Chapter 73: He ran away?

Haruki told Semiramis to hurry up. Artoria was feasting on some bread in Rin’s kitchen, so Semiramis’ search took longer than she intended. Haruki called Medusa and Cu Chulainn. He was convinced that he could beat Gilgamesh. However, the dragon slayer weapons in Gilgamesh’s arsenal scared him.

It turned out that Medusa and Cu Chulainn were already standing at his door, glaring at Gilgamesh clad in golden armor. Standing on top of a fence, Gilgamesh looked down on Haruki’s servants with pure contempt.

“Master, can I smash his fucking face?”

Only Cu Chulainn could say something like this despite knowing Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes.

“Lowly Servant, I’m not here for you.” Gilgamesh turned his attention to Haruki. “You’re the lowborn who command six Servants. A mongrel with dragon filth.”

He hadn’t sealed Sha Naqba Imuru after searching for Sakura through its clairvoyance. Even so, he couldn’t fully discern Haruki’s origin. Then again, Haruki’s background was of no importance to him.

Medea held herself back from unleashing her rage. Thanks to Haruki’s affection and care, she had gotten better at controlling her rampant emotions.

Medusa stood by Haruki’s side, ready to follow his orders on a moment’s notice.

Gilgamesh’s anger flared up at Haruki’s silent stare. “Hurry up and bring me the Lesser Grail.”

Gilgamesh was going to keep Sakura with him. Only the winner between Angra Mainyu and Haruki will be able to claim Sakura. It would be his last mercy for mankind.

Haruki didn’t take Gilgamesh’s words to heart. “You got the wrong address, Kiddo.”

“How insolent. I wasn’t going to kill your Servants. But you left me with no choice, Mongrel.” Gilgamesh folded his arms on his chest as golden ripples appeared behind him. “Witness the beauty of the Gate of Babylon before you perish to its treasures.”

“Archer!” Artoria dashed into the yard, stopping before Haruki with Excalibur in her hands. “Stay your hand.”

Gilgamesh was stunned, to say the least. It was his first time seeing Artoria in a proper dress. Her white dress properly brought out her innocent charm, rekindling Gilgamesh’s desires from ten years ago.

While Gilgamesh was busy admiring Artoria, Semiramis strolled to Haruki’s side. “I bought cavalry, my master.”

Haruki patted her back. “Good job, Semi. You can rest inside.”

“Let’s rest together later, Master.”

“Sure.”

Semiramis stared at him, wondering why he accepted her offer so easily. The way he treated her changed after she helped Sakura, almost as if he began to acknowledge her as a partner instead of a simple servant. The fact that she had earned this recognition through her abilities, instead of manipulation, filled her chest with pride.

“Silly Master…” she giggled.

Archer stood behind Gilgamesh, holding Kanshou and Bakuya in his hands. Rin was beside him, eyeing the servant in golden armor.

Gilgamesh chuckled, not paying attention to the fact that six servants had surrounded him. “Geez, you foolish woman became more feminine in my absence. ”

The impact of Artoria in a pure white dress almost dazed the King of Heroes.

Artoria remained unperturbed by Gilgamesh’s remarks. Summoning her magic armor, she pointed her concealed blade at Gilgamesh. “Archer, you shouldn’t be here.”

“I want to battle you, Saber.” Gilgamesh shook his head. “This place is too shabby for our divine reunion. Come with me, Saber. I have the Grail in my grasp. All of your wishes will come true. Join me in this conquest.”

Haruki approached Artoria and slipped his arm around her waist as though declaring his possession over Artoria. “We can’t fight him here.”

He had conveyed the same to Medusa, Medea, and Cu Chulainn. His mother was a Beast-class, but she was only a soul at the moment. She will certainly not survive if the house gets obliterated.

Artoria couldn’t help but notice the strange compulsion in Haruki’s words as though his voice carried some kind of authority. She had B-Rank Charisma skill, which should render most, if not every charm useless. Confused, she didn’t pay any mind to Haruki’s intimate gesture.

“I understand.” She couldn’t bring harm to the innocents by fighting here.

Haruki pecked her cheeks with a grin. “Glad you understand.”

The lingering warmth of the kiss left Artoria stunned for a moment. Shaking her head, she looked at Gilgamesh. “Archer, since this place is shabby by your standards, let us move somewhere secluded—”

She suddenly paused and raised her sword. A wave of swords exploded out of the Gate of Babylon, each one intent on taking Haruki’s life. The projectiles were a blur in Rin’s eyes, but Artoria and Medusa struck down each projectile with ease. Right now, Artoria and Medusa were quite literally at the peak state of their vessels.

Gilgamesh pulled out a plain-looking sword and pointed at Haruki. “Lowlife, you dare to taint Saber with your tarnished hands.”

Gilgamesh had hoped Haruki would engage in a war with Angra Mainyu. That event will be Gilgamesh’s last leniency against mortals before Angra Mainyu unleashes her wrath on the world. Besides, he could kill Haruki anytime, or so he thought.

“Artoria is my Servant for your kind information.” Haruki grinned fearlessly. “What do you even want with Sakura? Don’t you have Illyasviel as the Lesser Grail?”

He shot an arrow in the dark as he was unaware of Illyasviel’s current whereabouts.

“Angra Mainyu will come for the Fifth,” Gilgamesh said before he turned around. “Your six Servants will clash against the seven Servants of Angra Mainyu. The winner shall lay claim to the faulty Lesser Grail.”

Gilgamesh was assured of Angra Mainyu’s victory since she had Heracles on their side. The Greek Hero had earned his respect with tenacity. None of the Servants around Haruki could match Heracles in his eyes. Simply put, he saw them as nothing more than dogs with a slight bite.

“Jerk.” Rin threw a Gandr bullet at Gilgamesh’s face. “Stop talking like my sister is some object. Archer!” She thrust her right hand, the one with her Command Spells. “The Master of Tohsaka Clan orders you—”

Emiya placed his hand over Rin’s mouth and pointed at Gilgamesh. An enormous magic circle spread underneath Gilgamesh, then he disappeared without a trace.

“Did I kill him?” Rin blinked her eyes. “Was he that weak?”

“He is gone.” Haruki couldn’t believe his eyes. Gilgamesh had too much pride to escape the way he did just now. Even if Gilgamesh was going to die, he wouldn’t resort to such tactics.

‘Angra Mainyu?’

Gilgamesh would be done for if he had stayed until Emiya activated his Noble Phantasm. Unlimited Blade Works was a direct counter to Gilgamesh’s ‘Gate of Babylon spam’ fighting style.

‘Well… I got the information I needed.’

Haruki saw Rin lost in some thought and flicked her forehead. “You looked like a witch. The poor guy ran away.”

“Stop joking.” Rin almost yelled. She couldn’t tell if he was being serious or not. “You have to fill me in on the Lesser Grail and Sakura’s connection.”

“Fine. Let’s go inside.”

With the change in Sakura’s condition, he could reveal everything to Rin.