Chương 22: The Calm Before the Crimson Storm

"Regulus." Gilgamesh's voice was calm, yet carried unquestionable authority. The massive Lion King lifted his head from beneath Enkidu's loose embrace, golden eyes focusing on his master.

"Yes, Master." Gilgamesh leaned back slightly in his seat, fingers interlaced as his crimson gaze sharpened with thought.

"I've been wondering… is it possible for our Balance Breaker to evolve beyond its current state?" Regulus remained silent for a moment, clearly considering the question. Enkidu tilted his head curiously while still resting atop the lion's back.

"I thought you didn't wish to rely on the Breakdown the Beast form," Regulus finally replied. Gilgamesh nodded slowly.

"That form consumes life force. It's powerful, but it's not sustainable. I'm not talking about that." His eyes gleamed faintly.

"I mean the abyss-side circuit breaker." Regulus's ears twitched. Ah. That. Gilgamesh had no intention of depending on Breakdown of Best—the form that unleashed Regulus's full power at the expense of the bearer's vitality. That path led to self-destruction, much like Juggernaut Drive. Instead, his thoughts had turned to Tobio Ikuse. Tobio's Sacred Gear had evolved beyond its original Balance Breaker, breaking past the ceiling imposed by the system itself.

If Tobio—an ordinary human—could accomplish that in four years… Then Gilgamesh, a demigod with multiple Longinus and absurd growth potential, should be able to do it in half. Perhaps even less. Hyoudou Issei had obtained multiple new forms of Boosted Gear within a single year. And if that pervert could manage it, then Gilgamesh had no excuse. Regulus slowly nodded.

"It is certainly possible. However, such evolution requires time, resonance, and extreme synchronization between user and Sacred Gear." Gilgamesh smiled faintly.

"We have time." Two years. That was his internal deadline. By then, the storm surrounding his existence would only grow larger. He would need every advantage. Gilgamesh let out a soft chuckle as he glanced toward Enkidu, who was still hugging Regulus with clear satisfaction. The Weapon of the Gods had always loved animals and divine beasts. It seemed that even legendary monsters were not immune to Enkidu's strange charm. Regulus, for his part, endured the affection with dignified suffering.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Gilgamesh had also been mildly surprised when Regulus willingly agreed to become his Sacred Gear. Perhaps the Lion King recognized something familiar within him. Or perhaps he simply preferred serving a King over wandering madly without purpose. Either way, Gilgamesh accepted it.

"Sebas," Gilgamesh called calmly. The butler entered the room almost instantly, hands folded behind his back.

"Were you able to find out what I asked?" Sebas inclined his head.

"The only information I could obtain is that there has been no change in the Vampire Faction's leadership." Gilgamesh exhaled quietly.

"I see." So Marius Tepes still hadn't made his move. That complicated things. Valerie should have already awakened Sephiroth Graal by now, especially with Gasper's escape disrupting the internal balance. Gilgamesh had hoped Marius would exploit the chaos and remove the current king, giving him an opportunity to strike amid political instability. But no. The castle remained intact. Which meant they would have to force their way in. Gilgamesh rubbed his chin thoughtfully. If only he possessed Dimension Lost.

That Longinus would have made infiltration trivial. Instead, they would rely on Sebas's Space Magic. His concern, however, wasn't the Vampires themselves. Vampires were manageable. The true danger lay in whoever might be allied with them. Rizevim Livan Lucifer. And possibly worse. Gilgamesh wasn't afraid of Rizevim. Against the Super Devil, he had more than enough counters—holy Noble Phantasms stored in Gate of Babylon, including Durandal and Excalibur.

Over the years, Gilgamesh had also acquired additional treasures through the System shop that did not exist within Fate's Gate of Babylon. Avalon. Vasavi Shakti. Kavacha and Kundala. Several divine armaments. If Rizevim showed himself, Gilgamesh would put him down. No hesitation. The real nightmare were the Evil Dragons. Apophis. Azi Dahaka. Crom Cruach. Apophis, the Dragon of Primordial Eclipse—Ra's eternal enemy—had achieved Celestial Dragon Class. Azi Dahaka required an army of gods just to seal him. Not defeat.

Seal. Another Celestial Dragon. And Crom Cruach… That one was worse. The Dragon of the Crescent Circle had defeated Fafnir, a Dragon King, then fought Ddraig himself to a draw. Not Issei. Ddraig. That alone placed Crom Cruach above nearly everything else. If Sephiroth Graal had already revived them… Gilgamesh slowly closed his eyes. Even with all his power, fighting three Celestial Dragons simultaneously would be catastrophic. If that happened, he would be forced to use Ea.

And once Ea was revealed, the entire supernatural world would lose its mind. He exhaled. No use drowning in hypotheticals. He rose from his seat. That motion alone drew everyone's attention. Gilgamesh looked at Sebas, Enkidu, and Regulus.

"Let's get started." All three nodded..... Vampire Faction Castle Infiltrating Vampire territory was infinitely easier in theory than in practice. The forest surrounding Tepes Castle pulsed with ancient magic, layered barriers, and territorial wards designed to detect intruders. Fortunately, Gilgamesh was not alone. With Sebas manipulating space and Enkidu masking their presence, the group slipped through the outer defenses like ghosts.

They moved silently through residential areas, Gilgamesh briefly noting the strange mixture of medieval architecture and modern homes. Even Vampires adapted to the times. Eventually, they reached the outskirts of Tepes Castle and took refuge inside a nearby house, quietly neutralizing the sleeping residents to prevent complications. Sebas peered through the window toward the towering fortress.

"We are ready to begin."

"Not yet." Gilgamesh's voice stopped him. Once Sebas activated his large-scale spatial manipulation, the clock would start ticking. He wanted everything aligned first. Guards might be stationed with Valerie. Marius would not leave Sephiroth Graal unprotected. And Vampires were notorious for sealing their domains tightly once intruders were detected. Gilgamesh turned toward Enkidu.

"Did you find her?"

"A dhampir. Basement level. Four guards." Gilgamesh nodded.

"Can you eliminate them and retrieve her without being seen?"

"No problem."

"And the rest of the castle?"

"Everyone sleeping." Gilgamesh released a small breath of relief. Good. Then he turned toward Regulus.

"Transform." The Lion King stood, glowing with golden light. Moments later, his massive form condensed into an elegant battle axe. Gilgamesh caught it smoothly. The weight was perfect. The balance impeccable. He rolled his wrist slightly, familiarizing himself with the weapon. Enkidu crossed his arms.

"You just want to test the axe." Gilgamesh laughed.

"Maybe." He turned toward Sebas.

"Begin." Sebas stepped forward, extending one hand. Dozens of intricate magic circles bloomed into existence around him, layered with spatial formulas and dimensional coordinates. The air warped. Reality folded. Gilgamesh watched calmly as Sebas initiated large-scale spatial displacement, isolating the castle from external observation. With a nod, Gilgamesh tightened his grip on Regulus Nemea. The hunt had begun.