On screen, Siduri reached the place where the divine weapon roamed.
Around it lay many unmentionable objects, washed out by white censor-light.
Even so, the scene made clear what they were.
The divine weapon lived like a savage.
Made from "clay that can become anything," it copied beasts and hunted like them.
But today, a different visitor appeared—the first human it had ever met.
Living among beasts had made it beastlike.
So seeing a stranger, it bared instinctive hostility toward Siduri.
"You can understand me, yes? I'm not here to fight you. I'm here to bring you where you wish to go."
Siduri spoke gently.
"You are…?"
The tiger-shaped beast retreated warily.
"Isn't your task to find Uruk's king?"
Siduri guided it step by step.
"My task is to find Uruk's king…!"
The weapon remembered its duty; gemstone eyes lit up.
Siduri extended her hand.
"Then come with me. I'll take you to him."
"Roar!"
It signaled her to lead.
They traveled together.
"What is your name? And would a beast form be proper for meeting the king? Can you become human?"
Siduri taught patiently.
"Name… none. Form… is this okay?"
Holy light flashed, and a new form appeared.
"Here… cover yourself with this cloth first."
Siduri stared at the "beauty"—a mirror of herself, except some parts were strangely absent.
"You removed all excess, leaving only the most perfect, battle-ready body. You really are a divine creation."
She nodded in approval.
"Since you have no name, will you give yourself one?"
"Name… En-ki-du."
Enkidu looked up at the sky, speaking the word without thinking.
"Enkidu. A fine name. It suits you."
After days of travel, Enkidu learned human society and grew grateful to Siduri.
They stood beneath Uruk's walls, looking up at the arrogant king.
"Oh? Siduri, you've done well. You brought that thing back. Rest now. Leave the rest to me."
Gilgamesh's tone was absolute.
"I understand… Your Majesty. Enkidu has no ill will. Please coexist peacefully."
Siduri sighed, glancing between Enkidu's simmering rage and Gilgamesh's eager battle-lust.
"You are the weapon those useless gods sent to punish me? Not bad. But you're still inferior to me."
Gilgamesh leapt down from the wall, dust blasting up.
The small, golden-haired, red-eyed boy-king stepped forward.
Enkidu didn't yield.
Their auras collided. A storm was about to break.
[Feels off. Historically Gilgamesh should've been grown here. Why is he still tiny?]
[Yeah, they skipped a lot. We didn't even see his parents. Is this a bait-and-switch?]
[Who cares? It's fight time!]
[Betting open. I'm staking two packs of cheap spicy sticks on Gilgamesh.]
[Then I'll bet five packs on Enkidu.]
[I'm broke but I want to bet on Enkidu—he's adorable!]
[You all don't know history. This fight ends in a draw. Ten packs on draw!]
[But this video has already diverged from history. So winners are unknown.]
"Since there's betting… I've got dozens of packs. Big brother, which side? Let's bet a draw."
Illya stared at the pop-up.
"Bet Gilgamesh. That guy will win."
Beimu still didn't understand this app anymore.
It had so many new features.
Even livestreams had "special channels."
He hadn't opened one, but he could guess what they were.
He'd even seen a news story about "donation punishments" for streamers, where gifts triggered vibrating devices.
To him it looked less like punishment and more like pure bliss.
Most female streamers loved those events.
Male streamers earned little unless they cross-dressed.
On screen—
Gilgamesh stood atop Uruk's wall, looking down on Enkidu.
"Worthless humans made a worthless thing. You think you can beat me? Laughable."
The tiny king mocked him.
Chants erupted from guards and people.
"King Gilgamesh! King Gilgamesh! King Gilgamesh!"
He jumped down to Enkidu's level.
"You've traveled far. Rest first. So you won't say I beat you while you were tired."
He gestured Siduri to take Enkidu in.
Siduri brought clothes and food for Enkidu.
"I know what you want to say. But don't refuse. This is the king's last kindness. After this, you'll be enemies."
She led Enkidu inside, leaving Gilgamesh alone outside the wall.
Gilgamesh closed his eyes.
Servants brought him a chair.
Ten minutes later, Siduri returned with Enkidu.
"Your Majesty, everything is ready."
"Good. So the 'weapon' is ready to be crushed."
"Begin. Show me how strong you are."
They faced each other.
Enkidu's fighting style came more from beasts than humans.
He towered over Gilgamesh, golden eyes feral.
He hunted like an animal, already treating the king as prey.
Bang!
Enkidu struck first.
As a divine weapon, he was a natural counter to gods, capable of binding divinity.
He was the Chain of Heaven—made by gods, yet a vessel of nature itself.
Gilgamesh, born of god and man, held thick divinity—and was suppressed.
"Cough… decent strength. But that's all."
Gilgamesh's arrogance didn't fade even as he took blows.
Enkidu's fist smashed into his face.
Thud.
Gilgamesh's right eye blackened.
"Good. You've angered me. Tell me—how do you wish to kneel?"
Gilgamesh's power erupted, flinging Enkidu away.
The screen went black.
When it returned, everyone gasped.
Gilgamesh stood tall.
Enkidu knelt half-collapsed at his feet.
Enkidu tried to stand but couldn't.
Before fainting, he heard Gilgamesh's arrogant laugh.
"So this is a god-made weapon. Strong, but still inferior to me."
Gilgamesh ordered Siduri to take Enkidu away.
The comments exploded.
[What just happened? It was one-sided for Enkidu, then flipped instantly!]
[Historically they draw. Why did Gilgamesh win? He didn't even go all out.]
[Relax. The last video already broke history. This one too. Just watch for fun.]
[No way. Arthur already confirmed the last video was real, and Rhongomyniad showed up. I just came from the press conference stream.]
[Poor Enkidu… Gilgamesh is awful. Cute kid king, but still awful.]
[But that fist mark on Gil's face—sorry, I'm laughing.]
Uruk Palace—
"Your Majesty, a video about you has appeared. The contents are… questionable, but it showcases your valor."
A minister bowed, eyes shining in worship.
"Oh? A video? Fine. Let it entertain me. I want to see how it glorifies my deeds."
Gilgamesh watched, pleased at first.
"Not bad. In truth I did draw with my friend. But this portrayal is acceptable. Still… that giant bruise on my face damages my image."
"Understood. I'll order the creator to cut that part out. Nothing may stain your majesty."
"Enough. Keep playing. It's remarkably realistic… even the people resemble old Uruk…"
Gilgamesh hadn't heard of Arthur's press conference yet.
So he assumed this was still fiction.
20. Rin Tohsaka, Long Time No See
"I'm going to the company. You two stay home."
Irisviel checked her phone and hurried out.
"Bye, Mom!"
Illya and Beimu said together.
The door shut.
Illya immediately grew bolder, curling deeper into Beimu's arms.
"Onii-chan, your prediction was spot-on. If I didn't know this was just uploaded, I'd suspect you spoiled me."
She wiggled in his lap and chugged soda.
Beimu frowned.
"Illya, don't eat so much junk. Still hungry?"
"What? I'm eighteen already. It's just my body can't grow, okay? I want to be taller too."
She puffed her cheeks—then the doorbell rang.
"I'll answer. Get down first."
Beimu set her aside, stood up.
"Onii-chan, you've been gone so long people won't recognize you. I'll go."
Illya pushed him back onto the couch and ran to the door.
"Coming!"
Beimu sat down to keep watching, but the voices outside caught him.
"Illya… your brother is back?"
"Rin-nee, how did you know? Are you here to see him?"
Illya's tone tightened with caution.
"Illya, who is it?"
Beimu walked over.
The instant he saw the girl outside, he froze.
First thing in view: smooth, rounded legs wrapped in black thigh-high stockings.
Familiar.
Like a pair from his memories—only even more perfect now.
Not an ounce of excess. Athletic and elegant.
"Beimu-ge, you really are back!"
Her voice was bright with joy.
"Rin Tohsaka… long time no see. You've grown into a beautiful young lady."
Beimu sighed.
She had been six years younger than him.
Now the child who once trailed after him calling "big brother" sounded fully grown.
"I couldn't believe what I saw yesterday… you really came back. But you're the same as before—no change at all."
Rin's hands trembled around her sleeve.
He was alive.
The man who had once saved her sister.
When Beimu vanished, she'd searched everywhere.
She'd admired him back in school.
Then he disappeared like smoke.
Now seeing him again felt unreal.
"Let Rin-nee come in. Don't leave her outside."
Illya quickly shoved Beimu back inside—shielding him from Rin like a jealous guard dog.
"Rin-nee, Onii-chan's body is still at the age he vanished. So he may feel like he saw you yesterday, but we haven't seen him for six years."
Illya sat right on Beimu's lap again and wriggled, looking at Rin as if declaring ownership.
"I should say… long time no see, Rin Tohsaka."
Beimu slid tea over, awkward because Illya clung to him.
He couldn't reveal anything about the system.
But he knew Rin well.
He had even seen her face in the Uruk era before.
And sixteen-year-old Rin had appeared in other missions.
"You're still as gentle as ever."
Rin accepted the tea, ignoring Illya's stare.
They had fought plenty in class.
Illya's grades had soared in these years, but mentally she still felt like a kid.
Her body too.
Rin decided not to bother with her.
She would come here more often now.
And perhaps bring Sakura.
Sakura had also missed Beimu terribly, close to depression.
Yes—she would bring her sister for her sister's sake.
Rin's mind cleared instantly.
"Rin, you—"
"Onii-chan, Rin-nee is in the video! That woman looks exactly like her!"
Illya shoved the tablet in Beimu's face, pointing.
Illya shouldn't interrupt, but the tablet had slipped and autoplayed.
"Yeah. Rin, want to see?"
He set the tablet between them after coaxing Illya down.
"Me…?"
Rin looked—and her face went crimson.
That person was absolutely not her.
The outfit was too shameful.
She had never worn anything like it.
"Beimu, believe me. That woman in the video isn't me. This is ridiculous—who's spending this much money to frame me?"
She wanted to crawl into a hole.
Beimu was staring at "her" on screen. What if he misunderstood?
"Are you sure? Don't regret it. Her background is huge."
Beimu smiled faintly and gestured for her to keep watching.