Shinji Matou at Your Service-Chapter 925 - : Another Familiar Face

What choice should she make?

Should she follow her family's wishes, and her father's legacy, and walk down the path set by others?

Or should she throw all of that away and carve out her road?

Should she become the mongrel Gilgamesh spoke of?

Or should she be a real person, someone who has found their direction?

I—

What should I—

What should I do?

Rin asked herself.

After taking a deep breath and clearing her mind, the answer came naturally. It was unexpectedly simple.

"I'm going to beat that guy. I'm going to punch him hard in the face and see if he can still keep smiling!"

Rin declared while waving her fist in the air.

"To avenge Tokiomi?"

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Gilgamesh asked with his usual half-closed eyes.

"That's part of it, but mostly it's because I want to. Every time I see that smiling face of his, it annoys me! All that politeness, acting sunny and responsible, being better than me and telling me I should learn from him. Ugh, it's so irritating! It's all fake—especially since Sakura likes him so much! I'm her sister, her real sister, with the same father and mother!"

By the end, Rin was practically shouting, her rare emotional outburst making her more passionate than usual.

"Hmph, you finally admitted it. While your jealousy is rather ugly, it's still better than pretending to be graceful," Gilgamesh said.

"Don't get the wrong idea, Archer. I'm not planning to give up on the Tohsaka family's wish. I'll achieve it in my way."

Hearing Rin's stubborn declaration, which sounded a bit like a denial, Gilgamesh let out a hearty laugh, even more delighted than when Shinji had sung "I'm going to blow up the school."

"Good, that's the answer I wanted to hear. The difference between a person and a mongrel lies in whether they choose to take action or simply drift along. Only those who choose can be worthy of using my power. Rejoice, Rin, for I will now assist you in earnest."

"You better keep your word."

"A true king never goes back on his word."

"A king, huh... What kind of king stands on a wall while riding a motorcycle?"

"Royal dignity has nothing to do with posture. A true king doesn't care about how others see him."

"What I mean is—aren't you tired of balancing on that bike?"

"Now that you mention it..."

Gilgamesh shifted slightly, "But that's irrelevant. What matters is that I find it enjoyable. During the last Holy Grail War, I raced with the Queen of the Land of Shadows and the King of Conquerors. Once I find a suitable track, I'll challenge her again."

"A bike race between kings? You kings sure have some strange hobbies," Rin remarked.

"The King of Conquerors you're talking about—is that the Macedonian king who marched from Europe to Asia, Alexander the Great?"

"That's right. He's a thief I acknowledge, a rival worthy of drawing my treasures. Until the end, he stuck to his way of kingship."

When speaking of the King of Conquerors, Gilgamesh showed the same respect he had for Scathach.

"So, you drew your treasures, meaning you fought?"

"Of course. His kingship is built on conquest and plunder. He set his eyes on my treasury, so naturally, I punished the thief. But I did promise him that no matter how many times he challenged me, I would welcome him... What's with that look?"

"Nothing, it's just surprising to see this side of you."

"Everything fades before my brilliance. The fact that you realize this now shows you've grown."

Gilgamesh, smug as ever, brushed his golden hair, causing it to gleam so brightly that it almost blinded Rin.

"Ugh, he's doing it again. I'm such a fool for being surprised—huh? What's that?"

Turning her head away from Gilgamesh's dazzling display, Rin noticed something strange in the sky. On the other side of the heavens, where the stars were faint, the sky suddenly lit up for a brief moment. Though it was fleeting, Rin was sure she hadn't imagined it.

Then a rumbling sound reached her ears, and combining that with the flash of light she saw earlier, the answer became obvious.

"Thunder? But at this time of year? The weather report didn't mention any rain today. Could it be—"

"It's caused by a Servant."

Archer, being one of the best in terms of vision, could see more than Rin, who could only make out a vague outline.

"That familiar sense of ambition... No doubt about it... Let's go, Rin."

"Go where?"

"To greet an old rival. Hmm, this distance is a bit much for the bike. We'll use this."

In the next moment—

A massive treasure appeared in the middle of the ravaged field.

It looked like a ship, yet resembled some kind of fish or insect, a fantastical flying vessel.

Its name was Vimana, one of Gilgamesh's treasures, an aircraft from mythology capable of traversing the skies.

"This is... a spaceship?"

Rin muttered.

"You even have something like this?"

"There's no time for your astonishment. Get on. We're leaving immediately."

With that, Gilgamesh dismissed the bike and took the single golden throne at the center of the ship.

At the same time, winds gathered around the ship, whether from its natural functions or other treasures.

The winds wept Rin up, carrying her to the rear of the ship. Before she could fully steady herself, the golden vessel shot up into the sky at incredible speed.

The surface of the ship was smooth, without any railings or handholds, and Rin almost got thrown off by the inertia. Fortunately, her years of training in martial arts allowed her to stabilize herself instinctively, avoiding disaster.

"Are you trying to kill me?!" she shouted once she regained her balance.

"Your reaction was too slow," Gilgamesh said calmly.

"Tokiomi handled it much better. When I fought in the air, he stayed composed the entire time."

Hearing mention of her father, Rin fell silent.

"Get yourself together. The enemy will be upon us soon," Gilgamesh added.

Despite her complaints, Rin quickly adjusted her stance and breathing, casting defensive and balance-enhancing spells on herself.

Soon enough, the attack came.

Wild winds, lightning from the sky, and flying beasts made of nothing but bones swarmed them.

Yet none of these touched the ship. Gilgamesh deployed over a dozen defensive treasures around it, perfectly deflecting and destroying every attack.

When the last flying beast was shattered, the King of Heroes left his throne and confidently walked to the bow of the ship.

Meanwhile, the ship began descending slowly, and only then did Rin realize where they were.

They had arrived in a forest on the outskirts of Fuyuki City. In the middle of the forest, a campfire blazed, and several tents had been set up, resembling a camping ground.

In the center of the camp stood several people, both men and women, young and old, but the most striking figure was a giant clad in a red cloak, with an overwhelming physique and muscles.

The giant returned Gilgamesh's gaze with equal pressure, his look almost rude, yet Gilgamesh, rather than getting angry, met the challenge with his flawless poise.

"Are you ready to challenge me again, King of Conquerors?"