I, Kenneth, am going to get to the root of the problem today.

Page 39

"Hmm? Something's not right. How did I end up evading taxes too? Forgive me, forgive me. I should think about how to get to the root of the problem."

Putting aside distractions and closing his eyes, Kenneth's breathing became more even as his thoughts wandered. In this long-awaited tranquility, Kenneth, whose nerves had been constantly on edge, finally drifted into a peaceful sleep.

“Master...Master…”

Under the hazy call, Kenneth rubbed his throbbing head and opened his bloodshot eyes, only to see Karna standing like a statue, holding an umbrella.

"Is it time? Let's go. The battlefield is ready. Even if they are unwelcome guests, we still have to greet them."

Rising from the rocking chair and stretching his stiff body, Kenneth led his three Servants out of the gates of Ryudouji Temple, under the frustrated gaze of Aozaki Aoko.

Arriving in a mountain valley far from the bustling city, as Kenneth's Command Seal ignited a crimson flame, Karna unleashed his A-rank Servant aura without reservation. Faced with this provocative act, Gilgamesh, the oldest and fattest human, appeared above Mount Enzo like a shark that had smelled blood, piloting his celestial vessel.

"You lowly cultivators, how dare you be so presumptuous in my garden? Are you prepared to offer your heads as a sacrifice for my arrival?"

Rumor has it that fish only have a seven-second memory, and Gilgamesh's memory will definitely not exceed that limit by much. After being repeatedly thwarted in the Inch Stop Challenge, Gilgamesh still looks like a miscellaneous brat.

"Only true warriors are worthy to see me, you groveling mongrels, offer your heads for the king's arrival!"

Gilgamesh, chin in hand and utterly uninterested, paid no attention to the two Servants below. He snapped his fingers, and golden ripples illuminated the night sky above Mount Enzo. With a wave of his raised left hand, all sorts of Noble Phantasms rained down from the sky.

As the saying goes, one trick is enough to conquer the world. Gilgamesh could crush most Servants with just the sheer number of Noble Phantasms. Faced with this overwhelming power, Artoria, with a serious expression, raised her holy sword as if parting a mountain in the middle. It was at this moment that Karna, wielding the divine spear, stood before the three of them.

“You are no match for him. Let me handle this, King of Knights.”

Karna's expression changed rapidly. Even though Karna meant no harm, his words sounded awkward to Artoria. Ignoring Artoria's increasingly dangerous state of mind, Karna was now focused entirely on the rain of swords falling from the sky.

The sealed Command Seals transformed into pure magic power, the divine spear sliced ​​through the air with a golden breath, and the three magic paths far away at Ryudou Temple roared with full force, the abundant magic power turning into fuel that dyed the entire sky red, and the golden-red tide melted away everything it passed.

Flames surged into the sky, the hot wind sucked away the moisture from the forest, and amidst the golden light of the shattered Noble Phantasm and the crackling of exploding trees, Karna turned his head, his back to the forest fire, his face turned towards hope. Karna once again conveyed his faith to Kenneth behind him.

“I will use all the power entrusted to me to do what I ought to do. But, for this, one thing is indispensable. —Watch closely, Master. I need you.”

Chapter 101 Gold and Red 1

"So that's how it is. These mongrels are indeed mongrels, thinking they can fight me by banding together? How can you call yourself a king if you can't even take on a thousand alone? Come, clowns, do everything you can to please me!! Hahaha—"

An untimely sound rang out, tearing through the curtain of fire. Gilgamesh, looking like DIO, piloted Vimana, sending scorching air soaring into the sky. Adhering to the strategy of tactical flanking when outnumbered and overwhelming with firepower when outnumbered, Vimana's jewel-encrusted wings unfurled amidst a burst of fluorescence, followed by a shower of emerald green light. In the midst of the erupting flames, an ancient nuclear warhead emerged from beneath the celestial vessel. The ley lines of Fuyuki City began to tremble, and a rising mushroom cloud illuminated the night sky above Fuyuki.

"Huh? Another meteorite impact? Is Yuanzang Mountain being punished by the heavens? How many is this now?"

At the Fujimura family's dojo, through the windows of a traditional Japanese house, Fujimura Taiga was awakened by a violent tremor. He removed the tiger-shaped eye patch covering his eyes, and the firelight from Mount Enzo blinded him, causing him to instinctively close his eyes again.

"Never mind, it's none of my business. I hope Shan is alright!"

He rolled over and wrapped himself tightly in the blanket, having long since become numb to the daily life in Fuyuki City.

Returning our gaze to Mount Enzang, the tremors of the ground had not yet subsided. The impact of the ancient nuclear warhead had leveled this mountain valley. The soil and rocks attached to the surface were sent flying into the sky by the violent impact. The rapidly expanding fireball scorched the exposed rocks until they were glowing red-hot. In the center of the mushroom cloud, with the 'crackling' sound of armor assembling, Karna, wearing the Sun Wheel Armor, unharmed received the nuclear bomb that leveled the mountain.

With a wave of his hand, Karna controlled the flames surrounding him, and stepping on the glassy ground, he looked seriously at Kenneth, who had narrowed his eyes.

"Master, leave this to me and the Knight King. Go to Caster; that's your battlefield."

A stinging sensation shot through his own arm, and dozens of Command Seals, the source of his magic, transformed into a crimson gust of wind that surged into Karna's body. Meeting Karna's wide-eyed gaze, Kenneth raised the Command Seals that truly belonged to Karna.

"In the name of the Command Spell, my Servant, Karna, unleash your power without reservation!"

"In the name of the Command Spell, my comrade Karna, may we seize the final victory!!"

"In the name of the Command Spell, my comrade Karna, you must return to my side!!!"

Gazing at the master and servant before her, Artoria, unable to comprehend this bond, began to shake her ahoge (cowlick) violently. Finally, she learned Karna's true name from Kenneth. The hero of mythology acknowledged the magician before him, and the magician before him also acknowledged the hero before him.

"Is this feeling trust?...Am I really wrong?"

Her eyes became dazed, and the ahoge on her head lay down lazily. Artoria didn't understand one thing: when she began to have doubts, this melon was already a greenhorn in her heart. The flames that spread to the sky dissipated, and among the scattered sparks, Gilgamesh, as the representative of the pufferfish, barely managed to muster a little interest.

"Although you are just a miscellaneous cultivator, your blind loyalty is commendable."

The next moment, sensing the almost tangible magical power within Karna, Gilgamesh, hands in his pockets and unaware of who his opponent was, let out a deafening laugh. Karna, adhering to Kenneth's teachings not to talk to fools, gave Artoria a look, raised his spear, and the ground beneath his feet suddenly collapsed. Enveloped in flames, Karna flew towards Gilgamesh, who sat atop the celestial vessel, like a meteor tearing through the sky.

With a massive supply of magic power, the A-rank magic release (flame) revealed its true form at this moment. Flames shot out from behind the swaying cloak, and the rain of swords covering the sky was instantly melted upon touching Karna, who had turned into flames. Karna, who was traveling at a speed of up to 400 kilometers per hour, collided violently with Gilgamesh in mid-air under the wings of flames.

The golden and crimson orbs of light intersected in mid-air. Watching the two engaging in ace-level aerial combat right before her eyes, Artoria, standing on the ground, felt utterly superfluous.

Artoria: Karna, what's with that look you gave me? Are you trying to bully me because I can't fly?!

Without Avalon, Artoria, who could only run on land and water, truly felt Groudon's pain. She raised and lowered the Holy Sword in her hand repeatedly. In order to have some sense of participation, Artoria still raised the Holy Sword. The Wind King's Barrier began to compress and was aimed at Gilgamesh on the Sky Ship. Artoria controlled the invisible wind and began her water gun attack.

'Clang—!'

Ignoring Artoria's efforts to maintain her presence below, Gilgamesh calmly drew a knight's sword from his treasury—somewhat similar to the Sword in the Stone—and blocked the hilt of Karna's flaming spear.

Gram, the sword in the tree, is the strongest demonic sword that can rival the strongest holy sword. It is the legendary sword that slew the evil dragon Fafnir and is a natural enemy of Artoria, who possesses the red dragon attribute.

However, even this holy sword couldn't withstand Karna's flames for more than a few seconds. The silver-white holy sword rapidly turned crimson under Karna's flames, and the sound of shattering followed one after another. Before Gilgamesh could even retrieve the holy sword that had slain the dragon, it exploded like fireworks. Without the slightest pause, the god, soaked in flames, dragged a long trail of flames and tore through Gilgamesh's spare golden armor once again.

Without giving Gilgamesh a chance to catch his breath, Karna, expressionless, continued to activate the divine fire attached to his body as he faced Gilgamesh, whose forehead veins were bulging. The tip of his spear pressed down sharply, piercing through the deck of Vimana. The flames that spread instantly engulfed the celestial ship that originated from the same mythology as himself. Carrying the dazzling starlight, the mythical ship fell like a goose shot down by a hunter.

"Cissa?! How dare you subject this noble king to such a thing as..."

"Peng—"

Before Gilgamesh could finish speaking, Artoria, who had been on the fringes of the game, finally found an opportunity to hit Gilgamesh, who was falling from the sky, with her water gun. The raging wind turned into a vortex that tore Gilgamesh's already shattered armor apart. Under the sneak attack of the unsportsmanlike Artoria, Gilgamesh, who stood between heaven and earth, kissed the earth that had given him birth for the first time in his life.

The damage wasn't high, but the insult was extremely strong. The raging wind, carrying dust, was torn apart by the enraged king. The splashing wind blades destroyed the toppled rocks like a meat grinder. The air became viscous. Karna, sensing Gilgamesh's anger, descended from the sky and shielded Artoria behind him.

"Knight King, you must learn to accept change. The seeds in the soil have sprouted. Do not be bound by past memories. From now on, I entrust my Master to you."

'锵——'

Karna swept away the dragon-slaying Noble Phantasm aimed at Artoria and looked solemnly at Gilgamesh, who emerged from the smoke and dust.

“You have done very well. I will entrust my Master to you until I return.”

Blood-red snake eyes locked onto the ahoge (cowlick), and golden light once again covered the sky. Feeling the aura permeated with dragon blood, a chill spread from her back. A sense of crisis, as if targeted by a natural enemy, made Artoria, who was the incarnation of a red dragon, tighten her grip on the holy sword.

The divine spear was raised, a curtain of fire rose, and light surged from Karna's eyes. His right hand, encased in armor, was raised, and a beam of light that tore through the sky spread as Karna dragged it along, as if drawing a fiery veil over the heavens. A ball of light comparable to the sun devoured the darkness, and the heat that surpassed mortal fire eclipsed the starlight like the sunrise.

“I understand. In the name of the knight, I will protect your Master until you return.”

Having clearly recognized the gap between herself and these two gods, she made a knightly promise to Karna, understanding that staying here would be a weakness. Artoria leaped away from the battlefield.

"You bastard!! You think you can just walk away after provoking me? Kneel down!! Use your tears to quell my wrath!!"

"The oldest man of mankind, your opponent is me. For the sake of my Master, rest in peace!"

The flames destroyed the Noble Phantasm that was about to strike Artoria. With a belief in living even in the face of death, Karna transformed the mountain valley behind him into a forbidden zone for protection.

Chapter 102 Gold and Red 2

The maniacal laughter continued until he could hardly breathe. Gilgamesh, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, was caught up in his own amusement due to his strange thought process. Karna, seeing Gilgamesh suddenly become so happy, rapidly activated the magic power within his body.

"Hahaha—cough cough...cough cough cough...For your Master, this is the biggest joke I've ever heard in my life! A mere mage magician, you actually offer your loyalty to such a thing? Lancer, have you even forgotten your honor as a hero? Cough cough...Seeing how pleased you are with my offering, before the wrath of heaven descends, I'll listen to your clown's nonsense for now!!"

Faced with Gilgamesh's humiliating words, Karna, who never cared about being insulted, was unusually angered. The flames surrounding him suddenly swelled, and Karna's aura rose to a new level. The honest man was angry!

"Oh~ Are you angry? You really are a mixed-breed cultivator, just like your Master..."

‘Boom! ! ’

Gilgamesh's expression froze. Without the slightest warning, fueled by rage, Karna unleashed agility far exceeding that of an A-rank. His spear pierced Gilgamesh's newly donned golden armor without reservation. The spear flipped, and the moment the shaft struck Gilgamesh's chest, it erupted with unparalleled heat. The divine fire of the sun engulfed the unresponsive Gilgamesh, who was physically ablaze, and was sent flying backward like a meteor.

"Hero? I've never considered myself a hero. I'm just an ordinary person, no different from the masses!"

Appearing above Gilgamesh as if teleported, Karna's fiery eyes radiated a coldness that even the sun could not dispel. With a tearing sound, Karna's spear severed Gilgamesh's right arm. The clanging of chains rang out, and flames surged forth as a shockwave. The Chains of Heaven, as agile as a snake, were repelled the moment they approached Karna.

"Cissa?! You bastard, you're actually this kind of thing! You idiot!!"

As Kenneth said, how could a hero surrounded by the masses understand the struggles of mortals? Only those who stand with mortals can understand them. Karna thought he had cast aside the glory of being a hero, and Gilgamesh, known as the King of Heroes, unilaterally regarded Karna as a fool who had abandoned the past.

‘Poof! ’

Although not as powerful as Karna, Gilgamesh, as a warrior, was still capable of standing his own against the Bull of Heaven. He narrowly avoided Karna's spear aimed at his neck with minimal cost. With the aid of the Chains of Heaven, Gilgamesh, whose body was pierced and charred black, gasped for breath after tumbling backward.

The pain spurred Gilgamesh's arrogance; the playful demeanor vanished, and sensing Karna's conviction, Gilgamesh, who considered himself the master of all things, became serious.

"Although you are a mixed cultivator, I acknowledge your martial arts skills."

Facing the Chains of Heaven protecting Gilgamesh in the center, Karna, knowing he had missed his chance in his anger, turned his solemn gaze to Gilgamesh, who was taking out a potion from the treasury. With a surge of life force, Gilgamesh's severed right arm began to grow back with a wriggling motion, like a snake shedding its skin. The skin, carbonized by divine fire, peeled off, and in just a few seconds, Gilgamesh, naked as a newborn baby, reappeared before Karna, returning to the battlefield.

"Are you ready to offer up your head, you mongrel?!"

Gilgamesh drew his hand axe from the treasury behind him, brushed it across the Chains of Heaven protecting him, and with the clanging of the chains, he raised the hand axe. Adhering to the fine tradition that archers don't engage in ranged combat when the wind is favorable, Gilgamesh, with the Chains of Heaven wrapped around his shoulders, raised his hand axe, and with the help of Marduk's hand axe, clashed with Karna's spear in a burst of fire.

"Foolish! You, who are recorded in legends, would actually sacrifice yourself for a mere magician. You lack any sense of principle!"

‘Clang! ’

As the divine spear slammed down, the splashing sparks repelled all the incoming Chains of Heaven. The spear tip swept horizontally, and the crescent-shaped stream of fire melted the rocks behind Gilgamesh as he dodged. The viscous lava filled the broken rock walls, and in a burst of flame, the raging fire from a wave of his hand incinerated the Noble Phantasm that had been fired at his face. Karna escaped the Chains of Heaven's capture range amidst the surging flames.

"The oldest man of mankind, how could you, a hero, understand the suffering of mortals? Your radiance shines so brightly, and I once longed for it, but now I understand that your light is contrary to my own. How can I, burdened by Master's expectations, be swayed by your words?!"

The divine fire that covered the sky surged into Karna's palm under his control. His seemingly powerless right arm rose, and the raging fire that had burned the mountains and forests gathered under Karna's guidance. The divine spear was distorted by the flames, like a meteorite falling from the sky. Karna poured his faith into the divine spear and shot it without reservation at Gilgamesh, who had just regained his footing.

“Surya, please see the truth. There is no more condemnation on the battlefield. My father, please forgive me. Unprecedented and unparalleled, Brahma, cover the earth!”

A beam of light, shimmering with the perseverance of mortals, slid down from the sky, engulfing the figures below. This time, without Kenneth's restraint, the scorching heat of the Undying Blade expanded like a helium flash. Mountains that had stood for countless years were annihilated in the spreading breath, and the earth beneath their feet let out a mournful cry. Amid this violent tremor, the citizens who had fled their homes in panic due to the earthquake alarm were immediately drawn to the pillar of light rising from Mount Enzo.

As the smoke cleared, embers remained. The earth's crust, spanning hundreds of meters in radius, was stripped away, and flowing, scorching lava covered the shattered wounds like the blood of a planet. The divine spear flew back, gazing at the smoke-filled crater, and Karna instantly broke free from the suddenly appearing Chains of Heaven.

'Click...'

With a shattering sound, the Shield of Ancile, the national treasure of Rome, a divine shield said to have fallen from heaven, crumbled under Karna's bombardment. Behind the shield, Gilgamesh, his body scorched red by the intense heat, raised his snake-like eyes and exuded a chilling aura, and leaped into the deep pit with a burst of maniacal laughter.

"As expected, Lancer, although you are just a miscellaneous cultivator, you are worthy of my serious attention."

Bare-chested, blood-red patterns appeared with Gilgamesh's breath, like veins and meridians wrapping around his upper body. His bronze skin shimmered with a fine sheen under the scorching heat of the flames. Exhaling a breath of stale air, the main member of the Haha team unusually looked directly at the enemy standing opposite him.

Despite it being night, a blinding beam of sunlight shone down from the sky, and the illusory light stretched in Gilgamesh's hands, revealing a gilded longbow.

Taslan, the divine bow of Luu, the god of light in Celtic mythology, rests his right hand on the illusory bowstring. With each ripple, the scathe of branches appears. This demonic sword, often mistaken for Levadin's, emits a destructive flame.

A burst of red light, far exceeding the speed at which King Cai was projected, erupted forth. This demonic sword, which in mythology was wielded by Surtur to destroy the world during Ragnarok, was squandered before Gilgamesh's eyes as a consumable.

Whenever Karna approaches Gilgamesh with his agility far surpassing that of most Servants, the Chains of Heaven, which are connected to Gilgamesh's mind, will activate on their own and force Karna back.

Stopping the trash talk, Gilgamesh, now fully focused and ready to unleash his full power in the face of Karna's fiery attacks, will use any openings in his dodges to pull out new Noble Phantasms to lock onto the approaching Karna. The Demon Spear Brionac, the Cursed Sword Dilphingu, Trisul... all sorts of mythical weapons are fired from Gilgamesh's hands. At this moment, the slightest pause will become the opportunity for a fatal blow, and any hesitation will become a fatal flaw.

Karna, acting on impulse and relying on his body's instincts, seized the opportunity to throw his divine spear. Like a missile, the indestructible blade exploded with fire from the sun the instant Gilgamesh dodged it. The burst of fiery magic shattered the Heavenly Chains that had been binding him. At this moment, Karna had seemingly staked everything on the armor bestowed upon him by Surya.

The Noble Phantasm at the pinnacle of mythology tore through the curtain of fire and struck Karna's armor. Even though nine-tenths of its power was reduced, the curse etched in legend and the damage imbued with divine attributes still struck Karna squarely. His resolute eyes narrowed slightly, and the man, engulfed in the flames of unparalleled divine fire, appeared before Gilgamesh in a burst of light.

Chapter 103 Gold and Red 3

The snake-like vertical pupils flickered alternately between the spear and Karna. The right hand, gripping the divine bow, rose and sent Karna flying before he could retract the spear. At the same time, ripples of the Gate of Babylon appeared beside Karna, brushing against his face.

"All weapons are ultimately external; true strength lies within oneself."

At this moment, Karna's choice far exceeded Gilgamesh's expectations. He did not pick up the divine spear, nor did he dodge the Noble Phantasms fired at point-blank range. The Noble Phantasms that Gilgamesh unleashed shattered as the curses they carried entered Karna's body. They did not falter in the slightest because of the curses and killing intent flowing within him. Divine radiance surged from his body to his right arm. In that instant, Karna, with a resolute expression, seemed to hold the sun in his heart. He retreated, bent down, and in those milliseconds, before Gilgamesh's astonished gaze, his right hand, as if covered in flowing gold, pierced through Gilgamesh in front of him.

"Puff!"

Knights do not die unarmed, and every part of a warrior's body can become a deadly weapon. Lancelot's Noble Phantasm philosophy coincides with Karna's fighting style. The divine spear is just an illusion; the real killing move is his body, which has been tempered a thousand times. Before the Chains of Heaven could strike, Karna pulled out his right hand. Having escaped the Chains of Heaven's attack range, Karna coughed up a mouthful of blood due to the surging curse power within him.

"Sizzle... sizzle... cough cough cough—!!"

No matter how Gilgamesh tried to suppress it, the golden divine fire licked at his pierced abdomen like a malignant sore. The viscous blood was burned before it could flow out, and bright red blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. The excruciating pain caused Gilgamesh's body to arch slightly involuntarily.

Relying on his warrior instincts, even though Gilgamesh managed to minimize the damage he suffered, the wound, which would have been fatal to an ordinary person, still caused Gilgamesh's body to tremble instinctively. He covered the pierced wound, wiped away the blood overflowing from the corner of his mouth, and in the light particles formed by the blood, Gilgamesh ignored the groans of his body and straightened up.

Swallowing the blood rushing to his throat, Gilgamesh's royal dignity forbade him from showing any dishevelment that would damage his status. The blood in his body flowed rapidly, and the sweat clinging to his skin rose up. He exhaled a hot breath, and the red veins on his skin throbbed with a deep, powerful, heart-pounding sound.

"Karna, indeed, you are the most interesting toy I have encountered in this game."

Having abandoned his cynical attitude, Gilgamesh now looked at Karna, who was also seriously injured, as a warrior, and responded to the call of the 'Wedge of Heaven'. Even if he could not accompany him in person, with the instinct etched in legend, the Chains of Heaven answered Gilgamesh's call, and the gilded chains expanded and covered the sky.

A dream created by the gods, a terror woven by man, a nothingness returning to the earth—unlike the ripples of the King's Treasury, a gentle golden light filled the scorched earth-like mountains. Even though he scorned those gods who played with the world, even though he loathed the divinity flowing within him, bathed in the radiance of his dearest friend and enveloped by the divine light originating from Enkidu, Gilgamesh's heart found a rare moment of peace.

"Enkidu, fight alongside me once more!"

With a whoosh, even though he was devoid of intellect, this invitation that transcended time and space awakened the instincts hidden within the Chains of Heaven. At the call of his dearest friend, amidst the radiant light, the golden chains intertwined and fused together. The chains that bound humanity displayed the power of his divine discipline. Even though he was not bound, Karna already felt that his movements were considerably restricted.

"Is this the chain that binds humanity and the gods? Is this the bond between you? How enviable..."

Protected by Gilgamesh in the center, freed from the chains of heaven, the machine named Enkidu hangs high above like the sun. Soft golden light spreads like a barrage of bullets. With crisp collision sounds, the light of gold and green intertwines and covers the earth. Enclosed by the barrier of the basket, the chains of discipline and divinity completely isolate this world.

"Is that so? The oldest man of mankind, is this your decision?"

The divine spear crumbled, and a deep red light emanated from Karna's heart. His hands, hanging limply, clasped in front of him. The moment of retribution had arrived. The flames that ignited from his skin burned away the armor formed from the sun. Without the protection of his father, the curse that seeped into his flesh took effect. Blood seeped from every crevice of Karna's body, and the spreading flames melted the basket of the Chains of Heaven. Orange-yellow flames became the only color at this moment.

"I will use all the strength entrusted to me to do what I should do."