Flat's eyes lit up. "Heracles?"
"Is it the Heracles I'm thinking of?! The great hero from Greek mythology who completed the Twelve Impossible Tasks!"
Flat was naturally no stranger to myths and legends; rather, it was precisely because he was so familiar with them that his shock at this moment was exceptionally intense.
Heracles.
The name represented something far more complex than a mere 'hero'. He was a demigod, a warrior of immense strength, a legend who completed the Twelve Labors, and an existence who ascended to godhood after death. He had also heard that Heracles had been summoned as a Berserker during the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City, but he had never seen him with his own eyes.
Flat's gaze involuntarily fell upon the man opposite them.
The man with dark red skin, his head wrapped in an Animal Skin, radiating an ominous aura. This was far too different from the Heracles he knew.
"Shut up!!"
A roar interrupted Flat's thoughts. It came from the opposite side; the man had finally spoken. His voice was hoarse and deep, like two rusted iron plates rubbing against each other. Every word was wrapped in a hatred that almost felt tangible.
"Unknown deity!"
He raised the Longbow in his hand, the tip pointing directly at Olga Marie.
"I am Alcides!"
"Not that pathetic Heracles who was toyed with by the gods in the palm of their hands!"
"I will kill you with my own hands—"
Gaze seemed to shoot out from beneath the Pelt, locking tightly onto Olga Marie.
"—I will utterly destroy this detestable god!"
The moment the words fell.
The aura on Alcides changed. If it was merely ominous before, now it was pure, naked malice. Dark red Magical Energy erupted from his body like boiling lava, coiling around him and scorching the surrounding air until it twisted and deformed. Within that Mana, something viscous, pitch-black, and writhing as if alive was mixed in.
Mud.
The word flashed through Flat's mind. He remembered Olga Marie mentioning "pitch-black Mud" earlier. What was that? A curse? Corruption?
Facing Alcides's rage, Olga Marie's expression did not change. She let out a sigh, and this time, the sigh carried something extra.
"Blinded by hatred, are you?"
"What a pathetic fellow."
The next moment, her mouth split open into a grin that could only be described as hideous.
"Then—give it a try! Let's see if you have the ability!"
She raised her right hand, fingers splayed and palm facing upward.
Magical Energy began to gather, compress, condense, and undergo a qualitative change. A crimson fireball the size of a fist manifested out of thin air above her palm. Unstable arcs of electricity danced across its surface, and a low roar echoed from within.
The surrounding temperature began to rise sharply. The air hissed as it was scorched. Flat could even smell something burning—though that was likely a delusion, as he was currently protected by Olga Marie's Force Field.
But the pressure was very real.
Opposite them, Alcides reacted at the same time. He drew the Longbow once more. This time, it wasn't one, but three dark red arrows of Mana condensed on the string. At the tips of the arrows, that pitch-black Mud writhed and roared, hungering for blood.
The battle was on the verge of breaking out.
Flat held his breath. He could feel his heart pounding; this was his first time witnessing a mythic-level battle at such close range! At the same time, an indescribable excitement surged up from the depths of his heart.
This is a battle between Servants! This is... the Holy Grail War!
"BOOM—!!!"
An explosion rang out. It came from above. Two golden streaks of light descended from the sky at a speed surpassing visual perception. They shot toward Olga Marie and Alcides respectively. Precise, swift, and merciless.
"Wha—?!"
Olga Marie's pupils constricted as she thrust the fireball in her palm upward—
Bang!
The golden light collided with the fireball. On the other side, the three arrows fired by Alcides were also intercepted and crushed by three other golden streaks of light. Fragments of dark red Mana and pitch-black Mud splattered everywhere, landing on the ground and corroding the scorched sand into small pits emitting green smoke.
The aftershocks of the collision kicked up all the dust at the bottom of the Canyon, forming a sand tornado that connected the heavens and the earth.
"Tch."
Olga Marie clicked her tongue. With a wave of her left hand, her vast Magical Energy turned into a gale, instantly dispersing the smoke and dust. Vision became clear again.
Olga Marie lowered her hand and looked up. Alcides also lowered his bow, a gaze seemingly directed toward the sky from beneath the Pelt. Flat followed their line of sight.
Then, he saw a ship. No, to describe it as a 'ship' might not be entirely accurate. It was a pure white flight vehicle floating in the air, its design gorgeous to the point of extravagance. A streamlined hull, side decks spreading out like bird wings, and ornate reliefs carved into the prow. The overall style sat somewhere between ancient myth and future technology—discordant yet harmonious.
The hull looked as if it were carved from a single piece of white jade, glowing with a gentle luster and emitting a faint golden halo under the sunlight.
Vimana. A divine artifact from Indian mythology.
It hovered silently a hundred meters in the air, looking down upon all life below. And at the prow, at the very front of the deck, stood two people. A man and a young girl.
The man wore golden armor. With crimson pupils and short blond hair, his face was handsome to the point of arrogance. It bore an undisguised, condescending scrutiny and a hint of displeasure at being offended.
He stood there with his arms crossed.
The King of Heroes, Gilgamesh.
The name immediately popped into Flat's head. Although he hadn't seen the man in person before, he had witnessed the battle between him and Enkidu from a distance.
Olga Marie narrowed her eyes. Her gaze lingered on Gilgamesh for a second before moving behind him. Standing there was a young girl who looked to be in her early teens. She had long black hair and bronze skin, wearing a simple white dress, and stood behind Gilgamesh in a disciplined manner of service without much expression.
'That's Gilgamesh's Master.' Olga Marie made the judgment instantly.
"Heh."
She let out a short, cold laugh and looked up at Gilgamesh.
"King of Heroes," Olga Marie's voice spread throughout the Canyon, amplified by Mana. "Why did you suddenly attack me?"
"Do you also wish to be annihilated by me?"
Gilgamesh sneered. The contempt in that sneer was almost tangible.
"Mere mongrel."
"Recognize your place before you speak."
He raised a hand, his fingertip pointing casually toward the sky and then toward the earth.
"Everything in this world—the sky, the earth, the living, and the dead," his crimson pupils locked onto Olga Marie, "are all the possessions of This King."
"As for what This King does, when I do it, or how I do it..." He raised his chin. "How is it the place of a mongrel like you to interfere?"
Olga Marie said nothing. Alcides said nothing either. The aura around both of them simultaneously dropped by ten degrees.
In reality, the reason Gilgamesh had come here was that he had also been attacked by Alcides. Thus, he had immediately rushed over to reclaim his honor and punish the mongrel who dared to offend his majesty. He hadn't expected to witness such an interesting scene upon arrival.
However, he would not allow anyone to ruin his fun or ignore him to fight amongst themselves, so he had intervened to break up the imminent conflict between the two.
The atmosphere between the three parties froze instantly.
Tine, standing behind Gilgamesh, also turned her gaze toward Flat beside Olga Marie.
'Is he that Servant's Master?'
Flat also noticed the other's gaze. He then raised his hand and waved at Tine with a brilliant smile on his face.
Tine Cherc was clearly caught off guard by this reaction. She froze for a moment, then almost subconsciously, she also slightly raised her hand and gave a small wave back.
After completing the motion, she realized what she had done and immediately lowered her hand, her expression returning to that featureless mask. But she couldn't help thinking:
'This guy... isn't he nervous at all? The situation right now is clearly as bad as it gets, right?'