Era of Heroic Spirits: I Was Exposed by Alaya

Crack~

Tiny fissures began spreading across the Phantasm Summon card.

The overwhelming magical energy channeled from countless parallel timelines had pushed it far beyond its limits.

But it was enough.

Every version of Nameless across those timelines had lent their strength.

From being utterly suppressed by the divine being earlier, he now stood fearless—his blade raised in direct challenge.

The projected weapons, mere hollow imitations before, now pulsed with power nearly indistinguishable from their genuine counterparts.

No—they surpassed the originals!

Zzzzt~

Crackling blue arcs of magical energy surged around him, mirroring the radiant spectacle of Ramesses II's Great Lightbulb Dendera—when the Pharaoh had burned his own spiritual core to unleash that devastating attack.

This was the combined might of infinite parallel selves!

This was Nameless, surpassing all limits!

Armed with this vast, overwhelming power, he now stood toe-to-toe with a god!

...

Fuyuki Grand Hotel.

Gilgamesh, lounging in the presidential suite while watching the footage, suddenly winced as a phantom pain lanced through his elbow—as if it had been severed.

There was no injury, yet the sensation felt unnervingly real.

Staring at the golden goblet in his hand, his lips twitched involuntarily.

"My dearest friend... your next line wouldn't happen to be—'Lion King, do you have enough weapons in stock?'"

The scene unfolding before him was uncannily similar to that moment in Unlimited Blade Works when Emiya had pointed his swords at him.

So similar that it made his elbow ache on reflex!

After watching those videos, Gilgamesh had also inherited fragmented memories from parallel versions of himself—memories that made him cringe at the sheer edginess of his younger self.

Yet, he couldn't deny it: that was him.

And now, even the so-called Perfect King, King Arthur, had descended into the role of a merciless deity, arbitrarily deciding the fate of humanity.

No—she had gone even further than he ever had, personally erasing countless lives with her own hands.

Each Judgment she delivered rained golden annihilation, extinguishing untold numbers without hesitation.

Compared to that, Gilgamesh couldn't be bothered with slaughtering ordinary humans.

His plan had merely involved using the All the World's Evils tainting the Holy Grail to cleanse away the worthless dregs of humanity.

"Compared to you, I'm practically benevolent!"

Gilgamesh took a deep swig of wine, his grin widening.

"King Arthur... I do wonder how you'll react once you see this footage."

Just imagining it filled him with delight.

The Perfect King, revered by countless, reduced to a heartless executioner.

Was 'loving your people as your own children' the same as impaling Mordred through the chest without hesitation?

If that's the case, then yes—she truly 'loved' them like her own!

Swirling the golden wine in his goblet, Gilgamesh sighed.

"My dearest friend... you never ask for my help, do you?"

Even when he could have relied on Gilgamesh's power, Emiya stubbornly chose to stand alone every time.

That man, who claimed to be a lazy NEET, who insisted he didn't want to save the world...

At his core, he was still that same hero of justice who dreamed of a world where no one had to suffer.

"Too bad you forgot one thing... you are the one who gets hurt."

Gilgamesh's expression softened with something akin to admiration.

The more he learned, the clearer it became—beneath that slacker's façade lay a soul far nobler than most could ever hope to be.

His crimson eyes fixed intently on the youth in the video: "Let this king see just how far you can go!"

That was a true deity.

The very kind of god the King of Heroes despised most!

On screen.

The youth drew his sword and pointed it at the Lion King: "Just as you said, if saving humanity is evil, then I willingly embrace that evil!"

"See? You don't belong to my vision of new humanity. You're unworthy of entering my ideal city!"

The Lion King finally rose from her throne. "Behold! This is the Sea at the End! The true form of this planet when the world's skin is peeled away!"

Boom!

The entire massive palace instantly crumbled and vanished without a trace.

Just like the holy city of Camelot that had been built overnight in this desert!

This was a miracle!

This was the supreme power possessed by a deity.

After the palace disappeared.

What appeared behind the Lion King was a violently churning sea.

Strangely, it contained no water—only extremely turbulent magical currents.

This was indeed the Sea at the End of the World!

"Bullshit! What ideal city? This is clearly just your selfish desire to keep all humanity caged!" The youth mercilessly rebuked.

At this point, not just the countless spectators watching the video.

Even Mash and others present were staring dumbfounded at each other.

Truly humanity's last Master, truly the great hero Emiya, daring to openly mock a deity!

"Because of one individual's grand undertaking, the entire planet will meet its end. Human order is incinerated, human history reduced to nothingness—this contradicts my purpose."

The Lion King's expression remained as indifferent as ever. "Without humanity, gods cannot exist. Therefore, as a deity, I must preserve you at any cost!"

"Not even the Demon God King can stop me from protecting you all. Those who pass the Selection will become my most perfect collectibles! Preserved forever and ever!"

"I love humanity so much—is that wrong?"

These brief words laid bare a deity's attitude toward humanity.

Mash, Mordred and others present all looked at each other with profound shock.

Especially Bedivere, who gazed at her with pained expression.

The perfect king he had most admired and adored had become this cold, ruthless deity.

In her eyes, humans were merely collectibles—she couldn't possibly care about ordinary lives.

"Hah! Your so-called protection is just keeping humanity caged as your personal collection!"

Nameless pointed his sword at the lofty king. "The one who created this Singularity and seeks to destroy it isn't the Demon God King—it's you, the one who became a deity!"

"If you love humanity so much, why not die for humanity's sake?"

She built the holy city of Camelot, selecting so-called new humans from countless people, wanting to collect them.

But!

The world within the Holy Lance could only sustain a mere five hundred people.

While the entire world would be utterly destroyed.

Meaning everyone else in the world would die!

To protect a few hundred, sacrificing millions, billions worldwide!

Bedivere couldn't contain his anger: "My king, look at who stands before you! This is Nameless, the one who once protected and guided you!"

The greatest tragedy in life is standing right before you, yet you fail to recognize me!

For Bedivere, it was even more unbearable that the King failed to recognize Nameless than failing to recognize him.

Because Nameless had been by her side from the very beginning—from the moment she drew the sword from the stone and was crowned, to slaying the Vile King Vortigern, to the life-and-death battle at the Hill of Swords.

One could say that Nameless was the most important person to the King.

Far more important than Mordred by countless times!

Had the King not borne the duty of protecting Britain, she would have undoubtedly left with Nameless without hesitation.

But now, the King couldn't even recognize Nameless.

This meant that the one before them was not the King they knew—merely a counterfeit!

The next moment.

Contrary to everyone's expectations.

The Lion King coldly replied, "Nameless? I don't know him. I am a god. I need no one to teach me, let alone some insignificant nobody!"

A single sentence sent the barrage exploding—

-[Damn, I wonder how the real King Arthur would react to this!]

-[I dare say: King Arthur would be crying her eyes out in the bathroom!]

-[Now I finally understand why Nameless never bothered seeking out King Arthur!]

-[Uh… does this count as the most terrifying domestic abuse?]

-[Little Mordred, I support you snatching Nameless from your father—he's yours!]

Originally, the love-hate saga between the father and child of Britain had been the juiciest gossip for countless spectators.

Most had fervently supported King Arthur, treating Mordred as nothing more than a clown for their amusement.

But at this moment.

The number of Mordred's supporters skyrocketed exponentially!

Under the gaze of all.

The Lion King's holy spear gleamed with golden radiance as she mercilessly struck down at Nameless.

This was the same divine judgment that had once forced Arash to sacrifice himself.

Amidst this blinding golden brilliance.

Layers of petals suddenly materialized before Nameless.

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

Originally a shield of violet petals, the rings now shimmered in seven colors.

The golden divine judgment crashed violently against the shield.

Crack—

Under its annihilating force, layer after layer of petals shattered.

Yet.

Upon breaking the fifth layer, the attack came to a complete halt!

The Seven Rings, which should have been effortlessly crushed, had withstood the divine judgment.

Nameless, who had gathered the selves of countless timelines, had projected a shield even mightier than the original!

The fake had surpassed the genuine article!

"Oh? You do have some skill."

The Lion King regarded him with mild surprise. "A pity—it's useless. As a mere mortal, you could never harm a god like me!"

Her lofty, divine demeanor was on full display at this moment.

To her, humanity was nothing more than objects in need of her protection.

Yes—objects.

She protected humans only to ensure her own eternal existence.

From the countless masses, she would select a mere handful to preserve forever upon her shelves.

As for human will? To her, it held no meaning whatsoever!

"Then allow this mortal to slay a god!"

Having blocked the divine judgment, Nameless's magical energy surged wildly, arcs of blue lightning dancing around him.

Beneath his feet, an enormous magecraft circle unfurled, rushing toward the Lion King like a tidal wave.

Under the burning gazes of countless onlookers.

The youth once again recited the liberation chant that none could ever forget—

[I am the bone of my sword.]

[Steel is my body, and fire is my blood.]

[Unrivaled across countless battlefields]

[Yet never once tasted defeat]

[Nor ever claimed a single victory]

[Forever standing alone]

[Forging blades upon the hill of swords]

[Thus, this life needs no meaning]

[This body shall be forged of infinite blades]

***

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