Chapter 26: The First Night

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At night, Fuyuki City.

The Saber team and the Lancer team met here as planned. As in the original story, Artoria and Irisviel represented the Saber side, while Diarmuid stood alone on the Lancer side.

"Hmph, so it's true," Kenneth muttered, hidden away in the shadows, a smirk playing on his lips.

He had no intention of revealing himself, keeping an eye out for Emiya Kiritsugu instead. The so-called "Magus Killer" had a notorious reputation that had reached even Kenneth's ears. Unlike traditional magi who adhered strictly to magical dueling norms, Kiritsugu used modern weaponry and unorthodox tactics, including magically enhanced firearms. The man was known for bending the rules to their breaking point.

Kiritsugu wasn't incapable of magic either, far from it. He was skilled in time manipulation, a legacy passed down through the Emiya family, allowing him to speed up or slow down his own perception of time. It was this combination of unconventional thinking and his mastery over time-altering magecraft that had sent many a magus to their graves.

Kenneth was certain that even if Kiritsugu was identified as a Master, he would stay out of sight, waiting for the right moment to strike.

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On the battlefield, Diarmuid was growing restless. "King of Knights," he called out, dual spears in hand. "I've been waiting long enough."

"Come then," Artoria responded, her tone steady as she summoned her armor and drew her invisible sword, hidden beneath the Invisible Air. "This time, I won't be so easily misled."

Without another word, she launched herself at Diarmuid.

"Good, I was hoping you'd say that!" Diarmuid responded with a grin, and the clash of their weapons echoed through the pier.

The duel was a fierce exchange, with neither fighter giving an inch. Diarmuid wielded his twin spears masterfully, but Artoria was prepared this time, focusing her defenses against the spear that nullified magical protection, while using her armor to mitigate the blows from the cursed spear. Still, the Lancer's advantage in wielding two weapons gave him the edge, keeping the King of Knights under constant pressure.

Meanwhile, other Servants had begun to arrive at the edges of the pier, watching from the darkness. They refrained from interfering, content to observe for the time being.

But the tense equilibrium was quickly shattered.

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VROOM, VROOM, VROOM...

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The roar of a motorcycle tore through the night as a red-haired figure, dressed like a biker, burst onto the scene. He sped straight into the heart of the battle, forcing both Artoria and Diarmuid to halt their duel.

"Don't be unreasonable in the presence of a king!" the newcomer bellowed.

It was Iskandar, the King of Conquerors. Inspired by the earlier quiz, where he had seen Gilgamesh on a motorcycle, he couldn't resist getting one for himself. He had even dragged Waver along on a spontaneous shopping trip, securing a suitable outfit for the occasion. For a Servant with A+ Riding skill, learning to handle a motorcycle had been a simple matter.

As for a license… well, that was a different story.

"King of Conquerors, I told you not to interfere with our duel," Artoria protested, irritation evident in her voice.

Unperturbed, Iskandar gave her a wide grin. "It's only the first night of the war. Why rush to settle things? Wouldn't it be better for all of us to get acquainted first?" He then turned his gaze toward the surrounding darkness. "Isn't it time for the rest of you to show yourselves?" he called out.

"Hmph, how dull. I expected a more interesting spectacle," came a voice from above.

A golden figure perched atop a nearby streetlamp, bathed in a radiant glow that outshone the darkness around him. It was Gilgamesh, his luminous presence drawing every gaze toward him, turning the Hero King into the brightest figure on the battlefield.

Congratulations to Gilgamesh on earning the title of "Street Light King."

Elsewhere, Chihiro and Zhang Jiao appeared atop a container, both dressed in sharp suits. Zhang Jiao had handed the Royal Brand to Chihiro earlier, as it provided little benefit to a Heroic Spirit like himself. For a Master, however, the bonus effects were invaluable.

Gilgamesh's gaze immediately snapped to Chihiro, his eyes narrowing with thinly veiled rage. "How dare a mongrel like you stand before this king?" he spat, his voice dripping with disdain. "Are you prepared to die?"

The air around Gilgamesh shimmered like water as several golden portals materialized, each one housing a weapon from his vast treasury.

Gate of Babylon, open.

The treasures burst forth in a dazzling flurry, streaking toward Chihiro.

Reacting instantly, Chihiro and Zhang Jiao leapt away, avoiding the barrage just as the container they had been standing on exploded into a shower of debris.

"Where do you think you're going?" Gilgamesh sneered, summoning more weapons to launch at Chihiro. It was clear he wouldn't be satisfied until the young Master lay lifeless at his feet.

"Hey, Hero King, isn't this a bit excessive?" Iskandar remarked. "Do you really need to go all out against a Master?"

Gilgamesh scoffed. "This is the price one pays for offending a king."

---

As the weapons closed in, Chihiro was forced into a desperate backward roll to evade them. The attacks weren't aimed for precision; they were designed to cover a wide area, making escape nearly impossible.

The resulting explosions kicked up a cloud of dust and smoke, obscuring Chihiro from view.

Ting, ting, ting…

Amidst the fading echoes of metal striking metal, a series of clatters rang out as several of Gilgamesh's weapons were knocked away. As the dust settled, the gathered audience could hardly believe their eyes.

Chihiro now stood clad in a set of ornate armor, a purple-gold crown adorning his head, with heavy gauntlets on each arm. The aura surrounding him was unmistakably that of a Heroic Spirit.

"Well, that was close," Chihiro said, exhaling sharply as the gauntlets transformed into a halberd, the massive polearm resting in his hands.

"Could this boy be a Heroic Spirit? No!" Kenneth's voice trembled with disbelief as he observed from his hiding place. "He was definitely a human before, but now… could it be?"

"Class Cards?" Gilgamesh muttered, his eyes narrowing as realization dawned. "I see… You've been benefiting from your success in the quizzes. It seems you've acquired quite a few interesting artifacts."