Shinji Matou At Your Service

Chapter 35: Goldy versus Blacky (Part 2)

At Archer's command, the floating array of Noble Phantasms in the void rushed towards Berserker, vying with each other to strike him down.

The thunderous roar shook the air, and the constant explosions of light appeared to sweep through the entire night sky.

The destructive power unleashed by these Noble Phantasms was immense, resembling the carpet bombing in modern warfare. It was difficult to believe that they were merely throwing swords and weapons.

The Noble Phantasms descended like lightning strikes, their momentum seemingly capable of obliterating Berserker's location, and even the entire block.

However, Berserker, the target of the attack, showed no signs of faltering.

The onlookers were astonished, and their jaws dropped in disbelief. They realized that they were witnessing a tense standoff with a formidable enemy, and felt an imminent sense of crisis. However, the current scene was a completely unexpected one.

The sense of surprise brought about by the previous assault not only intensified but also did not dissipate.

Berserker first extended his left hand to catch the first spear flying towards him. With his right hand holding a sword, he skillfully and gracefully parried about each consecutive incoming Noble Phantasm.

His tactical finesse was exquisite. Although the Noble Phantasms were taken from Archer, Berserker wielded them unhesitantly. The Noble Phantasms seemed to be extensions of his hands. He effortlessly and freely utilized them, giving the impression that he was commanding the treasured items that he had used and cherished for years.

Of course, this was also due to Lancelot's skills and Noble Phantasms.

The ability to take away Noble Phantasms is called the "Knight of Ownerless Swords," which manifests as a Noble Phantasm based on the legend of Lancelot defeating opponents with a tree branch when he didn't have a sword. It grants complete domination to anything that falls into his hand.

The skill of proficiently wielding non-native Noble Phantasms is achieved through the skill "Inexhaustible Training," which represents Lancelot's unparalleled martial arts training during his lifetime. It allows him to integrate his mind, technique, and body into perfect harmony, enabling him to unleash tremendous combat prowess without being influenced by mental factors.

Relying on this skill, even in his Berserker state, Lancelot could display his original combat skills.

Both the offense and defense of the two sides go beyond the norm. If Gilgamesh can be likened to a big spender who lavishly uses items, then Lancelot is undoubtedly a veteran player who excels in technical prowess.

"While the big spender has a lot of items, the skilled player can seize ownership of those items and use them."

While everyone else was watching, Shinji continued his sarcastic commentary in a relaxed tone.

"The big spender recklessly throws items, resulting in the skilled player capturing more and more items, becoming increasingly powerful. If the big spender doesn't bring out the maximum quantity of items that the skilled player can handle all at once or change their battle strategy, there's no doubt that the skilled player will have the upper hand in this clash."

As Shinji said, Berserker faced Archer's relentless onslaught of Noble Phantasms, without conceding an inch. Moreover, each time a more powerful Noble Phantasm approached, Berserker would discard the current one in his hand and seize the incoming new one. The Noble Phantasms kept swapping in his hands.

Amidst the devastating thunderous roar, the final of the 16 Noble Phantasms was also knocked down to the ground.

In vacuum-like silence and swirling dust, only Berserker stood unyielding. Everything around him, including the warehouse, streets, and surrounding buildings, collapsed.

The Black Knight gripped a battle axe in his right hand and a single-edged curved sword in his left. The remaining Noble Phantasms were scattered at Berserker's feet or embedded in the surrounding debris, and none pierced through his black armor.

Berserker casually raised the two remaining Noble Phantasms in his hand and hurled them towards Archer.

Perhaps there was no specific target in mind, or perhaps he did not intend to hit when he threw them, but the axe and the curved sword struck the pillar of a street lamp where Archer stood, instantly splitting the steel-reinforced pillar into three sections, such as tofu.

Before the iron pillar could crumble into pieces, the golden Heroic Spirit leaped gracefully and landed on the ground as if nothing had happened.

"You mad dog! Do you think you can stand on the same ground as I, who should be looking down upon you from the heavens?" Archer exclaimed.

The nonchalant demeanor of the golden Heroic Spirit seemed to be only an outsider's perception.

At this stage of the battle, Archer's anger had reached its limit, deeply etched in his furrowed brow, turning his beauty into fierce countenance.

"For this disrespect, not even a thousand deaths will suffice as an apology, you wretch standing there. I will tear your body into a thousand pieces."

Having witnessed this scene, Kirei Kotomine immediately relayed a message to Tokiomi through his familiar.

"Gilgamesh is serious. He intends to further unleash the 'Treasures of the King.'"

Tokiomi unconsciously clenched his right hand. "To continuously use deadly Noble Phantasms in front of everyone's eyes is truly reckless."

"Sensei, please make a swift decision," Kirei's determined urging voice reached Tokiomi's ears through their shared auditory perception.

Gritting his teeth, Tokiomi stared at the Command Seal on the back of his right hand.

"I invoke the power of the Command Seal. King of Heroes, please calm your anger and retreat."

In the instant when the red radiance of the Command Seal illuminated the workshop, Archer's gaze, filled with fury as he stared at Berserker, suddenly shifted direction.

His line of sight turned towards the southeast, where the hilly area of Shimoyama-cho and the upscale residential street were located, including the Tohsaka family mansion.

"Do you, a petty individual, think your advice can make me retreat? You certainly have some nerves, Tokiomi," Archer disdainfully raised the corners of his mouth and muttered these words in a lowered voice. The countless Noble Phantasms that surrounded him, as well as those that Berserker had knocked down and discarded, immediately disappeared, concealing their radiance.

"You've been granted a lifeline, you mad dog."

Although Archer's face still bore an expression of indignation, the killing intent in his crimson eyes had subsided. His proud demeanor remained unshaken and, despite not being in a high position, his attitude of looking down upon others never wavered.

"You wretches, vanish before our next encounter. I want to see only true heroes when we meet again."

With his final arrogant words spoken, Archer disappeared without a trace. His golden armor lost its substance, leaving behind only a faint residual glow before it was swallowed by the darkness of the night.

"It seems that the Master's personality is not as resolute as Archer's," Rider muttered.

Rider's murmurs marked the end of the confrontation between the King of Heroes and the Black Knight. No one had guessed the outcome, except for Shinji.

Shinji knew very well that Tokiomi had spent countless resources and efforts to obtain the fossil of the world's first shedding snake skin as a Holy Relic, all to summon the strongest Servant, Gilgamesh.

Indeed, Gilgamesh was worthy of his title as the strongest, but because of his overwhelming array of Noble Phantasms, the Holy Grail assigned him to the Archer class, known for their powerful Noble Phantasms.

In addition to his formidable arsenal, the Archer class possessed a unique characteristic—the class skill "Independent Action," which greatly reduced the Servant's reliance on the Master.

Generally, when a Master dies, the Servant will disappear from this world within a few hours if they don't replenish the necessary magical energy for materialization. However, with the "Independent Action" skill, a Servant can remain in the world for days, even without a Master, and the higher the skill level, the longer they can stay.

Gilgamesh's arrogant personality and his A-ranked "Independent Action" skill led him to disregard his Master completely. Although Tokiomi served Gilgamesh as his subordinate and managed to establish a certain level of cooperative relationship, Gilgamesh remained entirely independent and followed his whims.

At this time, their values clashed significantly.

Gilgamesh considered himself invincible and held no regard for the other Servants. In his eyes, punishing those who showed disrespect for the king was the most important thing, even if it meant exposing certain information—those mongrels were not worthy of his full power.

However, Tokiomi holds a different view. Abiding by the traditional principles of a magus, he valued rationality and caution, believing that he should not reveal his trump cards too early, especially when dealing with enemies like Berserker, whose true nature was unknown.

To restrain Gilgamesh, Tokiomi chose to exercise his absolute command authority over Servants—Command Spells, of which he had only three.

However, what Tokiomi considered advice in his eyes, Gilgamesh, saw it as disrespect. This created a rift between the two, who had previously maintained a relatively harmonious relationship.

If this rift were not mended and allowed to continue spreading, it would eventually cost Tokiomi's life and lead to a series of hardships for the Tohsaka family.

"Should I save Tokimi, considering Sakura's feelings? Or should I remain indifferent, considering my uncle's position?" Shinji whispered to himself, stealing a glance in the direction where Kirei was.

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