New Ability - Time Manipulation

When Gilgamesh finally emerged from the rolling clouds of smoke, though he was unhurt, his appearance was notably worse for wear. His once-brilliant golden armor was now dented and covered in pits, stripped of its original luster, with several visible holes and even a few spots leaking blood.

It seemed he hadn't taken any serious injury, but his disheveled state was apparent, as though he had gone from a premium item to a second-hand bargain piece.

"Filthy mongrel!" Gilgamesh spat through gritted teeth, glaring intently at Kaguya in the distance, fury burning in his voice. "How dare you insult me like this—it's unforgivable!"

"And you think that's my fault?" Kaguya sneered with a scoff, arching a brow.

Her delicate expression, though mocking, only added to her charm, but in Gilgamesh's eyes, already ablaze with rage, it was salt on his wounds.

"Die!"

With a furious shout, countless golden portals appeared behind Gilgamesh, filling the air as they spread across the sky, casting the whole area in brilliant light. From each portal emerged a variety of treasures—swords, spears, and all manner of magnificent weapons, each emitting a potent magical aura.

As expected, the "Gate of Babylon" lived up to its legendary name.

After all, Gilgamesh's power in hand-to-hand combat was far from exceptional, but his vast treasury of Noble Phantasms granted him immense strength. Without them, he'd probably be no match for even an experienced fighter like Archer.

"You're quite the petty one," Kaguya remarked, her voice laced with derision.

Gilgamesh's expression twisted in indignation. To be scorned by any woman was intolerable, but for it to come from one whose beauty he had admired was beyond the pale.

"You insolent fool! Fine, die here and now!" Enraged, he waved his hand, sending a torrent of Noble Phantasms hurtling toward Kaguya like arrows. Only Gilgamesh could afford the extravagance of using such treasures as mere projectiles.

The weapons, glinting in the sunlight, looked as dazzling as a display of fireworks, though they concealed a lethal intent.

Kaguya chuckled softly. "It seems you've forgotten something: you're in my domain." She raised her hand, making a sweeping motion.

The ground trembled with a deep rumble. Amid cracking stones and flying debris, five massive, menacing gates rose abruptly, standing between her and the oncoming weapons.

"Quintuple Rashōmon!"

A fierce barrage struck the gates head-on, splintering wood and filling the air with dust. The first of the massive gates, several meters thick, was shattered in an instant, while the remaining gates struggled to hold against the unending hail of Phantasms.

When the attack finally ceased, the dust began to settle, revealing the aftermath of the assault.

Weapons of every description littered the ground, wedged into the splintered gates and broken earth. The once-grassy plain was now scarred with craters and cracks, and of the five gates, three were destroyed entirely, while the fourth teetered precariously. By the time the Phantasms reached the fifth gate, their force had waned, and only a few stray weapons managed to embed themselves in the final barrier.

"Not much of a show, is it?" Kaguya strolled out from behind the gates with a faint smile, mocking him. "The 'King of Heroes' everyone speaks of is nothing impressive after all. Or are you just a fake?"

"Enough of your insolence, mongrel!" Gilgamesh's face contorted in humiliated fury as he raised his arm. In an instant, a vast network of golden portals appeared overhead, filling the sky with golden light.

Clearly, he was no longer holding back. From the depths of the "Gate of Babylon," countless Phantasms poured out in a continuous stream, far surpassing the previous onslaught.

"This time, I'll spare you no mercy," Gilgamesh's expression turned serious, his fury barely contained. "You still have time to beg."

"I'll save my begging for when you actually defeat me," Kaguya replied, unimpressed.

"So, you refuse to yield? Very well," Gilgamesh's gaze hardened.

The Phantasms hovering above seemed to respond to his command, blurring into streaks of light as they rocketed toward Kaguya. With their density and speed, a single misstep would mean being shredded to pieces.

Amidst the chaos, Kaguya remained unperturbed. A confident smile curved on her lips as she raised her hand, spreading her fingers. A dark, inky sphere materialized in her palm, absorbing all light around it.

"Shadow Orb Projection."

With Kaguya's command, the sky filled with numerous black orbs, glistening ominously with a dense energy that dimmed the golden gleam of the Phantasms above.

"What is this?"

Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed, sensing the immense power within each dark sphere. These orbs, though unassuming in appearance, pulsed with energy potent enough to rival his own Phantasms—and perhaps even surpass them. They were like concentrated power, holding within them the essence of the cosmos.

A roar of explosions thundered across the sky as the orbs and Phantasms collided, releasing shockwaves that rolled across the landscape like a tsunami, stripping the ground bare in their wake. Even Gilgamesh was forced to steady himself, while a massive dust cloud enveloped the battlefield.

For the first time, unease crept over him; his prized Phantasms were being obliterated by these dark spheres. His face tightened, and he moved to summon more treasures—but he was too late. The remaining dark orbs were closing in on him with terrifying speed.

Grinding his teeth, Gilgamesh gripped a sword tightly and swung it with all his might at the oncoming spheres.

More explosions erupted around him, each one fiercer than the last, as the energy of the black orbs unleashed devastation, battering the ground and tearing the earth asunder.

When the dust settled, the once-green meadow was unrecognizable, stripped bare and reduced to a wasteland of barren soil and shattered stones as far as the eye could see.

As the dust began to settle, a cool breeze swept through, dispersing the lingering smoke.

"Damn it... cough cough," Gilgamesh staggered out of the smoke, limping. His clothes were in tatters, reduced to strips in some places, and his once-white shirt was now blackened with soot. Even his handsome face was smudged with dust.

Kaguya had never seen Gilgamesh look this battered before, and she couldn't resist covering her mouth, stifling a laugh. So even this arrogant braggart could end up in such a state.

Gilgamesh's face flushed with embarrassment when he saw her laughing. Humiliation boiled within him as he recalled his earlier words.

"You... filthy mongrel... you'll pay for this!" he shouted, gritting his teeth.

"You've said that, what, three times already, dear," Kaguya taunted, enjoying her role in fanning the flames.

"I'll admit, you're strong," Gilgamesh forced himself to remain composed, his voice tight with anger. "But if you think you can win, you're mistaken. I will grant you the rare honor of seeing my greatest treasure. Few in all existence have been worthy of this."

See your "great treasure," huh?

Kaguya's expression soured at the innuendo, her brow twitching. Somehow, his words made her feel disgusted—was it something she ate?

Then she noticed a golden key in Gilgamesh's hand, seemingly forged of pure gold. It was gaudy, perhaps, but what happened next made her tense.

He held the key's handle and turned it as though unlocking something. A sharp click rang out, and from the key emerged countless translucent threads, extending into the air like ethereal circuits.

This key wasn't just any trinket—it was the key to Gilgamesh's Gate of Babylon and the form from which his ultimate weapon, Ea, would emerge.

He's preparing his final move.

As the threads receded back into the key, its shape began to transform. The key vanished, replaced by a red-tipped, cone-shaped drill-like weapon with a broad guard at the base, spiraling toward a tapered point.

Gripping Ea tightly, Gilgamesh radiated an aura of terrifying power. A fierce wind burst from around him, spreading in all directions, whipping his clothing with a violent intensity.

"Let everything be annihilated—Ea!"

With a fierce battle cry, Gilgamesh swung Ea, unleashing twisting red beams that shot out like giant whips, tearing through the air toward Kaguya.

"If this is all Ea has to offer, I'm afraid I'm unimpressed," Kaguya murmured, not a trace of concern in her gaze, a sly smirk tugging at her lips.

"Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!"

"What?" Gilgamesh's initial confidence faltered. An ominous chill surged through him, and when he looked up, his pupils shrank.

A towering pillar of violet light erupted from Kaguya's location, releasing an overwhelming wave of heat and energy. Its scorching force reduced everything in its path to vapor, leaving not even a trace of ash behind.

Boom!

The spot where the two attacks collided exploded in blinding light, instantly turning the world around them into a vast field of white. A deafening roar echoed across the land as shockwaves ripped through the surroundings, decimating everything in their path. Rocks shattered, earth fractured, and smoke and fire filled the air.

When the smoke finally began to disperse, a figure emerged from the haze—silver-haired, immaculate, and entirely unscathed. It was Kaguya.

Apart from a few scorched edges on her sleeves, revealing patches of flawless skin, she was unharmed—a far cry from Gilgamesh's condition.

Gilgamesh had borne the brunt of the explosion, and now he lay sprawled on the ground, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. His body was covered in cuts, some of them scorched, while others bled freely. His armor bore several dents and his chest showed signs of collapsed ribs, likely broken in the impact.

Kaguya observed the mangled Gilgamesh in surprise, shocked at the potency of her own attack.

During her use of the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion, she had felt a mysterious energy flow within her, merging with her chakra and significantly amplifying her power. Even now, she could sense the remnants of that incredible force, granting her a newfound sense of near-boundless strength, as though she could destroy the world itself.

Suddenly, her long-silent system chimed in with a message.

[Detection of mysterious energy complete. Host's abilities have been significantly enhanced. Special skill 'Mirror Flower, Water Moon' unlocked: Time Manipulation. Host can now manipulate the flow of time within a defined area, allowing the world's time to slow or accelerate, with duration based on the host's power.]

Isn't this similar to Kiritsugu's time-control magic?

This thought was Kaguya's initial reaction. However, on second thought, she shook her head. No, this was different. Kiritsugu's magecraft, Time Alter, altered his perception and action speed but only worked on himself. Kaguya's ability, however, allowed her to manipulate the time of her entire environment—a vast difference.

Such a skill was outrageously powerful. With the ability to control time, her combat potential had skyrocketed. Imagine, in battle, if she could slow or even freeze her opponent's time... they'd be utterly defenseless.

Kaguya couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

It was then she heard a strained cough nearby. Returning to her senses, Kaguya turned in that direction.

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