 

"And who are you Mongrel." 

"No one special. Just a man pretending to enjoy life and deceiving himself." 

This further infuriated Gilgamesh to the point that he opened the gate of Babylon. Golden ripples appear behind him and from there came out multiple noble phantasms. 

"Oh, that's quite fancy." 

 Gilgamesh seeing Merlin wasn't doing anything just snorted and fired his weapons at Merlin. 

Three swords rush at Merlin with immense speed and arrive near him in seconds. 

Zooooo.

But unlike what he expected the attack never connected. More like the attack was suspended mid-air. 

"Clang" 

All the swords then drop down, revealing again the smiling face of Merlin. 

At this, Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes, and without speaking much he ended up sending another few weapons directly at Merlin but the outcome of this was similar. 

"You mongrel. You think that with such a trick you can stand in front of me." Gilgamesh said angrily as Merlin standing there harmlessly and smiling now was infuriating him further. 

He opened the Gate of Babylon even further and ended up showing Merlin with all sorts of weapons and noble phantasms. 

This was when Merlin finally decided to move, the staff he had in his hand shone a little before a terrible force released from it. 

"Ziimmmmmmm" 

All those weapons which Gilgamesh released stopped mid-air, and a green halo covered them. Gilgamesh seeing was surprised and tried to retrieve the weapons but to no avail. 

This further shocked him. 

"What, what did you do." Gilgamesh felt that even with the help of Gate of Babylon upon use at his max output, he wasn't able to retrieve the weapons.

"Nothing much, just slow down the time of those weapons. But if it's hard to understand, just know this. They are being called back to you and they are in fact moving towards you. Just at a very slow speed." Merlin smiled and said. 

"You Mongrel, you dare." Gilgamesh was getting more and more agitated at this. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. And took out his real Noble Phantasm. The same one which he used against Rider. 

Merlin saw a strange-looking sword in his hand and couldn't help but smile after seeing this. 'Seems like I too have to get a little serious.' Merlin muttered under his breath as a smile spread across his face. 

Gilgamesh uses his real noble phantasm. Powerful magical energy then rushed at Merlin, this particular energy was capable of annihilating almost everything in this universe.

Merlin finally moved, slowly raising his staff in his hand, it shone in white light. A very pleasing and soothing light. 

"Thy chaos disturbs order, Thy law breaks Chaos. Thy existence defames Law.

By grace, I presence thee peace, presence thee order, presence thee law.

By Thou Name.

I bring thee

Harmony." 

And then incredible light shone from Merlin's staff, making everyone blind for a second. There was no terrible magical fluctuation or momentum. 

But as the light spread, the magical power released by Gilgamesh was dissolved like it never existed. 

Crack.

In the golden armour of the king of heroes, first came a crack and then another and then another before.

"Crack." 

The entire golden armour fell from his body. 

But Gilgamesh himself couldn't care less about that, as he currently was feeling like his body was getting weak. Like all the power in his body just disappear suddenly. 

Merlin's attack only went for a few seconds before that blinking light ended, making everything go back to what it was. 

Merlin still had his smile on his face, but Gilgamesh's previous arrogant attitude was nowhere to be seen. 

"What? 

How?

This is impossible. 

How did you do it." Gilgamesh had wide eyes, stuttering with confusion and disbelief, and of course completely naked. 

though he asked and wanted to ask more his eyes once again widened upon seeing Merlin again. 

Because what he saw was not the same old man with a long white beard. But it was someone else entirely. 

"You, what? How are you here." Gilgamesh really sounds confused. 

But when no answer came from Merlin, he almost roared.

"Tell me, who are you." 

"Me" Merlin pretended like he heard the question the first time. 

"Nothing special, as I said just a man pretending to enjoy life and deceiving himself." 

"Stop talking in the puzzle, tell me who are you," Gilgamesh shouted as he saw Merlin with his new body coming towards him. 

As Merlin came close he slowly placed his staff in front of the defenceless Gilgamesh who lost all of his power and just said this. 

"Well I am not lying but now that you ask, well ...

Throughout Heaven And Earth...

xxx

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