Aozaki Aoko Case File

Through the smoke and dust caused by the explosion, several silver-white chains shot toward King Solomon.

If Miss Aoko were present, she would have immediately recognized which Noble Phantasm this was.

After the fierce clash with King Solomon, Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, realized that without resorting to his trump cards, it would be impossible to defeat the Magecraft King. Thus, he summoned the Chains of Heaven, named after his close friend Enkidu, aiming to capture Solomon in one decisive move.

However, while Solomon was a king chosen by God and ruler of humanity, he did not possess the Divinity trait. This was a secret even Gilgamesh, a demigod with clairvoyance, did not know.

The Chains of Heaven, designed to bind those with Divinity, flailed about wildly, unable to target Solomon. Yet, with a simple spatial transfer spell, Solomon effortlessly neutralized Gilgamesh's attack, pulling his Master along as they vanished from harm's way.

Though briefly startled, Gilgamesh quickly adapted. He redirected the chains, which could not restrain Solomon, to control the unwieldy Sword of Mountain-Cutting he had thrown earlier. With his immense magical power, he transformed the blade into an extension of the Chains of Heaven, preparing for another clash with Solomon.

The battle had reached a stalemate, with no clear victor in sight.

While Tohsaka Tokiomi's condition worsened from the strain of providing magical energy, his supply of precious mana-infused gems was substantial. He could, if he gritted his teeth, endure for a long while yet.

On the other hand, Marisbury Animusphere remained calm. Thanks to Solomon's pre-built magical workshop, which he had upgraded for continuous mana supply, Marisbury did not need to contribute any magical energy. Furthermore, the Demonic Pillars extended their reach into the ley lines, drawing mana directly from the land. Their endurance was unparalleled.

If Gilgamesh were pushed to his limit, there was a real chance he might abandon his pride and summon the Uruk Holy Grail, prolonging the battle indefinitely.

Both Masters doubted they could hold out for that long, and Fuyuki City itself would likely not survive such prolonged destruction.

Worse yet, should this Holy Grail War lead to the obliteration of a modern human city in such a mystically blatant fashion, the principle of magecraft secrecy would be shattered beyond repair.

Just as the two kings were about to continue their battle, a loud, booming, and recklessly bold voice suddenly interrupted them.

"Wuahaha! Both of you, put down your weapons and cease this battle! You stand before a King!"

The unexpected roar halted the clash momentarily. Both combatants turned toward the source of the interruption.

Two Servants and their respective Masters had entered the fray.

One Servant was unmistakably Rider, riding a chariot drawn by two thunderous, lightning-clad divine bulls. On the chariot stood the colossal Servant alongside two modern individuals, both clearly magi.

Hovering near the chariot was another Servant, clad in golden armor and wielding a long, sun-like spear, clearly capable of flight on his own.

Rider's bold interruption not only puzzled the two kings but also left his Master deeply embarrassed.

Waver Velvet slapped his forehead, unable to believe the reckless behavior of his Servant.

"You idiot! You absolute fool!" Waver yelled, weakly pounding his fists against Rider's massive frame. "What are you thinking? Now both of them will target us!"

Nearby, Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi was similarly struck by a sense of despair.

Initially, Kayneth had considered pretending that he and Waver were unconnected, acting independently to avoid unnecessary scrutiny. But since their arrival in Japan had not been secretive, it was inevitable their teacher-student relationship would be exposed. Kayneth had therefore abandoned the pretense, openly acknowledging their alliance.

Now, however, he regretted everything. Waver's incompetence was mortifying enough, but Rider's personality was beyond anything he had anticipated. Kayneth was on the verge of abandoning the Holy Grail War altogether and retreating to the Clock Tower.

But even retreat was no longer an option. Standing alongside King Solomon, watching the unfolding scene with an amused smile, was his old colleague—Marisbury Animusphere.

Kayneth sighed in defeat, mentally resigning himself to the chaos.

"Mongrel! What are you doing here?"

The King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, was furious. His battle with Solomon had reached its peak, only for this absurd interruption to ruin his momentum. It was intolerable.

"To interrupt my battle is an affront to me! And you, some random mongrel, dare to proclaim yourself a king? Such insolence deserves death!"

The Heroic Spirit's crimson eyes burned with anger, his gaze fixed on Rider with murderous intent.

Beside him, Waver Velvet was paralyzed with fear, unable to speak under the oppressive aura emanating from Gilgamesh.

Kayneth fared better, though he too could feel the immense pressure radiating from the golden Servant. Fortunately, Karna stepped in, positioning himself in front of Kayneth to shield him from Gilgamesh's wrath.

Solomon and Marisbury, meanwhile, looked entirely unconcerned, watching the scene unfold as though it were a theatrical performance.

"Behold, I am Iskandar, King of Conquerors! I manifest in this Holy Grail War as Rider," declared Rider grandly.

Even as the golden Heroic Spirit glared daggers at him, and the seemingly unmoved Solomon observed in silence, Rider carried on without hesitation.

"We are all here to vie for the Holy Grail, yet before we fight, I have a proposition!" Rider's booming voice rang out, filling the battlefield with his charisma.

"Submit to me! Surrender the Grail, and I shall treat you as dear comrades. Together, we will share in the glory of conquering the world!"

The audacity of his words left everyone momentarily speechless, even Gilgamesh, who regarded him with utter disdain.

"Pahahahaha!" Gilgamesh finally broke the silence with a laugh. "Foolish clown, you truly excel at amusing me!"

"Very well, as a reward for entertaining this king, I shall grant you a swift and painless death!"

PS: Classic Iskandar