Era of Heroic Spirits: I Was Exposed by Alaya

Millennia had passed since their parting in the Age of Gods.

Gilgamesh never imagined Nameless was still alive!

Back then, he had used himself as fuel to unleash Ea's full power, severing the bond between gods and humanity with one strike, forging mankind's future.

Brilliant yet fleeting as a shooting star.

Losing both dear friends before his eyes plunged Gilgamesh into endless grief.

Yet,

He was king.

Burdened with the future of all Uruk, he couldn't show a shred of sorrow.

Forced to endure the pain, he continued governing the nation.

Now, to learn Nameless never died?

Gilgamesh felt utterly deceived.

Only then did he understand Nameless' final words:

"Goldie, because I won't stop. As long as you keep moving, you'll see me ahead."

"So don't you dare stop..."

This wasn't merely about expecting him to lead humanity toward a brighter future.

It meant that the other hadn't died at all.

As long as he descended in his heroic spirit form to that era, they could meet again.

Gilgamesh was absolutely looking forward to this reunion.

After thousands of years apart, he would go through fire and water for his friend, helping them resolve every crisis.

And then.

Stab his friend twice!

"You're such a bastard!"

Gilgamesh laughed heartily.

When they finally met, he would return every word that had been said to him back then.

"You want my help? Get on your knees and beg me!"

At that moment, Nameless's expression would undoubtedly be priceless—just imagining it filled him with increasing delight.

The Minister of Finance cautiously inquired, "Your Majesty, shall we hold a press conference?"

Previously, Jeanne d'Arc, the Emperor of France, and King Arthur Artoria of Britain had all held press conferences.

They confirmed the authenticity of the video, verified that [Nameless] truly existed, and even sent messages across time, expressing their desire to summon him before them.

Now, it was the turn of the most arrogant and domineering King of Heroes.

Everyone watched him eagerly, wondering what he would do.

"Unnecessary!"

Gilgamesh waved his hand dismissively.

A mere press conference? The one he acknowledged needed no such thing.

That guy couldn't even be bothered to govern a country—he just wanted to be a lone wolf.

Gilgamesh glanced at his bewildered subordinates and spoke nonchalantly, "Announce it. This king shall also journey to Fuyuki City."

His words were casual and light, yet they sent a shock through everyone present.

One by one, they stared at him in stunned silence.

The Dragon Nation—standing shoulder-to-shoulder with America, which sought to forge mechanical Olympian gods—was one of the two greatest powers in the world.

Even Britain, with its Round Table Knights, was firmly overshadowed.

All of this was due to that mysterious, formidable, terrifying existence—

Qin Shi Huang!

No one knew just how strong he was.

Even after gradually relinquishing power and retreating into seclusion, no heroic spirit dared to challenge him openly.

Countless rumors circulated online—

At the peak of heroic spirits, who reigns supreme?

At the sight of the First Emperor, all hopes are dashed!

Precisely because of his existence, arrogant kings like the King of Heroes and the King of Conquerors could visit other nations freely—yet never set foot in the Dragon Nation!

It seemed to confirm the whispers.

But now, even someone as prideful as the King of Heroes was suddenly planning to visit the Dragon Nation.

And he was choosing to go alongside King Arthur—could they really be searching for [Nameless]?

Gilgamesh offered no answer.

He casually swirled golden wine in his goblet, an unceasing smile on his face.

Truth be told, this was the first time he had felt such joy since arriving in the modern era.

"Nameless, do you want to catch Merlin and punish that bastard? If so, beg me!"

What right did that despicable, shameless child of a nightmare have to demand he deal with Nameless?

And then, to want to watch King Arthur and Mordred play out their twisted father-daughter dynamic over Nameless? Hah!

You really know how to have fun, don't you?

If that bastard dared show his face, he'd drag him straight to the Girl-Drowning Spring and turn him into the real deal—[Magi☆Mari]!

A little bonus to celebrate reuniting with his dearest friend.

Of course, all of this hinged on one condition—

Nameless had to kneel and beg him!

***

The Tower at the End.

The extraordinarily handsome Magus of Flowers grinned as he greeted his audience. "Thank you for the superchat, Doctor~! Mari-chan loves you so much!"

To enhance his streaming experience, Merlin had used magecraft to customize a motion-capture suit, becoming the perfect in-universe performer for [Magi☆Mari].

After all, even miHoYo's Dawei had charmed countless otaku as a motion-capture actor, earning himself legions of fans calling him "waifu."

With so much truth and fiction mixed online, who would take it seriously?

Just as Merlin was gleefully teasing that hopelessly nerdy doctor, a breaking news alert flashed across his screen—

[The King of Heroes Announces Joint Visit with King Arthur to Fuyuki City—Three-Day Diplomatic Mission!]

"Huh? Why is the King of Heroes making this public? Is he worried about being noticed by… that one?"

Merlin found it slightly odd.

Earlier, he had approached Gilgamesh to collaborate against Nameless, planning to humiliate him on a global stage.

The thought of King Arthur and Mordred reenacting their "heartwarming" family drama because of Nameless had nearly made Merlin tremble with excitement.

As a child of a nightmare who fed on human dreams, he lived for this kind of twisted entertainment!

But this wasn't anything major.

Nameless had openly mocked the King of Heroes back then, then faked his death and vanished—of course Gilgamesh would want revenge.

This was a guaranteed win!

Now, all that remained was for Artoria to uncover Nameless' true whereabouts.

The stage was set.

The actors were about to take their positions.

And one by one, the VIP guests would soon begin their grand entrance.

The show begins!

Merlin smiled even more sweetly: "Doctor brother, Mari can't show her face. I'll only reveal it after reaching 10 million subscribers. After all, I don't want to be a beauty streamer—I'd rather earn everyone's recognition through my skills!"

Whoosh~

Another small TV appeared, accompanied by a message:

[Wishing Mari eternal beauty and cuteness! I'll always support you!]

"Thank you, Doctor brother, my top patron!"

Merlin's smile grew even brighter.

Tsk, otaku money is so easy to earn!

How can you be so infatuated with just a virtual idol wearing a skin?

Aren't you worried that behind the scenes might be a burly man picking his toes?

However, this top patron, Dr. Roman, seems to have a slightly special identity...

***

[The King of Heroes has decided to visit Fuyuki City alongside King Arthur for a three-day visit!]

Souma was dumbfounded as he read the news: "Did that guy really spot me with his Clairvoyance?"

It made sense for King Arthur to come, given that the vanished sheath had begun slowly recovering after Alaya repeatedly exposed videos in her broadcasts.

This was going to be a huge mess.

With his current strength, that bastard would definitely mock him relentlessly.

Well, maybe he should lay low for a while.

As an ordinary, nameless student, no one would pay him any attention anyway.

Souma prepared a lavish dinner to entertain his little angel guest, Illya.

Lately, she had been coming over frequently for meals—who wouldn't adore a sweet, soft-spoken little loli?

"Souma brother, your cooking is sooo good!"

After finishing her meal, Illya wiped the white liquid from the corner of her lips contentedly.

Remembering the academy's request for recommendation candidates, she put on a mysterious smile and said, "To thank you for such delicious food, I've prepared a little surprise for you~"

***

[T/N: The original author had merged Fuyuki City with Dragon Nation, but I decided to keep them separate, so there might be a few mistakes in the story.]

***

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