Encounter

(Yawn) Good morning, all. I see you're ready for the next assignment.

We still have time before Siduri arrives. So, what is for breakfast?

I'm coming in. Is this your dwelling? Uh-huh. For a latrine, it looks spacious.

!

Fou!?

？！

K-King Gil

Lower your voice, Mash! You want Siduri to come running over!?

P-pardon me, King Gilgamesh!

Um... So, what can we, uh, do for you this morning?

For Your Majesty to visit our humble barracks is quite unusual...

Heh. I figured I should mix things up. And I'm sure you've gotten tired of listening to Siduri's messages.

As such, I'm going to personally give you your assignment this time. Nothing rough. Simply look into our water supply.

The wagon is ready. You're going to head south of Uruk, towards the Persian Gulf.

An observatory has been constructed there. There are ten days' worth of jars, made to automatically gather seawater.

You will deliver the empty jars that are in the wagon and bring back the jars there that are filled with seawater.

So we're transporting. Understood. It sounds like an easy job this time, Master!

It's easy indeed. Especially since the route to the Persian Gulf is the only area that hasn't been attacked by any of the three goddesses.

You can carry out this duty without fear or worry. Know that you have my support.

Oh, Merlin and Ana aren't going with you this time. I only had two travel permits going to the Persian Gulf left over.

...And so, it's just the two of us on this trip, Senpai. Or so I thought...

Such fine clouds by the Zagros Mountains. Here's a bit of wisdom: "Far-off sea of clouds. 'Round atop the white peak hill. Mountain of cedar."

Hmm, that didn't sound quite the way I imagined... I guess playing mages isn't my forte...

No need to be so stiff. Sometimes I want to just look at the sea, nothing more.

Fool! What makes you think I'd have any? Or even time to have fun! Precisely the reason I need to go on a trip like this!

？！

R-Really? I don't really understand, but I assume we need to keep this a secret from Siduri then?

Fooou...

？！

What is that grimace for?

Just so you know, I'm not doing this because I'm exhausted from my duties.

...

I'm definitely not doing it because I crave excitement.

？！

(Sigh) Good grief. King Gilgamesh, I apologize for interrupting your jovial mood.

We're picking up some powerful magical energy signatures ahead. It seems you've got trouble, which I believe is what you wanted.

I see. They are merely some abandoned colossi. Perfect for a warm-up.

It's too much trouble to stop the wagon. Show me how you destroy your enemies, Fujimaru.

Of course, if absolutely necessary, I suppose I could give you a hand.

As you can see, they all seem to be Assassin-class stone statues. There should be no need to mention who has the upper hand here.

Heh. Again, I'll help if absolutely necessary. Only if you insist!

Oh, arrrgh...! To think a front kick would tear a king's abdominal muscles!

What was that? Why was the third one a different class!?

？！

Enough! From now on, illegal dumping of stone statues will incur severe penalties in Uruk!

We've safely reached the observatory.

It was smooth sailing after the statue incident. It was such a peaceful trip, Master.

...Mmm. Nothing is happening. How boring. I had such high hopes for something silly happening on this journey.

Hahaha. I'd already forgotten about that. You two forget about it as well. Stop being pests.

Yes. Take these and replace them with the jars in the wagon. I'm not fit to do physical labor. So get to it.

？！

Fouuu! Fofo, foooou!

Fou, don't wander off too far!

...Whew. The jars are all switched, so that's that.

King Gilgamesh stayed behind at the observatory. He said he had to check on something, but that he would be back in twenty minutes.

So we can take a little break until then.

(Sigh) If you'd only come here during your day off, you could be swimming in the sea. That's too bad.

How does the Persian Gulf look to the naked eye? I bet it looks different from Okeanos.

In comparison, it looks quite a bit smaller. I mean, it's more of a port than an open sea.

However, the thought that the vast Indian Ocean is beyond this point is quite exciting.

I mean, in every era, humans came face to face with the vast ocean and conquered it.

You're right. Also, the scale of the Seventh Singularity is much greater than any of the previous Singularities.

We're getting observation results of the Indian Ocean, far beyond the Persian Gulf.

I'm pretty sure that's because in Mesopotamia the ocean is an essential factor of life itself.

...Senpai? You're staring into the horizon... Is there something on your mind?

A dream...? You heard the roar of the ocean in a dream...?

I know how you feel. The Demonic Front, the forest surrounding Ur, and our search for the Grail... We have our work cut out for us.

But being impatient won't do anyone any good. You won't solve anything by charging blindly onto the battlefield. At least, not yet.

Being patient and assessing the situation is also part of the battle. Save your energy for when the time is right.

？！

...! Fou, fooooou!

Fou? Has something happened? You're jumping so much

A contrail in the sky! Doctor, something is approaching from 9 o'clock!

Whoa, I can see it on my end as well! A speed of five hundred kilometers an hour with the mana concentration of the Age of Gods!?

It's going to make contact in 3, 2, 1... Mash, shield up! Brace for impact!

...I don't know what to say. It seems you people have a real lack of a sense of danger.

Not only are you far from Uruk, you would even come to a secluded area like this without an escort?

Either you're used to your own luck, or you greatly underestimated us...

Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. Either way, no one is coming to your rescue this time.

Yes, that's right. I'm glad. A bit relieved, actually.

You're not the brightest out there, but at least you have the capacity to remember my name.

No, Master! The enemy in front of us is not the Heroic Spirit Enkidu...!

I'm sensing the Mage King from this enemy...! I doubt it's the same entity as the Enkidu we heard about in Uruk!

？！

That again? You treat me like an impostor just because I've changed owners... Humans really are hopeless.

However... I suppose you're right. I am not the actual Enkidu.

I knew I had to make that clear. I mean, it'd be annoying if you started to get the wrong idea about me in the future.

I'm an enemy to humans until I'm destroyed. Whatever happens, that will never change.

I'll prove that by ending your lives right now. Your luck ran out the moment you came here to the port while Ishtar wasn't around to protect it.

Oh, but I won't make you suffer. I'm not so brutal as the three goddesses.

The pain will be ghastly, but over in an instant. I'm just going to skewer your entire body!

The fake Enkidu is entering a combat stance! Master, let's give our all!

...!

...Enkidu's endlessly firing all those powerful weapons at you...

Their fighting style is the same as the legendary King of Heroes, Gilgamesh!

Of course! Creating an inexhaustible number of blades and firing every single one of them at you...

That is the optimal way to fight with this body. In fact, he's the one who's imitating me...!

Well, isn't this a surprise. Surely I'm misremembering, no?

I recall a certain fool calling the new tactic I thought up, perfectly suited to a king as it was, the "ultimate waste of energy."

King Gilgamesh!

Humph. Naturally, I was correct. Your bad luck is as impressive as ever. I knew it was about time.

Ah... Wh... Y-you are... Gilgamesh?

Who else would I be, you fool? To think you would waste so much time on a Servant.

What happened to efficiency? What happened to being calm and collected as a weapon? It's unlike you to enjoy the thrill of battle, Enkidu.

...Ugh... Argh...

No, King Gilgamesh! That's an impostor, not the real Enkidu!

An impostor... I see. Quite convincing nonetheless.

In fact, you may be even more powerful than the original. That flying speed was impressive even by my standards.

You must have acquired a fine magical reactor core. Was it a gift from the three goddesses?

Nh...

...Shut...your...mouth. Your voice irritates me.

I am the most powerful creation on this planet. There is no need for a defective demigod like you.

Gilgamesh... Fool of a king, enemy of my mother... I WILL KILL YOU!

Never forget that! I will end this world and you along with it!

...Phew, saved. It looks like Enkidu retreated towards northern Uruk.

But... I don't understand the reason for that retreat. Enkidu clearly had the upper hand.

Fool. Even my help would not have balanced the scales. Only the Wedge of the Heavens can defeat the Chain of the Heavens.

But right now, I cannot use Ea. If we had fought them, I would have died alongside you.

Maybe they were broken. Maybe some cessation of cardiopulmonary function. Well, those kinds of things happen.

？！

Whatever it may be, it's over. Don't worry about it anymore. I've already accomplished what I came here to do.

Let's go back to Uruk, Fujimaru. Next time, I will give you an assignment that is most fitting for you!

Ugh... My body is out of calibration. My power output and motor functions are out of balance.

The recording is out of order, too. It's only giving me access to previous battle recordings...

...I don't understand. Why is this heart defective?

Why did I retreat...!?

...I am stronger than them. I'm stronger than that damn king...!

So why... Why did my failsafe kick in? "If you fight him, you will die."

...He is someone I should kill. He is the biggest thorn in Mother's side.

I must kill him. I must kill him. I must kill him. For Mother's sake, I must kill him.

But I want to talk... No, there is no room for conversation. I will only kill him. That should be sufficient.

...That's right. For I am not truly Enkidu.