Chapter 68: Hit, Backstabbed

Red Hare returned the God Force to Chihiro, then took his position within the formation.

"I'm counting on you, Red Hare," Chihiro murmured through gritted teeth, signaling the attack.

Red Hare transformed into a blazing projectile, and with the help of Chihiro's Mystic Code- Royal Brand, which ensured a guaranteed hit, he shot directly toward Gilgamesh.

"I will tell you of the beginning.

Heaven and Earth split, nothingness praised creation, my Sword of Rupture cleaved the world!

Mortar of the stars, heaven's hell is the eve of creation's celebration.

Now you shall die and be silent!"

"Enuma Elish!"

At the same time, Gilgamesh completed his chant, roaring as he swung Ea.

A powerful red energy surged forth like a dragon, erasing everything in its path with terrifying force. Even Iskandar's Army trembled before its might, on the verge of collapse.

Ea's trajectory was aimed squarely at Red Hare, who was charging in his direction.

Gilgamesh intended to crush Chihiro's hopes once and for all, forcing him into despair through sheer power.

But facing the might of Ea, Red Hare showed no fear.

At that moment, his consciousness faded, overtaken by an intense surge of power building up within him.

The sensation was almost indescribable, a force so immense that it felt as if he might explode at any moment. For most, this would be unbearable.

This was the effect of the formation he was utilizing.

Two-Pronged Formation was, in fact, a Noble Phantasm crafted by Chen Gong based on ancient human modification techniques from a forgotten dynasty. The formation would amplify any Servant fired from it, dramatically boosting their power.

However, there was a price. After dealing their final blow, the Servant's body would disintegrate.

To outsiders, it might seem as though the Servant had turned into a bomb, detonating to wipe out the enemy. But in reality, the Servant truly would perish after unleashing all their magical energy in one last, devastating release.

In essence, it was a human bomb one that would self-destruct after hitting its target.

The timing and potency of the explosion were determined by the Servant's own will. For example, Spartacus, equipped with his "Crying Warmonger," could likely trigger an explosion on par with a nuclear blast.

As Red Hare neared Ea, a sliver of clarity returned to him, allowing him to execute one last attack.

"Lü Bu among men, Red Hare among horses! Now, we are one!"

"Pseudo-God Force!"

At this decisive moment, Red Hare activated his own Noble Phantasm, not as a spear, but as a blazing beam of energy, he himself had become the weapon.

"Red Hare, take all my Command Seals!" Chihiro called out, channeling his remaining strength.

With the Command Seals' added power, Red Hare's energy blast grew exponentially, meeting Ea in a colossal impact.

Boom…

The entire Reality Marble shook violently.

If it hadn't been for Iskandar's efforts to maintain it, the barrier would have shattered instantly.

Everyone stared in shock.

Red Hare was actually holding his ground against Ea.

The red and white energies clashed, locked in a desperate stalemate. But this fragile balance was short-lived.

The red energy beam began to overpower the white, inch by inch.

Seeing this, Gilgamesh sneered, increasing the output of Ea.

The white beam was swallowed by the red, but just as it seemed all was lost, something extraordinary happened.

Bang!!!

The white beam, now pulsing with absorbed energy, suddenly exploded. The immense shockwave shattered the remnants of the red energy.

Caught off guard, Gilgamesh staggered, momentarily breaking his concentration.

In this unexpected way, Ea's attack was finally neutralized.

But the cost was high. Red Hare faded back to the Throne of Heroes, becoming the first Servant to exit the Holy Grail War.

"You... insolent curs!" Gilgamesh seethed with rage, lifting Ea to strike again.

Suddenly, his body wavered.

A strange weakness overtook him, draining his strength and leaving him feeling hollow and powerless.

"A curse?"

He quickly understood, though he was puzzled as to when he could have been afflicted.

And then he noticed something else.

Ishtar, Sigurd, and the other captured Servants were now free from his Chains of Heaven.

"What... What is happening?!"

Gilgamesh panicked, attempting to summon the Chains of Heaven once more, but nothing happened.

The chains were beyond his control.

"Your arrogance has caught up with you, Gilgamesh!" Chihiro shouted, finally allowing himself a sigh of relief.

Red Hare's sacrifice was not in vain.

Before his final charge, Red Hare had used an item gifted by the System: Five Hundred Years of Obsession.

When a bearer of this item perishes in battle, it curses the enemy, sealing away one of their Noble Phantasms.

And Gilgamesh, of all people, had fallen victim to it.

"Ishtar! Now's our chance!" Chihiro called to Ishtar above.

This was the moment to finish Gilgamesh, with no room for mercy.

"I know. Gate Open!"

Ishtar waved her hand, and a vast portal materialized in the sky, revealing a breathtaking starry expanse beyond, with a radiant golden planet hovering on the other side.

The sight left everyone awestruck.

In terms of sheer spectacle, Ishtar's Noble Phantasm was unparalleled.

"From the great Heavens, Towards the Great Earth—Behold my full strength!"

Ishtar floated, her bow Maanna taking form at her side.

With a deft motion, she threw her golden spear into the portal, where the massive planet began to shrink, transforming into an enormous golden energy arrow ready to be unleashed.

"Annihilate him! An Gal Ta Ki Gal Šè!

Ishtar fired, and the energy arrow blazed toward Gilgamesh, transforming into a massive beam of light.

"Tokiomi!"

Paralyzed by the curse, Gilgamesh had no choice but to call for Tohsaka Tokiomi, hoping his Master would use a Command Seal to save him.

"I understand."

Tokiomi's voice sounded in his mind, calm and resolute.

"By my Command Seal, I order you—Archer, do not resist. Accept your fate."

"Tokiomi, you—!"

Fury surged within Gilgamesh as he realized the betrayal. He never imagined that Tokiomi would turn his back on him at such a critical moment.

But his anger was futile; the outcome was set.

Boom…

The light cannon struck, engulfing Gilgamesh completely.

In a deafening explosion, the King of Heroes was banished back to the Throne of Heroes, following Red Hare in defeat.

After a grueling night, victory was finally theirs.

Though they had lost Red Hare, it was undeniably a resounding triumph.

"We… actually won..."

Waver and Kayneth exhaled in relief.

The biggest threat, Gilgamesh, had finally been dealt with.

Iskandar dispelled the Reality Marble, returning them all to the real world.

The barrier had been on the verge of collapse, held together by Iskandar's sheer will.

"So… I guess this means our alliance is over," Chihiro said, glancing at the El-Melloi II with a hint of amusement.

With Gilgamesh's defeat, their temporary alliance had officially come to an end.

The El-Melloi II met his gaze with a smile. "What, planning to attack already?"

"Hey, no way!" Waver exclaimed, alarmed at the thought of another fight.

"Relax. I'm exhausted," Chihiro replied, yawning. "Let's call it a night."

"Agreed," El-Melloi II nodded. "Starting tomorrow, we're rivals once again."

Chihiro smirked. "Don't expect me to hold back."

"Nor will we," El-Melloi II replied with a chuckle.

They exchanged one last look, then each side turned away, heading back to rest.

Far off, halfway up the mountain, Assassin silently observed the scene, reporting the events back to his Master.

(T/N: This was one of my favourite chapters hehehe)

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