Or, why don’t you find another savior?

Xi Jian was speechless for a long time before he managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Ah... that, that doesn't count as Master's active teaching, it counts as me pestering Master to learn it."

After he said that, just like Scathach did just now, he took the initiative to move forward with the wine in his mouth.

The master and disciple drank up the remaining wine along with the unfinished words.

Chapter 67: Rafting

The last night in Uruk before the decisive battle was extremely quiet.

Standing on the terrace of the ziggurat, Artoria Pendragon could only see the streets and a few guards who were on duty for the night patrol.

The sky in the east has not yet turned bright, and it will take some time before the next morning arrives.

"You are here, why don't you take a rest?" Xijian's voice sounded behind him.

"I've had enough rest, so it's more suitable for me to wait for dawn now." Altria turned around and answered Shiomi with a smile.

He ran out to look for Altria because he found that she was not in the bedroom, and found that she was on the terrace outside.

"Really? That's good." Xijian looked relieved.

"Master, have you had a good rest?" Altria asked, "Your body has not yet fully recovered, I am very worried."

"It's enough. Even if I want to continue recuperating, God Tiamat won't give me this much time." Shiomi shrugged, "Although Morgan has driven me out to rest now."

After drinking, the master went to rest. The throne ritual that Shiomi was in charge of was taken over by Morgan who returned a few minutes ago.

"Really? If Master doesn't mind, could you please walk with me?" asked Altria.

"you still need to ask."

Shiomi walked over, took her hand, and slowly walked down the steps of the sacred tower.

"Remember what the Master said before, that when you went to the underworld, you met that old man?" Altria removed her gauntlet and directly shook hands with Shiomi's hand.

"Well, now we know why the old man is here." Shiomi nodded.

"Then I won't say anything more." Altria understood.

Shiomi smiled and said, "As the Storm King, you have gained the same perspective as the Magic King. Did you ever foresee what would happen in this singularity?"

"The same viewpoint does not mean clairvoyance, and I cannot see everything here. I am just ready to respond to your call." said Altria.

Xi Jian turned around and saw her clear eyes. Suddenly, he had a bad idea: "So... are you ready to commit yourself to me?"

"...Th-that was just me taking advantage of the situation. It was the Master who acted on his own initiative..." Altria realized that Shiomi was teasing her and fought back decisively, but her strength was ultimately a little lacking.

"Whether as a king or as a woman, you have extraordinary charm." Shiomi said, "But I can say that in my heart, I like both aspects of you at the same time, and I don't particularly prefer one side."

"But I just like the Master as a woman." Altria suddenly felt a sense of peace in her heart, and naturally expressed her inner thoughts.

Xi Jian pretended to be surprised: "I thought that as a compatriot, you had no choice."

"Master, what you said actually gives me a headache." Altria couldn't help but sigh.

They walked down the tower and came to the canal between the tower and the city.

On the shore on this side of the ziggurat, there was a rather gorgeous boat parked, most likely used exclusively by Gilgamesh.

"I heard from my companions who stayed in Uruk that the scenery of taking a boat on the river at night and touring around the ziggurat is very nice." Shiomi looked at the idle boat, "Unfortunately, we don't seem to have the time for that."

"It's indeed a pity." Altria nodded.

"Although the night is almost over and the city has become deserted, if Altria doesn't mind, we can go boating on the river to relax for a while." Shiomi made an invitation.

Altria was stunned for a moment, then readily agreed: "Then I'd better obey your command."

Then Shiomi walked onto the boat first, then held Altria's hand and helped her sit down.

The etiquette was far too considerate, both for the king and for a woman, and Altria could see that Shiomi was enjoying it, so she could only shake her head.

The boat left the river bank and moved slowly along the current.

The two sat opposite each other on the boat, and both felt that this was a bit boring, so Altria followed Shiomi's hand and pulled her to sit next to him, and naturally rested her head on Shiomi's shoulder.

"If the Knights of the Round Table saw their king in his current state, I would probably be hated by all of them." Shiomi's hand went around Altria's back and landed on her side. "Oh no, maybe Mashu can replace Galahad and stand on my side."

"It's not maybe, it's 'already'. In this sense, I have failed in my duty as a king." Altria couldn't help but smile.

"That's not the case. You're very competent. I'm just happy to see you freed from your duties and able to do, think and fight whatever you want according to your own will. I feel a sense of relief that all the suffering I endured in the sixth singularity was worth it." Shiomi shook his head and explained with a smile.

"Perhaps... you don't have to suffer those hardships at that time, or even be forced to deal with the battles I gave you." Altria thought thoughtfully, "After all, as a compatriot, I should also--"

"No, now that I think about it, that experience was something indispensable. Maybe it didn't change anything in the end, but its meaning itself is sufficient. Just like your legend, it's not like there is nothing left. Just regard it as the result of hard work, so..." Shiomi said seriously.

He wasn't even sure whether he resented the way Altria treated him at that time.

Or maybe it's because of the current relationship that I regard it as the only way to get here.

"Just like the battle we are facing now in Mesopotamia, even if the city will eventually decline, it will leave behind people who can lead the future, as well as kings and high priests who can guide them. Even if the final victory will be tragic, it will still be enough to prove that everything we do here is not in vain."

Altria understood what Shiomi wanted to say and continued along with his words.

She looked at Shiomi's hand pressed against her own, their ten fingers firmly clasped together, and the warmth between them was the warmth of life.

"Yeah, just as you said." Shiomi agreed.

The ship came to a corner along the canal. He steered the ship and the eastern sky blocked by the sacred tower came into view.

A hint of paleness can already be seen in the sky; morning will arrive in about half an hour.

"The night is almost over."

"I will definitely win." Altria promised Shiomi, "I swear to you with my holy sword."

"Thank you, there are no more inspiring words."

After saying this while looking into Artoria's eyes, Shiomi lowered his head and, in the only remaining free time before the final battle, kissed Artoria, whom he respected, for the last time.

Chapter 68: Going to War

In the decisive battle against Tiamat, the battle objective was already very clear.

Try your best to delay the steps of the Primordial Mother Goddess and buy enough time for Ereshkigal to open up the underground passage between the underworld and Uruk.

After that—

"I know, after that, it's just about pushing mother into the underworld, right?"

Ishtar, who had regained her body autonomy, responded coldly after listening to Shiomi's battle plan, and then flew into the sky with Maanna.

"Is it really okay? If Ishtar doesn't take action, even if Tiamat arrives in Uruk, then..." Romani asked, "Ishtar's fighting power was also taken into account in the original plan."

His concerns are reasonable and everyone understands.

"We will have our own way at that time. After all, we are facing the god Tiamat." Shiomi said, "The vanguard blocking force will continue the composition of yesterday, consisting of me, Artoria, Quetzal Coatl, and the Leopard Man will fill in for Ereshkigal."

They rode on Quetzal's pterosaurs to fight in the air, but considering that there were countless Lahm guarding Tiamat, their attack force was still weak.

"But apart from Mr. Shiomi and Altria, you lack sufficient long-range combat means." Kishinami Hakuno pointed out.

"We can't let others go with us. A blocking battle is more dangerous than a defensive battle." Shiomi thought that Hakuno suggested adding more blocking personnel. He looked at his companions in Chaldea and said, "A magician should do what a magician should do, especially Mary. Your celestial magic requires a relatively stable environment, doesn't it?"

“Well…” Olga Marie didn’t say much, she knew that she had a heavy responsibility.

It's just that he squeezed his magic circuits to the limit, and he could probably only sustain the celestial magic bombardment for about a minute.

After all, it's just a drop in the bucket.

"No, what I mean is--" Bai Ye shook his head.

Gilgamesh raised his hand proudly, "I will go into battle with Hakuno and help you stop Tiamat."

"Wait a minute, if Gilgamesh leaves Uruk, the activation of the 'Seal of Divine Authority'--" Romani felt it was inappropriate.

Although there were still soldiers responsible for operating the 360 ​​"Divine Seals" set up in the city of Uruk, the deaths of Uruk's soldiers were inevitable.

Only Gilgamesh will then be able to command the weapons that fire their treasures.

"You don't need to worry about this. This king accepts it."

Another Gilgamesh's voice sounded.

Everyone looked in the direction of the inner hall where the sound came from in surprise. Gilgamesh, dressed in light clothes, slowly walked out, followed by Siduri, who was worried and tried to support him, but was rejected.

“Oh? Are you finally awake, my former ‘king’?” the Servant Gilgamesh asked with a joking smile.

"It's not yet to the point where my dead self needs to worry. For the sake of Uruk, I will make use of my dead self as well." said the living Gilgamesh.

The Hero King in life and the Hero King of his Servant.

The originally sealed hero king finally woke up, which brought some excitement to everyone.

"Really? Then do as Hakuno said. Servant Gilgamesh will go with us to stop them. When the Hero King wakes up, please lead the defenders of Uruk and manipulate the 'Seal of Divine Authority.'" Shiomi said no more.

"Let's go, Siduri."

Although his voice could not hide his tiredness after waking up from being sealed, Gilgamesh still rushed to his position with Siduri.

Time was running out. At dawn, Tiamat would surely start moving again. When they were making the final arrangements here, Tiamat must have already pushed the "Tide of Chaos" and landed on land.

Then Shiomi and his companions set off on Quetzalcoatl's pterosaur, and ahead of them was Gilgamesh's ship of light - the Vimana.

During the Fourth Holy Grail War against the Sea Demon, Shiomi saw Gilgamesh riding this Noble Phantasm from afar, overlooking their battle.

However, Gilgamesh did not use it in the final battle of the Holy Grail War.

I think even without relying on a spaceship, Gilgamesh has the means to fly, but he just lacks speed.

Looking down, the Mesopotamian Plain beneath my feet has been submerged by the "Tide of Chaos", and the only places where one can stand are the rocks that have not been covered.

"Leave the guys on the ground to me, and you guys focus on dealing with the guys flying in the sky, meow!"

After the leopard man finished speaking, he rushed down with the pterosaur and headed straight for Lahmu who was walking on the ground.

Originally, Shiomi was worried that the Leopard Man was committing suicide, but after seeing the Leopard Man moving freely among the Lahmu, he realized that it was indeed not a problem.

After all, he is a servant who possesses the spirit of the main god.

"There's no time to worry about the other guys, the first wave is coming!" Quetzal reminded.

Although he could only vaguely identify Tiamat in the dark sky and the smoke of the "Tide of Chaos", the herd was so dense that he didn't even want to count the large herd of Lahmu, and Shiomi was already feeling pressured.

In this way, it was no longer Tiamat who was slowed down, but Shiomi and the others.

"As expected of the original mother, she gave birth to so many Lahms in just one day." Gilgamesh, dressed as if he was at the end of the fifth Holy Grail War, stood on the Vimana. He snapped his fingers and nearly a hundred treasure gates opened. "What are you going to do, Hakuno?"

"Need I ask? Of course it's to break through." Bai Ye grabbed the armrest of the seat.

In fact, "Vimana" itself has the function of fixing its passengers.

“Well said! Then I will open up a path to——!”

Before Gilgamesh could finish, a burst of magic bullets shot through and shot down Lahmu who had entered the attack range of the "King's Treasure".

Ishtar.

Ishtar, who had flown away before they set off, unexpectedly also came nearby and started a counterattack before them.

“She’s still thinking about getting ahead of the King at this time. Even if she possesses a human, she can’t change her stubborn mind.” Gilgamesh didn’t take it as an offense and stretched out his hand and waved it forward.

Countless treasures were launched and hit the Lahmu cluster that was circling in the sky like a dense flock of birds, causing a series of explosions.

The oncoming Lahmu were all annihilated, and this attack opened up a wide channel, becoming the weakest part of the Lahmu group protecting Tiamat.

Without words, Shiomi immediately guessed Gilgamesh's plan.

"Break through along that trajectory! Hold on tight!"

The pterosaur that wrote the original rune on its back and was under the command of Quetzal suddenly felt that flying was easier than ever before. It let out a sharp roar, then passed Vimana and rushed out along the route that had not yet been closed.

Chapter 69: Battlefield in the Sky

Such a high-profile advance undoubtedly attracted the attention of the Rahmu Cluster.

Shiomi and Altria stood back to back on the pterosaur's back, the wind whistling past their bodies.

The holy spear released by magic and limited time accurately hit the Lahm who were rushing in the front.

Even so, this newly opened waterway was closing towards the center at a speed visible to the naked eye, trying to surround the pterosaur ridden by Shiomi and Altria.

"The end of the vast sea is the wind that does not follow the four directions, 'the flow of all things'!"