Chapter 41: The Witch!

"Tch, I can't believe even I have been forced into this!" Gilgamesh grumbled as he narrowly dodged the black dragon's swiping claws. His expression was dark, the worst it had ever been. If he could access his treasury, he would have made quick work of this dragon. Instead, he was reduced to running around like a mouse chased by a cat, a massive blow to his royal pride.

To make matters worse, it seemed like there was nothing he could do at the moment. He couldn't summon weapons from his Gate of Babylon, and the only useful thing he had left was his golden armor. Unlike Berserker, he didn't carry weapons on him; he summoned them when needed. Who could have predicted his "gate" would be sealed off? It was absurd, and Gilgamesh was not used to such humiliation.

He swore to himself that next time, he'd be prepared for this. He would never let something like this happen again!

"Bang!!"

Berserker, wielding his massive golden sword, shattered a fireball launched by the black dragon. He glanced down at Jounouchi, now clearly targeting him.

With both his and Gilgamesh's skills and Noble Phantasms sealed, there was little they could do to defeat the dragon. Directly attacking the summoner seemed like a faster option.

"Whoosh!" 

Just as Berserker charged forward, the black dragon flapped its wings and blocked his path. The situation was looking dire. 

This dragon could easily keep him at bay in his weakened state, and the golden-armored man beside him wasn't helping much either. The odds weren't looking good.

"Heh, don't think you can take down Red-Eyes that easily!" Jounouchi smirked confidently. Red-Eyes Black Dragon wasn't just any monster; it was his ace card. Although it had grown far larger than usual, it was working in his favor.

"Ha!" 

A loud cry suddenly broke Jounouchi's focus. He turned and saw Saber, still injured but charging toward him.

"Uh-oh, that's not gonna happen." 

Jounouchi wasn't worried. Thanks to Saber's injuries, she was moving slower than usual, giving him plenty of time to react. He directed Red-Eyes to swing its massive tail, creating a wall that blocked her path.

"Ugh!" 

Saber looked up at the towering barrier in frustration. Normally, this would be no problem for her, but in her current condition, conserving strength was crucial. Her plan had been to distract Caster long enough for Assassin to act, but it only half worked.

"It's enough," came Assassin's calm voice.

Saber turned to see Kenshin leaping from behind. He landed on her shoulder mid-jump, using it as a foothold to propel himself forward in a second leap.

However, due to his injuries, Kenshin's balance was off. He couldn't maintain proper form in the air, and his jump fell short of fully clearing the dragon's tail to reach Caster.

"!" 

Jounouchi, noticing Assassin's approach, wasn't too worried. There was still a considerable distance between them, and he could have Red-Eyes swat Kenshin away at any moment.

"Whoosh!" 

But then, Kenshin switched his grip on his sword and hurled the divine blade straight at Jounouchi.

"Uh-oh!" 

Jounouchi tried to dodge, but his body wasn't fast enough.

"Slice!" 

The far-right section of his duel disk was cut clean off. The card that had been maintaining the Skill Drain effect fell to the ground, severed.

In that instant, all the Servants felt the oppressive seal over their abilities vanish.

"Saber!" Kenshin called out.

"Yes!" Saber responded, ready and waiting.

The familiar golden light began to gather around her sword. It was the radiant glow of hope, as her mana surged back to life. Both Gilgamesh and Berserker, standing high above, felt the intense burst of energy from below.

"Ex—calibur!!" Saber shouted, unleashing the full force of her Noble Phantasm. The golden sword cut through the sky, its brilliant light slicing into the black dragon overhead.

"Boom!!"

The impact created a cross-shaped explosion in the sky, lighting up the night like a massive firework.

"Red-Eyes!!" 

Jounouchi raised his arms, shielding himself from the aftershock, shouting in desperation.

---

"Rider, are you okay?" 

"I'm fine… though saying that feels like lying to myself," Lelouch replied, his voice heavy with self-mockery as Waver helped him up, the bloodied emperor barely able to stand.

"We need to get out of here, Waver. In this condition… I can't protect you… much longer…" Lelouch's voice faltered, his weakness evident.

"I understand!" Waver nodded, pushing aside any lingering thoughts and helping Lelouch retreat.

---

"How splendid," Gilgamesh mused as the light faded. "Such a fine display of radiance."

He turned to Berserker beside him. "Don't you agree?"

"…" Berserker remained silent, staring down at Saber, lost in thought. He, too, had once shone with that kind of brilliance.

"Hmph. Now that we've cleared this mess, perhaps we can finally settle our score. But first, these nuisances must be dealt with," Gilgamesh muttered, his irritation growing. He was sick of the constant interruptions.

Reopening his treasury, countless blades began to materialize, all aimed at the battlefield below. The memories of his earlier humiliation only fueled his anger.

"Not so fast!" 

"Kyoko!"

Kyoko Sakura, barely able to stand, called out in a hoarse voice, breathing heavily. Jounouchi looked at her, worried.

"You don't have any cards left, do you?" she said with a smirk. "Now, it's my turn to protect you."

"But you—"

"Relax. I've still got an ace up my sleeve," Kyoko reassured him with a smile, though inside, she wasn't nearly as confident as she appeared.

**Witch Transformation.**

That might be the only way to turn the tide now. She wasn't sure what kind of power it would unleash, but if it could protect her friends…

No matter the cost, or the consequences, she was willing to use it.

'Damn gods, you really are cruel,' she thought bitterly. Maybe she really was on the verge of falling into the abyss. Entering this so-called "Dragon Ball War" had been a mistake from the start.

But strangely enough, she didn't feel any regret. At least, not now.

She had made new friends.

"Jounouchi."

"Hmm?"

"Even though we haven't known each other long, I'm really glad we met."

"Huh?"

"So… we're friends, right?"

"What are you talking about? Of course we are! We've been through life and death together!" Jounouchi responded with a grin.

"Ha…"

'Sorry, Sayaka. Maybe I couldn't save you, but now I can at least save another friend.'

"It's been good knowing you, Jounouchi," Kyoko whispered.

As her words trailed off, an eerie atmosphere descended upon the battlefield. A sudden chill washed over everyone.

The streets began to twist and change, the sky and ground warping into something unfamiliar. 

Waver, still helping Lelouch to escape, widened his eyes in horror.

"A Reality Marble?!!"

On that night, in Fuyuki City, a Witch was born.