Era of Heroic Spirits: I Was Exposed by Alaya

On screen:

The boy refuses King Arthur's assistance, choosing to face the King of Heroes alone.

Gazing up at the tyrant towering above, he delivers his boldest declaration.

By sending his strongest ally, Artoria, to destroy the Holy Grail, he clearly intends to hold the line at the cost of his life.

In him, we see every knightly virtue:

Justice to punish evil!

Courage to defy an invincible tyrant!

Sacrifice despite certain defeat!

Compassion to save the innocent!

...

And the chivalric spirit of ancient China:

"The wind howls, the river chills—the hero marches to his doom!"

A moment that stirs countless hearts—

-[Why refuse King Arthur's help? Why make the boss fight harder?]

-[What trump card does he have to solo the King of Heroes wielding Ea?]

-[He's clearly buying time for Artoria to destroy the Grail and save others. Shirou Junior is walking to his death!]

-[To see his future self die before him, then choose this path without hesitation—how fortunate we are to have such nameless heroes guarding humanity!]

...

"Nameless..."

Mordred falls silent.

She had originally intended to mock the other with a few words, but found herself utterly unable to speak.

All she wanted was to rush forward and demand angrily—

"You saved countless people, so why didn't you ever think to save yourself? Have some damn self-respect, you idiot!"

This person, even in their younger years—far younger than her—had never hesitated to sacrifice themselves to save others.

It was truly infuriating and heartbreaking in equal measure.

If it were anyone else, Mordred would have praised and admired them without reservation.

But when it came to Nameless, all she wanted was for them to live—to cherish themselves, just once!

"Too foolish, refusing even the King's assistance!"

Gawain shook his head, half-convinced that the other must have been corrupted by the black mud and turned stupid.

He declared with absolute confidence: "Serve Nameless a plate of mashed potatoes, and quickly! How could a 17-year-old boy possibly defeat the King of Heroes in an instant? If you can actually beat him, I'll eat this screen in front of me!"

Even with King Arthur fighting alongside them, the odds of victory were slim.

Facing the King of Heroes alone? That was nothing short of suicide.

Perfect—this bet was as good as won!

But it had to be said.

Nameless was, after all, Nameless—a person who would rather die than abandon others, deserving of everyone's respect.

Though, of course, they still fell just a tiny bit short compared to him, the illustrious Sun Knight.

King Arthur stood silently to the side, her saintly blue eyes fixed calmly on the boy on the screen.

Time and again, she had rejected his proposals, choosing instead to shoulder the burden of all Britain alone.

Perhaps this was the very reason Nameless refused to see her.

But she had to meet him—to repay every last thing she owed him!

On the screen.

Gilgamesh, standing high above, grew even more scornful and disdainful.

"Insignificant mortal, do you truly believe you can defeat this king? Die, worm!"

Golden ripples spread behind him as countless Noble Phantasms once more rained down in a relentless barrage.

He had lost all patience—now, he only wanted to thoroughly crush this arrogant, foolish insect.

Under the onslaught of his terrifying assault.

A layer of purple petals bloomed before Shirou, firmly blocking every attack.

It was unmistakably the same defense Nameless had used earlier—

[Rho Aias—The Seven Rings that Cover the Burning Heavens!]

"Hmm?"

Gilgamesh showed a hint of surprise.

Previously, when Nameless was annihilated by Ea, he had passed on all his legacy to his younger self.

But now, less than a minute later, the boy had already mastered it!

How could such a vast inheritance from a heroic spirit be grasped in an instant?

Under his gaze, Shirou discarded his tattered coat and raised the hand bearing Nameless's magical crest.

Then, he looked up at the tyrant standing high above and began his incantation—

"I am the bone of my sword."

"Steel is my body, and fire is my blood."

"I have created over a thousand blades."

"Unknown to death."

"Nor known to life."

"Have withstood pain to create many weapons."

"Yet, those hands will never hold anything."

"So as I pray—"

"Unlimited Blade Works."

The chant, accompanied by an impassioned BGM, made him the absolute protagonist at this moment.

Boom!

Magical circuits burning with flames erupted wildly as he recited the incantation.

The earth seemed to burst with lava, and endless flames engulfed the two completely.

The next moment, as if teleported through space, the two suddenly appeared in an endless, desolate wasteland.

No mountains, no trees.

Countless swords of varying shapes were embedded in the ground, stretching infinitely toward the horizon.

This place was a world of swords.

A graveyard of blades!

...

Chaldea.

Da Vinci was astonished. "This is a Reality Marble! Nameless used it once before, and he actually learned it directly?!"

It was unbelievable.

A Reality Marble—the most formidable magecraft, closest to True Magic.

It materializes one's inner world through rigorous training, manifesting as a miniature world.

In other words, once a Reality Marble is activated, the world around you is replaced, becoming a domain you rule absolutely!

It becomes your ultimate battleground, amplifying your combat prowess exponentially!

"Shirou is truly amazing! Far stronger than me—I don't know any magecraft at all, yet he mastered it instantly," Romani Archaman couldn't help but marvel.

Earlier, Nameless had stood before him and said—

"Watch closely, my younger self. I'll only show you once!"

Yet, no one expected that just one demonstration would truly be enough.

The past and the future had now completed the passing of the torch!

"Because he's the strongest!"

Mash's eyes remained fixed on the boy without blinking.

A faint yet growing bond was becoming clearer and clearer.

As [Alaya] continued to reveal more, it would eventually restore all her lost memories!

On the screen,

Shirou stood in this world, coldly staring at his opponent. "Unlimited Blade Works—the only magecraft I permit myself to use. A world forged of swords!"

"A Reality Marble? And what can this broken inner world possibly accomplish?"

Gilgamesh glanced around mockingly.

Behind him, golden ripples expanded once more.

Countless Noble Phantasms rained down upon the boy in a furious assault.

However, contrary to his expectations, the boy casually picked up a sword and hurled it forward.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sword moved with blinding speed, instantly shattering every Noble Phantasm summoned from the [Gate of Babylon]!

Not a single one remained!

"What?!"

For the first time, Gilgamesh's expression twisted in shock, unable to believe his own eyes.

Unable to contain his rage, he roared, "How dare a pile of mere fakes stand against the genuine Noble Phantasms drawn from my [Gate of Babylon]?"

"Heh, not convinced? Then stay mad! Who said fakes can't surpass the originals?"

Swords materialized around Shirou, levitating as he pointed his blade at his opponent. "If those are the real deal, then I'll trample them all underfoot and turn them into worthless scrap!"

"Here I come, King of Heroes. Do you have enough weapons in stock?"

This audacious declaration finally gave countless spectators a glimpse of hope for victory.

This young man might truly defeat the arrogant tyrant!

"Don't get too cocky, mongrel!"

Gilgamesh's brow furrowed deeply.

He summoned even more Noble Phantasms, launching a frenzied bombardment at his foe.

Yet, it was futile!

For every Noble Phantasm he summoned, his opponent projected an identical copy.

The boy seemed to have transformed into a master of arms, wielding each weapon with flawless proficiency!

Every weapon in his hands came alive as if imbued with a will of its own, effortlessly shattering the King's treasures.

"Don't you get it? Because you're nothing but a greedy miser who doesn't understand how to wield these treasures!"

Shirou taunted mercilessly. "Whereas I—the moment I grasp a weapon, I inherit all its original owner's combat experience!"

"You damned mongrel!"

Gilgamesh's fury intensified.

But rage proved useless against the relentless assault.

His opponent cycled through Noble Phantasm after Noble Phantasm, pursuing him with savage strikes.

The mighty tyrant, in this moment, appeared utterly humiliated and desperate!

"Bastard! Mongrel! Insect! Cease this at once!"

Gilgamesh's enraged roar echoed.

His face, once filled with contemptuous mockery, now twisted into pure, unhinged fury.

Many who witnessed this scene gasped in shock—

-[Holy shit, this is straight-up cheating!]

-[Shirou's OP! First time seeing the King of Heroes so flustered—why does it feel so satisfying?]

-[Damn, instantly mastering years, even decades of combat experience just by touching a weapon!]

-[Now I understand why Shirou dared challenge the King alone. As long as Ea isn't drawn, he completely counters the King!]

-[Why isn't the King using Ea?]

...

Persian Empire.

The great hero Arash watched the footage in astonishment. "Huh? He can instantly inherit the original wielder's combat experience?"

This was an unimaginably terrifying ability.

It meant that simply by acquiring a weapon, he could gain years—even decades—of its master's expertise.

Becoming a weapon master in an instant—

No, this was the god of weapons!

[Unlimited Blade Works] truly lived up to its name!

"So, if he used my bow... could he unleash [Stella]?"

Arash fell into deep thought.

In ancient times, his ultimate arrow had pierced 2,500 kilometers, dividing Persia and Turan to end their decades-long war.

The cost? His body shattered into pieces, dying instantly.

With such selfless sacrifice, if the need arose again, he would undoubtedly release it without hesitation!

The battle raged on.

But everyone could clearly see—the King of Heroes was being completely overwhelmed!

He frantically opened [Gate of Babylon], summoning one legendary Noble Phantasm after another from myth and history.

Boom!

The two clashed violently once again.

The Noble Phantasm in Gilgamesh's hand was forcefully knocked away, his face twisting in fury as he roared madly, "How dare a mere mongrel like you push me to this extent!"

No matter how many Noble Phantasms he summoned, none could stand against his opponent.

For the first time, a single word surfaced in his mind—

[Defeat!]

"Unacceptable! Unforgivable! Damn you!"

Gilgamesh descended into utter frenzy, his screams hysterical and unhinged.

This scene left everyone utterly dumbfounded.

The invincible tyrant who had effortlessly crushed Nameless was now being pushed to such dire straits!

Indeed, it was the one-sided domination everyone had expected.

The problem was—

The one being dominated was none other than the King of Heroes!!!

"Hahaha, so you're the one calling others mongrels, huh?!"

Shirou closed in, gripping a sword in each hand, taunting mercilessly, "You're the real mongrel here! A half-breed of human and god—the most ancient mongrel of them all!"

All the frustration!

The rage!

The hatred!

At this moment, everything erupted forth, transforming into countless blades aimed at the King of Heroes.

Gilgamesh roared in fury, "You damn mongrel! To force this king to take you seriously—you're dead!"

Behind him, countless golden ripples frantically unfolded, instantly filling the entire sky.

Endless Noble Phantasms rained down upon the boy like a torrential storm.

BOOM!

Explosions erupted wildly, as if the grandest missile bombardment had swept across the land, churning the earth from end to end.

Yet.

Amid the endless rain of Noble Phantasms, the boy danced gracefully, wielding one weapon after another, effortlessly shattering the incoming treasures.

The so-called genuine originals of [Gate of Babylon] were nothing more than fragile toys before him!

HUM~

Another golden ripple appeared beside the King of Heroes.

Gilgamesh reached into it with furious determination, retrieving a familiar Noble Phantasm—

Ea, the Sword of Rupture!

"Mongrel, you have thoroughly enraged this king. Kneel and die!"

Holding Ea aloft, Gilgamesh delivered a majestic and solemn judgment.

HUM HUM HUM~

The Sword of Rupture spun wildly, unleashing a crimson radiance once more.

Within the bounded field, dark fissures abruptly tore through the fabric of reality.

Before the might of this supreme Noble Phantasm, capable of "tearing the world asunder," this small world could not endure.

Countless spectators held their breath in unison.

Everyone realized—this was the most dangerous, most terrifying moment.

The unleashed power of Ea could effortlessly obliterate the bounded field and annihilate the boy, Emiya Shirou!

"It's over," Gawain sighed softly.

No one could withstand the might of Ea.

Even the mighty Nameless had crumbled and vanished instantly after taking Ea head-on.

"But this means the King of Heroes has already lost—he abandoned his pride as a king!" Mordred scoffed.

Earlier, Gilgamesh had declared he would not use Ea, intending to crush Shirou effortlessly with the Gate of Babylon alone.

Yet now, he had been pushed to this extreme.

The boy on the screen had every right to be proud!

A mere mortal, standing against a Heroic Spirit!

"It's not over yet. Keep watching," King Arthur said calmly.

"Not over? Could he possibly turn the tables with a sliver of health left?"

Mordred and Gawain exchanged incredulous glances.

Under their intense scrutiny—

Just as the King of Heroes retrieved Ea and delivered his judgment, a figure suddenly appeared before him.

The boy had closed the distance in an instant!

In his hands was a massive greatsword, nearly two meters long.

Less a sword and more a slab of stone.

Forged from the cornerstone of the Temple of Olympus.

The very same axe-sword once wielded by Heracles!

"Break that arm of yours!"

Shirou swung the colossal axe-sword with all his might, bringing it down upon the King of Heroes in a furious strike.

BOOM!

A Noble Phantasm raised to block the axe-sword was instantly shattered.

Under Gilgamesh's disbelieving, enraged gaze, the axe-sword cleaved through his arm—the one holding Ea—with unstoppable force!

***

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