Chapter Text
1999, under a downtown subway in Tokyo
Saber tried and failed to locate Berserker’s master, Ayaka Sajyou will not survive for much longer without a cure or healing. The girl being poisoned is affecting Arthur’s capabilities, and he is already weary from his search. He turns to face a powerful presence who could only belong to one being, who he already faced twice. Walking over to one of Tokyo’s subway platforms, he finds Archer standing there with his usual smirk, his hands in his pocket.
Archer: Long time, no see Holy Sword wielder. It’s been 7 days since we last met.
Saber does not respond, remaining silent as he just continues looking at Archer with a determined expression
Archer: Don’t look so crestfallen, Saber. Smile a bit, you have the gift of greeting me once more. Besides, the Goddess of Victory only shines for those who enjoy even the worst situations. Even when one’s master only has a day left before they die, to face me is an occasion worth smiling for. If not, then they deserve to be trampled upon.
Saber narrows his eyes, refusing to speak again. Archer clicks his tongue in feigned annoyance
Archer: How boresome. And to think I thought of you as a warm and welcoming man. Such a waste of good looks.
Saber:... And the pot calls the kettle black. You should stop blathering so much, one can only be so undignified.
Archer gives a smile filled with joy as he begins walking a bit to his right, Saber mirroring him on his platform
Archer: How rueful of you, I already have worked on that bad habit, same as squandering a fortune for pointless knick knacks. Though, you should be careful with pointing that out.
He pulls his left hand out of his pocket, revealing a small glass with some sort of liquid inside of it, Archer almost waving it at Saber who glances at it then back to Archer.
Archer: Such worthless items are abundant in my treasury, such as this. I know not what poisons afflict Ayaka, however, this is able to cure any and all poisons in the world.
Saber’s pupils suddenly darken, as he turns his eyes back to the small glass bottle. His objectives have changed. Archer turns his eyes to Saber’s, giving a smirk.
Archer: Like the coward that he is, my master wanted to simply let you and Ayaka be, let poison do the work and be done with it… Such a hopeless man, he does not understand that fighting someone, wanting to kill them from the bottom of their heart is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Wouldn’t you say, Holy Sword wielder? It’s not often that I face one as disgustingly formidable as you, no amount of gold would ever compare.
He stops in place, turning to directly face Saber head on, the latter doing the same. A dark determination on his features, yet he remains quiet, focused. All the power he originally saved to take on Berserker if needed now being focused elsewhere.
Saber:... And?
Archer holds up the vial, having a firm grip as he continues smirking at Saber.
Archer: If you want it, then you’ll have to take it.
A silence fills the empty train station, engulfing the area. Saber and Archer continue looking at one another, as a train is heard approaching. It passes by, Saber and Archer continuing to look at one another as they arm themselves and are battle ready. Determination, duty, and grit is present in Saber. Ambition, pride, and ego is present in Archer. Soon, the train is long gone, as Archer tosses the glass bottle at Saber. He runs to try and grab it, as Archer suddenly grins as he charges in with his dual golden straight swords. A clash, the glass bottle flying away from the winds produced as the battle between the first and third ranked servants erupts. Saber takes an early lead, beginning to push back Archer with a feint, parry, riposte, and several tight calculated swings. Archer maintains his defenses, using structure to mitigate his lesser leverage, and otherwise twisting his body to avoid any damage.
This exchange continues, the scrapping of metal overpowered by the sound of their heartbeats and thoughts. Archer avoids prematurely reaching the wall by heading down some stairs as Saber jumps into the air and attempts to cut him down, the dual blades of gold meeting Excalibur as Archer suddenly pushes him to the side. Right when Saber lands a few meters away, he puts up his guard, Archer slamming down with his swords. Saber launches him to the ceiling before he can land, only for Archer to push his legs against the roof hard as it breaks apart. Saber sidesteps, avoiding the slashes that were sent at him. Archer summons a chain as he wraps it around a nearby pillar, ripping it out and throwing it at Saber, who breaks them apart then jumps out of the impromptu exit, Archer following behind with bloodlust. Saber and Archer begin facing one another on the open terrain under the moonlight, the moment Saber makes any sort of distance after a bind he has to deflect several noble phantasms fired by Archer, then proceeding to meet Archer head on. Cursed swords, hero-killing spears, axes of great sizes, and countless other noble phantasms must be avoided at all costs. Mercifully, they get into yet another bind, one where Saber has an advantage.
Archer: This is our third time clashing, and I will be damned if it is interrupted a third time! There will be no escape for you, Holy Sword Wielder!
Archer claims, as he manages to score a scratch on Saber’s pristine armor, both backing off. Before Saber could retort, he has to run and block several noble phantasms again, as Archer suddenly teleports behind him. As Saber turns around, his eyes widen as a sword the same size as a large building is swinging down towards him, erupting with flames as it does. Saber is forced to use Invisible Air and a mana burst to both slow it down and move away. As soon as the sword lands, Archer is already swinging at Saber who is holding on. 5 minutes have passed.
Archer lands several blows on Saber’s armor, the tables turning as he begins taking the advantage. Were Saber not weary from his earlier exploits, he likely would have continued pressing an advantage, if not stalemating Archer, however he is blocking and parrying as much as he can but Archer seems to be a step ahead of him. With his armor finally slashed open, Saber can only see the monster before him. The King of Heroes smells blood, as he continues his onslaught. It’s taking everything Saber has to keep some sort of foothold, however with the surprise noble phantasms fired at him during this, this is burning away what little mana he has at this point. Saber is able to finally land a shallow cut on Archer, soon backing up as he quickly tries to gather his breath.
Saber: Is that all you got, Archer?
He challenges, as Archer smirks, setting his swords onto his back as he motions with his hands and arms to the air, 12 portals opening with noble phantasms ready to fire.
Archer: No, I’m just getting warmed up, but do entertain me with your dance Saber!
He taunts, as Saber has to quickly deflect and block these noble phantasms. One glances off of his left pauldron, as Archer takes up his dual blades again and charges in. Saber readies himself, forced into yet another exchange though this time, Archer is pushing much more aggressively than before. Saber is forced to constantly step back, his back meeting a wall as he quickly steps to the side as Archer cuts through it. Saber’s lesser stamina is showing, as he’s trying so very hard to conserve his very limited mana while Archer has no such weakness. At a point, Archer attacks high with his swords, then uses a golden chain to catch Excalibur, yanking it as Saber is suddenly tossed through a building, ending up with his back on the ground. With a cough, Saber quickly tries to get up, only to be met with Archer grabbing his hair and using his armored knee to hit him in the face. With a grunt, Saber lands, one foot on the ground as he quickly gets up and tries to move away. Archer caught up, swinging down on him with his right blade and firing low at Saber with a few quick portals. Saber avoids the noble phantasms by jumping into the air and quickly tries to use Invisible Air to propel himself skyward, Archer following closely behind him.
Saber: I need to finish this quickly!
He comments mentally, Archer getting much more serious as they continue upwards. They arrive on the sides of skyscrapers and rooftops of medium sized properties. Saber dashes away, moving to a rooftop, running to avoid several noble phantasms fired at him, as the two combatants soon charge at one another. Another clash, ending up with them continuing on new directions, Saber and Archer reaching two different sky scrapers as Archer fires several noble phantasms at Saber. The skyscrapers from earlier are damaged from their ascent, the rooftop is utterly destroyed, and as Saber deflects several noble phantasms, it too is greatly damaged. His stamina is starting to reach its limit, and all Saber has to show for it is a bruise starting to form on his face, and greatly damaged armor.
With a war cry, he uses Invisible Air to blast away the noble phantasms fired as he rockets towards Archer. Pushing them both in, Archer blocks, as now they clash in an office. Each blow blasts away countless papers, Saber kicking a chair at Archer, who meets it with a thrown table. Saber fakes Archer out as they meet. Using the chair and table as visual obstructions, Saber uses Excalibur with his left hand as he slams a punch onto Archer’s face, twisting Excalibur to move aside the dual blades as Archer’s concentration was broken for a short time, attempting to behead the golden King of Uruk. Archer is able to see it just in time as he uses both blades of Enki to glance the strongest Holy Sword away, still scoring Saber a cut on his head. Archer immediately kicks Saber’s right knee, disturbing his balance as he then lands a solid slash on the chest, both now scoring blood. Another clash blasts away the floor as their battle breaks several ceilings.
The duel is turning into pure violence, both combatants attempting to set up their final attacks with what’s left of this battle. Saber was able to release all of the seals set onto Excalibur, it glowing in a radiant light still contained within it's sheathe, as Archer was able to meet the conditions of his Imperial noble phantasm. Another violent clash erupts on the floor with debris, causing noticeable damage outside, as Saber can still see that Cure and Archer still need to prove themselves the greatest heroic spirit. After two ties against Saber, he won’t accept a third. Such a thing would be an insult to his status as the first and oldest Hero. He scores a solid slash on Saber’s leg.
Saber: Ngh!
Saber repays Archer with a kick to the stomach, pushing air out of Archer’s lungs as he then grabs Saber and throws him even higher to the other side of the building, jumping up, leaving behind only rubble as another noticeable cloud of dust and debris is seen. Saber and Archer are frantically slashing and attacking one another, Saber greatly winded as Archer is managing his stamina advantage. Archer refuses to use Baba-Ilu; if he cannot defeat Saber in this building with pure skill and the strength he possesses, then this is a travesty of a duel. 10 minutes have passed. With very tight maneuvering and Saber’s stamina waning, Archer manages to impale him through the stomach with one of the swords, Saber yelling in pain as Archer takes the opportunity to punch Saber so hard, he’s sent flying from the skyscraper to ground zero, Archer flying to the top of the skyscraper. Staring down at the Saber class servant whose crater is filling with his blood, Archer flicks away the blood left on his sword as he smirks.
Archer: And there it is… Now, time to finish this, Holy Sword Wielder!
He reverse grips the sword in his left hand, slamming both blades together by the pommel. They combine into one golden bow, the blades tilting back as a string magically appears. Archer laughs as he notches an arrow into his longbow, aiming at Saber’s head. He lets go, Saber seeing it as he just barely moves his head out of the way. As soon as it lands, Saber’s right eye widens as he quickly realizes that it’s a marker, sending some sort of signal upwards. Another appears from space, approaching as both the signal and what is presumably the actual attack is meeting in the middle.
Archer: Behold! The inferno of destruction fills the heavens! Come forth! Flood of Utnapishtim!
He gloats, as both halves land, cleaving space as a magic circle appears, red lines in the sky as the shockwave spreads throughout Tokyo. Like glass, it shatters as a flood engulfs the area. Saber is submerged under water, as Enki, the Star of Destruction, brings forth the tsunami that gave shape to the deluge myth of Noah.
Archer: This is what it means to destroy the World! Heroic Spirits, suffer the curse that the insolence of challenging the King of Heroes has brought upon ye!
As the assumed victor, he begins to laugh. This noble phantasm took all of his magical energy; he is so depleted that he can barely lift his arms, and his legs are not much better if at all. Still, as the victor of this battle, it is his duty to laugh. He goes silent as a voice is heard.
Saber: Don’t get so arrogant, King of Heroes!
Archer: What…!?
The golden archer looks down with shock present on his face, seeing a golden holy light shining brightly beneath the water, with radiance on par with the stars. Saber looks upwards with a determined expression as he tightly grips Excalibur. Each of the 13 seals of Restraint placed on it is heard being lifted, one by one.
Saber: EX-!!!
The mere act of Arthur Pendragon charging his Noble Phantasm destroys the tsunami, as Archer’s red eyes widen in realization. He quickly readies Enki, notching an arrow, though it would take a week for the Flood of Utnapishtim to be ready, and despite being almost entirely out of energy. Yet, Arthur Pendragon does not waver in the slightest, gazing with the intensity of an Emperor who ruled the Earth.
Archer: Guh, Holy Sword Wielder…!
He fires his arrow, it flies towards Arthur Pendragon at rapid speeds, though it is for naught.
Saber: …CALIBUR!!!
Facing defeat, Gilgamesh could only sigh with despair. This slash pierced the skylines, breaking into the Heavens as Archer is no longer seen and the lone arrow fired was utterly obliterated. Saber is breathing heavily, already feeling himself beginning to heal slightly. His eyes widen as he puts away Proto Excalibur, quickly catching the small glass bottle with a bioluminescent blue liquid inside. He looks at it, then firmly grasps it. From victory, he claimed the one way he could cure Ayaka, and he sets off to do so as the moonlight continues reflecting its light upon Tokyo.