Fate/Dragon Ball Wars 17

Chapter 17: Gilgamesh’s subject

‘It's not precognition, then? Some kind of power to see through true names?’

Lelouch barely registered the question of how many kings Britannia supposedly had. His mind was consumed by the revelation about Archer's ability.  Even though he'd only revealed his Knightmare Frame, the other Servant had instantly called out his true name. This wasn't just a lucky guess – it was a strange phenomenon that screamed of some kind of mystical power. Lelouch just wasn't sure how far this ability stretched.

But for Saber, Archer's words were a bombshell. After all, Britannia had fallen into ruin long after her reign, and the name Lelouch had never graced her ears. So, where did this self-proclaimed "King of Britannia" come from?  Moreover, judging by Rider's attire and the Knightmare Frame he piloted, he looked nothing like a past Britannian king.

"It seems you can only see through true names, not the full picture," Lelouch ventured, testing the waters. He turned his gaze towards Gilgamesh.

"Hmph. Do not underestimate the power of this King. I merely choose not to use it to its full extent. After all, your lot is a curious mix of origins, wouldn't you agree?"

The golden king scoffed, arms crossed in a display of arrogance

Sha Naqba Imuru: The Omniscient Omnipotent Star

His least favorite tool. If used fully, this Noble Phantasm could grant him a god's-eye view of the world, unveiling all truths. Not only could he learn an opponent's true name and Noble Phantasm, but also hidden secrets and vulnerabilities.

With its activation, the Holy Grail War would be like a script laid bare, allowing him to control the battlefield like a puppet master. But the sheer boredom of it all kept him from resorting to it on a whim.

This time, however, he'd made an exception due to the discordant note Berserker struck.

As expected, even after utilizing this powerful ability, the results were less than satisfactory. The Omniscient Omnipotent Star had offered only a sliver of "information." It revealed Lelouch's true name and class, but everything else was veiled in an invisible fog, a force actively obscuring the details.

'There's more to his power, but it seems to have limitations.'

Lelouch concluded, interpreting the slight grimace that appeared on Archer's face.  Simply knowing his true name held no real threat. Lelouch had already taken the precaution of researching this strange world.

Here, Britannia was a long-lost empire, a fallen shadow of its former glory. No one here could possibly trace his origins back to the Britannian he wasn't.

"Answer me! Rider! Are you truly the King of Britannia? What drives you to participate in this war?!"

Saber's voice trembled with a mix of anger and urgency, her golden eyes fixated on Lelouch.

"Do I need to answer you?"

Lelouch glanced down, surprised to see such raw emotion etched on the normally stoic Saber's face, and countered, genuinely confused by her intense reaction.

"If you refuse to answer, I will make you my first target in this war!"

Saber's initial fury faltered, replaced by a grimace as she clenched her teeth with a determined glint in her eyes.

Her declaration was laced with a reckless desperation, a far cry from the composed knight Lelouch had encountered earlier. It seemed his very existence was a matter of profound importance to Artoria.

Her wish, he now understood, was to "save" Britannia, to prevent its downfall and the suffering of its people.

She clung to the belief that returning to the past, to the moment of choosing a king, and placing a more fitting leader on the throne could alter the course of history.

She believed Britannia deserved a ruler capable of guiding it towards prosperity, not ruin. And Lelouch's presence threw a wrench into her carefully constructed theory.

If a new, unknown "King of Britannia" had emerged, could it be a sign that her path held merit?

"Looks like we've got a real hothead on our hands, Rider."

Waver murmured from within the confines of the Knightmare Frame, his brow furrowed in contemplation.

Just like Lelouch, he couldn't reconcile the legend of the King of the Knights being the King of Britannia with the complete absence of any historical record mentioning a "Lelouch" as a Britannian king.

"If that's your wish, then consider this a declaration of war against the Holy Britannian Empire!"

He declared, his voice ringing out with authority. Undeterred by Saber's hostility, Lelouch raised the sword constructed within his Knightmare Frame – a weapon bearing a strong resemblance to the legendary "Sword of Promised Victory," albeit lacking the mythical embellishments.

After all, his Britannia held no reverence for such holy relics.

A wave of relief whispered to Saber as she received the confirmation she craved.

A new King of Britannia. It was enough. Hope, however faint, flickered within her. Now, she yearned to visit this unknown kingdom, to witness it firsthand.

Even if she didn't yet grasp the specifics of Lelouch's desires, simply understanding his true identity instilled a sense of purpose, a reason to continue fighting.

"What the blazes is all this king business?" Jounouchi exploded, rising to his feet within the confines of the castle. The exchange between the two Servants outside was utterly bewildering.

"Yeah, this whole king talk is way over my head," Kyoko Sakura's voice chimed in from behind him, sending a shiver down Jounouchi's spine. Right now, her top priority was cracking the code on that magic circle before things truly went south.

BANG

Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the castle.

"What the actual heck?! That was super dangerous! Are you trying to kill me?!"

Jounouchi yelped, flailing his arms wildly as he dodged a barrage of thorny chains.

"Huh? So maybe there are some no-killing rules in this war? And I think killing an annoying prick will be a bonus."

Kyoko Sakura countered with a dry retort,

Jounouchi was left speechless. Here they were, on the cusp of a potentially world-altering event, and Kyoko was dissecting the finer points of a magical brawl?

"You shouldn't harbor such wicked thoughts at your age!"

 Jounouchi lectured, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

"Despicable adults have no right to scold me like that!"

Kyoko shot back, the frustration bubbling over.

They were bickering like children again, oblivious to the potential cataclysm unfolding outside.

"Hmm?"

Kenshin looked down to see a gleaming object resting on his chest.

"That's a reward."

A voice boomed from above.

Kenshin cautiously reached out and grasped the fallen object – a divine sword, radiating an undeniable aura of prestige. Its craftsmanship hinted at incredible power.

"As a subject,  fight well for your king. Defeat due to inadequate weaponry would be a stain on his honor."

Gilgamesh continued, not bothering to glance down at Kenshin,

"Much appreciated!"

Kenshin's grip tightened around the hilt as he declared, a mixture of gratitude and contemplation in his voice.

This gesture by the arrogant Gilgamesh would surely leave anyone familiar with him slack-jawed. It was unheard of for the king to so readily "bestow" such a divine weapon. Ordinary mortals wouldn't dare dream of acquiring a "treasure" from the mighty Gilgamesh.

A name whispered through Kenshin's mind – Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. The legendary Japanese blade, a divine weapon in its own right, now rested comfortably in his hand.

While he might not yet be able to unleash its full potential, for Kenshin, a sword in hand was all he needed to showcase his mastery of swordsmanship.

‘Magic power and heavy armor have both been restored.’

Gilgamesh's gaze turned away from Kenshin, settling intently on Berserker.

Bestowing the sword on Assassin wasn't solely to incite a more ferocious fight; it was also a calculated move to probe into Berserker's shrouded past. Gilgamesh harbored a suspicion that the Berserker's origins weren't as straightforward as they seemed.

A king directly investigating such matters would be unbecoming, hence using his subject as a tool.