Fate Val Grand Order: The Dark Saint Saga

by Alas29

Ritsuka Fujimaru was just a normal person some months ago and now he's fighting to save humanity by traveling through history. Not only that but he also encounters two kids who want to know the reason they can't remember anything of their lifes, who they are and how did they end up far from home . An alternative version of FGO Observer on Timeless Temple.

115. Lord of the Desert

Hello everyone and welcome back to the start of chapter 115 of the story! Kinda forgot to mention last chapter that the Fairy Knights (Tam Lin) event had just started, so here goes a late 'good luck and blessings' to all of your roles for Britomart (But I know many of you probably spent them on Morgan or are saving it for the LB7 cast in December)

Also, isn't funny how life sometimes plays with you? Like, here I was writting the chapter where half of it is dedicated to fight Ozymandias, egyptian stuff and even had a recent class about the Ancient Egypt in college. And who I see FGO announce as the new servant for the upcoming JP event? Tutankhamun. Seems like all the stars were alligned this week for it to happened.

But with that said, let's go into the chapter!

DISCLAIMER: All of the Nasuverse characters belong to Nasu and are property of Type-Moon, with the exception of the OC that belong to me, the author

---

"Dinner's served!" Peko exclaimed to everyone of the party as they had settled down for the night in the middle of the desert while on their way to the sun kingdom. Having been back and with Touta having parted ways with the party alongside Bedivere in order to pass crucial information to Cursed Arm and everyone else in the village, the boy saw none other but up to him the task of cooking the dinner for the group tonight. With his magic of cultivate, Peko made the ingredients grow and subsequently use them to make the dinner's dish: tomato rice with spinach and onion.

"Thanks, Peko." Mash grabbed the full plate her friend offered. Satting down near the bonfire the group had made, the shielder then proceeded to take the first bite of it, tasting the food. "Hm! It's very good!" She was pleasently surprised with the quality.

"Glad you liked it!" Peko told her with a smile as he poured the food into the next plate. "It's very motivational for me to know I'm cooking well!"

Sanzang attested to it, also seeming to have liked it. "Wow! Your food is quite delicious little one! Not yet on Touta's level but halfway there!" The lady monk praised his skills. "Continue like that and you'll reach to the same quality as his in no time!"

"Thanks for saying that too, Sanzang." Peko replied.

"So, I take it that king Arthur must have had many nights by the bonfire like this before, right?" Lancelot asked to Arthur as the Knight of the Lake sat next to the King of Knights as both were about to eat the dinner.

"You figured that much pretty right, Sir Lancelot." Arthur replied to him, looking to the flames flicker in front of them, protecting them from the cold of the night desert even if as servants, they couldn't feel normal changes of temperature. "It was countless nights that me and my knights would spent at the bonfire. Many were the memories created around it. Some that I remember more fondly than others." He said, wondering how many nights he had set up a camp? How many of those were after or before a battle?

"Pardon me if I start doing some few more questions but, were the king Arthur's nights at the bonfire the same as of our king?" Lancelot made another question to Arthur. "Since...thou and His Majesty are basically the same."

Arthur was more than willing to respond. "Well, depends on which night we are talking about. While yes, the major events in my life are an exact copy to mine, the same cannot be said for minor things. Hence why that while I might have had the same bonfire nights as your king if it was linked with a major event, the ones that were simply for respite and on some more trivial missions must have occured diferently."

"So king Arthur and my liége's lives despite being copies of each other, still have some small difference on how they were lived." Lancelot responded, having came to the conclusion that the two legendary Pendragon kings lives weren't exactly mirrored to the very minute detail even if both followed the same path in the end.

"Does that imply that your knights of the Round Table look the same as the ones of this Singularity or there is differences in them as well?" Nala asked with curiosity to Arthur as she begun to eat the dinner, sitting close with Peko, Mash and Sanzang.

"So far, the ones I've met with do look the same with the ones from my world. Bedivere, Lancelot and..." He paused when staring to Mash. "Well, the Galahad from here seems to be on a special case of his own."

"But by the way king Arthur-san spoke of him, I can tell your Galahad was also a very highly noble and respected knight." Mash replied to the King of Knights, figuring that the Galahad inhabiting inside of her wasn't much different from Arthur Pendragon's Galahad.

A gentle smile formed on Arthur's lips while remembering of him. "The Knight of Heaven. Or also, the Knight of the Shield. Rarely in my life as king, had I seen such young knight ascend on the table's rankings so fast and fairly so." The King of Knights took a bite off of his dinner. "If there was a knight amidst the Round Table I always saw with the most potential to rule Camelot as possible successor, it would be him. I could see the kingdom prosper in the good hands of Galahad."

Lancelot nodded in agreement. "There wasn't a single thing he would left pass by or go unchecked. I'd say he always had clear objectives and an unwavering mind." The Knight of the Lake's face showed a huge smile with pride. "Honestly...I must be a lucky father for knowing that my son would become one of the highest knights the king had in consideration!"

Mash was quick to ruin his mood however. "At least you had to do something useful in your life."

Lancelot smile immediatly dissapeared, replaced by a sad frown. "Harsh." It would seem Mash, or to be more precise, Galahad, wouldn't let their father forget of the fatal mistakes he commited as a knight during the time they would spend together now.

"So does that mean that king Arthur valued Galahad the most above everyone else in the table?" Peko asked to Arthur, wanting to know if Arthur happened to have favourites amongst the knights of his Round Table. The boy could not be more mistaken.

"Heheh. Not really. As Arthur Pendragon, I'm a king with no favorites." Arthur said, not because he didn't want to make any knight of his table to seem bad or out of professionalism but because he truly believed so. "Simply, each knight has certain qualities that can be put to great use depending on each situation we might find ourselves in. There will be knights that excell greatly at one thing and others who excell at other things. Every single one always brings something of unique to the table. Hence why they were a part of it in the first place."

"Does that mean...even king Arthur's son?" Lancelot said, presuming that Arthur's Mordred also ended up being treacherous like the Mordred of his king.

"Yes, even my own son. Wether they've spent mere weeks of entire years as memebers of the Round Table, whether their achievements were small or big, I shall never forget of the people that pledged their loyalty for the kingdom's prosperity and future." The King of Knight's mind went through all the knights that had came and go during his life as king. "For me, all of them are important."

"I mean, you speak as if the list of Round Table members was very big." Nala told to Arthur, being ignorant of it. "Like, isn't it only composed of twelve, thirteen knights?"

"While the nuclear and most definitive version of the table in the myths is around that number, there were many other knights with minor roles and passages on the tales that weren't as prominent as the main ones." Mash explained to Nala. "So while they might have never got a proper seat at the main table, they were still a part of it. Like a branch connected to the root." The shielder decided to give a look at her own shield. Galahad's shield. The one that also belonged to the Round Table for so long. Even if she was never present in there, the connection with Galahad made her have a sense of familiarity with the shield, wondering about the conversations and reunions her fellow knights would have around it. "The fact king Arthur-san makes sure to remember of even the more forgotten ones is a great display of your noble character."

"Hmm, but I do not understand however." Peko said, not quite grasping it. "If Arthur Pendragon is such a mighty king, why the need for many more knights besides his best?"

Arthur smiled a laughed tenderly to that. "Because, being a king isn't only about being strong enough to stand and rule on your own. Great kings exist so because of the great knights and generals that stood by their side." He said, focusing his gaze on Peko. "Remember this: a good king alone, can only maintain a stable kingdom for so long. But a good king with good companions? It can last for generations. No matter the size a vassal's contribution, each one that has been there helping and fighting counts. Which is why that as a king, you need to keep them close at heart."

"..." Peko took some seconds to take in Arthur's words, admired by the way the King of Knights structured and expressed them, having really the speech of a seasoned and veteran king. In a way, the message resonated deeply within Peko. "A good king with good companions eh? Well, truly, no nation is managed by a single ruler alone. The ones that trailed a path alongside him also matter a lot."

"And not only the more important ones but the less known as well." Sanzang speaked, being quick to finish her dish. "That is why it is important as an aspiring chronicler to write down every single detail and person we stumble upon during our journey! While their spotlight might be more of a side or minor character, they are still people that appeared and interacted in our lives, deserving to be remembered, be it with a whole page or just the small mention of through a excerpt. We should never forget of the people that we've met along the way!"

"When you put it like that, we've already met quite the handful of people throughout the Singularities already." Nala replied to Sanzang. "And funny enough, I remember of all of them! Both the people that helped us and the ones that stood as obstacles to our goals. Guess they will become memories of a long life journey I shall never forget." Not wanting to start feeling sentimental right now however, the girl proceeded to put her view on Arthur. "By the way, king Arthur. Speaking of knights of the Round Table, do you think I would be qualified enough to be part of it?"

"That's a very interesting and peculiar question you've made." Arthur smiled to Nala as the girl stood in front of him. "Well, taking what I've seen of your skills and heard of your other skills into account, I'd say that yes, I would gladly take you and decorate you as the newest member of the Round Table!"

Nala's eyes shinned like stars when the response was given. "R-Really? King Arthur sees me as worthy enough of making me a knight of the Round Table?" She got closer tp the King of Knights, a huge joy in her face. "But say, I wouldn't just be another random member in the Round Table, right? I would directly get an official seat at the main table with all of you, right?"

Now that gave Arthur more thinking. "Well...hummm. Now that is..." He gave a side glance to Lancelot as if he was asking for Lancelot to help him give an answer.

Lancelot in return gave him a confused look, not exactly knowing what Arthur expected him to reply with. "What does king Arthur wants me to say? I'm not in thy Round Table to know wether she would have a seat on it or not. Or is it supposed for me to say she would have a seat at our Round Table? Is this a way to compare the two Round Tables or something?"

"I would make the cut, wouldn't I?" Nala's enthusiasm was great as she awaited for him to answer. "I'd be on the top-ten of your best knights, wouldn't I? No! I'd be your top-five! Or perhaps top-three?"

As Nala chattered about the idea of being an oficial knight of the Round Table, Mash and Sanzang just looked at each other, both making slightly nervous smiles while hearing the girl's babble.

"Fou..." Even Fou was baffledly tired by how much Nala was joyfully speaking of such scenario.

"I'm sure I could even become one of king Arthur's best in a jiffy!" Nala smugged at the thought. "I can already imagine it! I would be known as the Round Table's little reliable knight!"

"Please. Spare me of that." Peko scoffed behind his sister while checking the cauldron of food hanged above the bonfire. "You'd have to become a decent cook first."

"What do you mean by that?" Nala turned around to her brother. "I know how to cook!"

"Yeah. You know how to create cheap immitation of food that is! Bland food if anything!" Peko replied back to her.

Nala took some offense to it, pulling an embaressing smile. "A-And? What's the problem with it?"

"The problem is that you don't put dedication to it!" Peko told her. "You don't try to comprehend the art that is culinary! There needs to be effort! Love! Care! All of those things when making food! Otherwise, it will be soulless and artificial garbage like the 'food' you create!" He speaked from the bottom of his heart with emotion, wanting his sister to understand the importance of cooking. "If you truly want your dishes to have some taste, learn how to actually cook!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

The whole group around the bonfire stood in a weird silence, finding the entire speech Peko gave to be somehow captivatingly bizarre.

"Uhmmm, okay?" Nala looked at him with a bit of a concerned smile before going to grab some more food to herself, walking right past him. "I'll give some thought to it when we return to Chaldea after this."

"Did you just ignored what I was saying?!" Peko exclaimed in indignation behind Nala as she put another chunk of food on her mouth.

"Hmmm, yesh." She replied while chewing.

Peko sighed. "Why bother? With that type of attention, I'd be a knight of the Round Table sooner than you."

"In your dreams!" Nala sneered. "Do I need to remind you which one of us has a knight armour? Where's yours eh?"

"Working for it! Also, you may had your armour but I have my prince clothes! Or used to have..." Peko muttered, being back to his old outfit from when they first arrived to the Singularity after Da Vinci gave him a new pair. "A shame really. I was getting used to that outfit." "Still, my point stands! Where are your princess clothes?"

"Hphm! I wouldn't need such thing to become a knight of the Round Table!" Nala told him.

Peko gave an annoying smirk. "Eh,why? Jealous that I had better royal clothes than you? Also, a brand new motorcycle?"

"Please, no need arguing you two! I already said that to me, every knight as value of their own! I would accept you both in my Round Table!" Arthur said with a smile, altough that smile and the soft laugh he did was a bit of embaressment at the sight of seeing the two siblings squabbling with each other. "Kids these days...The act and behave more energetic than anything."

"I think you two would make a great duo of knights if you were to become part of the Round Table." Mash giggled while looking at he twins. "Just kinda like you are right now."

With that being said, the twins stopped their usual squabble, taking in what Mash had told them.

Nala ended up smilling. "Well, I suppose that could also be true. But I'd clearly be the better of the two!...Slightly." She added, deep down not wanting to downplay the achievements her brother obtained so far.

"Yeah. I guess it wouldn't be that bad. Both our qualities put together could produce something useful." Peko thought, having also liked Mash's scenario. "Just like king Arthur said, we would be better than each other at certain things depending on the situation. But our value to him as knights would be pretty much the same. I wonder what Ritsuka thinks of that? He and Da Vinci are missing quite the dinner!"

"Now that you mention it, master and Da Vinci-san haven't return yet from checking the new ornithopter she has created." Looking forward, Mash spotted Ritsuka and Da Vinci still checking on the italian's inventor newest creation. "Oi! Master! Da Vinci-san! Are you coming?" She called the attention of both.

"The food will get cold if you don't!" Nala warned the two.

Having finished checking on a detail of the machine, Ritsuka turned his sight to the group at the bonfire. "Coming already! Just give us a few more minutes!" He said before taking back is concentration to the ornithopter. "I have to say, Da Vinci. This really seems like an upgrade from the last model!"

"Ehehe, the intention was exactly that, Fujimaru!" Da Vinci smiled at him. "It was projected with the idea of having more passengers, aerodynamic flexability and weapons in mind. Glad you seem to like it!"

Being in a happy mood, Ritsuka thought of asking something to Da Vinci. "Also, could I know if-"

"No. You cannot pilot it." Da Vinci interrupted Ritsuka's question, already forseeing what he was about to ask her. "That is out of question."

"...Okay." Ritsuka replied with some sorrow, Da Vinci not even giving him chance of having hopes up. Thus, he went back to check on the rest of the machine alongside her.

Once done, Da Vinci cleaned her face with her own arm. "And pronto! The inspection of Ornitophter Model#02: Bastinyan, as been finished!" She said, grabbing a towel to clean her hands. "Clean yourself up, Fujimaru! I bet you must be starving by now! Let's go eat some din-"

"Erm, actually Da Vinci, there is something I wanted to discuss about with you." Ritsuka told her before she could walk away and join the others on the bonfire.

Da Vinci however didn't seemed very interested in hearing it, assuming that he would try to negotiate piloting the vehicle with her. "For the last time, Fujimaru, I'm not goin-"

"It ain't about that!" Ritsuka immediatly said, gaining a look of puzzlement from her. "It's about the Chaldea Organization. About Doctor Romani." He said in a low tone, not wanting anyone else other than Da Vinci to hear it.

Da Vinci went from uninterested to curious, her eyes puzzlement growing even more. "Okay. Do tell me what is it."

Going behind the ornitophter, Ritsuka revealed to Da Vinci some other secrets he and the team had learned inside the Atlas Institute that they initially kept hidden from her and Romani when sharing their discoveries inside the place back at Lancelot's camp. This time, being more deep in the egyptian desert, the communications to Chaldea had once again been cut off, meaning that Romani couldn't listen to them, and so, Ritsuka took the chance to tell to Da Vinci about the presence of the Heroic Spirit Sherlock Holmes that revealed many things to the group as well as Romani's involvement in the Fuyuki Holy Grail War back in the day with the first director and founder of the Chaldea organization, Marisbury Animusphere.

That secret of Romani was one that even Da Vinci herself was not aware about, being as brand new to her as it was for Ritsuka and the others. Having heard all that from the last master of humanity's mouth, she finally speaked.

"How funny. I knew Romani and the first director were friends. But never that it would go that deep." Da Vinci commented, Romani having kept that secret of his involvement in the Holy Grail war concealed from her during all these years.

Ritsuka was a bit surprised with the confession. "You didn't knew? But I thought you've been in Chaldea since the very beggining. At least you must have met with the first director personally if you were summoned by him!"

"I might have been summoned by the first director, but I was in no way a part of the Chaldea Security Organization from the very start." Da Vinci clarified to Ritsuka that misconception. "Mind you that as the third Heroic Spirit to be summoned by the Summoning System of Chaldea, I only became part of the organization two years before the first director's death and some months after the experiment of fusing Mash with the Spirit Core of Galahad. All that I could remember at the time of my summoning was how inhumane and vexing the expriments conducted on Mash made me physically repugnate Chaldea as a whole. Due to the system's initial phase of instability, I could and would have abandoned the orgnization before they could even label me as an employee and third Heroic Spirit of the Chaldea Organization."

"But you didn't left." Ritsuka replied, the fact Da Vinci was here now talking to him being prove that she opted to stay at Chaldea. "Did...did Romani influenced your decision?"

The italian inventor couldn't help but let out a small smile. "He was the sole reason why I ended up staying, persuading and begging a lot. That he and all of the staff of Chaldea didn't saw themselves on the experiments the first director would do. That they all strived for Chaldea to be a keeper of peace and fighter for humanity's future. Eh, I could tell from that very second, he was a sympathetic person with loads of responsability on his shoulders. A person that wanted to compensate whatever flaws or sins he had done in the past by being a protector of mankind. He had quite a way with words that it ended up moving me in a way." Da Vinci looked up to the stars in the sky. "Average and powerless humans who still choose to fight for the greater good are fascinating. Thus, Romani ended up convincing me to stay around for good."

Listening to how well Da Vinci was speaking of Romani, Ritsuka's mind would go back on what Holmes told him about his suspicions on the doctor, finding hard to believe such a good man like Romani could have some form of ill intentions hidden from them. "But still, why he didn't told us anything? Why he didn't even told you a thing?" Ritsuka closed his hands, a bit troubled. "If doctor is indeed a good person, why does he hide so much from us at this point?" However, before he could let the opportunity pass, Ritsuka wanted to ask Da Vinci another thing, lowering his arms. "...There's also another question I want to make to you."

Da Vinci accepted. "Is it still about Romani?"

"Not really." Ritsuka responded, looking to the inventor. "During this Singularity and in one of its battles, I ended up noticing something odd about Nala. When she was using her armour and ended up getting hit, her blood was not only red, but also blue." He shared to Da Vinci what he had saw back when Nala was fighting Gawain at the day of the Holy Selection. "Yet, it is a thing that only happens when she's in that state. When not wearing her armour, Nala's blood goes back to be only red. I was wondering if you and doctor could know about it already or have an explanation for it."

"..." Letting Ritsuka finish, Da Vinci looked pensive for some good seconds, as if she was having a dilemma inside of her.

"Da Vinci?" Ritsuka raised an eyebrow at her, wondering why she was so silent all of a sudden.

The inventor's eyes then stared seriously at Ritsuka as she gave a quick glance from behind, seeing and confirming that everyone else was still occupied and enjoying the dinner. "Come here, Fujimaru." She grabbed Ritsuka by the sleeve and made him crouch down alongside her, hidding behind the vehicle so that no one could see them.

Ritsuka didn't understand why Da Vinci had done that. "H-Hey! At least warn me firs-..." But he soon understood why once his eyes looked to a small flask in front of him.

A flask containing blood. A liquid mix of red and blue. Da Vinci was holding it by the upper tipe, being very careful with it. "Here. Take a look." She said, shaking up the flask a bit, causing the blue fluid of the blood to brighten, emitting light as she passed it to Ritsuka. "Be careful to not touch the glass."

Ritsuka stared fixedly to it, now on his hand. "Is this...Nala's blood?" He asked, being so mesmerized that he ended up poking the glass with the tip of his finger, immediatly regretting as he felt a burning sensation going through his entire finger's nerves and bone. "Gah!"

Da Vinci facepalmed. "It seems sometimes you just don't hear advices, do you, Fujimaru? Better give me back before you end up dropping it on the ground."

"No! I can hold it on to it just fine!" Ritsuka told to Da Vinci, holding on to the flask, indicating that he wouldn't repeat the mistake. The master of humanity's attention went back to the flask then. "But when did you had time to get a sample of this?"

"During the examinations Nala took on the break period from your previous Singularity with this recent one." Da Vinci told to Ritsuka. "Me and Romani ended up running tests on her, remember? After Nala had achieved her 'ascension' we wanted to analyze the mana and overall biological and chemical differences of her body in her armour state compared to her normal state. That's when we discovered the anomaly of her blood and extracted a sample of it from her."

"Ah, I see." Ritsuka said, remembering that Nala had spent majority of the team's interlude time between the North America Singularity and this one performing tests that Romani would request her to do. And in a slight surge of fear and precipitation, he jumped to a bad conclusion, staring with some indignation to Da Vinci. "Wait! Don't tell me that you and Romani dared to-"

Guessing what he was about to assume, Da Vinci was quick to defend herself. "Be reasonable here, Fujimaru! We never, ever, considered doing unethical experiments on Nala the same way the first director did on Mash! I myself told to Romani if he even considered that for a brief moment, I would kill him! And Romani also expressed that he would rather kill himself than letting a micro chance of possibly hurting Nala appear on his mind. We care for her just as much as you do, so don't go jumping and rushing to assumptions like that!"

Seeing how Da Vinci got angry from Ritsuka to even think that out of them, he quickly regretted it, apologizing. "Sorry. You're right, Da Vinci. I shouldn't have let that thought come out loud."

"It's fine. I understand you didn't mean it." Da Vinci calmed down her own face, sighing. "But as I was saying, me and Romani ended up extracting a bit of Nala's blood while she was on her ascension state, coming to find how peculiar it was due to also being part blue instead of entirely red. And once we examined it, we discover how unnatural it was from any other normal blood types. It appears to be more rich in nutrients and greatly abundant in mana with modified magical blood cells, its properties seemingly contributing to an higher enchancement of one's body. And it was with that information we ended up figuring out why Nala wouldn't feel fatigued while on her ascension. Why it seemed her body didn't need neither sleep nor food to keep highly functioning, immune to possible illnesses and other harmful consequences to the body."

"Then you're telling me her body becomes one of a super human when wearing her armour?" Ritsuka replied, getting more astonished as Da Vinci would talk about the overall changes of Nala's body performance.

"Considering that would be an understatement. Nala's overall senses, dexterity, resistance, agility and versatility enchance during her ascension. Even her mana crest and the mana flowing through her veins becomes more accelerated and vibrant. It goes beyond a super human, Fujimaru." Da Vinci looked at the organic liquid inside the flask. "Without mentioning that I think there is no one else in the world of magecraft with a blood so rich and potent in mana as Nala's. And if we go by the biological connection, Peko must have it as well." Putting her hands together, Da Vinci prepared to say the next part to Ritsuka with some uneasiness on her face. "Fujimaru. Peko and Nala...it's more than likely that they are not humans."

"..." Taking some time to take what Da Vinci said in consideration, Ritsuka reflected a bit upon it before responding. "Yeah. I think it becomes more obvious the more we proceed with the journey." He said with some melancholy. "Is Nala aware of her own blood? Is Peko too?"

"Not yet." Da Vinci said. "It is an information that me and Romani both at the time thought it would be better to just confide to you and Mash for the time being. But since you are this team's leader, I suppose there's no harm if you know about this before anyone else."

"So you won't be telling Peko and Nala of their possible true nature?" Ritsuka asked to Da Vinci.

"Until they either discover it for themselves or Chaldea's order is accomplished." Da Vinci told to Ritsuka.

Taking in the answer, Ritsuka proceeded to move his gaze up and spy the others at the bonfire while behind the ornitophter. He specifically gazed at Peko and Nala precisely, watching the two siblings be playful with one another, smilling and laughing while Mash happily looked to the two nearby and Fou joined them as well.

"I need you to understand the importance of this, Fujimaru. That ancient document you've found must have already put their minds high on expectation and imagination about their past. Think on how they could react if they discover they are from a different species from us alltogether? One not meant for humanity but something way higher? There could be a possibility of them losing entirely the focus of the mission and Chaldea's main objective. And we can't risk it now that there is only two Singularities left. So for the time being, it's for the better if they don't come to know it yet." Da Vinci said it to Ritsuka as she saw the sad expression on his face.

"Yes." Ritsuka replied as he continued to stare at Peko and Nala playing. To think that they were possibly never human despite looking exactly like one. It made him wonder what they were then exactly? "Another secret the doc wants to keep secured." He said a bit downcasted, finally taking his eyes away from them. Inside him, Ritsuka was a bit anxious now that their long journey was coming to an end. What would be of Mash after that? And Peko and Nala? And what about his own life? Would everything go back to normal?

"Don't say that, Fujimaru. Romani is trully a good person with nothing but the well-being of others at heart." Da Vinci told to Ritsuka with a smile, cheering him up. "Believe me when I say he is on our side. And if there was one wish he could make, as a sort of trump card, it would be for all of you to live happy lives until the end, even if it was in exchange of his own life."

"If you say so, Da Vinci." Ritsuka said, giving a smile back to her. "I too believe that the doctor is only wants what's best for us."

Da Vinci nodded. "Exactly!" Getting up from the ground, she told to Ritsuka to give her back the flask with the blood sample after cleaning the sand off of her clothes. "Anyways, the food must be going cold by now and you better not go to sleep tonight on an empty stomach! Let's go join the others!"

"Sure!" Ritsuka told her as he also got up from the ground, their conversation having oficially ended, having discussed what he wanted to with Da Vinci. Now, he would make sure to take the rest of the night to spent time with his companions around the warm and inviting fire amidst the cold desert.

---

On the midday of the next day, the party had arrived to their destination. The sun kingdom, now looking more guarded than ever with the soldiers of Ozymandias securing the city's entrance as they observed them from the top of a dune a few meters away from the city.

"Ozymandias really made sure to secure his kingdom well." Peko noted as he looked to the heavy guarded front gates.

"Luckily for us, we can respond with the same firepower." Lancelot replied, having behind him a good size of his own troops that had accompanied the party all the way from the camp to through the desert until they reached to the kingdom.

Da Vinci looked forward to the pyramid temple that was Ozymandias residence, Ramesseum Tentyris. "The Sun King, Ozymandias, must be there inside the temple. We have to reach to the throne room at its center and confront him! His counselor, Nitocris, will most surely also be there!"

"The two are powerful servants on their own! But if majority of us fight the two while some stay behind in order to keep his men occupied, I'm sure we will be able to achieve victory!" Arthur exclaimed, railling up Lancelot's troops.

"In that case, let the Sun King's army to be mine and my men task, king Arthur." Lancelot requested to the King of Knights, deciding that he and his troops would be the ones to keep the egyptian kingdom army occupied.

"I'm still not sure if we will have to necessarily fight Ozymandias." Mash said to the group. "Remember that Nitocris wanted us to come in order to help her understand what's been happening to Ozymandias recently. So I think there is a way we could resolve this peacefully without having to fight!"

Sanzang approached her. "Look, I'm also very optimistic and pacific when it comes to not spilling unnecessary blood that can be avoidable, but look how the Sun King made sure to heavily guard his territory. If he's counting on our presence, he surely expects us to arrive him through force." The monk moved her staff, already telling that meeting with Ozymandias wouldn't be pacific.

Mash guessed that Sanzang was mostly right about it. "Well, as long as we can form an alliance with him..."

"For that we must travess almost the entire city until we reach the temple!" Nala speaked, observing the entire route they would have to cross in order to reach Ozymandias residency. "We have to be fast in reaching there! No time to waste battling whatever he will throw at us! So don't worry about all these enemies out here, Mash! If they come to fight, I'll give you backup!" She told to the shielder.

"Thank you for offering support in advance, Nala." Mash replied back to her friend.

Da Vinci mustered a warm smile as she saw Mash and Nala talk to each other like they used to once again. It seemed they were finally able to do peaces with one another. She then went to stare and speak to Ritsuka next to her. "Alright. The plan now is simple. We rush inside the temple and let Lancelot and his men deal with the enemy forces! Are you ready for it, Fujimaru?"

Ritsuka nodded. "Absolutely!" He exclaimed, everyone being prepared to storm the sun kingdom.

"Then it's time!" Arthur stepped forward, Excalibur in hand. "Do not fear and falter men!"

"Onwards!" Lancelot shouted as he pointed Arondight to the kingdom's entrance, giving the signal for the party and his small army to assault the territory, aiming to do an blitzkrieg that wouldn't give the enemies proper time to react.

"Hum? What is all this noise?"

"You're also hearing someth-"

At the front gates, the soldiers of Ozymandias had just heard the sound of thousand footsteps when they ended up catching sight of an army coming fastly on their way, being a few hundread of meters away from the entrance. It immediatly made the alarms of the Sun King soldiers go off.

"Crap! We're under attack!"

"Quick! Close the gat-agh!"

But they couldn't even had the proper time to close the gates as the entrance was completly blown out by a combined attack of both Nala and Lancelot, giving free space for the rest of the party to sprint through the entrance and proceed.

"Don't stop running everyone! Not even a look behind!" Arthur told them as they were running through the city, focused solely on reaching the temple.

Meanwhile, Nala and Lancelot were more behind, slashing down enemies, with the Knight of the Lake showcasing his swordsmanship abilities, performing such sharp cuts that took down five enemies in line with a single swing.

Nala looked at him, impressed. "His slashes look sharper than anything and quick as well! i wondered how he perfected such skill?"

"Lady Nala, do not worry about helping me! Me and my men will taje care of everything out here!" Lancelot told to her, giving cover to the girl. "The young lady's only concern is reaching the Sun King alongside the rest! I'll be fine!"

Nala complied without questioning, knowing that someone like Lancelot was able to deal with the situation by himself. "Got it!" She responded before sprinting forwards, ending up catching the group in a short time.

"There! We can already see the entrance to the temple!" Ritsuka exclaimed as he spotted the entrance to the temple a few meters away from them now.

"Watch out! From above!" Peko exclaimed to the others, gazing at the sphynxes and other type of mythological monsters appearing from the giant pyramid, coming down to attack the group and put a stop to their advances.

"Ozymandias already knows we're here!" Da Vinci speaked, seeing the enemies standing before them.

"It'd be a matter of time anyways!" Sanzang replied, about to use her staff to attack. "We can't slow down!"

"Let's deal with them quickly!" Arthur brandished his sword. "No second to waste!"

Leading the party, the two servants attacked simultaneously the wave of enemies that were barricading the path ahead of them, both their attacks resulting in an explosion that lifted up clouds of smoke, blowing away many of the enemies in front of the group.

From those clouds of dust, Peko came out with Árma Hermes, riding it all the way torwards the entrance, surprising the soldiers that were guarding it. "Here goes!" Pressing the button to unsummon the motorcycle, Peko jumped up and fired a powered up light bullet at the enemies at the same time, completly bursting open the entrance to Ozymandias temple.

"Nice one, Peko!" Ritsuka told him as he and the group runned right into the temple with Peko following shortly after.

But on the inside, the problem weren't still over for them, the giant egyptian hallways being more packed with monsters and enemies trying to stop them.

"It's almost non-ending hordes of them in here!" Mash exclaimed as she and Nala were dealing with the enemies that would appear from behind the group.

"We must keep going and push through it!" Ritsuka used one of his Command Seals to power up everyone as they travelled through the infested territory of enemies, being attacked on all sides. Mash and Nala taking care of the back, Peko and Da Vinci on the sides and Arthur and Sanzang on the front opening the way. Despite the adversity and some minutes fighting without break while running through the enigmatic maze that was Ramesseum Tentyris, they eventually found the door that lead to Ozymandias.

"There! The door to the throne room!" Arthur exclaimed, having passed through that gate before. "Everyone, get ready! We're about to see the Sun King himself!"

.

---

.

"..."

"..."

In contrast to all the frenetic chaos happening on the outside, the throne room of the pyramid was particularly calm. Neither Ozymandias nor Nitocris speaking, with the former sat on his golden throne rather relaxed, both eyes closed while the latter was a bit anxious and apprehensive, having already gotten notice of the chaldeans sudden attack to their kingdom. But still, both of them were patiently waiting.

And as Ozymandias, in all his serene and comfortable posture opened up his eyes, gazing at the gates in front, it was indicative of something. They had arrived.

Breaking the silence, a huge sound bursted as the entrance of the throne room was broken into pieces, chunks of rubble and wreckage flying all the way across the room.

"!" Nitocris instinctively protected her own face against the debris as the dust settled in and died down shortly after, proceeding to cough a bit. "K-King Ozymandias! Is the king alright?"

As she could see, the pharaoh was fine, completly unharmed by the wreckage, having not even flinched an inch, unfazed. Ozymandias golden eyes were still aiming to the path in front of him, seeing the people that came for him exiting from the curtain of smoke. He smirked, amused. "It has been quite a while, hasn't it? People of Chaldea."

"Ozymandias, we came here to negotiate!" Ritsuka exclaimed, ebing straight to the point as he stared to the mighty pharaoh in the face. "We want to form an alliance with you in order to bring down the Lion King!"

"Fuhahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Ozymandias didn't wasted much time to laugh with mockery. "An alliance? Between my kingdom and you? Don't you may think that it is a bit late for that now?"

"We've heard of king Ozymandias evacuation plans meant for the people of the sun kingdom!" Mash speaked up, confronting him. "Nitocris warned us that king Ozymandias might be thinking of doing something risky!"

"I already know of that as well!" Ozymandias responded with authority, eyeying to the counselor next to him. "Nitocris told me in advance of her aidence to you as well as the report she made."

Nitocris face was a bit embaressed, not even having the courage to stare to Ozymandias. "I-I'm sorry my king. I should have been honest with you about my sharing of information with the chaldeans."

"Excuse yourself from begging my pardon, Nitocris. I already gave you despite the unloyal act of yours." Ozymandias said, not sounding pissed or rageful at her. Dissapointed would fit more the description. "But not that it would matter much, since that at the end of the day the chaldeans and us would be sure to meet once more." Still looking to the party, Ozymandias showed them the Holy Grail in his hand. "After all, you wouldn't be leaving this Singularity without one of the main things that holds its existence."

"But it would rather seem that you are planning to make your people leave the Singularity in the near future." Da Vinci speaked up, bringing what Nitocris had told them. "I thought that the mighty pharaoh Ozymandias had told us back when we first met, that he'd be waiting for the downfall of the Lion King and the Holy City in order for us to confront you for the ownership of the grail. So why leaving now?" She asked him, guessing much likely why.

"Eh. Do not get me wrong, genius of Florence. I would continue to have liked that our fight happened at the end of this Singularity once the Lion King was out of the picture." Ozymandias smiled with some flair of egoticism, being his nature as a grandious pharaoh. "Alas, such chain of drastic events that occured as of late forced that antecipation to be rescheduled. Olgoi-Khorkhoi is dead and the Holy City suffered a massive attack from The Blight just a few days ago. It has been so much unpredicability in such short time. Who's to say that my kingdom won't be the next target? Specially now that the great sandworm as died."

"So you're going to flee with the tail between your legs now that things are getting tougher?" Nala questioned Ozymandias, causing Peko to reprimand her.

"Hey! Are you trying to provoke him or something? We're trying to get an alliance with him here!" Peko told to his sister, stating that insulting Ozymandias at this moment wouldn't be the wisest thing to do.

But despite of all his prideness as an individual, Ozymandias didn't thought great offense to it, chuckling instead. "Hehe, you have a sharp tongue girl. I'd watch it if I were you. But no, I am not running away from the difficulties that approach us. My people are because I care for their safety. And that is why, I, unlike them, must stay here. As long as the Holy Grail is in this kingdom's posession, my people won't have to fear a thing. And what exactly would I benefit from the Lion King's defeat if more dangers plague this Singularity? Don't make me laugh! Making an alliance with you is pointless! Do not dare wasting my time with it!"

Da Vinci counter-argued however. "If the idea of forming an alliance with us is so laughable and pointless to you, then why hasn't king Ozymandias disposed of us yet? Why allowing an audience with us only to say you reject that idea? Unless...you're actually considering it! May I even dare to say, accepted it?"

As his smile twitched and failed for a mere second, Ozymandias chuckled to Da Vinci, finding her reasoning worthy of some praise. "What makes you think so?"

Before anyone else could speak, Sanzang came to notice something. "On our way here, I couldn't help but to observe how this temple gives me the same vibes the Holy City did. How it was built like it was meant for something more. Something to shelter." The monk launch a stare to Ozymandias. "I deduce that all of the civillians of your kingdom are inside a safe chamber of the temple as we speak, correct?"

"Then that makes the things clear about your 'evacuation'." Arthur also speaked for the first time since they arrived to the throne room. "Your plan almost mirrors that of the Lion King. You aim to protect your people from this Singularity's inevitable ending by guarding them inside your sturdy temple. A dignified act of true uprightness as the king of the nation, being only fitting for such role. Amazing how even with all that egotistical prideness of yours, you still come out as a noble ruler, Ozymandias."

Looking down, the pharaoh smiled rather with some glee. "Ah, and of course, you also came back for a second visit, Arthur Pendragon. How has your beast hunting activity been so far? Used that gift of mine yet?"

"Still striving to find the Beast. And would the Sun King guess it? Mine and Chaldea's path ended up intertwining, so now I'm helping them." Arthur responded to Ozymandias.

"Eh. I have to say, you and the chaldeans uniting forces at some point in the future was a thing that was much likely bound to happen. But under the goal of defeating the Lion King? Why exactly does Arthur Pendragon gets from accomplishing that besides perhaps a sense of the King of Knights own pride to not let other more cruel variations of himself sully your legend?" Ozymandias pondered, then changing his gaze to Sanzang. "And the monk of Buddha, Xuanzang Sanzang. I've heard about you and your desire to travel across the entire Singularity as well. Then you must feel a bit accomplished for knowing you've reached to the most west known location possible in the map, don't you?"

"Under normal circumnstances, the king Ozymandias could say I would feel greatly achieved. But in this situation, I can't really be celebrating right now." Sanzang responded to Ozymandias, having her priorities straight.

Looking at both Arthur and Sanzang, Ozymandias decides that they could continue speaking. "Hmm, you know, by now, I would have told the chaldeans to be silent and invite them to leave my temple for doing nothing but wasting my time. But since the great King of Knights and the legendary traveller of Buddha are both in my presence, I allow the audition to continue for you two out of respect." He said, learly having some form of high regard for Arthur and Sanzang.

Meanwhile, the Chaldea team would have to just observe and let Arthur and Sanzang do the talking.

"You think they can convince Ozymandias to accept an alliance?" Mash asked to Ritsuka.

"It will be difficult, but both of them seem to have the capabilities of pulling that off." Ritsuka responded to Mash.

"Wishing for it." Peko added.

"Yeah. I don't feel like fighting after going through all those halls of monsters back there." Nala also commented.

"Quiet all of you now!" Da Vinci told to the rest of the group. "It would be too embaressing if Ozymandias catched us speaking without his permission again." She reminded them of that little incident when they visited the pharaoh for the first time, getting the whole team to shut up while Arthur and Sanzang would continue their discussion with Ozymandias.

"Why, thank you! You really are a comprehensible ruler despite of some arrogancy that I've heard about you before!" Sanzang happily thanked Ozymandias for giving her the chance to continue speaking.

"But be careful to not abuse too much of his generosity or flatter him unconditionally." Arthur warned Sanzang, saying it close to her. "You will either end up angering him for good or he will know you're not being truthful. Kings like him demand honesty from the guest as well as respect at the same time."

"No sweat! I'm aware of it." Sanzang smirked to Arthur. "I have a great tongue when it comes to diplomacy! Years of my travels gave me experience!" With that said, Sanzang proceeded to go back to speak with Ozymandias. "Now, great pharaoh Ozymandias, while I'm thankful for your generosity in letting me speak, I too must commend that selfish act of yours of guaranteeing your own people's safety just like king Arthur had previously mentioned. However, I also think that such action is selfish at the same time." She confronted the pharaoh. "Why does the great pharaoh Ozymandias prioritize only his people? Why are you opting to abandon all of the rest of humanity in exchange by refusing to fight the Lion King? Wasn't the Sun King supposed to deal with any possible threats that could put in danger the lives of your kingdom's people?" She accused Ozymandias of consciously avoiding his duty of protecting humanity by only caring about his own people.

"Hm? I thought I was already clear about that issue. But fine, I can give a more elaborated explanation." Ozymandias said a bit bothered but still willing to give a justification in response to Sanzang's claims. "Like I had stated before, defeating the Lion King would end up amounting to nothing in the outcome of this Singularity. If we put an end to the Holy City, The Blight will still be a problem. If not, then the Beast that king Arthur is hunting for will. And even then, if all those problem magically vanished from this Singularity, there is still the Incineration of Humanity of Solomon and the Man of Sin himself. And you honestly think that the Lion King getting out of the picture will somehow better the chances of survival for my people?" He raised his voice, mildly indignated on how Sanzang wouldn't fully grasp his position.

"So that is why? Sun King Ozymandias won't fight the Lion King because you believe it does not matter in the end?" Arthur asked him.

"Precisely." Ozymandias responded with seriousness. "Instead of doing something that id futile and won't result in a favourable outcome to my people, I will choose the option that does. As you already know, this entire egyptian desert isn't native to this land, being a put on layer in it. Once this Singularity collapses, I will sacrifice myself by releasing a spell that will make the entire desert and disconnect from the Singularity and then the entire world." Ozymandias revealed the plan of his evacuation. "With that my last act as the great pharaoh will have been concluded and my people's safety and survival guaranteed, avoiding whatever misery Solomon and Man of Sin will befall on the Earth."

Hearing the answer and being a king himself, Arthur couldn't exactly blame him. "Hmm, from the point of view of a monarch, it does make sense why you pick your nation's people over anyone else. Nevertheless, the fact you won't even consider to also protect other innocents that suffer in this Singularity is distressing."

"It's an act of cowardice!" Sanzang exclaimed out of nowhere, getting everyone's attention in that moment. "You and the Lion King really are cut from the same cloth! It's all about your people and only your people! Humanity and everyone else living in the planet can end that you won't even faze at the mere thought of millions of lives being lost just to preserve a few!" She pointed her staff at Ozymandias, visibly irritated. "If the O so great pharaoh Ozymandias says to be as great as it seems, then I challenge you to actually save the world by confronting the Lion King instead of seating here and waiting for the end so that only your kingdom survives!"

In the face of such disrespect, Nitocris didn't waste time to try and put Sanzang in place. "Watch your tongue, foreigner! Don't talk to king Ozymandias as if he was simple garbage! I won't tolerate such scorn directed to my ruler!"

"Why? As his counselor, shouldn't you discuss ideas with him?" Sanzang confronted her. "Or you simply just agree with his every decision without contest?" The monk ended up leaving Nitocris with no response to that.

Arthur had to calm her down. "Hey! Slow it! You cannot escalate the situation like that!"

The Chaldea team that had been watching it so far, was also left astonished by Sanzang's declarations.

"Welp, guess that's an end to the negotiations." Nala lamented. "Could've been better."

"But for Sanzang to say those things like that in front of Ozymandias...it takes some courage." Peko commented.

"Guess she was aiming for where it would hurt him the most. His pride." Da Vinci said, theorizing that by putting his pride in question, Ozymandias would be open for an alliance.

"Resulting or not, get ready for the possible battle!" Ritsuka warned them all, with Mash already with her shield in hand.

"Counting on it, master!" Mash replied.

Meanwhile, having been told such an harsh thing, Nitocris was about to approach Sanzang. "You-"

"It's okay, Nitocris." Ozymandias ordered her from his throne, surprising the other egyptian servant.

"Ah! B-But king Ozymandias, she-"

"The disposable opinion of a traveller who was never a ruler for a day means little to me." Ozymandias looked at Sanzang with a cold unsympathetic glare altough calm. It showed that he clearly felt that critique of hers despite keeping up his posture. "On the other hand..." Ozymandias glared to Arthur. "Arthur Pendragon, you are and were one for a good majority of your life. So I ask you this, from a king to another. Who would you rather save? Your kingdom or humanity?"

Having been questioned, Arthur knew exactly what Ozymandias wanted him to respond with. "My kingdom or humanity eh?" Thinking barely for five seconds, Arthur already had his answer. "As a king, the most obvious would be choosing my kingdom. And being honest, I admit that if instead of king Ozymandias of the Lion King's kingdom, it was my kingdom that was on the line here in the Singularity, I too would much likely do the same as you, not wanting to let my nation and the people I spent my whole life protecting go. So I do understand you."

Chaldea and Sanzang stared to Arthur in silence, feeling that he was indeed telling the truth. That like Ozymandias, he too could end up choosing his kingdom over all of humanity if that were the case.

Ozymandias smirked, satisfied with the answer. "Then you do compre-"

"However, there is an important detail you forgot about, Ozymandias." Arthur interrupted him, looking eye to eye with the pharaoh. "My kingdom is not here nor anywhere. My Camelot no longer exists! And I came to accept it as a thing in the past now! I moved on from that sorrow and fear! And you should as well!" Arthur said, bemusing Ozymandias. "Your reign of Egypt may have been great! All of Ancient Egypt may have! But its time has past, being history now! You are protecting people and a nation that have already lived their lives! And by doing that, you're stripping others of having a chance to continue to live theirs in the present..." Arthur gave a brief look behind to the chaldeans. "The humanity that you choose to ignore is the one where its future is yet to happen, being at stake! Your arrogant pride blinds you from seeing that! How can you be so sure that defeating the Lion King won't change a thing? That Chaldea won't give their all and save humanity in the end? And like Sanzang said, if you're such a great king, then fight for others besides your own people! Make them adore you as well!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

An utter defeaning silence dropped in the room as Arthur also, in an unexpcted turn, ended up criticizing Ozymandias comformity on letting humanity day, only caring about his kingdom. By this point, they were already expecting the great pharaoh to be furious, ready to face his rage and shouting. Instead.

"Eh. Ehehehehehe Hahahahahahahaha HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ozymandias released such loud and unrestrained laughter that legitematly sent some chills of apprehension down to everybody's spines. Even Nitocris.

"K-King Ozymandias?"

"Save the world! Yes, why not! How beautifully rhapsodic that could be!" Ozymandias continued to laugh almost maniacally. "Unfortunately, I'm a tyrannical king, mind you! I am mighty and yet powerless to prevent my kingdom from ending! You said it right, Arthur Pendragon! I simply cannot live with the fact that my lineage won't perform as great as I did! That the next generations of pharaohs won't be as blessed as I was! That only I can make Egypt prosper!" Getting up from his throne and with his staff in hand, it seemed Ozymandias was decided to battle them. "I have been bathed in both the glorious sun of Ra and the sacred waters of the Nile! My whole dinasty with successors named after me! If you have what it takes to take down someone like the Lion King then I shall put that to test by seeing if you can defeat me!"

With the fight being announced, Arthur quickly pulled out his sword. "Typical of kings like you!" Something told him that Ozymandias would never change on his ways.

"Alright! It's official! We have to fight him!" Da Vinci told to the Chaldea team, all of them getting ready.

Ritsuka said. "It was really just a matter of time."

Sanzang stood next to Arthur, facing Ozymandias at the top of his throne. "If it is to give jerks like you a lesson, then I'm on it!"

Nitocris tried to speak with Ozymandias. "M-My king, don't you think that you are maybe exaggerating a little bi-"

"Here. Take this Nitocris." Without looking, Ozymandias threw the Holy Grail at her.

Surprised, Nitocris could not believe he was giving her the artifact. "T-The Holy Grail? But why, my king?"

"The people will need a new leader to guide them after I'm gone with my sacrifice. You were a pharaoh as well, way before me." Ozymandias responded, going down the stairs of his throne while looking at the enemy. "So I believe that a ruler as experienced as you and spiritual successor of Horus, is more than capable to guide Egypt once again. Unlike me, you won't be shackled to it, being more suitable as its owner than I ever was. How much of my freedom it binded throughout my time in this Singularity."

"King Ozymandias..." Nitocris muttered as she saw her ruler reach to the end of the staircase.

"This isn't your fight. So leave the throne room and reunite with the civillians at the-huh? However, Ozymandias ended up being surprised as he saw Nitocris putting the Holy Grail right in front of him, with Nitocris herself standing right next to him.

"King Ozymandias can have it back! I don't want it!" Nitocris told him. "Nor I wish to be pharaoh again! I pledged loyalty to king Ozymandias when I was summoned here! And I'll keep it like that until the end!"

"Does that mean you're also fighting us?" Ritsuka asked to Nitocris.

"Remember what I told you back when you were about to leave the kingdom? How next time we'd meet it would be fighting one another as enemies?" Nitocris reminded them of that. "I wasn't joking about that!"

"What? You first ask for us to come here and help us understanding what's wrong with Ozymandias and only for now to fight us while taking his side?" Nala told her, incredulous.

"I know! I'm aware of what I said!" Nitocris replied. "But once again, I ended up jumping to conclusions! There is nothing wrong with king Ozymandias as he ended up explaining everything to me! Honestly, how I hate myself for lacking the patience to think more thoroughly about certain topics! Specially when being king Ozymandias trusty advisor! So I want to make up for that mistake! Deep down I could never bring myself to betray or even fight against a king as grandious as my liége! I shall not dissapoint him on that!"

Impressed at the incredible display of loyalty from Nitocris part, Ozymandias smirked as well as chuckling a bit. "So you want to serve me until my death?"

"Yes, my king! My services won't be over until the king life expires!" Nitocris replied, determinant to aid him.

"Eh! Well said then, Nitocris!" Ozymandias responded, taking back the grail. "Therefore, I shall give you a new order! Fight alongside me!" He exclaimed, both he and Nitocris now facing the party. "Let's see what these people are made of!"

The battle in the throne room begun, the entire party against the pharaoh duo, with Nala having ascended to her Kristalbllume form. Despite being in an advantegeous numerical difference and with Arthur Pendragon on their side, Ozymandias and Nitocris proved to be hard adversaries that had great fighting chemistry. Nitocris, by the usage of her mystical mirror, would summon immense egyptian creatures and spirits from the dark curtain that was supposedly the egyptian underworld. Not only that, but the woman pharaoh could also duplicate Ozymandias, reflecting his image through the sunlight inside the temple. As for Ozymandias himself, he would send numerous rays of light to rain down on the group while also attacking with his staff and summoning smaller pyramids in the room to crush them.

Thankfully, the party resisted to the numerous assaults of both pharaohs, counter-attacking them in return. The battle prolonged on and on, the victory still unclear to which side it would fall to.

"Divine King of the Burning Sands!"

"Sign of Red Dragon!"

Coming into clash with each other, Ozymandias and Arthur measured their strenghts as they put incredible effort into breaking the stamina of one another. In the end, the King of Knights was the one to get the upperhand, destroying Ozymandias defense and landing the hit, making the great pharaoh roll on the ground and hitting the stairs behind him.

"Gugh!"

"King Ozymandias!" Seeing her ruler in peril, Nitocris came to his aid, sending more spirits torwards the party as she went to help Ozymandias getting up. "Is the king alright?" She asked with concern, seeing him injured, altough she was also injured. Everyone in this fight was, being of high intensity and energy consuming. Even the great Arthur Pendragon had sustained some wounds in his body.

Back on his feet, Ozymandias took some harsh breaths as blood runned from his mouth. He couldn't go down like this. He needed to keep fighting for his kingdom. Picking up the Holy Grail that he had stored, Ozymandias looked at his own reflection on the artifact's liquid as drops of his own blood would fall on it. He got an idea.

Looking at his face, Nitocris didn't liked what her ruler could be thinking about. "King Ozymandias, what are you-"

"Eh. I don't expect you to forgive me." Ozymandias smiled to her as he purposely coughed blood to the Holy Grail, mixing its liquid with his own blood. "Arthur Pendragon! Xuanzang Sanzang! Chaldeans! Bear witness!"

"Huh? What is Ozymandias about to do with the grail?" Peko asked as they all saw the great pharaoh with the relic in hand.

"Definetly not something good! Stay alert!" Mash told to the group.

Seeing him approaching the cup to his lips, Nitocris, in an act of panic, tried to stop him. "My king! Don't-"

"This is the power of the deity that is the pharaoh!" And so, Ozymandias drinked his own blood from the grail, gulping.

Everyone watched in shock and bewilderment.

"Ozym-ghgg!?" As Arthur tried to confront him, his eyes got blasted by a powerful dark light that surged within Ozymandias, covering his entire body as the Sun King himself seemed he was about to transform into something else. Something familiar to the eyes of the chaldeans.

"He's...He's transforming into..." Ritsuka's face went to horror as he saw Ozymandias complete his transformation, no longer having his own body. Instead, he now was a Demon God Pillar.

"Transformation complete. Incarnation finished. Demon God Pillar of the Seventy-Two Demon Gods: Aamon. Representative of the Gazing Star." Completed, Ozymandias introduced himself as the new being, merged with it. "This is the demonic identity Solomon planned to infest Jerusalem with originally in the early stages of this Singularity. It has been residing within the grail during all this time! However, with my divine powers of pharaoh, Aamon is not an average Demon God Pillar like the rest you've encountered! With my abilities fused, I can grant it a new name! The True Name of the absolute deity that is venerated within this temple: Amun-Ra!"

"Crap! By giving the name of a god, it makes this Demon God Pillar here into a Divine Spirit! Da Vinci exclaimed, seeinf Amun-Ra/Ozymandias taking over almost the entirety of the room. "It makes it into the most powerful Demon God Pillar we've ever fought!"

"Divine Spirit or not, we've already fought loads of this thing before!" Nala replied, not losing hope. "We can defeat another one again!"

"I can tell the dmonic energy within that creature is off the charts!" Sanzang said, sensing the mana from it. "This one here needs to be dealt with fast!"

Nitocris looked at Amun-Ra in terror, not believing that Ozymandias transformed himself into this. "M-My king...Are you-"

"I'm sitll me, Nitocris! Worry not!" The Demon God Pillar responded, Ozymandias voice sounding in the middle of the stereo voices, showing that Ozymandias was in control of it. "Now get up! We still have a battle to finish!"

Hearing that, Nitocris felt more relieved. "Understood, my king!" She said, about to cast a skill with her staff. "No matter what happens, at the end of the day I shall always follow you, Ozymandias!"

"The Works of the Underworld God!"

Seeing Nitocris casting the spell, Arthur adjusted his shoulders, ready to restart the fight, now against the Demon God Pillar Ozymandias had turned into. "You lunatic! How much are you trying to test us here?"

With the battle continuing, the group had now to deal with the Demon God Pillar entirely as Nitocris gave it support. While all the other enemies were gone, it didn't make the task of taking down Amun-Ra any easier for them.

"It's no use! No matter how many tentacles of it we are quick to destroy, they always regenerate back as quickly!" Peko exclaimed, the group being stuck on the fight as Amun-Ra's tentacles would always regrow after having been dealt with. "We must be doing something wrong here!"

"Could it may be because of the temple?" Ritsuka wondered while on alert from any incoming attacks of Amun-Ra.

"That's much likely it!" Da Vinci replied. "If the Demon God Pillar has temporarily the identity of the god, Amun-Ra, and this temple worships him, then it must also supply the Demon God Pillar with endless resources of mana in order to regenerate no matter the damage!"

"Then it's pratically impossible to defeat it as where we currently stand?" Mash asked, realizing how that didn't sound good for them.

"Then what we should do? Destroy the entire temple?" Nala said, not having any solution to the problem.

"No! We just need to focus on the Demon God Pillar's core! It's main body!" Arthur told to the party, slicing down more tentacles. "If we destroy it, then it vanishes alongside the rest of the tentacles!"

"Then leave that part to me if you allow it!" Sanzang speaked with a smile as she stepped up and immediatly started jumping in the air, going from tentacle to tentacle while avoiding the attacks mid-air. "It's time to do some purification on those chakras!"

"Hm? What is that monk doing?" Amun-Ra/Ozymandias questioned as they and Nitocris looked to Sanzang right above them.

"Behold

the protection of Buddha!"

Clasping her hands together, a huge spike of Sanzang's mana surged into the room, a thousand heavenly hand palms appearing from the skies right above her.

"Her Noble Phantasm!?" Nitocris exclaimed in panic, instinctively putting her Underworld Mirror in front of herself and Amun-Ra as a sort of shield to protect them from what was about to come. And it would soon be proven that the mirror wouldn't make any difference.

"Five Elements Mountain: Buddha Palm!"

Stretching her arm in a praying position, Sanzang sent the entire army of divine hands to crash down on Amun-Ra and Nitocris, rainning with so much strenght that it ended up breaking Nitocris mirror and fully hit them, the absurd powere lifting up clouds and clouds if dust and rubble as it turned the entire throne room into wreckage.

Once Sanzang's Noble Phantasm was over, there was nothing left of Amun-Ra having been completly eradicated alongside a good portion of the throne room.

"I-is it over?" Ritsuka asked as he coughed and waved the dust away from his face.

"With how destructive Sanzang's Noble Phantasm was, it better be!" Nala responded, also making sure the dust wouldn't get in her eyes.

Coming down after using her Noble Phantasm, Sanzang stretched her arms. "Aah! And that was it for today's les-!" Yet, her eyes widened as she saw an injured Ozymandias roughly get up from the ground, still standing altough with some effort.

"He's still up!?" Ritsuka exclaimed in shock.

"If yes then it won't be for too long!" Arthur said, seeing how brutally Ozymandias got hit by Sanzang's Noble Phantasm. The King of Knights knew that the Sun King couldn't possibly continue fighting in such state.

Looking at the party as he tried to keep his balance and ignore the pain on his body, Ozymandias then changed his gaze to the side, spotting an unconscious Nitocris on the ground, already defeated. That was telling enough for Ozymandias, who closed his eyes for a second. "This battle is over. We surrender. You've won." He said before falling onto his knees, attributing the victory to the group.

"Mission accomplished! Ozymandias and Nitocris have been defeated!" Mash reported as she smiled. "We have proven to Ozymandias that we can take on the Lion King as well as get an alliance with his kingdom!"

"Job well done everyone!" Da Vinci congratulated the group.

"Uff, finally! This was starting to get exhausting!" Nala exhaled of relief, unsummoning her armour as she now took the time to relax.

"Leigheas!"

Doing his part, Peko used his cure spell on everyone to minimize and heal their wounds and fatigue. Even on Ozymandias and Nitocris.

As he felt the agony and ache on his body diminuish, Ozymandias noticed Arthur approaching him, offering the pharaoh an hand to get up. "That was a display truly worthy of a divine and great ruler, pharaoh Ramses II." The King of Knight said with a friendly smile.

Taking the defeat sportingly, Ozymandias smiled back as he accepted Arthur's help. "You weren't bad yourself, Arthur Pendragon." Once on his feet, the Sun King stared to both Arthur and Sanzang that was next to him. "Would you know? Perhaps I had indeed become too attached in not letting the past go that I forgot about the future that is still happening after me, unable to see the bigger picture."

"Meh! It's all alright now!" Sanzang replied to him. "The objective of lessons and teachings is to help people to perceive and recognize their own mistakes after all!"

"Does that include the beatings as well?" Arthur joked with Sanzang's Noble Phantasm.

"Depends on the situation." Sanzang was quick to respond.

Having been defeated, Ozymandias headed torwards to Ritsuka. "You, Ritsuka Fujimaru. You're the one that is known for being the last master of humanity, correct?"

Looking to the pharaoh, Ritsuka confirmed it. "Yes, I am-"

"Then take this. Only fair for having beaten me." Ozymandias showed the Holy Grail to Ritsuka, handing it to him. "I think you need more of this than me."

A bit surprised initially, Ritsuka ended up taking the grail from Ozymandias hands. "Thanks a lot!"

"That's another Holy Grail for the count!" Peko said, the party having finally obtained this Singularity's grail.

"If only now it would make the Singularity fix itself like the previous occasions." Da Vinci lamented a bit, knowing that was not the case.

"Unfortunately, in here having the grail won't do that. Like I stated before, the only way this Singularity can bes restored back to normal is by eliminating the main source that has been keeping it alive: the Lion King." Ozymandias said, the Singularity not being over until the Lion King's defeat.

"King Ozymandias..."

"Hm?" Turning around, the pharaoh saw Nitocris back on her feet and behind him, a face of guilt and sorrow in her face as she knew they had lost. "I-I'm sorry king Ozymandias. I was unable to carry out this order..."

Ozymandias however wasn't angry at all with Nitocris, instead patting her in the head in order to comfort her. "It's okay Nitocris. You did your best. As your king, I commend your duty so far for me."

"Eh. T-Thank you very much, king Ozymandias!" Nitocris said happily and sweetly to her pharaoh, before punching him straight in the face and sending his body into the ground, catching everyone else off guard. "But never in your life again try and become a Demon God Pillar in front of me! You really had me worried about your well-being there! If you do that again, I'll punch you harder next time!" She scolded Ozymandias like an older sister would with her young brother.

"A...Ah... G-Got it...Nitocris!" Ozymandias speaked with his face slammed on the ground, understanding to not make his counsellor worried about him again.

"That was rather unexpected." Ritsuka commented to himself. "But well, since we've won, this means we get to establish an alliance with the sun kingdom!"

"With that, I think we will be fully prepared for the final battle against the Lion King with a good sized army and the exra help of servants such as Arthur, Ozymandiasm Nitocris and First Hassan!" Mash made an overview of their side, liking that now with the sun kingdom on their side, the odds of defeating Artoria Pendragon were higher than ever.

"Huh? First Hassan? The Grand Assassin?" Ozymandias lifted an eyebrow with some small dread, his body feeling a chill at that moment. "You've runned into him?"

"We did. He also offered to help us in the final battle against the Holy City." Nala told to Ozymandias.

"Hmm, I see..." Ozymandias said, his eyes not seeming very happy, if not, apprehensive.

"By your reaction, it seems you've already encountered with First Hassan before, haven't you?" Da Vinci asked him, judging by Ozymandias face.

"Now that I remember about it, during out first audition, you did mentioned how a certain 'dreading skull head' was the reasong for you to always stay in this temple." Arthur speaked. "Were you referring to the Grand Assassin?"

"Yes, king Ozymandias, has indeed met with First Hassan before." Nitocris responded for the pharaoh. "But it isn't an event he remembers with rather fondness. So I'd say for you to not bother king Ozymandias with that ques-"

"No it's okay, Nitocris. I'm fine with telling them how my encounter with First Hassan went." Ozymandias told her.

"S-Sure king Ozymandias! As the king desires!" Nitocris changed opinion. "Aaaah! Once again I act and speak before giving more thought to it! You have to fix that, Nitocris!"

"Then how did your metting with First Hassan went?" Peko asked to Ozymandias, curious.

"Some couple months ago, shortly after I left the crusaders and created my own kingdom of Egypt, I was aiming with the ambition of expanding the desert across the entire region. At the beggining, things were going well." Ozymandias recounted to them of the experience. "However, when I ended up reaching to the territory of the mountain people and fight against them in some battles, that's when he appeared to kill me. One night, as I was returning back to my throne after another campaign against the mountain people, the First Hassan ambushed me, appearing as quickly as he dissapeared that I didn't even had the time to react as I felt the sharp blade of his weapon running through my neck, decapitating me before I could even understand what happened."

"Then how exactly are you here and alive if that's the case?" Nala asked him.

"Luck. I was just lucky that First Hassan attacked me inside the temple, my connections with it guaranteeing me with great levels of mana, hence why I was capable of avoiding death, my wound slowly regenerate." Ozymandias said while poiting at his own neck. Specifically the area where First Hassan had cut him. "However it was a hit from which I never fully healed. If I were to exit the temple now, my head would separate totally from the body and then I would die for good."

"Oh! So that explains it why we saw your head slipping off during our first meeting! Peko said, remembering of thar peculair moment. "It was First Hassan who caused it on you!"

"Indeed." Ozymandias responded, wary of First Hassan. "A servant like him, is to always be careful with as you never know when or where he could appear next. He is solely the reason why my kingdom and the Lion King's kingdom never went to war in the first place. Just the fear he can induce in someone was enough for me to never attack the mountain people again and stop my expasionist plans." Ozymandias chuckled. "Sincerely, a figure like him does look to demand high respect. If I knew since the beggining that you were affiliated with First Hassan, I would've accepted the proposal of an alliance from the get go."

"So you're saying we could've avoided all this if we just told you about First Hassan?" Nala replied, perplexed. "You can only be mocking with us!"

"Still, even if you cannot exit the temple, you'll still help us with your army, right?" Ritsuka asked to Ozymandias, just to be sure.

"Correct. Altough I may not directly participate in the battle, I will make sure to lend you control of our myhtological beasts and sphinxes." Ozymandias guaranteed to Ritsuka. "If there's a thing I do not like is kings that don't maintain their word! And I always maintain mine! Hence why, Ritsuka Fujimaru and Chaldea, from here on, you can count on the sun kingdom's help on the decisive battle againt the Lion King and the Holy City!" He announced.

"It's good to be on the same side again everyone!" Nitocris smiled to all of them. "We will make sure to aid in whatever way possible in order for humanity to have a future!"

Smilling with joy at the two egyptian servents, Ritsuka was more than glad to make the alliance official. Now, they had the enough man power to realistically have a chance and bring down the Lion King and her plans, ending up shaking Ozymandias hand. "We're thankful for the cooperation!"

To be continued...

---

And that was all for chapter 115!

Important stepping stone of Camelot finished as we're heading nearby to the final stage of this Singularity!

Also, keeping it on the chapter's theme, here's a fun quizz for you reader: How old is Nitocris compared to Ozymandias? Mind you that she came from the 6th Dinasty and Ozymandias from the 19th. So think about the gap of years and dinasties between the two. How older is Nitocris in relation to Ozymandias? Some, if not many of you, will probably say like, 200 years, 300 years, 500 years,

But nope. Not even close. Just to have the notion of how big Ancient Egypt history is and its time when compared to our modern history of today, Nitocris is around 900 years older than Ozymandias! 900! Like, to Ozymandias, Nitocris is what a king from 12th century Europe would be for us. If Ozymandias had an anime where he was the protagonist, Nitocris would basically be the super mega youtful looking granny that was resurrected in order to help Ozymandias administrate Egypt during his reign.

But yeah, I just thought this was a cool thing to think and wonder about on how big time itself is, specially when analyzing periods like the Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Anyways, that's all I wanted to say and see you next time on chapter 116! Peace!

Nala (Feeling the temperatures of the winter arriving): Aaah! It's getting so cold now! I have to find a way to keep myself warm! (Ends up spotting someone in the distance, smugging once she sees who it is) It will do.

Ashwatthama (Whistling normaly while heading to his bedroom before feeling something grabbing him by the torso): H-Hey! What the hell is th-uh?

Nala (Hugging his torso while feeling the heat from Ashwatthama's body): Hummm, so wam.

Ashwatthama: Eeh?! Oi! Get off of me now!

Nala (At peace): Can I stay like this until happy new year is over?

Ashwatthama (Blushing from embaressment as well as annoyed): Dont you have an AC in your bedroom?