Chapter 38

1.6K 69 4
                                    

Just as Hibari's tonfa were clashing with the blade in Gilgamesh's hand, Hibari jumped back as he saw several weapons crash into his previous location. However, the moment he saw Illya chained up next to Gilgamesh, he felt his irritation reaching its limit.

"Do you really want to get bitten to death so badly, Golden Carnivore?"

"Please wait, Hibari Kyoya. Tell me, Archer, what are you doing here?"

"Shouldn't that be obvious, Saber? After the end of the previous war, I remained in this world instead of disappearing, for I am the only servant who bathed in the Grail. I took physical form in this time 10 years ago. I know its true nature better than anyone for I saw what lay within it as its innards were being strewn over me. I made a decision in that instant. That none but I will wield it."

Saber was confused by this statement, however, her attention soon fell upon Hibari and Avenger. Right now, she felt an incredible amount of bloodlust from the two. However, as she gazed upon Gilgamesh, the man continued to speak.

"The ritual to summon the Grail is a twisted joke. A life-or-death struggle between seven Masters? A ritual where only one Master left wins the Grail? That is just a front. The Grail has been here the whole time. Each time in a Holy Grail War, Servants are summoned after the Grail has been made ready. Don't you see King of Knights? What is required was not the Grail, but what goes inside. Those mages did infact create the Grail, but couldn't provide what is meant to fill it, so they summoned the contents all while deceiving the Masters and Servants. Mana of the highest purity with which to fill the Grail. What they sought to fill it with were the most mightiest souls of mankind."

Everyone couldn't believe what the King of Heroes just said. The Servants were nothing more than just sacrifices for the Grail and the Masters were just used to make those sacrifices kill each other. However, one person stood forward as he had one thing to say.

"Why the hell should that bother me? You destroyed my territory and you're holding a member of my Disciplinary Committee hostage. I don't care who or what is behind this mess. Since you're causing trouble on my territory, i'll bite you to death."

"Hahahahahaha!!!! Once again, you continue to play your role expertly. Even now in this situation, you still have the pride of a king and it has not wavered even once. Truly, you are an interesting mongrel, Hibari Kyoya!!! Though you should know I speak the truth. If the souls of six servants were fed into it, the grail would be nigh omnipotent. To mages, it would be a source of inexhaustible mana. Though I have no interest in such things, only in the Grail's ability to act as a hole."

Ten years ago. He remembered the events of ten years ago so clearly. When Gilgamesh was one step away from claiming the grail, Saber destroyed it with her holy sword. What came from the destroyed grail was a torrent that set the city of Fuyuki in flames.

"I was directly beneath it, so naturally, my body was doused in the torrent. In that moment, I learned the Grail's true nature. It is merely rubbish with uses. Of the many weapons I posses, I have none so perfectly tailored to killing.

"A weapon? You say that the Grail is a weapon, Archer?!"

"We ourselves are basically weapons. It merely takes that nature to the logical conclusion. When opened, millions of curses pour out of the Grail. Did Kotomine not mention it? That the Grail was already corrupted? A chalice of greed that you humans let fall to the earth? That is one of the great evils of mankind, specifically tailored to cursing and killing humans?"

"Then what you are after is....."

"Yes. The eradication of humans in this era. This world is enjoyable, but also beyond redemption. A plentitude of mongrels enjoying life is an affront to a king. If they die, then so be it. If they vanish as a result of their own sin, surely their lives have no value. It is not mongrels I desire. It is those who survive amidst that hell who will be worthy of my rule. In that respect, those who died last time were failures. If a fire like that is enough to kill them, the humans of this time are far to fra-"

Everyone couldn't believe what happened next. Before Gilgamesh finished his sentence, a tonfa engulfed in flames struck him in his face. The moment this happened, Gilgamesh launched several Noble Phantasms in front of him. The figure responsible for striking him jumped back to the avoid the weapons as he glared at the King of Heroes.

"So you plan on not only eradicating my territory, but also the herbivores and carnivores alike in this world. That confirms it, you're definitely my biggest enemy, Golden Carnivore."

"Oh? Are you actually defending the so called, "herbivores", Hibari Kyoya?"

"Of course not. However, if humanity is as weak as you say it is, we would already be extinct. Even herbivores have a way to survive. Plus, for you to call humanity weak and threaten to destroy my territory, you better make sure i'm dead if you want that to happen. As long as i'm here, i'll see to it to enact judgement and bite you to death."

"Oh, are you challenging me?"

"I said i'll enact judgement and bite you to death. It's as simple as that."

As Hibari's eyes met with Gilgamesh's eyes, the King of Heroes smirked. Soon the chains holding Illya dropped the girl into Gilgamesh's arms as he began to exit the castle, when he turned towards the group, he quickly spoke up.

"I've already slain my main target. Hibari Kyoya, I will use this doll to have the Grail. If you wish to recover it, act quickly. The Grail this time is a slapdash affair, riddled with defects. Be swift about this matter or else the contents within it will drain out completely. This is no longer a Holy Grail War. Hibari Kyoya, the King of Pride and Instinct, this is now a battle between you and I! A battle amongst kings!!!"

~With Shinji~
"N-no way?! Who could be capable of this?!"

As Shinji was outside of the castle, he couldn't believe what he saw. All of the trees being cut down like a hot knife through butter. Not only that, right before him was Kotomine's corpse. While he witnessed this, Gilgamesh was approaching him.

"This is the work of Hibari Kyoya, Shinji. Both what happened to the area and what happened to Kotomine."

"So Tohsaka wasn't lying.....if Hibari is really in this war and he's unrestrained, who knows what will happen to me!"

"Hmph! Worry not, Shinji. We have the Grail in our possession. This doll shall also be the sacrifice."

When Shinji looked at Gilgamesh, he saw Illya in Gilgamesh's arms. Soon a smile appeared on his face. Shinji knew what this meant. He was one step closer to winning this war. However, as Gilgamesh walked past Shinji, he said one thing.

"Prepare yourself, Shinji. The Battle of Kings will soon commence."

Fate/Stay Night:Drifting AnomalyWhere stories live. Discover now