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Esdeath was also a little annoyed, feeling that she hadn't played much of a role in the past two battles.
The seven Servants under Emiya Shirou all possessed immortality, so Esdeath couldn't kill them. She could only entangle Gilgamesh and Archer to provide an opening for Medusa to deal damage.
Now, fighting Gilgamesh, Esdeath, who originally lacked divinity, should have been the most suitable counter. However, Shinomiya Kaguya had equipped Gilgamesh with the Time Zero Ability, which manipulates the flow of time. Although Esdeath, a Berserker, wouldn't be killed by Gilgamesh, her Agility, which had just reached B-rank, meant she couldn't even touch Gilgamesh.
The feeling of having strength but nowhere to use it made Esdeath just want to leave the Fate World as soon as possible. As long as she was no longer a Heroic Spirit, the one-day usage limit of Mahapadma would naturally disappear, returning to a state where she could use it directly as long as she had the Ability.
However, by then, Mahapadma would also lose the blessings of the Fate World's legends and deeds. What state it would transform into would depend on how she left the Throne of Heroes.
"Surrender?"
Esdeath and Medusa's disdainful attitude was truly blasphemous, making Gilgamesh inexplicably think of Scáthach, who she had fought before.
She had only descended to the Holy Grail War in a Servant's body to see what fun there was, yet she was repeatedly pinned to the ground and humiliated by other Heroic Spirits.
Humiliation, anger, and shame—all of this was making Gilgamesh lose her rationality.
Time Zero did not stop. From Gilgamesh's perspective, Medusa and Esdeath's movements were incredibly slow; she could clearly perceive every word and every action they made.
"Mortal, when I manifest in this world, I will be the only victor of this ritual!"
"As per our agreement, I bestow upon you the honor of standing behind me and sharing in this glory."
The bold words she had spoken to Shinomiya Kaguya when summoned by the Dragon Balls echoed in her mind. Hearing them now felt somewhat shameful. Gilgamesh sensed the Time Zero domain centered around her, and within this domain, circles of light had already begun to wrap around her body.
That was the concept known as "Age Ring."
Possessing the power of the Star of Omniscience and Omnipotence, Gilgamesh already knew the extent of what she could achieve with these two Skills when Shinomiya Kaguya bestowed Time Zero and Lock-on upon this body.
Lock-on is very simple to understand: the arrow one shoots will never miss, it can only be blocked.
For a showman like Gilgamesh, who loves to shoot Noble Phantasms like arrows, it is simply the best enhancement for an Archer.
As for being blocked, Shinomiya Kaguya specifically added the Special Effects of Demon-Slaying and Blood-Devouring to this Skill. If the realms were the same, it would be difficult to block without special means. Unfortunately, this is a war of Heroic Spirits, just like Kisaragi Rin's Wind Breathing, which has the Lightning Mark special Effect that continuously enlarges wounds; in front of these top-tier Heroic Spirits, it is still too weak.
What about Time Zero?
Blood slowly left Gilgamesh's body under the power of the Pandemonium Cētus.
Gilgamesh and Medusa looked at each other, her eyes so calm.
Hmm... calm.
Her ruby-like pupils were beautiful, but they did not burn with the golden eyes representing the Dragon Bloodline.
Yes, no golden eyes.
Time Zero, like Moment, both originate from the Word Spirit of the Dragon race.
Due to individual differences, Hassan, when receiving Hayasaka Ai's Word Spirit Skill, awakened different Word Spirits through resonance with the King of Sky and Wind's Dragon Blood.
What about Gilgamesh?
Why did she awaken Time Zero specifically, and not other Word Spirits?
Could it be that the compatibility between master and Servant is too high?
There are no such coincidences. The reason it turned out this way is because the Time Zero bestowed by Shinomiya Kaguya is not a Bloodline at all!
Shinomiya Kaguya and Hayasaka Ai have different identities; the former is a young lady, the latter is a maid.
The Word Spirit Skills they possess, both originating from the Dragon Race world, are also different. Hayasaka Ai's Word Spirit is an awakening of the King of Sky and Wind's Bloodline, while for Shinomiya Kaguya, Time Zero is simply Time Zero.
For example, Hantengu's Blood Demon Art - Image Splitting in Demon Slayer.
Hayasaka Ai is equivalent to awakening the Blood Demon Art - Image Splitting herself after using the Demon King Bloodline on herself, while Shinomiya Kaguya, like Kisaragi Rin, extracted Image Splitting and transformed it into the Skill - Image Splitting, which she then used on herself.
The reason for this, of course, is that Shinomiya Kaguya doesn't want to casually use Bloodlines on herself; a Bloodline with insufficient potential would only bring disaster in the future.
After using a Bloodline, the other Skills paired with it and the future development direction must be compatible, otherwise the entire system will be destroyed.
Hayasaka Ai is a maid; she doesn't need as much growth potential. Using a Bloodline to gain higher combat power in the early stages is her duty. Shinomiya Kaguya's vision, however, is focused on the family's cultivation for a more distant future.
Naturally, stripping Time Zero from the Bloodline came at a considerable cost.
And the advantage of Time Zero becoming an independent Skill is not only in discarding unnecessary Bloodlines but also in the birth of Special Effects.
With the existence of a Bloodline, the birth of Special Effects will ultimately be limited by this fundamental concept. Only by making the Skill independent can there be more choices.
The Lv10 special Effect Shinomiya Kaguya chose for Time Zero was the extremely rare Age Ring.
The so-called Age Ring refers to the age of a plant.
Special Effect - Lv10 - Age Ring: Within the domain of Time Zero, a concept named Age Ring will appear on your body. You can increase or decrease your own Age Ring to walk the world in a more suitable form.
The description from Paradise was as abstract as ever, but this was inherently an abstract special Effect.
When using this special Effect, Shinomiya Kaguya can increase her own Age Ring to become her future self. Equipment and Items that do not meet the usage conditions will be deceived by the future, meeting the usage conditions. Skills that have not reached their maximum level will also become a false Lv10 in the face of the future. Conversely, Shinomiya Kaguya can also decrease her own Age Ring to become her past self. Existing injuries will heal, and expended stamina and mental energy will return to that past Moment... And now, Gilgamesh, possessing Time Zero, is about to manipulate her own Age Ring!
"This Ability is called Time Zero, isn't it!"
"Age Ring! Decrease for me!"
Within the domain of Time Zero, Gilgamesh, at the center, suddenly underwent a transformation!
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