This was a probing strike—Shiomi used his red spear to catch and hurl back one of Gilgamesh's launched Noble Phantasms, the prototype weapon known as Harpe, attempting to restrain him.
As expected, the sickle was blocked by one of Gilgamesh's other Noble Phantasms.
As the smoke quickly dispersed in the wind, Gilgamesh spotted the two of them retreating toward the forest beside the church.
"Realizing you can't win, so now you want to run into the woods?" he sneered to himself. "Well, hunting is more entertaining when you chase your prey down. A single, clean kill is far too dull."
He strolled after them at a leisurely pace, following the path they'd taken into the forest.
This area was scattered with graveyards—most of the devout citizens were buried here in accordance with their faith.
As he walked the paths of this death-scented cemetery, Gilgamesh thought it a fitting burial ground for Shiomi and Saber.
Not that Servants left behind corpses when they died.
Shiomi burst out first, weaving rapidly between the gravestones with astonishing speed.
In terms of sheer velocity, he already surpassed Kirei by a wide margin.
"So this is what it looks like to reach the realm of Heroic Spirits while still human," Gilgamesh remarked coolly. "But speed alone isn't enough."
Alongside his words, he unleashed a volley of Noble Phantasms.
Yet Shiomi darted and twisted through the gravestones, using them as cover and barriers, making it difficult for Gilgamesh to get a clear shot. Most of the weapons were deflected or shattered against the stones.
The ten-meter gap between them vanished in an instant.
Shiomi lunged forward, thrusting the red spear—only for it to be parried by a casually wielded black-and-red shortsword before reaching its target.
Sensing danger, Shiomi instantly pulled back.
"That weapon... it carries a curse of vengeance," he muttered, shifting into a ready stance for a second assault.
At that moment, Gilgamesh drew a gleaming silver dagger and lazily slashed through the air. A sudden, biting wind surged toward Shiomi.
Reacting instantly, Shiomi summoned a counter wind to meet the incoming attack.
Though the chill didn't touch him directly, he saw the very air around him crystallize into icicles—everything caught within the "Vacuum Wave" was frozen solid.
Its destructive force rivaled even his own high-tier Magecraft, "Great Ice Age."
Taking advantage of Gilgamesh's diverted focus, Artoria sprang from the trees and slashed at the golden Servant with her blade.
But a massive sword, so large it seemed made for a giant, came crashing down to block her path, cutting her off mid-attack.
Another sword of similar size—but different in shape—descended toward Shiomi.
He narrowly dodged the vertical strike, using its weight and momentum to flip upward, sprinting along the blade to launch himself into the air—quickly reaching a height of ten meters above the ground.
"Take this!"
The red spear tore through the air, flying straight at Gilgamesh.
He wasn't wearing his armor—this might be their best chance.
Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow. "That spear, huh."
A golden gate opened, launching a Noble Phantasm nearly identical to Shiomi's. The two spears clashed midair, neutralizing each other.
Shiomi caught the rebounding spear, flipped several times in the air, and landed lightly just behind Artoria.
"Of course he has one too," Shiomi muttered with a wry smile.
Realizing that a standard assault wouldn't work, even with terrain on their side, Artoria took advantage of the distraction and released the Invisible Air.
Shiomi's strike was merely a feint. The real blow was coming now.
Winds surged around her, forming a spiraling vortex that wrapped her in a protective storm.
Then, the golden sword revealed itself.
Gilgamesh's amused smirk slowly vanished.
"So that's the legendary Holy Sword, forged in the planet's inner sea?" Gilgamesh remained composed. "Perfect. Let me draw something worthy to test your mettle."
He raised his hand, and from the golden gate emerged a bizarre Noble Phantasm—so strange, one could barely call it a sword.
It was cylindrical in shape, composed of three blade-like segments, each rotating in a different direction.
Even without its true name, Shiomi understood the symbolism in its form.
Heaven. Earth. The underworld.
Together, they represented the "cosmos."
"A Noble Phantasm duel, huh..." Artoria didn't flinch. Her magical energy surged to its peak as she prepared to unleash her Noble Phantasm's true name.
"It's your turn, Ea," Gilgamesh said coldly.
"Ex—!" Without the slightest hesitation, the King of Knights raised her sword—a blade that could cleave earth and river in a single swing—and struck. "—calibur!"
"Enuma Elish."
Two voices, one burning with resolve, the other chilling and absolute, overlapped. Blinding light flared, and the pressure that followed made it hard to even breathe.
We'll lose.
Shiomi had already seen the outcome of this clash.
Thirteenth Primordial Rune, Rune of Protection
There could be no hesitation.
He didn't know how much of Ea's unleashed power his runes could withstand. But if he did nothing, Artoria would be critically wounded, and he would be caught in the blast.
Gilgamesh clearly intended to annihilate both him and Saber with a single blow.
What surged toward them was like the hellscape of creation's dawn, where life and death blurred into one.
Shiomi gripped his spear tightly, forcing every last ounce of magic through his circuits.
Anchoring himself with the thirteenth Primordial Rune, he unleashed all eighteen, casting a full-scale protective spell.
He didn't know how long it lasted—perhaps just a few seconds.
But the clash of those two "swords" felt like it could tear the world apart.
"—Haaaahhh!!"
Both he and the King of Knights shouted with all their might.
When the storm finally died down, the graveyard behind the church was reduced to ruins, the surrounding trees sheared clean at the waist. The land itself looked like it had suffered a divine calamity.
Gilgamesh withdrew Ea, casting a smug, approving glance at Tenkei Shiomi—and the barely conscious Artoria in his arms.
She clutched her Holy Sword, coughing violently, blood spilling from her mouth. Only Shiomi's support kept her standing.
Shiomi, leaning on his red spear, was equally battered. His injuries were no less severe than Saber's.
One eye was sealed shut with blood. But the other still stared fiercely at Gilgamesh.
"Oh?" The King of Heroes gave a rare note of admiration. "To defy even death... well done."
Shiomi yanked his spear from the ground, holding it upright with one hand, barely managing to stay on his feet.
Thunder rumbled in the heavens as Gilgamesh brushed dust from his clothes.
"Then as a reward, I'll let you live for today. Next time, I'll personally sever your head as a mark of honor."
With a laugh drenched in arrogance, Gilgamesh vanished into spirit form.
And from the sky descended the King of Conquerors, mounted atop his Noble Phantasm.