"Prepare yourself, Clown. I will earnestly help Rin exact her revenge."
Gilgamesh declared war on behalf of his Master.
This was the pride of the Hero King. He could toy with mongrels as much as he liked, but for those he acknowledged, his pride wouldn't allow him to use underhanded tricks. He would declare war openly, fight honorably, and achieve victory with dignity.
For Gilgamesh, calling Shinji a Clown was a form of recognition—especially since this clown had successfully outwitted him once before.
"I'll be ready,"
the recognized clown responded with a fearless smile. Behind that smile lay a trait common to all the strong—confidence.
Indeed, with Rin having consumed a golden apple, her abilities were now on par with Shinji's. Combined with the full power of the Gate of Babylon, she was undeniably a formidable opponent. But so what? Would that make him back down? Physical abilities and equipment were only two factors in determining the outcome, not the entirety.
Moreover, Shinji's ultimate goal was to face the immortal Queen of the Land of Shadows and end her eternity. If he shrank from challenges like this, he'd never reach the Land of Shadows, nor would he ever be qualified to stand before her.
"Good response,"
Gilgamesh remarked, shifting his gaze to Luvia.
"This little girl's life force is interesting. It resembles something divine or from a Phantasmal Species, yet it's something even I haven't seen before. That power doesn't belong to you, does it, Karna?"
Karna shook his head.
"No, it doesn't."
At that, Shinji had a guess.
The Crimson Fruit was a product of the Einnashie Tree that had absorbed flesh and blood for 800 years. Though it wasn't born in the same way as the golden apple, it was still a crystallization of life force.
Among those enhanced by the fruit, Luvia and Gray had consumed the most, each using nearly one-tenth of the total amount. Lorelei Barthomeloi should have required the most, but her family was already well-stocked with treasures, and she had been strengthened in various ways since childhood, leaving little room for further enhancement.
Such a large amount of life essence couldn't be absorbed in a short time without assistance from comparable medicines, which explains why Luvia exhibited similar symptoms to Rin.
After a brief explanation, Karna relaxed and stood quietly, putting away his god-slaying spear.
Gilgamesh likewise retracted his Ea and, no longer hovering in the air, landed on the ground. With a pointed question, he asked,
"Clown, have you ever thought about doing something while they're unconscious? Even if you don't want to harm them personally, you could sever their contracts and eliminate both me and Karna in one move—don't tell me you haven't considered it."
"Of course, I've thought about it," Shinji replied.
"Who wouldn't dream of punching Gilgamesh and kicking Karna? It's too cool not to imagine."
Shinji didn't hide anything, nor did he try to justify himself. He smiled as he answered,
"But it's just a fantasy—a fleeting thought. I couldn't bring myself to do it."
"Why not?"
"There are many reasons. For one, my Shishou wouldn't be happy. She hasn't said it outright, but I know she's looking forward to a showdown with you. If I go back and tell her about Karna, she'll probably have the same reaction. She's incredibly competitive, and the two of you together might not even match her fighting spirit. If I ruin her fun, she might beat me half to death, or worse, declare that she'll fight all the remaining Servants on her own, throwing the whole situation into chaos."
"Hahaha, that does sound like something she would do," Gilgamesh laughed.
"And what else?"
"Rin and Luvia wouldn't be happy either," Shinji continued.
"The feud between the Tohsaka and Edelfelt families—it's hard to imagine resolving it anywhere else. If they don't settle it here, it'll be even harder to deal with later."
Shinji glanced gently at the familiar faces of the unconscious girls. Their expressions were only this peaceful when they were unaware.
"The Holy Grail War started it, and only the Holy Grail War can end it. If you think about it, perhaps fate wants everyone to settle things here. Rin and Luvia are fairly evenly matched, and you and Karna are similarly balanced. This way, no matter who loses, they'll reflect on their shortcomings, rather than blaming it on poor preparation or a bad choice of Servant and scheming for the next war. Even though they're both exhausted and the fight was interrupted, it's not a bad outcome. When they wake up, they'll probably acknowledge each other, even if they won't admit it openly."
"The same reasoning applies to the conflict between you and Rin," Gilgamesh said calmly.
"Exactly," Shinji nodded.
"And there's one more thing: this is Rin's only chance to defeat me. I don't mean to boast, but with my current strength, if you weren't helping her, both Rin and Luvia together wouldn't stand a chance against me—Noble Phantasms are nearly unbeatable for the modern magus. If she misses this opportunity, that knot between us might never be untied. If I hold back, she'll feel like I'm toying with her. Honestly, I'd rather you fully arm her, so that my advantage in this area is completely nullified."
"You think a lot about her. Why go to such lengths?"
"Because she's Sakura's sister, my childhood friend. Her mother was someone my uncle loved. Our families have been intertwined for a long time, and no one has ever wanted to separate them. Besides, part of the reason I've become this strong is thanks to you and Karna."
"Oh?"
Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow.
"Karna entrusted me with his divine weapon, and as for you—do you remember ten years ago when we fought that sea monster? You threw out four Noble Phantasms and didn't retrieve them."
"Yes, I remember. I didn't want to recover those treasures because they were tainted by that disgusting creature. You're saying you retrieved them?"
"That's right. Sometimes I wonder if you did it on purpose. Those four Noble Phantasms cover attack, defense, anti-personnel, anti-fortress, anti-army—they're useful in nearly every situation. Without them, I might not have made it this far."
"Why are you telling me this?"
Gilgamesh's tone grew cold.
"Just because I abandoned those treasures doesn't mean others are free to touch them. Aren't you afraid I'll punish you for this?"
"You say that like we could ever get along if I didn't tell you. There's only one winner in the Holy Grail War. If you want to punish me, you'll have to get past my Shishou first."
With that, Shinji rolled up his sleeve, revealing his Command Spells, his attitude defiant—if you want to fight, I'm ready to summon her.
"Hmph... hahaha!"
Gilgamesh broke into laughter instead of anger.
"Interesting, you Clown. Very interesting. Alright, since you've amused me and been so honest, I'll officially grant you those four Noble Phantasms. In return, you must play your role as Rin's target—until death!"
"Deal, until death!"
Shinji laughed along with him.
As their laughter echoed, the two men reached an understanding.