A razor-sharp killing intent sliced through the air, unrestrained, as a chilling aura radiated from Roy in waves.
Whoosh!!
Black flames roared to life beneath his feet, scorching the earth and forming a blazing barrier that cut off the approaching figure.
"Who are you?" Roy demanded, stepping forward to shield Ritsuka. His face was a mask of grim resolve as he confronted the green-haired stranger.
The flames in his hand flickered menacingly, his stance poised for attack, forcing the figure to halt mid-stride.
"Oh my, please don't regard me with such hostility," The white-robed figure said, their voice tinged with a hint of distress.
Despite the tension, they maintained a serene smile... a deliberate facade. Tiamat's offspring, the puppeteer of this Singularity, Kingu gazed at Roy with calm eyes. "I'm not your enemy. Might I have a simple chat with your Master? Don't worry... I'll keep a safe distance."
The words were measured, a perfect blend of diplomacy and deference, staking a claim to neutrality while upholding impeccable courtesy.
Kingu clung to the persona of this vessel... Enkidu... hoping to weave a web of trust around Chaldea with honeyed words.
"…"
Roy dipped his head, feigning a moment of contemplation before turning to Ritsuka at his side. "Is that alright, Master?"
"Huh? Me?" Ritsuka blinked, caught off guard by the sudden address.
She didn't know how Roy had morphed into the Count of Monte Cristo, nor could she grasp his full intent. But catching the weight in his eyes... recalling the hushed words he'd whispered earlier... she nodded with practiced ease.
"Yes, it's fine. Let this lovely… gentleman? Lady? Please, go ahead."
"Thank you for your trust," Kingu replied, their smile softening with a gentle warmth.
Then, like an actor stepping into a well-rehearsed role, they launched into their scripted spiel.
"Greetings, Master of Chaldea, guardian of humanity's history, and this formidable Servant. I presume you've come to mend this Singularity. My name is Enkidu, bosom friend of the Hero King, Gilgamesh. I apologize for not greeting you the moment you arrived... it's my failing."
"As you can see, Mesopotamia is overrun with countless magical beasts. This Singularity languishes under the Three Goddess Alliance's reign, plunging the land into untold suffering. Its people have endured too long. But fortunately, the saviors from Chaldea... you... have arrived."
To sell the act, Kingu lowered their stance, heaping praise on Ritsuka and Roy alike.
Then came the half-truths about Mesopotamia's plight, spun deftly for Ritsuka's ears.
The truth: this was indeed Enkidu's body, and Mesopotamia was besieged by beasts, courtesy of the goddesses' alliance.
The lie: they weren't the true Chain of Heaven, merely a usurper in borrowed flesh. The beasts plaguing the plains? Their own doing. The so-called Three Goddess Alliance was a fractured sham... Kingu alone sought this Singularity's ruin.
Their rhetoric was masterful... flattery laced with partial truths, the kind that easily swayed the unsuspecting.
Especially a teenage girl like Ritsuka, armed only with first impressions and no knowledge of the deeper game.
Without Roy... someone who knew the full story... by her side, Kingu's masquerade as a timely ally, paired with this charm offensive, might've swept Ritsuka off her feet.
Or rather, it had succeeded once. In the original tale, Ritsuka and Mash nearly fell into the trap.
But with Roy here, privy to every twist, Kingu's odds of triumph dwindled to nothing.
Roy stayed silent, letting the charlatan ramble on.
"This land teeters on the brink of annihilation. Having crossed six Singularities to reach this chaos, O Master of Chaldea, I beseech you... save this world, save Mesopotamia's suffering people."
Kingu's performance was impeccable, their tone and expression striking every note of sorrow and compassion. It tugged at Ritsuka's kind, empathetic heartstrings.
"Yes, we'll help you," She agreed softly, nodding. Her innate goodness couldn't ignore the land's torment.
"Enkidu?!" Roman's voice crackled through the comms, brimming with excitement. "You're Enkidu? The famed creation of the gods from Gilgamesh's epic... the Chain of Heaven, Enkidu?!"
After Kingu's speech, Roman buzzed with enthusiasm. "Ritsuka, if this is truly Enkidu, that's incredible! Their kindness and strength are legendary in the epic... one of this era's mightiest, aside from the gods. If they aid us in fixing this Singularity, things could go far smoother than we hoped…"
As he spoke, Roman's eyes flicked to Roy, who stood with hands clasped behind his back, flashing a series of subtle gestures: quiet, keep going, no.
"…"
Roman held his tongue, betraying no hint of suspicion. A sidelong glance at Da Vinci confirmed a shared understanding, their expressions darkening with unspoken gravity.
Buzz... buzz... buzz!!
With a manual tweak from Roman, the comms hologram flickered, static hissing through the device.
"What's wrong, Doctor?" Ritsuka asked, eyeing the warping feed.
"Ahem, it's fine, Ritsuka. Just some lingering signal instability," Roman reassured her. "You and the Count chat with Enkidu for now. Seems the Uruk barrier's damage to our gear isn't fully patched. We'll keep stabilizing things here for the Singularity's repair. I'll reach out again soon."
Relieved it wasn't a major issue, Ritsuka exhaled. "Alright, see you later, Doctor."
"Mm… Ritsuka… bzzz... "
With a flimsy excuse, Roman cut the feed, his gaze hardening.
He turned to his trusted aide, Leonardo da Vinci. "What do you make of Roy's signals?"
"Those gestures were clear, keep talking, don't rouse suspicion... and a warning that this Enkidu can't be trusted."
"I'd sooner trust Roy over this so-called Enkidu and besides that, he is also the master chosen by Karna."
"Compared to this self-proclaimed Enkidu, Roy's a godsend. Without his timely intervention to heal Ritsuka, she might've…"
The unspoken conclusion hung heavy, silencing them both.
"Right, without this odd Master, things would've turned dire. If he were an enemy, he'd have no reason to save her."
"So over some dubious Enkidu, I'd bet on the man who pulled Ritsuka from the brink."
"And there's more."
"This latest beast swarm's timing is too perfect... like they were herded here on purpose. Yet this Enkidu swoops in just as they're about to clash, oh-so-conveniently. I can't say if it's a conspiracy, but my gut screams it's not that simple."
Roman nodded, his own unease mirrored in her words. He'd clocked the same red flags.
"So what now? If this Enkidu's a fraud, Ritsuka's in grave danger. Should we warn her right away?"
"Calm down, Roman, the more critical the moment, the cooler you need to stay. You're Chaldea's commander, remember?"
Seeing his agitation, she softened. "No need to panic yet. We don't know Roy's full game, but he's on Ritsuka's side for now... else he wouldn't have saved her."
"With him and Karna lurking in the shadows, Ritsuka should be fine. You can't contact her directly now, though. If this figure catches a whiff of doubt, it could spell trouble for both her and Roy."
"I get it…" Roman murmured, nodding. His fists clenched as he stared at the screen, a flicker of helplessness in his eyes.
Ritsuka had lost Mash upon arrival, danced with death, and now faced a veiled threat... all while he, Chaldea's commander, could offer no aid beyond the basics.
He had to pin his hopes on a stranger he'd just met. The gnawing powerlessness tore at him, a bitter pang for a leader.
I don't know where you came from or what you stand for, Roy… but for now, I'm counting on you.
___
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