11 Chapter 11: Reunion of Kings

Itadori and Saber were talking on the castle's rooftops. - "Man... What was that golden light?" - asked Itadori.

Saber turned to the boy. - "It's my Hougo, actually, just a little glimpse of him." - said the girl with golden hair.

"Hougo? What is this?" - asked the boy. - "Hougo is a special ability that every servant has, including you." - said Saber.

The pink-haired boy looked up at the sky thinking about what Saber had said. - 'So it's like a domain expansion... So I have this?! I confess that when I fought Assassin, I felt like I could use something inside me... what was it?' - thought Itadori.

Itadori stands up and looks at Saber. - "I need to see Iri." - said the boy. - "Iri? I didn't know you gave people nicknames." - said Arturia, laughing.

"W-well... It's a thing of mine." - Itadori said, laughing alongside Saber. - "As I said, I need to see Iri. Even though the enemy is gone, I can't leave her alone again." - said the boy.

Saber nodded in agreement. - "That's right, don't leave her alone. I'll keep watch here... One more thing, Yuji Itadori." - Saber said, looking at the boy seriously.

Itadori was even startled by Saber's change in expression. - "We cannot weaken now. With Assassin's death, the war really began today. One mistake of ours could have jeopardized our entire plan and we would have lost the war right from the beginning. Therefore, we will be more cautious so that this does not happen again.... Understood?!" - Saber said, speaking with authority.

'Arturia really behaves like a King...' - thought Itadori. - "You're right, I let my feelings take over my reason, I promise this won't happen again." - Itadori said, bowing.

"Yuji, I may have been a king in the past. But you don't need to treat me like one now." - Arturia said, smiling at the boy who accepted her request. Itadori smiled back and left.

The boy walked around the castle in search of his master, Itadori felt where his master was and went to her. Itadori finally finds Irisviel seeing the wreckage caused by the Lancer's master. - "It looks like we need a new base..." - Irisviel said, speaking to herself.

"Iri! - Itadori said, drawing Irisviel's attention. - "Hello, Itadori!" - Irisviel said. The two walked through the castle full of debris. - "This place is a mess... " - Itadori said, starting some topic.

"Yes... It's too destroyed. Kiritsugu and Lancer's master made a big mess here." - said Irisviel, who seemed bothered by something.

Itadori noticed. - "Did something happen? You're too quiet..." - said the worried boy.

"Well... I tried to sleep today, and I ended up dreaming about you again." - Irisviel said with a sad look.

"Did you dream about me?" - Itadori asked. - "I'm sorry what happened to you, Itadori..." - Irisviel turns to Itadori and hugs him.

"But that's why we're in this war, we want good. Using the holy grail we can prevent what happened in Shibuya and Shinjuku." - Irisviel said, still hugging Itadori.

'So she saw everything that happened to me?...' - thought Itadori. - "No need to worry...-" - Suddenly, Irisviel feels a strange presence.

A loud crash of lightning is seen through the windows. The girl with snow-white hair ends up falling to the ground in fright. - "What was that? Is someone else invading the castle?" - Itadori said worriedly.

Saber quickly arrives at the place where Irisviel and Itadori were. - "Irisviel, Yuji! Are you okay?!" - said Saber.

"They waited for Kiritsugu to leave before attacking." - said Irisviel. - "Today really isn't our day..." - said Itadori.

"That lightning, and that frontal attack... The enemy is probably... The Rider." - said Saber.

Rider arrived with his cavalry at the gates of the already destroyed Castle. - "STOP!" - Rider said ordering his horses. The three arrive at the castle entrance and find Rider.

Rider was wearing...a kind of funny shirt, but he didn't seem to mind. - "Hello Saber and Scar Boy!" - said Rider as his scream echoed throughout the castle.

"I came because I wanted to see your castle. It looks a little dark..." Rider said.

'He keeps calling me that...' - Itadori thought. - "As you can see, we are renovating our house... And thank you for destroying the main gate." - Itadori said clearly being ironic.

Rider was quiet for a few seconds, but he didn't even hold back and started laughing uncontrollably. - "In my defense, I was already like that when I arrived. Now tell me, why are you dressed like that?" - said Rider.

"Rider, what are you doing here?" - Saber said a little apprehensively. - "Can't you see?" - said Rider, taking a huge barrel. - "I came to drink. What else would it be? Don't just stand there and show me around. Surely you have a garden suitable for a banquet."

"He invaded our base just to invite us to... Drink? No wonder he's the King of Conquerors." - Itadori said, making a joke without realizing it, which works, since Irisviel ends up laughing a little.

Then the servants sat in a garden full of sky-blue flowers, which practically glowed in the darkness of that vast night.

Saber and Rider were sitting in the center of the garden, while Itadori, Irisviel and Waver were watching the two kings talking. Rider opens the barrel full of wine for the two to drink.

The King of Conquerors is the first to drink. - "They say that the worthy one is destined to hold the Holy Grail, and the battle here, in Fuyuki, will determine who that person is, but... If it is simply a way of deciding, then it is a pretty weak reason for an outpouring of blood. If everyone agrees on a classification of heroic spirits, then the issue will be resolved." - said Rider, giving Saber some wine.

After drinking it, Saber simply hands it back. - "For starters, do you want to compare levels, Rider?" - Saber said, a little irritated.

"That's right. As a pretender to the title of king, you cannot refuse this opportunity. You can consider this the Holy Grail Dialogue instead of the Holy Grail War. It will become clear as we drink." - said Rider.

"What are those two talking about?" - Irisviel said to Itadori. - "I don't know... They must be talking about something about Kings or something... We need to keep an eye out to see if he's not going to use some cheap trick to attack us." - Itadori said, well prepared for the situation.

Until a familiar figure appears. It was Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes. - "That's nonsense, mongrels." - said the boy in golden armor, walking towards the other kings.

'I didn't even feel your presence!' - thought Itadori. - - "Archer, what do you plan to do here?" It said Saber.

"Ah, I saw him in town, so I thought I should invite him too. You're late, Golden Boy. Well, I guess there's a good reason." Rider said.

"So you've decided to have a king's feast in this depressing place? How will you make up for the insolence of calling me here?" Said Gilgamesh with disdain.

"Never mind. Take it, start with a drink." - Rider said, handing the wine to Archer.

"What kind of cheap drink is that?! It takes a wine novice to believe that this is good enough, Mutt." - Gilgamesh said, summoning a portal with a golden cup. - "See and learn you fool. This is the drink of a king!" - said the King of Kings, summoning another portal with three golden cups.

The two servants drank Gilgamesh's wine, and both enjoyed how appetizing it was. - "My treasure houses hold only the finest drinks and swords." Said Gilgamesh. - "To begin with, the Holy Grail should already be mine. All the treasures in the world, without exception, have their origins linked to my house of treasures."

"So have you ever held the Holy Grail? Would you know it just by seeing it?" - said Rider. - "No! Do not compare me with you, an inferior being. The amount of riches among my treasures has long surpassed my own knowledge. But if it is a treasure, it also means that it belongs to me. And anyone who dares to touch him, he's nothing but a thief."

'This guy is too arrogant, not even Sukuna was that annoying.' - thought Itadori.

"Your words are no different from Caster's insane rants. It seems he's not the only Servant who's gone crazy here." - Saber said after drinking his wine.

Gilgamesh seemed irritated by the way Saber spoke about him. - "Calm down, let's not exaggerate... Hey! Scar Boy, come here!" - said Rider trying to calm the situation.

Itadori goes to the center of the garden to meet the kings. - "I saw that you defeated the Assassin, it seems that you finished the work of the King of Heroes, doesn't it?" - said Rider laughing.

"Tell me, mongrel. Do you happen to call yourself a king like these fools?" - said Gilgamesh arrogantly. - "No, I was never a king." - Itadori said indifferently to the King of heroes.

"Would you like some wine, lad?" - said Rider. - "No thanks, I don't drink. I'm too young to drink." - Itadori said. Rider started laughing at the boy's response. - "But boy, you're a servant now. There's no such thing as a drinking age." - said Rider.

"At least you now know your true hierarchical position. Just get out of here, Humbug." - said Gilgamesh, expelling Itadori. - "No no, leave the boy alone. He is part of this war, let's all talk about the Holy Grail. Are you saying that we only need your consent if we want the Cup?" - Rider said.

"Exactly! But I have absolutely no reason to bestow such a gift on mutts like you. Only my subjects and my people are worthy of my compassion. In other words, Rider, if you submit to me... I can let them have a glass or two anytime." - said Gilgamesh.

"Sorry, but that's out of the question." - said Rider laughing. - "But Archer, you have no interest in the holy grail itself, do you?"

"Of course not, I just want what's mine." - Said Gilgamesh, drinking his wine. - "I see... But I want the Cup so badly that I can't help myself. It's my style to simply take what I want. After all, I am Iskandar... King of Conquerors." - said Rider.

"It won't happen..." - said Gilgamesh. - "So it looks like we'll have to resort to combat... Why don't we finish drinking that wine?" - said Rider.

"King of Conquerors, have you agreed that the real owner of the Holy Grail is someone else, so you will take it by force? What makes the Holy Grail so important to you?" - said Saber.

Rider already seemed to be a bit affected by the drink, but he still decided to speak. - "I want a true incarnation." - said Rider.

"Huh?" - The three servants said at the same time. - "Hey, your goal shouldn't be world conquest-" said Waver, going up to Rider, who then flicked him and threw him away.

"Idiot. What's the point in letting a cup conquer the world for me? Conquest is a dream I entrust to myself. All I want from the Cup... It's the first step in that process." - said Rider.

"So you want to conquer the world on your own?" - Itadori said. - "Exactly! Even though magic allows us to emerge in this world, in the end we remain Servants. I wish for a rebirth as a complete human. That is the true meaning of achievement." Said Rider after drinking some more wine.

"I've made up my mind, Rider. I must kill you." - said Gilgamesh. - "There's no need to say that now... And you Scar Boy? What will you do with the holy grail?" - said Rider.

'I thought a lot about it...' - Itadori thought. - "I wish everyone to have a dignified death." - said Itadori. Everyone was confused by the boy's response.

"A dignified death? What does that mean, boy?" - Rider said trying to understand the boy.

"Where I came from, I saw everyone with whom I cared to die. I'm a Jujutsu sorcerer, my duty is to kill curses, unfortunately, the curses have gained such a great force that they even plagued their whole Japan. So I want the curses cease to exist. " - Itadori said seriously.

"HMPF ... what a mediocre desire." - Gilgamesh said disdaining Itadori's desire.

"Curses is it? ... I have never heard of that. What were you?" - Rider said.

"I'm a servant of the future." - said Itadori

"A servant of the future is ... Tell me, what would be a dignified death to you?" - Rider said after drinking another wine.

"When I said that everyone should have a dignified death, I mean I don't want anyone to die because of these curses ... I've lost enough friends to make that decision." - Said Itadori.

"So is that your decision?" - He was still Rider.

"Once, my grandfather told me not to die alone, and that it was to die surrounded by people I love. But it seems that I could not fulfill ..." - said Itadori closing his fist. "Getting the sacred chalice, I will save many lives, many!" - The determined boy spoke.

Rider had not said a single word after his words said, Bructamontes turned to Saber and asked his question. - "And you Saber, why do you want the sacred chalice?" - Rider said.

Saber did not require when speaking. - "I wish for the salvation of my homeland. With the mechanism of omnipotent desires, I must prevent the destiny of destruction of Brittany." Said Saber.

Rider's expression changes, becoming more serious. - "Hey, king of the knights. Did you just say that you want to change your destination? That means you both want to change the story ..." - said Rider.

"That's right. Even if it's a desire that only a miracle won't be able to accomplish, if the sacred chalice is really omnipotent ..." - Saber is interrupted by Gilgamesh's laugh.

"What's the fun?" - Itadori said annoyed by Gilgamesh's lack of education.

"She considers herself a king and is idolized by everyone as one ... And yet she laments for it? How can I keep a serious face? You are pathetic." Gilgamesh said laughing even more.

"Don't you really mean that you would erase the marks you left in history?" - Rider said.

"Is what I want!" - Said Saber - "But of course!" - said Itadori.

"Why does it bother you? The country that gave me my sword, which I offered my life, was destroyed. Why would it be strange for me to find it sad?" - Said Saber.

"I see no problem saving lives. I never wanted to become what I am today." - said Itadori.

Gilgamesh was still laughing.

"What is so funny, Archer?!" - said he knew annoyed.

"You don't understand... if anyone regrets his government or its conclusion, that person is nothing but a fool. I would say he is much worse than a tyrant." - said Rider.

"What?" -Itadori said.

"Iskandar, his kingdom ended with his heirs murdered and his empire was divided into three parts. Don't you regret that end?" - said Saber.

"No!... If the end was caused by my decisions and the ways my subjects lived, then their destruction was inevitable. I must mourn. Weep. But I must never regret it. That goes for you too boy, your look is of a warrior, but he's still stuck in the past. Trying to fix the past only makes things worse!" - said Rider irritated. - "Such an act would mock all those people who fought with me!"

"If I rule a nation like a King, I cannot ask to live like a person." - said Saber.

"That's not how a person should live..." - Rider said almost to himself.

"King of conquerors, you seek the Holy Grail only for your own benefit. You would never understand... You who became a ruler just to satisfy your never-ending greed." - said Saber.

"A king without greed is worse than a representative! Saber, who would want such an end? A king must be more greedy than anyone. He must laugh louder and be more nervous. He must exemplify the extremes of all things, good and bad. The justice and ideals you carry may have actually saved your nation once, but... I'm sure you know what happened to those who were saved but left alone." - said Rider.

"What?" - Saber said, remembering his past as king. A bloody battle, where only one living soul remained, herself.

"You saved them, but you never guided them. You never showed them what a King should be like. You abandoned them and remained alone, that... You're not a real king. You're just a little girl." - said Rider. Saber just didn't know what to say, she looked scared.

"And you boy, you disappointed me. That's not how a warrior should think! The past is gone and even if you're in it, it won't be you or the Holy Grail that will guide the destiny of the world." - said Rider.

"What are you trying to say, Iskandar?" - Itadori said.

"The dreams you spoke of are a curse in themselves..." - said Rider, getting up and summoning his cavalry. - "Don't disappoint me again, Scar Boy." - Rider and his master climbed into the cavalry and left.

"You don't need to listen to him. You're right, follow the path you believe in. Your sufferings and problems... It's you who carry it all. It's even beautiful to watch." - Gilgamesh said, laughing and then disappearing.

"Saber, Itadori..." Irisviel spoke, approaching the two.

"I remember. Once a knight left Camelot, saying that the King didn't understand how others felt. Maybe, those thoughts were shared..." Said Saber, saddened.

Itadori didn't know what to do to cheer her up, so he didn't do anything.

Itadori didn't know what to do to cheer her up, so he didn't do anything

'I'm torn apart... Am I so stuck in the past Like this?... Maybe he's right...

My wish is a curse."

End of chapter 11