Shinji Matou at Your Service-Chapter 1001: The Clash of Myths Part Five

This was truly the grandest and most spectacular battle since the Holy Grail War began.

The two participants were none other than the supreme rulers praised in the oldest epics: the King of Heroes from ancient Uruk, Gilgamesh, and the great hero Karna, celebrated in one of the foundational epics of Indian culture.

Their fight was nothing short of a reenactment of myth, a replay of epic tales.

——As recorded in the Epic of Gilgamesh:

The mighty god shaped his form.

The sun god Shamash bestowed upon him a handsome face.

Adad granted him a dignified appearance.

All the great gods bestowed Gilgamesh with beauty.

His bearing with weapons was unmatched.

His drum inspired his companions to rise.

He had the strength of Anu (the supreme god in Sumerian mythology).

His power was invincible in all the world.

——As narrated in the Mahabharata:

The son of the charioteer.

As fierce as a lion-elephant.

His shoulders were like those of a mighty bull.

He had the eyes and voice of a bull.

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Just as a bull would never retreat before another bull,

This youth, with a body as strong as a vajra, would never retreat from the battlefield,

Not even before the great Indra.

At the sound of his bowstring snapping,

Under the whistling rain of arrows,

Men, horses, chariots, and elephants fled the battlefield.

Even when fighting alone, he could defeat two invincible heroes—

The warriors wielding the divine bows, Sharanga and Gandiva.

Both were heroes of the highest rank, standing at the pinnacle of human history. They could be rightfully called the strongest among all of humanity across time.

Yet these strongest warriors were not invincible for life or solitary in their greatness. In their epics, they had worthy rivals. And now, at this moment, each of them had found yet another worthy adversary.

In Gilgamesh's eyes, Karna's strength was comparable to Enkidu's.

In Karna's eyes, Gilgamesh was no less formidable than Arjuna.

At that realization, Gilgamesh cast aside the arrogance of the King of Heroes, while Karna's long-dormant passion was reignited.

In the minds of the two heroes, only one word remained: Fight! Fight! Fight!

Each clash between them sent sparks flying.

The golden armor reduced the damage of any Noble Phantasm's attack, while the Gate of Babylon, with its infinite possibilities, deflected every shot from Karna's Brahmastra bow.

Strength against strength.

Noble Phantasm against Noble Phantasm.

Weapon against a weapon.

The impact of these two strongest forces colliding distorted the atmosphere, tore the sky apart, and flattened everything around them.

With each collision, massive energy struggled against itself.

Before the mist of energy from the previous clash could dissipate, a new collision would occur.

The sound of metal clashing echoed like the roaring of a fierce wind on the battlefield.

Only two Heroic Spirits stood.

Yet the conflict between heroes capable of overwhelming armies could be described as a war in its intensity.

If it continued like this, even the entire mountain would collapse under the force of their "war."

The King of Heroes unleashed countless Noble Phantasms—prototypes of every treasure in the world, collected by the most ancient hero. To any other Heroic Spirit, these were sure-kill strikes, which he released effortlessly and with fierce momentum.

Yet Karna fought back with something even the most ancient king did not possess.

It was the Uncrowned Martial Arts, an ability sharpened and sublimated through countless battles and trials—an ability unmatched even in the vast treasury of humanity's Noble Phantasms.

This battle seemed like an endless cycle—perhaps it lasted a long time, or perhaps it was only a brief moment.

If not for the changes in the bodies of the two golden Heroic Spirits, one might have thought it was an endlessly looping recording.

The King of Heroes, praised for his strength like Anu's and invincibility across the world, was now breathing heavily.

Karna, who was described by Krishna as invincible with his golden armor, even in the face of Arjuna, now bore wounds that were difficult to heal. His nearly perfect body showed visible cracks.

The deadly battle between these two unparalleled warriors, this endless cycle, finally came to a halt at this moment.

Of course, this did not mean they were exhausted, nor did it mean the outcome had been decided.

Both heroes were still smiling, their fighting spirits still high.

The pause was only a brief moment, a preparation for an even fiercer clash to come.

The battle had reached such a stage that only their trump cards could determine the final victor.

"Karna, you are a true hero, a warrior whom I must give my all to defeat—You are worthy of witnessing my greatest treasure!"

As Gilgamesh joyfully declared this, a tremendous flow of magical energy surged through the air and gathered around him.

No, it wasn't just magical energy. It was something beyond magic—a divine aura that transcended magic and sorcery, gathering in the right hand of the King of Heroes. In his hand was an object that resembled both a short sword and a key.

Holding this key-like sword, Gilgamesh pointed its tip toward the sky.

The magical energy extending from the key-sword eroded everything around it, opening a door in the world.

Immediately, the distortion in space concentrated in one spot—before the king, the master of all.

There, a sword appeared.

Its shape was entirely different from the key-sword, yet it was equally bizarre. Its blade was difficult to describe as a conventional sword.

Narrowing his eyes in pure delight, Gilgamesh addressed the sword.

"Enjoy this feast with me, EA. I assure you, you won't be bored."

"An aura older than the gods... the creation of heaven and earth..."

Karna's gaze was drawn to the newly appeared Noble Phantasm, and he muttered to himself, making up his mind.

"I see... that isn't something that can be countered with a mere bow or martial skill. Though using it now may have adverse effects on future battles, without defeating you, neither I nor my Master can move forward, so—"

Despite enduring a barrage of tens of thousands of Noble Phantasms, Karna's face, which had remained calm, suddenly showed a flicker of pain.

As if in response to his resolve, a crack appeared on the golden armor that was said to be indestructible from birth, and the crack quickly spread.

Along with the crack came an overwhelming divine aura—a divine aura just like Gilgamesh's.

"Yes, the spear said to be able to kill gods in a single strike, obtained by sacrificing your armor. It's a treasure that even my treasury does not possess. Interesting—it's the perfect match for EA."

The moment Gilgamesh sensed the divine aura, he understood Karna's intentions. Raising EA high, he laughed loudly.

"Your god-slaying spear, and my EA—let's settle this with one final strike!!"